Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy let loose with another viral coronavirus video on Friday in response to New York’s decision to suspend indoor dining.
The sports media giant who drew millions of eyeballs to his “corona rant” in May blasted politicians for billing the infringement of basic rights and individual liberty as prudent and necessary.
“New York City just closed indoor dining,” he began in a video for nearly 2 million Twitter followers. “What do they think is gonna happen? What do they think is going to happen to the thousands of restaurants? They’re done! The bar and restaurant industry and small business have been squeezed and squeezed and squeezed. And they’ve tried everything. They’ve been as creative as possible.”
Politicians Are Stealing the Basic Right To Earn A Living pic.twitter.com/9Yx9Vf1iP1
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 11, 2020
Mr. Portnoy, whose video generated more than 1 million views within hours, detailed various measures businesses have taken to stay in compliance with often unpredictable politicians and their COVID-19 rules.
“[Small business owners have] been as creative as you can be to save their livelihood, to save what they’ve spent decades of blood, sweat, and tears building,” he continued. “They’ve done whatever. They’ve scratched and clawed, and now a few politicians New York City is like, ’Eh, you’re done! We’re shutting it down! No indoor dining.’ … It’s insanity. … I can’t believe in this country what I consider the most basic right of them all — the right to earn a living — the right to earn a livelihood is now being stolen.”
The entrepreneur then used the success of Barstool Sports to underscore his point.
“Basic freedoms they are stealing, and I’m not over-saying it,” he said. “They are stealing it. And they’re saying they’re protecting us. Let us protect ourselves. You’re not protecting a family that you just destroyed. These people aren’t getting their livelihoods back. … If I start Barstool and I work my d— to the bone for a decade and I got right to the point of making it and you pulled the plug without me having a chance, I would rather die.”
Mr. Portnoy said the veracity of his claims could be judged with an in-person visit to New York City — or what’s left of it.
“This country is never gonna be the same,” he said. “This is it. Walk through New York. Look at the buildings, look at the restaurants. Boards after boards after boards. Out of business. Rent signs. This is because of the way the government has handled it. … There’s no creativity from the government. I don’t know what the answer is. Oh, actually I do: Let people f—ing decide for themselves. If you want to stay home, you’re afraid of corona[virus], stay home. I want to go out. It’s not your place to tell me how to live my life at this point. In this country, politicians are taking away the right to earn a living. It’s that simple and it’s insanity. I don’t know what the answer is, but it’s insanity.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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