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Barstool Sports host Ben Mintz fired for using N-word on show, Dave Portnoy calls it an 'innocent mistake'

Dave Portnoy claimed Barstool Sports' parent company, Penn Entertainment, forced him to fire Ben Mintz

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ben Mintz, a well-known Barstool Sports host, has reportedly been fired for using a racial expletive while reading rap lyrics. Mintz, also known as Mintzy, used the N-word on his show, 'Wake Up Mintzy', while reading the lines of '1st of Tha Month' by Bone Thugz-N-Harmony, earlier this week.

According to a video Barstool President Dave Portnoy shared on Twitter on Monday, May 1, Mintzhad been dismissed. Portnoy noted that Penn Entertainment, Barstool's parent company, had pressured him to fire Mintz and that it was not his decision.

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An honest mistake 

Portnoy reportedly said that the decision was taken despite statements from Barstool CEO Erika Nardini and mainstay Dan Katz that Mintz had made an honest mistake. He added that the decision to terminate Mintz was made out of worry that the incident might put the company's regulatory gambling licenses across the country in jeopardy, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Portnoy told the New York Post, "I hate the decision. I disagree with the decision. I would not have made the decision. But I don't deal with the things Penn deals with in terms of state regulators etc. Penn paid a lot of money for Barstool, and they have to make the best decisions to protect their business. I trust and respect [Penn CEO] Jay [Snowden] that he makes what he thinks is the right move, and that's all you can ask for. That doesn't mean I'll always agree, but again he deals with things I don't have to think or deal with."

Shock over Mintzy's 'innocent mistake'

In a video, Portnoy expressed disbelief that Mintz's "innocent mistake" may impact the business with regulators. "They believe there's a legitimate chance lots of states could pull their licenses because of this," Portnoy said.

He continued, "Penn's a multi-billion dollar company. Without their licenses, they are a zero-dollar company. Investors, families, employees, thousands of people — they believe it's their job to protect all of this, and the only answer is to fire Ben Mintz. I still disagreed with it, and maybe I'm naive, but I'm like, 'There is just no way anybody can look at the clip and think the punishment fits the crime.'"

Portnoy conlcuded by saying, "It makes my skin crawl thinking a guy would lose their job on an innocent mistake. Yes, horrible, but clearly no intent … It's everything I've stood against for 20 years," per the New York Post.

'I made an unforgivable mistake'

Mintz apologized on Twitter on Monday. He said, "This morning, I made an unforgivable mistake slipping on air while reading a song lyric. I meant no harm & have never felt worse about anything. I apologize for my actions. I am truly sorry & ashamed of myself."