Papa John’s founder John Schnatter has been facing major backlash since using the “N-word” during a conference call with a marketing company and culture expert Jawn Murray is protesting the pizza enterprise.
Schnatter is in hot water after a scheduled call with Laundry Service turned into an offensive racial conversation. Papa John’s and the marketing company discussed strategies for future media chaos. The founder’s comments in November regarding the NFL protest sparked outrage among consumers. He blamed the NFL for “not resolving the current debacle to the players’ and owners’ satisfaction” and said the protest caused a decrease in company sales.
However, during a May call with the marketing company, he referred to Black people as “niggers” and has been facing public backlash. Many company’s and organizations have cut all ties with the pizza enterprise, but pop expert Murray felt that wasn’t enough.
“A fish rots at his head… John Schnatter is the founder of Papa John’s pizza, so the company is having problems from the top,” Murray expressed. “African-Americans spend one and a half trillion dollars of buying power in this country. I don’t care if he started selling Patti Labelle pies.”
He continued, “Black people should never eat this prejudice pizza again!”
Schnatter confirmed his racist language in an email statement to Forbes on Wednesday. The founder made a decision to step down as the chairman the same day.
