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Papa John’s founder said it was “a mistake” to resign after he used the n-word
It seemed like a reasonable consequence: After using the n-word during a conference call in part about racial sensitivity, John “Papa John” Schnatter was forced to step down as board chair of the pizza chain. But a new report from Julie Jargon at the Wall Street Journalsuggests that Schnatter doesn’t think he should have left his job last week.
The Wall Street Journal reviewed a letter to the directors in which Schnatter questioned the board’s request for him to resign. “The board asked me to step down as chairman without apparently doing any investigation. I agreed, though today I believe it was a mistake to do so,” he said. “I will not allow either my good name or the good name of the company I founded and love to be unfairly tainted.”
In his letter, Schnatter admitted to using the n-word. As he put it, he was asked if he was racist, and he said “no,” adding, “I then said something on the order of, Colonel Sanders used the word ‘N,’ (I actually used the word), that I would never use that word, and Papa John’s doesn’t use that word.” (As Barry Petchesky at Deadspin pointed out, it’s not clear why Schnatter is convinced that Colonel Sanders, of KFC fame, used the n-word; there’s no good evidence for it.)
The Papa John’s board, for its part, doesn’t seem convinced. It has now barred Schnatter from using office space at the pizza chain’s corporate headquarters, has told him to no longer make media appearances for Papa John’s, and plans to remove him from the company’s products.
This isn’t the first racial controversy for Schnatter; he had already resigned as Papa John’s CEO, but not chair, last year after blaming falling sales on the NFL’s inability to stop national anthem protests over systemic racism and police brutality. (Papa John’s was, but no longer is, the NFL’s official pizza.)
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Papa John’s founder resigns as chairman after using a racial slur on a call
He was undergoing an exercise on how to handle controversial situations when he made the comment.
Papa John’s founder John Schnatter resigned as board chairman from the pizza company after he apologized for using a racial slur on a conference call that was set up to teach Schnatter how to not say offensive things.
This is the latest in the fallout for Schantter, who faced increasing pressure after he admitted using the n-word and described a scene of violence against African Americans on a conference call in May.
Forbes first reported the call, which was set up to help take Schnatter through a “role-playing exercise” to help him deal with racially sensitive situations. Schantter stepped down as CEO from Papa John’s last year, after he blamed NFL leadership for failing to stop anthem protests, which he said had driven down the chain’s sales.
Read more: Papa John’s Founder Drops N-Word During Sensitivity Training Call
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Papa John’s Founder Drops N-Word During Sensitivity Training Call
On Wednesday, the founder of Papa John’s, apologized for dropping the N-word during dropped the N-word during a sensitivity training call in May and now he’s apologizing.
“News reports attributing the use of inappropriate and hurtful language to me during a media training session regarding race are true,” founder John Schnatter said in a statement issued through the company, New York Daily News reports. “Regardless of the context, I apologize. Simply stated, racism has no place in our society.”
According to the Daily News, Papa John’s stock fell “up to 6% in intraday trading, wiping out roughly $96 million in market value.”
This isn’t the first time that Papa John Schnatter let his inner racist out. In January, he left his job as CEO of the company amid comments he made during NFL anthem protests.
Apparently when Papa John was speaking with his staff about how he was going to avoid a scandal, Schnatter allegedly involved President Trump’s favorite chicken spot owner Colonel Sanders.
“Colonel Sanders called blacks ‘niggers,’ ” Schnatter allegedly said.
And in true Republican form, Papa John added that Sanders never publicly apologized, nor was he condemned for saying the N-word.
“Schnatter also discussed growing up in Indiana, where he said people would kill African-Americans by dragging them from their trucks — a reflection that was interpreted as offensive by other parties on the call, according to the report,” the Daily News reports.
Papa John’s said in a statement Wednesday that it “condemns racism and any insensitive language, no matter the situation or setting. Our company was built on a foundation of mutual respect and acceptance. … We take great pride in the diversity of the Papa John’s family, though diversity and inclusion is an area where we will continue to strive to do better,” the statement read, according to the Daily News.
Papa John is currently looking for work at the Waffle House where his position on race will be appreciated.
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