The saga involving a “f**k the Jews” sign at a Barstool Sports bar in Philadelphia has now resulted in an ongoing feud between Dave Portnoy and the college student at the center of it.
After initially responding to the viral incident by firing the waitresses involved and vowing to send the Temple University student who uploaded the sign to social media to a tour of Auschwitz, the Barstool Sports founder has since rescinded his offer. Now Portnoy finds himself involved in a social media back-and-forth with the student in question, who he says has reversed course on claiming responsibility.
In a video posted to X on Tuesday night, the 48-year-old called attention to the student, Mo Khan, publicly seeking donations for damages he claims to have suffered as a result of the public attention he has received. In his own video, Khan said that he was suspended by Temple and lost both his job and a prestigious internship while accusing Portnoy of sensationalizing the story.
“Dave Portnoy and his friends can choose to be triggered over the sentiments of that sign and even kick me out of the establishment forever,” Khan says in the video, in which he repeatedly referenced the war in Gaza and claimed that Portnoy owes him damages. “However, they have no right to destroy my life over free speech and ultimately something that was an edgy joke.”
If Khan is looking for sympathy, he isn’t going to find it from the Boston native.
“He’s just a flat liar coward with no responsibility,” Portnoy said of Khan in his video. “I should have seen this next move coming. He is now actually trying to profit from this. And he’s playing the role of the victim.
“… This is [such an] obvious playbook — spare me what’s going on in the Middle East [with] Palestine, Israel. Because I admit that’s a f**king horrible situation. I certainly get both sides in that. I do… but this was about being a Jew in America. Other Jews in the bar. I’m a Jew. My parents are a Jew. American Jews. ‘F**k the Jews,’ that’s what you said. You f**king anti-Semitic piece of s**t.
Portnoy added: “Watch this video. If you have an ounce of morality and you don’t just hate for the sake of hate, you’re just not a troll out there hating, which I’m sure he’ll get money because it’s out there. But this has to disgust you and this kid’s face should be ingrained in you to be like, ‘this is what the face of hatred is. This is what the face of being a coward is. This is the face of zero accountability. Everything that’s wrong with this generation.’ And this kid now, officially, it should stick with him forever.
“And by the way, his parents, who I know are giving him advice: nice kid you raised.”
Portnoy later took to X to call attention to Khan participating in an interview with Stew Peters — who the Anti-Defamation League identifies as “a far-right conspiracy theorist, radio show host, Christian nationalist and prolific antisemite”– in which he agreed with the host that “it’s time for humanity to become tribal and join forces against Jewish supremacy.” He also noted other incidents involving Khan and posted a written statement recapping the entire situation, including his brief run-in with a local news station in Philadelphia.
At this point, both sides seem dug in to their respective stances. Time will tell whether this proves to be the end of this saga or if it escalates further from here.