The Moment
Dave Portnoy, the outspoken founder of Barstool Sports known for his sidewalk pizza reviews, was in Starkville, Mississippi, during a Mississippi State football weekend when a confrontation erupted on November 10. Video from the scene shows a young man shouting antisemitic insults at Portnoy outside Boardtown Pizza & Pints; the student was later arrested on a disturbing-the-peace charge, according to local police.
That student is 20-year-old Patrick McClintock. In the days since, a GiveSendGo campaign for his legal defense has surged to roughly $37,000, positioning him as a free-speech cause for some supporters—even as the incident itself has been widely condemned. Mississippi State University spokesperson Sid Salter said publicly the behavior seen in the clip doesn’t reflect the school’s values.
Police, for their part, framed the arrest as about conduct, not opinions: offensive speech may be protected, but actions that risk harm or disrupt public order are not, per their statement.
The Take
I get why this story is sparking a thousand group texts. It’s the messy overlap of celebrity, campus culture, and the First Amendment—plus a viral video and a fast-moving fundraiser to turn the whole thing into a referendum.
Here’s the clarity check: the Constitution protects ugly speech from government punishment, but it does not protect every behavior that accompanies it. That’s the line police say was crossed—more than just words, they suggest the situation veered into disruption and risk. If the video shows shouting inches from someone’s face and alleged coin-tossing, that’s the kind of conduct that often gets you a citation, no matter your message.
The speed of the fundraiser tells its own story. In 2025 America, every dustup becomes a marquee match: Free Speech vs. Public Safety, Round 8,000. But a legal-defense page isn’t a court ruling. It’s a narrative pitch. Supporters say McClintock is a victim of a “double standard”; law enforcement says it’s about keeping the peace. Both can coexist on the internet. Only one will matter in court.
Think of it like a pizza review gone sideways: the toppings (politics, identity, celebrity) get all the attention, but the crust—the actual charge and behavior—decides whether this slice holds together.
Receipts
Confirmed
- Starkville Police say a 20-year-old student (identified as Patrick McClintock) was arrested on a disturbing-the-peace charge after the incident involving Dave Portnoy on Nov. 10, and emphasized that while offensive speech can be protected, actions that risk harm or disruption are not (police statement).
- Portnoy was in Starkville filming a pizza review outside Boardtown Pizza & Pints the day of the incident (Portnoy’s own social video/posts).
- A GiveSendGo legal-defense page for McClintock has raised about $37,000 as of Nov. 14 (fundraiser page).
- Mississippi State University spokesperson Sid Salter publicly said the behavior seen in the video doesn’t reflect the university’s values (public comments by the spokesperson).
Unverified/Claimed
- The fundraiser’s framing that McClintock was jailed for “mean words” only; police characterize it as conduct that disturbed the peace.
- That Portnoy personally called 911, as claimed on the fundraiser page; this has not been confirmed by police.
- Allegations of coin-tossing are referenced in coverage and online commentary; treat as alleged unless clearly visible and authenticated in full-context video.
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
Dave Portnoy built Barstool Sports into a pop-culture machine and carved a second lane with his “one bite” pizza reviews, which he often films outside local spots on college-game weekends. He’s also a lightning rod: his fan base is loyal, his critics are vocal, and his videos tend to magnetize conflict. Starkville, home of Mississippi State University, was a natural stop—and, as the viral clip shows, a flashpoint.
What’s Next
Watch for basic process beats: a first court appearance or citation details for McClintock; any formal campus disciplinary action (if pursued); and whether additional video surfaces that clarifies the sequence of events. Expect Portnoy to keep narrating his side on social media—he rarely sits out a storyline—and for the fundraiser to become a rallying post for free-speech advocates.
Legally, the question is simple but not easy: did the student’s conduct meet the threshold for disturbing the peace under local law? That will hinge on evidence, not internet spin. Socially, the question is thornier: how should communities respond to antisemitic speech in public spaces while respecting constitutional protections? Those two tracks—law and culture—don’t always run in parallel.
Sources: Starkville Police Department public statement (Nov. 11, 2025); GiveSendGo fundraiser page for Patrick McClintock (accessed Nov. 14, 2025); Dave Portnoy social video/posts from Starkville (Nov. 10–11, 2025); Public comments by Mississippi State University spokesperson Sid Salter (Nov. 12, 2025).
Where do you draw the line between protected speech and disruptive conduct when it happens face-to-face in a crowded public space?
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