Last week, Nantucket Magazine apologized for "any pain caused" by its recent feature story on Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.
Now, the publisher is lauding Portnoy as a philanthropic hero.
In a statement to Page Six, Bruce Percelay stressed the glossy publication's story on Portnoy highlights his support of the island's small businesses during COVID-19. The Barstool Fund has raised more than $37 million for at least 332 small businesses nationwide.
"Anyone who engages [with] and leads such efforts should be applauded, as those efforts are very much in line with my own," Percelay said. "I believe there are few things more important in life than giving back to the community, as Dave and others have done."
Over the years, Portnoy has faced immense scrutiny for Barstool's lewd content and online harassment campaigns of female journalists. Nantucket Magazine's glowing story on Portnoy, titled "Rebel with a Cause," doesn't mention any of his controversies — including his viral rants against COVID-19 restrictions.
One of the articles images features Portnoy laying on a liquor-shaped pool float.
Since publication, the magazine's small offices have been bombarded with complaints from residents, women's shelters and women's groups, Page Six reports. The outcry prompted Percelay to publish an apology to readers on the magazine's Facebook page.
Portnoy responded to the post in kind: "Everybody who doesn't like me should go f— themselves," he wrote.
Since Portnoy is a high-profile Nantucket homeowner, it's probably in Percelay's best interests to try and make amends. But then again, he also risks further inflaming the magazine's readership.
In other words, this clarification seems to be all about trying to have it both ways.
"Nantucket is a very special place and the islanders care very deeply about their community," Percelay said. "Those who criticized or were offended by our story should be acknowledged and their voices deserved to be heard and respected."
