I have never bought a Papa John’s Pizza. That proves I don’t have a vested interest in protecting him and his Pizza Company because I fear I will be cut off from his delicious pies.
I have several reasons for sympathizing with Papa John (John Schnatter)...
Ø I like hard workers and he must be a hard worker because he started his Pizza Chain of more than 5,000 locations in 45 countries in a converted broom closet in his father’s Jeffersonville, IN Tavern.
Ø He can’t be all bad because he stood up to all the craziness of NFL players kneeling during our National Anthem.
Ø My grandchildren call me “Papa”.
It now appears he has been kicked out of the company he has worked so long to build because of what people within his company are saying about things that happened in his company and a report that he used The N- Word!
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First Let’s Talk About The People Reporting About What Happened Within Papa’s Company
I decided that I would drive up to Kentucky and ask the reporting people about what they have reported and see if I can figure out if what they have reported has a basis in fact.
I tried to find out the names of these internal company reporters but that was not easy. I read an extensive article in the Wall Street Journal and here are the “names” I came up with...
I have listed their “names” each and every time I saw their “names” repeated in the article.
Ø “citing people familiar with the matter”
Ø “People close to the company said”
Ø “they said”
Ø “said one of the people”
Ø “said one of the people familiar with the company”
Ø “The people close to the company said”
Ø “said a person familiar with the meeting”
Ø “this person said”
Ø “said the people close to the company”
Ø “one of them said”
Ø “said a person who attended”
Ø “this person said”
Ø “said some of the people close to the company”
Ø “A person familiar with the company said”
Ø “said one of them”
Ø “said one of the people close to the company”
Ø (Again) “said one of the people close to the company”
Ø “One of the people close to the company said”
It’s must be only in a court of law that the accused has a right to face his accuser but not in a Pizza Parlor.
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Now Let’s Talk About Papa’s “Use” Of The N-Word
Quote from WSJ... “John Schnatter’s relations with Papa John’s International Inc., the pizza giant he founded, appeared to crumble abruptly and irreparably after reports this month that he had used a racial slur.”
I know what most of you are thinking... A Racial Slur! He ought to know better! He ought to be fired! Adios, Papa!
Paul Harvey is visiting with me today and, as usual, he asked me to tell you the rest of the story. Here is another quote from the same article in the WSJ... “The company agreed to bring him (John Schnatter) back to events such as one involving the National Hot Rod Association in Chicago in May and arranged to have Laundry Service (Papa John’s Ad Agency) conduct a role-playing session that would pose tough questions he might face from reporters. Asked during the session whether he was racist, he said, he answered “no,” and went on to use “n—” when explaining that Colonel Sanders used the word but Papa John’s didn’t. He said he resisted the marketing firm’s suggestion to use rapper Kanye West in ads with him because Mr. West used the “N-word” in songs.”
I have a question for my Dear Readers... Is saying the N-Word the same as using the N-Word? If you say that someone else said the N-Word, is the sayer who said that someone else said the N-Word just as guilty as the sayer who actually said the N-Word?
I don’t think so.
What if you say the N-Word in your sleep?
Now I’m getting silly...Or am I?
Would I kid u?
Smartfella
Lagniappe: The CEO who replaced Papa declined to be interviewed.
2 comments:
Dear Smartfella,
You pose an interesting and dangerous question. If I told you what I think, what I think might happen is that the ACLU or NAACP or any other more progressive thinkers than me, will have their paid associates or demonstrators, lawyers or Whistle Blowers, or idle students with a blank sign just waiting for something to protest will, either, (1) swoop down on me, and you by association, and say we said the N-word or (2) put the information about us using the N-word into our permanent record for future negative reference.
So I'd better not say what I think.
I have been trying to understand this issue and it just doesn't make sense, until you get to the part where Pappa John was actually coaxed into using the N - word by his PR firm who then turned around and ask Pappa John for $6 million to make the problem go away..... this is called extortion, which Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton perfected. Life today in corporate America is very difficult because the bad guys are coming at you from every direction.......... great article!
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