Founder of Papa John’s pizza chain resigns from company’s board after apologising for using the N-word
John Schnatter is said to have made other offensive comments while engaged in a role-playing exercise to help him prevent public relations missteps
Papa John’s founder John Schnatter resigned as chairman of the company’s board Wednesday, hours after apologising for using the N-word during a May conference call with a marketing agency.
Schnatter, a Donald Trump donor who stepped down as the pizza corporation’s chief executive in January after he said that National Football League player protests were hurting his pizza sales, was the subject of a news report in the business publication Forbes that documented his use of the racial slur. He confirmed the allegation in his apology.
“News reports attributing the use of inappropriate and hurtful language to me during a media training session regarding race are true,” Schnatter said in a statement.
“Regardless of the context, I apologise. Simply stated, racism has no place in our society.”
Forbes reported that Papa John’s executives were on a call with the marketing agency Laundry Service when Schnatter made the remark. The group was going through a role-playing exercise meant to better prepare for public-relations challenges.
Schnatter was asked how he would separate himself from racist groups online and responded by “downplaying the significance of his NFL statement,” Forbes reported.
“Colonel Sanders called blacks n*****s,” Schnatter reportedly said.
The apology by Schnatter, who is still deeply intertwined with the brand, serving as chairman and a de facto mascot, kicked off a cascade of reactions.
He resigned from the University of Louisville Board of Trustees after the local branch of NAACP called on him to be removed.