Dave Portnoy is owning up to a mistake.
After University of Mississippi student Mary Kate Cornett voiced her frustration over popular figures such as podcasters at Barstool Sports and ESPN’s Pat McAfee spreading a fabricated story about her having an affair with her boyfriend’s father, Portnoy acknowledged why she was feeling angry.
According to Portnoy, he stated on NBC Nightly News on April 10 that the rumor is cruel and unfortunate, and he regrets if they had any involvement in it.
In February, Kevin Clancy and Jack McGuire, two of his employees, voiced their opinions about a rumor online, which have since been removed. Initially denying any involvement through a statement to Rolling Stone, Portnoy now admits that promoting the story on Barstool’s platform significantly impacted the 19-year-old’s life negatively.
McAfee recently hinted at his involvement in the controversial attack against Cornett, without directly naming the student. During a live broadcast for his show on April 9th, he stated that he wanted to avoid adding more negativity to the ongoing situation as reported by The Athletic, and expressed his intention to find some positive outcome from this very unfortunate incident.
For Cornett, the rumor has significantly disrupted her everyday life, leading her to reside in emergency campus housing for enhanced security measures. She is currently taking her classes remotely as well. Moreover, her personal phone number was circulated online, exposing her to a multitude of threatening calls and messages containing offensive language.
On campus, I’m unable to walk casually without people taking photos of me, shouting my name, or saying offensive and distasteful remarks towards me,” the 19-year-old shared with The Athletic on April 1. “Honestly, I just feel drained by it all.
She pointed out that, given less attention from prominent media figures, it might not have escalated to such an extent.
She told the publication, “It was when the well-liked individuals began sharing content that things took a significant turn for the worse.” She went on to assert that these individuals were essentially amplifying something utterly untrue.
Later on, Cornett explained to NBC News, “I hope these well-known individuals understand that I wasn’t popular prior to this incident. I’m not someone who can be casually discussed on your program for higher ratings.
She emphasized, “Them pressing this and pushing it farther, made my situation so much worse.”
While Cornett hasn’t announced any legal action against Barstool or Portnoy, her lawyer mentioned to NBC News that she intends to file a lawsuit for defamation against ESPN and McAfee. The lawyer stated, “It’s not acceptable to falsely accuse someone without consequences—and that’s what has transpired with Mary Kate.
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2025-04-11 19:02