Bankers Boycott Mario Batali for Hitler ‘Metaphor,‘ Batali Says He Was ’Deliberately Misquoted’
- Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:17pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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After Mario Batali made the unfortunate misstep of comparing bankers to mass murderers Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, irate members of the financial services industry are now uniting in a common goal: Boycott Batali-owned restaurants like “Babbo” and “Del Posto.”
According to Forbes writer Jeff Bercovici, who first brought us the story, bankers are using the Twitter hashtag “#bataligate” to encourage and spread word of the boycott. In a kind of sad irony for Batali, bankers are perhaps among the few who can afford to dine at his ultra-pricey eateries.
Below is an example of the #bataligate tweets:
Eater and the Business Insider both report that bankers have been canceling reservations en masse, with one manager at a financial institution reportedly warning employees that receipts from Batali-owned eateries submitted on expense reports won’t be reimbursed. Sean Feeney, a trader and the author of the food blog Bite of the Apple, writes, “I’m not going to go to Babbo until [Batali] clarifies and/or apologizes for his words, and in fact this morning I canceled 5 reservations over the next month that I have.”
But Batali is claiming that his comments were taken out of context and that it was never his intention to equate the banking industry with Hitler and Stalin, who, in Batali’s own words, are “two of the most evil, brutal dictators in modern history.”
As you will see from Batali’s Twitter profile featured below, the celebrity chef asserts that “Mr. B” — a reference to Bercovici — “deliberately misquoted” him.
The following recording of Batali’s response to Bercovici’s questions might prove otherwise:
Bercovici adds:
I’ve called and emailed Batali’s spokeswoman, Pamela Lewy, to inquire exactly what it is Batali thinks he said that was misquoted. I haven’t heard back. For the record, accusing me of misquoting him is false, and accusing me of doing it deliberately is, frankly, libelous. There are recordings of all of his remarks, and the only minor inaccuracy in any quote I attributed to him was the result of an error in the transcript supplied to me by Time.
The Forbes writer adds that he will soon release a full recording of the debate.
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Comments (143)
EdFulop
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:55pmSomething that’s always bothered me about Mario — the guy looks like he should be wearing a kilt on Saint Patrick’s Day, or a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, and he shows up with a name like Mario Batali? Huh? Doesn’t work for me. Does that make me a racist?
Report Post »TunaBlue
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 12:34pmNo, you’re not racist. You draw ridiculous and irrational assumption about people based on a need to judge. What benefit do derive by judging wrongly?
Report Post »bjornskis
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:54pmI’m sure there will be enough OWS flolks to buy his high end food
SCREW HIM never a cent of my money
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:10pmIf the boycott is successful, he will have put his mouth where his money used to be! His businesses are going to suffer and rightfully so.
That is what he gets for shooting off his mouth and accusing other loyal Americans of being like Hitler. It was bad enough from a public relations standpoint to let his personal feelings be known, but to use a mass-murderer like Hitler to belittle bankers doesn’t even make sense. He was like an impetuous child trying to think of the worst thing to say to an enemy without thinking about the consequences.
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:13pmThats right, he knows who butters his bread. Big mouth and no balls either
Report Post »kraphtsman
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:20pmI hope this fat jerk CHOKES on his IGNORANT words, and his business suffers as a result. Anyone as FAT and STUPID as this over-rated IDIOT should choke as well. Hope this FAT LIBERAL JERK’s business ends up in the sewer where his pea-sized brain and whale-sized ego belong !
Report Post »GREENDOG
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:24pmHumna, humna, humna! You show sucked and so do your restaurants fat boy!
Report Post »dimestoreturtle
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:14pmIt’s easy to boycott Babbo – the place blows chunks.
Report Post »Cosmos102
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:19pmCould this be the beginning of something? Perhaps people are ready to teach those loud mouth Liberals a lesson. Let’s hope this type of thing spreads. Of course it won’t be easy with the media not reporting things, but the internet should help speed things up. No wonder Obama wants to control it and have the authority to shut it down.
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:28pmIt’s about time these lefty kooks own up to their whacked-out stupidities and suffered the consequences. May this be only the beginning.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 9:03amI’d like to smack him upside the head with a frozen leg of lamb, then slow roast , braise and enjoy….
Report Post »rickbob
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:54pmWhat a complete, total BOOB!!!
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 8:32pmhe is a boob and as a second generation italian american I have always been highly annoyed by this guy. how many red headed italians do you see? I see one who capitalizes off his last name by creating snobby food and faux italian culture to sell cookbooks, one big fat phony revealing his true colors coming right up
Report Post »War_Vet
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:54pm“never trust a skinny chef”
Now I have to rethink that one .. thanks alot Blaze ;)
Report Post »Bare Rock
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:51pmThat fat dufass doesn’t look like he could heat Campbells tomato soup. Why does anyone care what he says
Report Post »chazman
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:58pm… well, talk about stepping in that huge, steaming pile of dog poop on the way into Babbo’s? Ya got some on yer pant leg there Mario … buthead.
Report Post »Tonto Lebowski
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 8:49pmChazman, it’s called stepping on your own CRANK!
Report Post »majorsco
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:51pmHis star has just gone out! He can cook all the great food he wants and serve it to his empty restaurants. Unlike the protesters who don’t believe in consequences for their actions, real people must live with the consequences of their actions and their words. I don’t think bankers will be giving your businesses any loans or patronizing your business anytime soon. Too bad, so sad, but you did it to yourself.
Report Post »Wineman1963
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:45pmGO to Food Network and tell them why you won’t be watching their channel anymore.
Report Post »Tired of Idiotic Comments
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 8:45pmWhy are you blaming the Food Network? That would be like blaming General Motors because they have contracts with Communist led auto workers unions.
Report Post »sta
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:40pmPerhaps because “Food Network” hosted a Throwdown between Bobby Flay and Obama at the White House?
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:01pmExcept GM is communist/GOV owned, so in essence you can blame them. Ford didn’t take the money.
Report Post »BluifoxEd
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:09pmBecause GM is owned and run by the commie lovin regime and the union boys.
Report Post »Dutchracer
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:44pmHe might fix some terrific food, Too bad he is dumb enough to attack those patronage his restaurant. Maybe he can go into the Artisan dog food business and feed the new leader of Occupy Denver. That’s seems to be more in line with his ideology!
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:52pmI can’t believe the hypocrisy of these people. We should all forget about these people until Veterans Day is past because they are the true heroes that might be forgotten with this whole OWS drama playing out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di2e3kJUY4E
Report Post »TriforcePlayer
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:43pmNever watching any of his shows again.
Report Post »lisalake
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:40pmDeserving… but you can be sure they are only boycotting him cause he’s a fat white guy.
Report Post »P8riot
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:39pmThis actually brings up an interesting scenario… what if the 1% decided to boycott spending their millions? Then these crazy occupiers would realize who keeps the economy moving. lol. this is a perfect example… we’ll see how much the waiters, busboys, cooks, and the 99% staff need the 1%.
Report Post »goldcntry
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:28pmI like the way you’re thinking there P8riot! I wish I could say this was unbelievable… but I can’t. Batali’s pretensions have finally caught up with him…
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:34pmWhat if Atlas shrugged?
Report Post »sta
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:35pmI think I read a book about that a while ago. Now let me see…..was it “Atlas Shrugged”?
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:03pmYeah, who do they think funds all the charities? That fact is, the 1% could quit today and never have to worry about money. They could just close up shop and walk away. Wouldn’t that be a disaster?
Report Post »aewelch01
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:43pmP8TRIOT,
Report Post »I believe every patriot should read the book “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. In a nut shell, it’s a story about several industrialists pursueing their dreams and have to constantly deal with a socialist “big” government, that increasingly takes control of all the businesses. In the end, the “productive members” of society go on strike. This is not my critique of the book, but just a note to have you take a look at it. Here’s a link….a very excellent read. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlas_Shrugged
blueracer
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:11pm“Atlas Shrugged” should be required reading in school. At least the book would give a bit of counterbalance to left indoctrination.
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:37pmBatalli, do you know how to cook your own goose?
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:35pmYeah, Mario; open a soup kitchen in that yucky, NYC park. You’ll be among friends.
Report Post »INOGAWD
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:15pmAnd if the 99% don’t like your Gourmet Food,
Report Post »They will throw urine and blood at you !!! like
they did to a Food Vendor in Oakland………
Prochef
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:35pmBring it on Occupy sympathizers… you think there are no consiquences to your words. You play the same game with us( regular people). If we comment on the prez we are racist, cant say anything anymore. I wish Mike Moore had something to boycot. There is no food left in his restaurants.
Report Post »ICRedifURBlue
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:34pm………he can go cook for the homeless……….absolutely off my bucket list….
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:46pmYea, I think he’s been chopped…..I know, wrong show, but that’s ok.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:33pmhasn’t everybody learned ……don’t use the H(itler) word
Report Post »Dahart
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:36pmMaybe we should add it to Carlin’s list of seven dirty words…
Report Post »ImaCracker
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:32pmI used to be a fan of his, not anymore. Now I will change the channel whenever he comes on.
Report Post »jpschaeffer
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:31pmwho cares what a stupid so called chef has to say……….idiot
Report Post »9635kari
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:31pmI am happy to see the bankers taking action against these celebrity air heads. There are consequences for making statements that are flat out egregious! I There is no CYA here Batali. We all heard it for ourselves. Funny how the internet works!!!
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:30pmI hear Batali is thinking about opening taco stands at all the OWS venues. He has to keep his cash flow up someway.
Report Post »Amica
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:59pmThat won’t work, the OWS people don’t want to have to pay, they’ll expect (nay, demand) that he donate food to them.
Report Post »Cosmos102
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:30pmWay to go BANKERS! It’s about time somebody starting standing up to these people.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 8:44pmThanks, bankers. I am tired of watching the Obama re-do of the French Revolution. As soon as this president trashed the SCOTUS for the Citizens United decision, I knew we were in for some serious trouble. Anyone who hasn’t connected the dots , especially after what is happening in the Occupy Obamavilles, is in complete denial, stupidity , or the “inept , useful tool” that these nasty re-incarnations of the 1960′s are bringing our way. Their agenda is ratcheting up. Now we see the “Gang of How Many White Women Do We Need” trying to bury Herman Cain. Ah, the union bully/ Chicago Mob/ Anarchist Obamavilles meet election 2012. Anyone else feeling uneasy ? Feeling far more angry than intimidated ? Feeling really angry at the idiots who bought into Mr Hope and Change? Feeling, for the first time, angry at your fellow young Americans you buy into this Far Left/ anarchistic stupidity?
Report Post »mzee26
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:30pmIt’s always a misquote when it hits them in their wallet..
Report Post »FlowerBell
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:29pmAnother simpleton that can’t wait to kill the goose that lays his golden eggs.
Report Post »Greg the Great
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:27pmHe bites the hands that feed him. He can join the people in the park.
Report Post »Agnes
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:26pmDid he really think that the Occupy Loons would support his restaurants? Huge mistake!
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 7:19pmwe all heard what he said. let him eat ALONE.
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