'40 pizzas in the last 30 days': John Schnatter dishes out the criticism to Papa John's

Show Caption Hide Caption '40 pizzas in the last 30 days': John Schnatter claims to interviewer John Schnatter's interview with WDRB included remarks similar to those he has previously made regarding his separation from Papa John's Pizza.

In case you haven't checked Twitter today, here's one thing you missed: John Schnatter said he's had over 40 Papa John's pizzas in the last 30 days and "it's not the same pizza."

As he told WDRB News in a sitdown interview that broadcast Monday, Schnatter also believes the "day of reckoning will come" for company leaders he claims betrayed him and that the "record will be (set) straight."

Schnatter's televised interview included a string of remarks similar to those he has previously made regarding his separation from the Louisville-based pizza chain he founded in 1984.

But Twitter just can't seem to get over that 40 pizzas in 30 days comment.

"The Papa John interview is lovely," communications consultant and ex-Deadspin writer Timothy Burke tweeted Monday night, including a 26-second clip from Schnatter's interview with WDRB's Stephan Johnson.

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The Papa John interview is lovely pic.twitter.com/bpDMDm9t9G — Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) November 26, 2019

The resulting thread took off from there, with one clip exclusively repeating the 40 pizzas in 30 days comment, with Schnatter's voice dropping lower each time.

Others poked fun at Schnatter's appearance during the interview.

Given how Papa John looks/sounds 40 pizzas in 30 days was definitely him being humble. pic.twitter.com/JkvctHeIGB — Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) November 26, 2019

Why does Papa John look like he’s about to put his name in the Goblet of Fire pic.twitter.com/xODuLak82S — Dave Jorgenson 🍕 (@davejorgenson) November 26, 2019

Besides divulging the amount of pizza he has recently consumed, Schnatter reiterated his belief that members of the pizza chain's board of directors conspired to force his resignation as chairman in July 2018 following a report that he used a racial slur during a conference call.

Schnatter also called out the man he had picked to replace him as CEO, Steve Ritchie, as well as board member Olivia Kirtley and other directors.

"Steve Ritchie, Olivia Kirtley, the board of directors all used the black community and race as a way to steal the company," Schnatter said. "They stole the company, and now they've destroyed the company."

He also brought board member Mark Shapiro into the fray and suggested Shapiro and Kirtley should be locked up.

"Olivia Kirtley and Mark Shapiro should be in jail. It's that bad," Schnatter said. "What they've done is just wrong, and they've hurt a lot of people."

In October, Schnatter wrote in a scathing New York Post column that the company he helped grow into the nation's third-largest pizza chain and its franchisees have struggled "without my leadership and brand expertise" and that "morale is at an all-time low."

Schnatter has since stayed active in the local community, donating $1 million to Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically black school, and $500,000 to Jeffersonville High School, his alma mater in southern Indiana.

The gift from the John H. Schnatter Foundation will add a new turf infield and outfield fence to Jeffersonville High School's baseball stadium, which will be renamed John H. Schnatter Stadium.

Jeffersonville is where Schnatter opened his first Papa John's joint 35 years ago.

Still, Schnatter's latest interview shows he is not over his divorce from Papa John's just yet.

"Stay tuned. The day of reckoning will come," he said. "The record will be straight."

Asked by WDRB's Johnson why he is waiting to set the record "straight" and what exactly needs to be corrected, Schnatter chuckled.

"Stay tuned," he repeated.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com or 502-582-7030. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.