PMTPMT DB
Mr. Portnoy

Mr. Portnoy

Guest
2016 — 2022
8W·6L·3P·0 open
.559
AVG
1.029
SLG
5.8K
SHU
-0.04
TVOA
-0.01
SHRP
-$0.8
BNKRL
6W
STRK
2.6
ENTR
lifebusinessmedia17 scored

All Takes

Win
Take Slip·Jun 13, 2022
#PMT-2022-0613-11238
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Late-night TV news commercials for products like CarShield are frauds

When I see them up there, those products are fraud... I mean, they wouldn't be advertising there if they weren't a fraud. I have an occasional check with the FTC site and the Better Business Bureau to see various of these companies have all sorts of consumer complaints against them. And what a shock!

CarShield and similar companies have indeed faced numerous complaints and legal actions from the FTC regarding deceptive advertising and service denials.
Void
Take Slip·Jun 11, 2021
#PMT-2021-0611-19609
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Car dealerships are all bullshit and haven't changed in years

The car dealerships have never changed. They advertise what they do, but it's all bullshit... I really believe if I went into one of these dealerships, not so much that I could sell cars, but I could show them what the fuck is wrong with what you're doing.

This is a subjective personal opinion based on his experiences.
Win
Take Slip·Jun 11, 2021
#PMT-2021-0611-19610
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Bryson DeChambeau has a weak legal case for 'mental harm' regarding the 'Brooksy' chants

I think, you know, it's like any case that there is, I think it's a weak case that he has... How does he prove his damages? Does he go and see a doctor and say, doctor, because of these assholes in Pardon My Take, I can't play anymore?

No legal action was ever successfully taken against the show for the chants.
Void
#PMT-2020-1113-4515
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

HP has the worst customer service in the human race

I prepared on my Twitter account this morning thing that says about HP the worst cutting height I put him in quotations—customer service the worst in the human race. Whoa. And I could hurt so many people.

Hyperbolic subjective opinion from a disgruntled customer.
Void
Take Slip·Oct 23, 2020
#PMT-2020-1023-3912
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

John Wall playing cards during an interview is more disrespectful than what Jeffrey Toobin did

I don't know that I agree with that because I think that when he [John Wall] know I don't... he was saying that the two guys that were doing the interview? I'm gonna fucking beat you guys and I can do what I want... jacking off on a zoom call work bad got moderately bad playing Spades during an interview with field Yates. Death penalty.

This is purely subjective moral reasoning from the mind of Mike Portnoy.
Win
#PMT-2019-0920-18307
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Uber should have a customer service phone number for when the app fails

These things like Uber... Would it be so terrible that there was a phone number to call if the thing wasn't working? There is no phone number. There is no one out there from Uber that has to respond to anything.

Uber famously lacked a direct support line for years, proving Mr. Portnoy's point about their customer service model.
Void
Take Slip·Feb 4, 2019
#PMT-2019-0204-2426
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Roger Goodell is the stupidest person in the world for having Dave Portnoy arrested

I'm starting to think that Goodell and this whole crew, he's the stupidest guy in the world... How could he not realize... the fact of the matter is, it's one thing if they were to stop them and they saw him when he got in there, but apparently they were hunting them down during the game.

Goodell's intelligence is subjective, but the marketing consensus was that the arrest was a PR win for Barstool.
Void
Take Slip·Jan 4, 2019
#PMT-2019-0104-18188
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Bank of America is a terrible company with archaic technology

I'm dealing with the hated Bank of America... Can you imagine Bank of America cannot email things. They can only fax a guy... They sound like you [Big Cat]. My son told me... anybody that uses a fax is by definition an idiot.

While subjective, the claim about faxes in 2018 is a common grievance in the banking industry.
Void
#PMT-2018-0727-15184
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

A guy in a white Chrysler 300 is the breakdown of society

This guy in this white Chrysler 300 sedan... He now decides he's going to go back into the fast lane. I decided, you know, this is an allegory for a breakdown in society. All right? Here I am. I'm a very calm person. But when you abuse me like this, I'm not letting him in.

Subjective moral judgment on traffic etiquette.
Win
Take Slip·Jul 2, 2018
#PMT-2018-0702-1188
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Goodfellas and The Godfather are essentially based on real events

When you go to see some of the quote unquote fictional movies, The Godfather or the other one, which I love, Goodfellas, so many of the stories that are in there are based on things that really happen.

Both films are heavily based on real-life figures (Henry Hill in Goodfellas) and mob history (The Godfather).
Win
Take Slip·Jul 2, 2018
#PMT-2018-0702-1189
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

You could walk onto an Amtrak train with a bomb and no one would stop you

I hate to say this because I imagine some people are going to hear this... You could walk onto this train with a bomb... I'm talking about a sign that says, I have a bomb, and nobody would ask any questions.

While hyperbolic, it's a verifiable fact that Amtrak has virtually no security screening for passengers or luggage compared to air travel.
Win
Take Slip·Jul 2, 2018
#PMT-2018-0702-1190
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Bike sharing programs are an eyesore and will block sidewalks

In my town, you're done with it, you leave it. Doesn't matter where... Just throw it on the side of the road... You can't even walk on the sidewalk... You will eventually have to jump over these.

The 'dockless' model did lead to significant issues with sidewalk blockage in many cities, leading to stricter regulations later.
Push
Take Slip·Jul 2, 2018
#PMT-2018-0702-1191
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Soccer should replace on-field referees with booth cameras

One of the entities are proposing having cameras everywhere and having people up in the booth instead of the referees... making the initial call. They make all the calls... and they don't have a need for a referee at all.

VAR (Video Assistant Referee) was introduced but has not replaced the on-field official.
Loss
#PMT-2018-0223-6216
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

The iPhone X is a terrible phone for actual communication

I understand from people I know that are very close to me that, for instance, the iPhone, I think it's the iPhone 8 through 10, that as a telephone... They're very poor. Using this as a phone to communicate... especially like the iPhone X, it's terrible on the telephone.

The iPhone X did not have widespread reputation for poor calling quality compared to other cell phones of its time.
Loss
Take Slip·Dec 22, 2017
#PMT-2017-1222-4956
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Bitcoin will be worth nothing within a year

The other not-so-optimistic side, I guess, would be that in about six months or a year, [Bitcoin] will be worth nothing... I know you guys don't want to hear that, especially Dan and a relative of mine, but who knows what's going to happen with that.

Bitcoin did not go to zero; it eventually reached all-time highs over $60,000 in subsequent years.
Void
Take Slip·Nov 8, 2017
#PMT-2017-1108-2077
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Sam Ponder's tweets are the legal definition of 'interference with contractual relations'

There is a doctrine in the law called interference with contractual relations. Knowing that you are about to enter into some kind of a business relationship with a third party... if someone attempts to have that contract stopped. That is the very definition of this case, of that tort.

While it fits the broad definition of the tort, a lawsuit was never filed and would have been incredibly difficult to win against a co-worker at the same company.
Void
Take Slip·Sep 15, 2017
#PMT-2017-0915-11762
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Hewlett-Packard is a 'vile' company

The post office, I think the post office, unfortunately, you're just fighting. The stupidity of it is incredible ... Hewlett-Packard, on the other hand, is a vile company.

This is a personal opinion based on his specific experience.
Void
Take Slip·Sep 15, 2017
#PMT-2017-0915-11763
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

MeUndies needs to add an 'escape hatch' for older men to avoid the 'drip factor'

I have raised a legitimate question here. How can you not have an escape hatch for the undies? ... At my age, there was what we call a drip factor. ... You can't get Mr. Johnson out without pulling him down.

Subjective product feedback, though biologically accurate regarding senior citizens' needs.
Void
Take Slip·Aug 4, 2017
#PMT-2017-0804-776
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Anthony Scaramucci is a sleazeball fredo who lacks all scruples

If I ever saw anybody that came on TV that screamed, I am a sleazeball, I would say [Anthony Scaramucci] is the number one guy... instead of getting Michael being in charge, we have Fredo [Scaramucci].

Character judgment is subjective.
Void
Take Slip·Aug 4, 2017
#PMT-2017-0804-778
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

People who leave empty shopping carts in parking lots are fundamentally inconsiderate

When I go to a parking lot... can't these people take the empty shopping carts and return them where they got them? I mean, what is the big deal? ... People are so generally inconsiderate.

This is a subjective moral and social etiquette judgment.
Void
#PMT-2017-0616-19761
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Cell phone and cable companies are the best businesses because customers are ignorant but need the product

There are two businesses that you really should be in... the cell phone business and in the cable business. Because when you are in a business where the customers don't understand what it's all about, what the bills are all about, but they need it, what better business could that be?

This is a subjective business philosophy.
Loss
Take Slip·May 19, 2017
#PMT-2017-0519-18220
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Employers have much more legal leeway and leverage if they don't pay their interns

If they're not getting paid, all right, and they're not employees, right? Well, you better stop [paying them] right away... you have a lot more leeway if you're not paying them. I like the scheme you've... As we say in the law, you've got a lot of leverage.

While Mike is joking for the bit, labor laws regarding unpaid interns are actually much stricter than he implies, usually requiring the intern to be the primary beneficiary.
Void
Take Slip·May 19, 2017
#PMT-2017-0519-18221
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

NPR's pledge drives are a form of extortion

One of the big things now is if you'll give a donation, we will stop soliciting money. It's extortion. In other words, they're on there with some kind of meaningless promotion. And their attitude is, you hate this, right? The answer is obviously yes. You want us to stop, right? Yes. Give us some money.

This is a subjective characterization of a fundraising method.
Void
Take Slip·Mar 31, 2017
#PMT-2017-0331-9058
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Big companies use 'company policy' as a fake government-level authority to deny rights

But these big companies, they tell you, you know, I wanted to return something. And they say, you can't. And I said, who says? They said, that's our company policy... they make it sound like the government has set this up and this is the way it's going to be forever and a day and you have no right to even challenge that policy. I can't stand that.

While companies do have the right to set their own policies, they are indeed not government mandates, supporting his frustration.
Void
Take Slip·Feb 17, 2017
#PMT-2017-0217-5924
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Customer service lines intentionally disconnect you when transferring to customer relations

Then when you start to talk about why you're calling, you know what happens? They'll say, oh, we're in the sales department. We're going to transfer you over to Customer relations, and then what do you think happens? You get disconnected. I've lived through this.

This is a common customer grievance and observation about corporate phone systems.
Void
Take Slip·Dec 28, 2016
#PMT-2016-1228-1980
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Benchining a player for being too fat isn't discrimination if they were already heavy when they signed

They accepted [Pablo Sandoval] as being a loud ass when they signed him. He was heavy. So they didn't discriminate in the beginning. And so they will accept him the way he was, but it turned out that he couldn't hit his weight. So that made him less subject to discrimination.

This is a legal opinion from a non-practicing lawyer in a comedic context.
Void
Take Slip·Dec 16, 2016
#PMT-2016-1216-8436
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Donald Trump only appoints tall people to his administration

Senator Corker... did not get the Secretary of State job because the guy that got it is taller than Corker. Apparently Trump fancies tall people who are billionaires... Apparently if you're short, you're going nowhere in the Trump administration.

While a funny observation, many Trump appointees (like Jeff Sessions or Reince Priebus) were not particularly tall.
Void
Take Slip·Dec 16, 2016
#PMT-2016-1216-8437
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Grown men over the age of 30 should stop using the word dude

When did the word dude become part of the speech. I don't like that... I really don't mind when someone, a teenager or early 20s, uses it. But when you get older, the thing I hate the most is someone my age using it.

Purely a subjective matter of personal taste/etiquette.
Push
Take Slip·Sep 21, 2016
#PMT-2016-0921-17220
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Apple purposefully sabotages old iPhones to force consumers to upgrade

Once Apple starts coming out with the new phones, they make the old phones break by playing Beach Boys, doing all these kinds of things. It's brilliant, but it's total disregard for the consumers.

While Apple was later fined for slowing down older iPhones (batterygate), they did not do it via playing Beach Boys music.
Void
Take Slip·Sep 21, 2016
#PMT-2016-0921-17221
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

It should be an unwritten rule that you cannot use a charge card in the 12-items-or-less supermarket line

If it says 12 items or less, what is the point of even putting that if somebody's going to go in and fumble around for the damn card... Don't you think it's implied that if you're going to get in the quick checkout line that you're not going to use a charge card?

This is an entirely subjective matter of supermarket etiquette.
Loss
Take Slip·Aug 12, 2016
#PMT-2016-0812-14688
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Donald Trump is trying to lose the election to start a cable news network

I'm so convinced that [Trump's] trying to lose. And if you think about it, it sets up perfectly for him to lose. He has somebody to blame, press, the other Republicans... He then can go back, start his own cable TV news network, employ his children on each one of the shows, won't have to do the heavy lifting that's involved in being president... He said something today about the fact that it wouldn't be so bad if he lost. It wouldn't be the end of the world. That's the first little step.

Trump won the 2016 election and became President, disproving the theory that he was actively trying to lose.
Void
Take Slip·May 20, 2016
#PMT-2016-0520-14096
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Regular assault and battery laws could and should apply to baseball fights

Being on the field like that in a baseball game especially, I don't think in my mind that in a baseball game that this is something that you could say, well, they assume the risk. I think the regular rules of assaults and battery could and should apply in this situation.

Legally, courts generally allow leagues to handle discipline internally unless there is grievous criminal negligence.
Loss
Take Slip·Apr 27, 2016
#PMT-2016-0427-14776
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Tom Brady could sue the NFL and Roger Goodell for defamation

I don't think [Tom Brady] is just going to let this go away. I think what he may do is he may sue for defamation, because what happened in this Deflategate, none of that is relevant to if he brought a claim for defamation. In other words, saying that the commissioner and the other people said things about me, which they did with malice... there's no question the Golden Boy image at the very least is tarnished.

Tom Brady eventually accepted his 4-game suspension in July 2016 and did not pursue a defamation lawsuit against the league.
Loss
Take Slip·Apr 27, 2016
#PMT-2016-0427-14778
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Curt Schilling should jump to Fox Sports and keep his mouth shut

I think if [Curt Schilling] is smart, which he isn't, he ought to jump over to Fox and keep his mouth shut. ... I don't care what he has to say about anything. Why would anybody care what he has to say about anything?

Schilling did not join Fox Sports; he eventually joined Breitbart and started his own podcasting ventures.
Push
Take Slip·Apr 13, 2016
#PMT-2016-0413-12465
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

I have become a whiz at the computer recently

I've become a wizard at the computer. I really have. I turn it on. I can shut it off. I did something because I'm up at five o'clock in the morning and I bet neither one of you would realize that I have Wi-Fi in this condo.

Operation of a power button and basic Wi-Fi usage does not qualify one as a 'wizard' by general standards.
Void
Take Slip·Apr 8, 2016
#PMT-2016-0408-1383
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Trump would be a great shot in a duel because he is good at everything

Don't say that about Trump. Trump is good at everything. And he has experience. He went to military school. ... Trump would be a good shot because he's good at everything.

This is a hypothetical claim about a person's general competence applied to a duel.
Win
Take Slip·Apr 8, 2016
#PMT-2016-0408-1386
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

The Red Sox cannot claim fat discrimination against Pablo Sandoval because they knew he was fat when they signed him

They accepted him as being a lot-ass when they signed him, he was heavy. ... So they will accept them the way he was. ... We hired you and we knew that you were this tub of lard and it didn't matter at the time. ... The reason that we're letting you go is not because you're fat, but because you can't hit for a lick.

Legally, poor performance is a valid reason for benching regardless of a protected status, and Sandoval's weight was indeed public knowledge at the time of his signing.
Win
Take Slip·Mar 11, 2016
#PMT-2016-0311-16092
Mr. PortnoyMr. Portnoy

Disney and ESPN have the power to push Pardon My Take around as a 'big guy' vs 'little guy' dynamic

Oh, it's definitely ESPN and Disney pushing around the little guy, but they have the ability to push you around. That's what big guys do to little guys. That's what the economy and life is all about, I guess. ... This isn't going to go away unless something is done. I don't think you can keep in the posture that you're in right now and basically get back to them and say, F you. I don't think that's going to get you very far.

PMT eventually had to change their logo and modify their branding elements to settle the dispute with ESPN.