Dave Portnoy is making his voice heard following the departure of Grace O’Malley from Barstool Sports. This event unfolded amid her dispute with Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia. In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Dec. 17, the Barstool Sports founder shared his thoughts and clarified that he had no role in O’Malley's decision to leave, despite online rumors.

Unraveling the Drama of Barstool Sports' Friendship Fallout

Initial Friendship and the Turning Point

Two best friends of 20 years found themselves in a bitter fight, and Barstool Sports was right in the middle. Dave Portnoy expressed his confusion as he said, "Nobody could’ve figured this situation out when two best friends of 20 years get in a fight… and we’re right in the f—— middle." It's a complex situation that has left many wondering what Barstool should do. This feud between Grace O’Malley and Brianna LaPaglia has brought a lot of uncertainty and drama.Portnoy shared some additional insights into the falling out. He recalled that LaPaglia went to him in October expressing her plans to end PlanBri Uncut, which she cohosts with O’Malley. She wanted to start fresh as she and O’Malley “don’t get along” anymore. After Portnoy agreed to let LaPaglia end the podcast, he shared screenshots of his texts with O’Malley, showing his concern for her and her appreciation for his reach out.

The Podcast Ending and the Backlash

However, everything took a turn for the worse when LaPaglia announced the end of the podcast on Dec. 6. Portnoy was upset by O’Malley's statement about the podcast ending, as she claimed to be “blindsided” by LaPaglia's announcement. This brought more backlash to LaPaglia. He said, "I’ve done a podcast with [LaPaglia] for f—— four years. I’m friends with her and I defend my friends. [But] that doesn’t mean I don’t like O’Malley. I like [her], but O’Malley doesn’t need defense right now. The entire internet is on her f—– side and the entire internet is going for Bri’s throat."Portnoy insisted that he didn't want to “pick sides” in the ongoing feud between LaPaglia and O’Malley and added that “I don’t want this headache of being in between two life-long friends.”

O’Malley's Departure and Her Gratitude

O’Malley announced her departure from Barstool Sports in a statement posted to her Instagram Stories on Dec. 16. She wrote, "I wanted you guys to hear from me first that this is my last day at Barstool. I’m so grateful to everyone at the company and to Dave for taking a chance on me. I’m just as surprised as you are there are no typos in this statement."O’Malley originally joined Barstool Sports after LaPaglia asked her to cohost PlanBri Uncut in 2022. This whole saga has been a rollercoaster of emotions and events, leaving the Barstool Sports community in a state of shock and speculation.