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Dave Andelman apologizes for being a racist jerk - after people start complaining to the station that airs his restaurant show
By adamg on Sat, 06/13/2020 - 10:33pm
Some of the BLM stylings of Dave Andelman.
Update: WBZ takes the Phantom Gourmet off the air, at least temporarily.
After people began besieging WBZ, which airs "The Phantom Gourmet," with complaints, Dave Andelman tonight apologized for a making "a mistake" - a series of Facebook posts over the past ten days taking issue with Black Lives Matter protests and vigils, often conflating them with his anger over what he considers the slow pace of the state letting his Mendon drive-in and other businesses re-open.
Benjamin Lipiecki collected examples of Andelman's comments on Black Lives Matters before Andelman made his Facebook account private today. Andelman posted an apology on the Phantom Gourmet Facebook page at 9 p.m., saying he just doesn't know what came over him - for ten days straight:
I want to apologize.
I maintain my own Facebook Page.
I made comments on that page that were inappropriate, hurtful, and wrong regarding the Boston protests.
I support everyone’s right to free speech and free assembly.
I, too, desire racial and social justice. My record of philanthropy and business reflects this.
I made a mistake. I apologize. I feel terrible. We all make mistakes. And I ask for your forgiveness.
Dave Andelman
CEO
Phantom Gourmet, Inc.
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Comments
I don't mean the things I've
I don't mean the things I've said over 10 days, now that I've been forced to think about it...
EDIT: I'll just add that I take personal offense at his breakfast potato comment. Anthony Bourdain was pretty clear that he detested the food, but he never called me unAmerican for enjoying home fries. I won't dignify Andelman's other comments with specific responses.
So- saying you don't take a
So- saying you don't take a knee with BLM= being a racist?
Good to know- not a defender of the Andelmans- but them not showing absolute fealty to a movement/ pressure group = them being racists?
google is your friend
google is your friend
No, it's not him not taking a knee that's an issue
It's him tearing into people who are taking a knee and holding vigils (really, the Founding Fathers who came up with the First Amendment would stab themselves in the head with a bayonet?) over an issue that specifically affects members of a particular racial group in a remarkably direct and violent way that makes him a racist.
But I guess you missed the part where he issued an apology, as insincere as it might be (he'd been writing this stuff for almost two weeks now, only apologized when it became a possible financial issue).
Maybe not racist, but definitely a tone deaf jerk. (naw, racist)
It was not about bowing to BLM. It was his very clear assertion that BLM is un-American, hates cops, and hates the USA. And while you don't have to agree with BLM, misrepresenting them and belittling their cause in order to excuse your inaction is not appropriate and I can choose not to do business with him because of it.
"showing absolute fealty to a
"showing absolute fealty to a pressure group"
No.
Here's a brief account of the history behind kneeling as a sign of Black civil rights in the US. https://globalnews.ca/news/3769534/martin-luther-king-jr-take-a-knee-his...
God, our history education here is absolute crap.
That's another 1/2 truth, HE
That's another 1/2 truth, HE TOOK A KNEE IN PRAYER!!! NOT PROTEST! I guess i have to agree the history education is crap, people look at pictures and headlines and can't be bothered to read the entire story!
The issue is not about taking a knee
I used to watch this show before I realized most of the foods they recommend are heart attacks on a plate with diabetes on the side. The issue is his disrespect for other people's free speech rights. People have a right to make statements about the out of control lethal violence of the police toward Black people. People all over the world are appalled.
To suggest taking a knee is "un-American" or not unpatriotic is rich. And it suggests a racist well that these words are springing from. But who cares if he is racist? He has a right to free speech as well. Free speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences. Also, his nonapology rings hollow.
Don't apologize
It seems that anyone with an opinion that even slightly opposes those of "BLM" has been attacked, vilified, shamed and threatened by angry internet mobs as of late. These mobs want their jobs, their homes and their livelyhood - it's bullying to an extreme measure, with thousands of followers jumping on with them at the call or tweet.
Apologies or "bending the knee" will not appease this group, or their rabid internet fanbase (most likely supported by Russian trolls at this point if we want to start a new theory). If you give into their demands they will say it is not enough, like with the police chief laying on his face with the group yelling "it's not enough!".
You can have your own opinion despite how this vicious internet and media mob makes it seem.
You can believe that not every black person is shot by the police for having a broken tail light, because that is reality. And you can believe that the actions of 1 police officer in Minnesota don't represent the mindset or day to day actions of an entire profession. It's ok to think like a rational person, it's just apparently not ok to post it with your name attached to it anymore if you want to keep your life in tact.
Another ignoramus...
...who doesn't know the difference between "bending the knee" and "taking a knee".
Go play in drafts.
Freedom of speech
Mr Andelman called racist, for what? Those posts didn’t seem racist to me. Maybe just honest truth.
While I dont agree with it, I
While I dont agree with it, I could hear out an argument for the posts not being racist. But then you went on to defend them calling them honest truth? Again, I could possibly agree with THAT not bring racist, but it most certainly is fine deaf and careless.
For the millionth time,
For the millionth time, "freedom of speech" means the government will not arrest you for saying things they don't like. It doesn't mean you're free from criticism if you, for instance, say a bunch of stupid shit in a public forum.
Yes.ESPN can fire Rush
Yes.ESPN can fire Rush Limbaugh as NFL
commentator if they don't like what he says.
WalMart can fire a greeter who tells customers
to bleep themselves.Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
Watch his crappy TV show and
Watch his crappy TV show and see how many minority owned restaurants are featured.
Not for nothing
Very few restaurants in the Boston area are minority owned. That's one of the big problems.
Of course, it seems unlikely he'd agree it's a problem.
NONSENSE
Very few minority restaurants?
I estimate that there are at least 80-100 minority owned restaurants in Boston, considering that there are at least 60 Black owned restaurants in Boston.
Stop peddling misinformation to prove your point!
https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2020/06/02/black-owned-restauran...
Oh?
TripAdvisor lists 2456 restaurants in the Boston area. So if there are 100 that are black owned, that's 2.4%.
Still think there's a lot of black owned restaurants? Even in the larger realm of non-white owners, it's still not as large as to reflect the area's demographics.
Goalposts moved
El Profe said "in Boston." Twice. You come back with "in the Boston area" (undefined). You're not arguing in good faith. Again.
A larger area list of
A larger area list of "Primary Black Owned Businesses Boston"
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_wvyIj3w5F8XJn0leuGD5M9sAmaBKT8N...
Want to see more minority food? Support this shared commercial kitchen that is described "fully-equipped kitchen facility and commissary. Our shared kitchen, equipment and tools allow your business to grow and scale." Not all are minority owned but many are
http://www.commonwealthkitchen.org/
It's minority entrepreneurs include
Not for Nothing (Dave Andelman)
https://www.boston.com/food/restaurants/2020/06/02/black-owned-restauran...
I know a few
Pretty much any restaurant in Chinatown, many in Allston, Roxbury, Hyde Park, Eastie, Rozzie, Dot, etc are minority owned. Not really sure what you meant here
Not crappy
I like to see staged pictures of big plates full of tasty food and happy customers. I actually enjoy the show except when the Andelmans appear or speak.
Bring back TV Diner!
Bring back TV Diner!
“The right to express
“The right to express information, ideas, and opinions free of government restrictions”.
He’s not being restricted from expressing himself by any government. However, freedom of speech is not freedom of consequences for that speech.
I express my freedom by choosing never to spend my money with him moving forward.
Hardy LOL at anybody coming
Hardy LOL at anybody coming to the defense of this coked out asshole
He's not the only
Right-leaning businessperson I've seen try to draw any kind of correlation between state interference in operational protocols and protests/other social issues.
That's like a ball being called a strike, then yelling at the umpire for not calling pass interference. If you want to rant about the state getting in your way, trash the state.
Seriously, what the (expletive) does "kneel if you like ketchup on hot dogs" even mean? Is he trying to launch Phantom in Chicago?
Didn't you know, putting
Didn't you know, putting ketchup on a hot dog makes you a communist.
Backwards
NOT putting ketchup on hot dog makes you communist. What are you French or something?
Pardon me ...
I dropped that line
On a 24-year old coworker.
He didn't get it.
Touché
Yeah my kids had no idea what my wife and I meant. But then there is always Youtube to fill in the gaps in their education.
Just wake me up when the
Just wake me up when the Galway House opens. All walks of life, all shades of skin, all laughing and having a good time. Straight up food, huge portions, stiff drinks, and old school prices and love. God do I I miss.
Well, you certainly..
...can get potatoes there!
Yes! Mashed or baked. So
Yes! Mashed or baked. So hard to find these days. I can't wait !
I weep, thinking of a Galway
I weep, thinking of a Galway tuna melt & a Guinness
I always thought the Galway did a heckuva pattie melt. I was
surprised to see that Branca-Menta, Fernet-Branca's mintier sibling, is a popular shot there. That one is not my favorite, too reminiscent of Scope.
Fernet-Branca, on the other hand, is mother's milk to me, an essential antidote to too much indulgence at the table, the single most effective amaro I've ever found. I was very glad when it became a thing among industry types in the late 90s: suddenly, I could get it everywhere, whereas it used to be served only in a handful of old man Italian caffe kinds of places.
The Galway House has had
The Galway House has had Italian American owners for a looong time-- though not since opening, despite local lore. I think that it has since the 60s or 70s, though. I wonder if the Fernet may have found it's way there via Bobby DeFranco.
First rule if Galway House
Is you do not talk about Galway House!
Wait
The Phantom Gourmet is still relevant and on the air?
I thought these two clowns went the way of the dodo.
The one thing that sucks is they own the mendon twin drive in.. bah
A fraud
I thought it was established that the whole Phantom Gourmet schtick was a fraud.
It is!
Dave and his brothers make a nice living shaking down restaurants to be on their stupid TV show. Most of them join his lobbying group and he gets his pal Tom Shattuck to let him write op-eds in the Lowell Sun about how restaurants should have been open a month ago.
You should hear him with Shattuck and that other idiot VB on RKO.
Dave and his family have been eating for free at the Kowloon since the 60's!
They’ve been doing the
They’ve been doing the phantom gourmet for at least 22 years or more, they must have signed a 40 year contract with WBZ/channel 38 , and affiliated networks throughout New England.
Is there anyone out there that can sign up with another local network and compete with these cheezeballz .
NECN
We used to have a better one called TV Diner. Real reviews about real places that didn't pay for the spot.
But it went away.
It resurfaced on NESN
You know, that clearinghouse for paid programming that gets interrupted by a baseball or hockey game from time to time.
Billy Costa used to be the
Billy Costa used to be the host of Phantom Gourmet back when they did real reviews. The Phantom would eat and review and Costa was the face. They actually used to give real reviews.
When the show switched stations Costa stuck with the station and the Andelmans went with a few hosts before landing on one of their own for the slot. I recently found out that they have stopped even giving numerical ratings. Which is odd...
Billy launched that back when he was in the..
"Who's is bigger, no, mine is" contest with Matty from Kiss 108 ...
I wouldn't go so far as to
I wouldn't go so far as to say "relevant and on the air", but last I checked, it _is_ on the air.
Drive-in movies sound like a
Drive-in movies sound like a great way to get out of the house safely, for people who happen to have a car.
I hope they reopen, so I can go to one other than the Mendon one.
Must be one of those
white-sheeted phantoms.
Dave Andelman sucks. He only
Dave Andelman sucks. He only has a tv show because of his locally famous father. He is a no talent trust funder so it’s no surprise he sounds like Trump. If you want to watch a couple slobs talk about nothing except chicken parm and suck up to their advertisers for an hour then tune into the phantom gourmet.
These brothers are probably
These brothers are probably pulling in a half a million $ each , annually!!! With all the major food brands that sponsor the show, I see where their money comes from. Plus WBZ TV gives them a salary.. and they have the Cheesy drive in on the south shore . I guarantee you, they’re the ones that told the owners of Kowloon in Saugus to turn the parking lot into a drive in . Obviously, phantom gourmet can do a show about it , so they can up their ratings.. it’s all about making money.
Didn’t know that mendon is in
Didn’t know that mendon is in the south shore.
Atlanta is burning!
Atlanta is burning!
Because the dancing is sooooo hot?
I saw this when it appeared
Nice to know Atlanta hasnt changed their music since I left in 1997.
That's one of the worst ones yet
Sick police work to let a drunk run off with your Taser. But hey, at least he had that firearm so that he could recover his pride by shooting the guy in the back!
What a complete bitch. Defund the police.
Hopefully
it's just the spirit of William Tecumseh Sherman finishing what he started.
Do note that Phantom Gourmet on Channel 38 today at 10:00AM...
Has been replaced with another program (a sports documentary show called "The American Athlete.")
Not sure if Phantom is just temporarily on hiatus, or the station promptly cancelled it due to whats happening with Andelman the last few days.
Phantom gourmet
It wasn’t on last night, either!
On hiatus
WBZ mentioned it during the 630 news tonight.
Mailing address
In case anyone would like to send a snail mail message...
Phantom Gourmet, Inc.
PO Box 269
47 Harvard Ave.
Allston, MA 02134
I know what my simple message will be.
Mailing address
Duplicate
Mailing address
Duplicate
When weren't the Andelman's...
Just plain a-holes? It's a constant with them
Result
This is the result of being a trust funder.
You take no responsibility. Most of us curb our comments because we know our jobs depend on it. But when you're a truster.. who cares, the checks still come anyways.
My God
What a terrific argument for Universal Basic Income.
Thessalonians
"In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat."
Obviously not referring to children, the sick, disabled, unemployed, underemployed or elderly, but the slugs who prefer to sit on their asses. Not a big fan of Phantom Gourmet, or the whole drink up and pig out culture. However, what do you actually know about the Andelmans, and what they may or may not have done for others through the years?
I don't know much about the Andelmans, but ...
One thing I do know is they're Jewish, so the New Testament is probably not your best bet for finding quotes about them or about socialism (if that's what you're complaining about) for that matter.
Baloneyans
Obvious how? If you need to reinterpret the material you're quoting, maybe you should use some other source. Relying on an anthology of essays purporting to be about historical events, written decades and centuries after the events, then going through multiple retranslations, is going to result in some really unpersuasive arguments.
Ooh, are we quoting the New Testament here?
How about Acts 2:44-45 -
Or maybe Acts 4:34-35 -
Or maybe let's just go with the words of Jesus himself (from Matthew 7:9-12):
Good!
Ok so I used to like the show when David Robichaud was the host - but over the quality has decreased and the banter is just eh. Between Dan and Dave they both have that 'You have to earn everything you have! Just like us!" which is a joke - if their dad wasn't famous they'd be managing a an Applebees at best.
Anyone who has read either of Dan or Dave's FB over the years know this is not the first time - not only do they support Trump and claim how taxes kill their job creation (while they still manage to piss away their dad's money) is honestly no big surprise they would take a hateful stance.
Yes, you are free to not take a knee, not to sign a petition, not to protest. To equate taking a knee to being forced to 'bend the knee' in a fictional TV show demonstrates they don't understand, nor do they care to. They could have stayed quiet and just done another stupid episode about Pizza, or another Chinese food ep that puts Kowloon at number one.
Close it down. Close it down, and salt the Earth.
I sincerely regret hurting my
I sincerely regret hurting my bottom line with my careless words and I hope that you can find it in your wallet to forgive me.
https://twitter.com/veryimportant/status/656498544983994368
Phantom Gourmet is overrated
I've always found the Phantom Gourmet show to be a showcase for food porn ("This place in X has the best Y you'll ever have") with all the pretty pictures and video tropes (slo-mo, panning, etc.) but when you actually go there, the Y they recommended is either not available, not what you expected, or they try to upsell you to Z, which doesn't taste as good and costs more money.
The racists always back down
The racists always back down when they realize it's gonna cost them money. Andelman can't put this toothpaste back into the tube.
Also the Mendon Drive in
The brothers co own that as well. What a jackass - right when it's opening and looking to see record receipts as the only drive in within the 495 belt. I know of several people that are changing their plans of going there after all this - including me.
Phantom Gourmet TV show put on hiatus by WBZ, though I
doubt the move will be permanent: https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/06/14/phantom-gourmet-hiatus-dave-andel...
As serious service journalism goes, the show has always been a crass joke. Credit where due: I imagine that whoring that brazenly for so many years is hard work.
Don't be an elitist
I read your blog. I tend to be partial to your point of view. It's not oversized portions that make a a great restaurant. But you know what? That's what some people like. You can't be a man of the people when you stick your nose down at them.
Am I still an elitist if I've spent half my professional career
reviewing cheap restaurants?
I say it often: I'm in favor of people liking what they like. Folks line up for both the Olive Garden and Nick Varano's Fancy Italian Badda-Bing Factory, and that is as it should be.
At the Boston Phoenix, I spent five years reviewing budget restaurants, and since then have regularly reviewed less-fancy places in my role as a fine-dining critic at The Phoenix, Stuff Magazine, The Improper Bostonian and Boston.com.
I also often say: you can't appreciate what a great food town Boston is if you don't spend most of your time at its family-owned neighborhood places doing traditional cuisines from around the world. I'm fond of the swank joints, too, but my 15 years of food writing (look at the left-hand column of my blog) reflect an equal focus on the high and low here. It's what food super-nerds do.
So it ain't about the kinds of places the Andelmans flog on their show, though they do polish the knobs of a lot of mediocre restaurateurs. More significant is the way they do it -- pay for play, which accounts for why they hype a lot of garbage -- and their long history of obnoxious behavior off-camera. That Dave is the kind of racist simpleton who tars all BLM protestors with the "police-hating looters" brush won't surprise anyone who ever heard the Andelman boys' old radio show on WTKK.
He has always been that kind of bigoted fossil: he just wasn't smart enough to keep hiding it at a time that audiences increasingly want to know what side of history their entertainers are on.
Update: Station pulls show off air
WBZ to think long and hard about what Andelman kept writing.
It's amazing
How many business owners have been "gas-lit" by President Trumps' claim that Colin Kaepernick was taking a knee to disrespect the flag and this nations active duty military and veterans. It's always been about Police brutality. Always.
In fact
It was active duty military and veterans who suggested kneeling to Kaepernick.
So much for freedom of speech
So much for freedom of speech. I thought it was all about people being able to say what they want to say and having the freedom to say it. Oh right, unless it isn't politically correct.
He can say whatever he wants
Doesn't mean WBZ, a private concern, has to let him use its platform.
It's not an issue of political correctness. You just
need to go back and retake middle-school civics. Learn what freedom of speech actually means, and maybe about boycotts, too. Here's an evergreen lesson in comic form: https://xkcd.com/1357/
Freedom of speech is between
Freedom of speech is between you and the government.
You may be thinking of the ideal of a free and open society.
Either way I always chuckle when people scream about freedom of speech because they are upset that someone else called them out for the speech. If my calling you out is a violation then so was your initial comment. The logical sequence breaks under that strain.
what about the Emmies?
Does this mean he has to turn in his Boston/New England Emmy Awards?