# Bill Penzey flips out **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018 "2022-01-18T21:15:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/1 "2022-01-18T21:15:27Z")
> **[Spice company ignites furious uproar after calling Republicans a 'bunch of...](https://www.rawstory.com/republicans-racists-penzeys-spices/)** > > Republicans were criticized by a Wisconsin-based spice company for their alleged racism."The CEO of Penzeys Spices renamed the extended Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend to be 'Republicans are racist weekend' in a recent newsletter to customers,... Bill’s always been a little weird, but this time I think he’s been snorting his spices a bit too much. Hope it doesn’t hurt business too much - Penzeys is my main spice supplier. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/2 "2022-01-18T21:23:59Z")
Since I agree with what he stated I think I’ll go buy some spices this weekend. He will, you know, gain a few customers as well as lose a few with this. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/3 "2022-01-18T21:28:17Z")
The _ooomph_ paragraphs: > [@Bill Penzey](#): > > And I get it. If you are a Republican voter you are now cheesed off. You were promised that there would never be any accountability for your support of the party of open “textbook” racism. Sorry, but for the betterment of all Americans, you included, we’ve decided to end that rule. And I really don’t care what your race is or how many of your friends “happen to be” whatever. None of that excuses you. > > If you’re a part of a party that does everything it can to make it harder for Black people to vote, gerrymanders the value of minority votes down into a small fraction of the value of white votes in state houses and in the US House of Representatives, and are willing to vote for candidates of the party that nominated a man for president who explained why he was launching his campaign by saying: “Mexicans are rapists and murderers,” the Racist label is one you will deservingly wear every day you stand with them. Get used to it, or maybe instead, become a better person. The choice is yours. We will be here rooting for you to Choose Love. Here’s a direct link to the newsletter: [https://spices.penzeys.com/index.php/email/emailWebview?md\_id=22555](https://spices.penzeys.com/index.php/email/emailWebview?md_id=22555) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/4 "2022-01-18T21:43:57Z")
I need more cinnamon. Thanks for the reminder! ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/5 "2022-01-18T21:48:09Z")
I was just getting ready to order whole nutmegs. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/6 "2022-01-18T21:48:42Z")
He ain’t wrong. What’s the problem? He said it out loud? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/7 "2022-01-18T21:49:06Z")
They got $23 from me; I believe in supporting good businesses with good policies and good products. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/8 "2022-01-18T21:49:50Z")
Seriously, their cinnamon is pretty damn good. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/9 "2022-01-18T21:51:13Z")
I wish they shipped to Canada… ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/10 "2022-01-18T21:51:25Z")
Thanks for reminding me I need to order some spices! ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/11 "2022-01-18T21:51:48Z")
I’m about due to get some smoked paprika. Theirs is the best. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/12 "2022-01-18T21:59:05Z")
Out of curiosity I googled the company name, and practically all the hits I got were either to the company’s website and related things… and a bunch of right-wing outlets slamming the company for this statement. In the top page of hits I only saw one article being supportive. Google’s algorithm usually has me in a pretty lefty bubble; I found it interesting that in this case sites like Fox News and Daily Fail made it into the search results. Also in the top results were people attempting to organize a boycott and recommending Penzey’s competitors. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/13 "2022-01-18T22:05:20Z")
Yeah, I have to admit I had more of a negative reaction to Bill rejiggering all their spice blends to be no-salt than I did to his MLK rant. But they are my supplier of goodness and I’d hate to see business suffer because Bill said the quiet part out loud. But then, maybe companies need to do that more often. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/14 "2022-01-18T22:05:55Z")
Turns out I need about $75/worth of spices. Ordered the smoked paprika on your say-so, @Tired_and_Cranky! I also took a moment to send an email of thanks. Just to try and even up the score against all the nastiness he’ll suffer. Good for him for taking a principled stand, damn the torpedoes. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/15 "2022-01-18T22:08:28Z")
Saw it yesterday and got me some free furriner spice. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/16 "2022-01-18T22:13:00Z")
Penzey’s is great. Them and the Spice House (related – their parents owned the Spice House and one of the kids took that over, while another broke out on his own and started Penzey’s). They’re one of the few places where I can get what I consider decent Hungarian paprika. I order from them almost interchangeably. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/17 "2022-01-18T22:19:57Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > smoked paprika. Theirs is the best. Their Seasoned Salt is loaded with smoked paprika. We cover our Watching-British-Shows-On-PBS popcorn with it… mmm… ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/18 "2022-01-18T22:21:54Z")
Here’s some shutters for anybody who wishes to not buy great spices because Penzey has flipped out. You know, to keep things even. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IfC5K8G-AcU/maxresdefault.jpg "Plantation Shutters Anti Joe Biden Florida Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfC5K8G-AcU) ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/19 "2022-01-18T22:21:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > But they are my supplier of goodness and I’d hate to see business suffer because Bill said the quiet part out loud. Bill’s been doing this for quite a while and business seems to be booming. This is straight from an email from Bill in 2020 (they’re pretty much my sole spice source): > So, the president has made 25,000 false or misleading statements. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 25,000 times, ??? Before American democracy will be truly safe we will have to figure out the answer to why anyone would vote for someone who lied to them twenty-five thousand times? The good news is that without the lies he would not have gotten so many votes. It’s a relief that few voted for who he truly is, most voted instead for who they were fooled into believing he was. In that difference there is great hope for America’s future. > [@silenus](#): > > But then, maybe companies need to do that more often. I don’t have access to his financials, but by all appearances this doesn’t seem to have hurt him much, if at all. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018/20 "2022-01-18T22:31:22Z")
The no-salt thing is great for me; I’m always dismayed by how many spice blends are primarily salt. I have salt. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-penzey-flips-out/958018.md?page=2)