# Racist restaurant owner gets backlash from Yelp **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 12, 2014, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134 "2014-02-12T09:57:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/1 "2014-02-12T09:57:39Z")
So there is this restaurant owner who wants his place to be patronized only by straight white Christians. > **[Trolls Descend On Yelp To Write ‘Glowing Reviews’ Of Racist Oklahoma Restaurant](https://crooksandliars.com/2014/02/trolls-descend-yelp-write-glowing-reviews)** > > The internet decided to have a little bit of fun with this white supremacist, as evidenced by his now-raving Yelp reviews, praising what sounds to be an incredibly gay place. > [@](#): > > Gary doesn’t discriminate, though. He hates everyone who is not a white, straight Christian — and he even hates some of those! If you own your own business you are free to stop by, but if you are black, gay, disabled, on welfare, on food stamps, or otherwise inferior in the eyes of the proprietor you just have to go! When word got out, people started writing Yelp reviews, stating what a great place it is for gay cruising! 🙂 > [@](#): > > “Gary himself sports assless chaps, a choker chain and some pink nipple tassels daily,” one reviewer said. Another calls it “Home of the best glory hole in Oklahoma.” ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/2 "2014-02-12T18:37:34Z")
Remember: you can’t spell Gary without G, A, and Y. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/3 "2014-02-12T20:49:57Z")
You have to own your own business to be A-Ok in his eyes? What if I’m just gainfully employed by someone else? :dubious: Oh, I just noticed a reverse-reverse-trolling review (did I reverse it enough times? I mighta missed one … ) > [@](#): > > Worst gay bar in Oklahoma. However, there is a rather popular gloryhole between the men’s room wall and the owner’s office. Doubt if I’ll be back; the service sucks. Skip this place. (one star) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/4 "2014-02-12T21:49:44Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Remember: you can’t spell Gary without G, A, and Y. When I hear the name Gary, I mainly think of two things. 1) Gary, Indiana, not exactly a positive association. And 2) these [friends of friends](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPhV29Ho108&list=PLjt3rC8jxDGSQ74e5xrssqCurCI80bPox). ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/5 "2014-02-13T09:49:29Z")
Does it bother anyone that they are fighting racism, but they are using homophobia to do it? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/6 "2014-02-13T14:25:42Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Does it bother anyone that they are fighting racism, but they are using homophobia to do it? Well, if stupidity got us into the mess, isn’t it up to stupidity to get us out? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/7 "2014-02-13T14:43:48Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Does it bother anyone that they are fighting racism, but they are using homophobia to do it? Huh? The restaurant owner in question is _both_ racist _and_ homophobic. The Yelpers (is that a word?) chose to tweak him on the homophobia front. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/8 "2014-02-13T14:57:20Z")
This is guy is sort of doing people a favor by being loud and proud in his ignorance. It lets people know ahead of time to avoid his business. And can you imagine the uncomfortable situations if folks he hated showed up and then had to sit through a meal while dealing with his crap? Now they don’t even have to waste any money on his place finding out that they don’t want to come back. they can just go to a friendly place right off the bat. I can think of times when I wished I’d known ahead of time what a dick the owner of a business was instead of having to find out the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/9 "2014-02-13T16:48:02Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > When I hear the name Gary, I mainly think of two things. 1) Gary, Indiana, not exactly a positive association. And 2) these [friends of friends](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPhV29Ho108&list=PLjt3rC8jxDGSQ74e5xrssqCurCI80bPox). I think of Spongebob Squarepants’ pet snail, and the singer/bassist for Rush, whose real name is Gary Lee Weinrib. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/10 "2014-02-13T16:51:06Z")
All they are doing is giving him free publicity. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/11 "2014-02-13T17:14:34Z")
DAFUQ? Really? Free publicity for people … to know to never ever go there. (Unless they’re just reaaaallllly hankering for some of that good ol’ Oklahoma gloryhole goodness, I guess.) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/12 "2014-02-13T17:17:01Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Does it bother anyone that they are fighting racism, but they are using homophobia to do it? Pretending Gary’s black just doesn’t work as well. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/13 "2014-02-13T18:15:25Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > All they are doing is giving him free publicity. I doubt the local Klansmen spend much time on Yelp. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/14 "2014-02-13T18:21:33Z")
> [@Robert Wringhim](#): > > _I determined ( as I knew him for a wicked person, and one of the Devil’s handfasted children ) to be revenged on him, and to humble him by some means or other. Accordingly I lost no opportunity of setting the master against him, and succeeded several times in getting him severely beaten for faults of which he was innocent. I can hardly describe the joy that it gave to my heart to see a wicked creature suffering, for, though he deserved it not for one thing, he richly deserved it for others. This may be by some people accounted a great sin in me; but I deny it, for I did it as a duty, and what a man or boy does for the right will never be put into the sum of his transgressions._ The _Unco Guid_ always love them some deserved bullying… Odd thing is the targets change, but the bullies remain the same. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/15 "2014-02-13T18:22:38Z")
So let me see, the Yelp “backlash” reviewers hope to: 1. Bring in gay customers to the restaurant, to spend money and support his business. – or 1. Warn gays not to come to the restaurant, because the guy doesn’t want them there? – and in either of the above cases, 1. Provide publicity for the restaurant in mass media and on the internet so that those who agree with the owner can find the restaurant and dine there. Excuse me if I see this as win-win-win for the restaurant owner. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/16 "2014-02-13T18:27:05Z")
I won’t excuse you for ignoring half the analysis. ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/17 "2014-02-13T18:35:06Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > This is guy is sort of doing people a favor by being loud and proud in his ignorance. It lets people know ahead of time to avoid his business. And can you imagine the uncomfortable situations if folks he hated showed up and then had to sit through a meal while dealing with his crap? Now they don’t even have to waste any money on his place finding out that they don’t want to come back. they can just go to a friendly place right off the bat. I can think of times when I wished I’d known ahead of time what a dick the owner of a business was instead of having to find out the hard way. If the guy pulls his racist act on the wrong set of customers he might find that his dislike of gays and/or minorities increases during his hospital stay. If he makes it to the hospital. There’s a guy in the small town which I live near who decided to post racist ads from the 1940 and 50s upon his restaurant’s walls. He got into an argument with some Black truck drivers who stopped in and didn’t know what a jerk he was.Unfortunately for him they weren’t intimidated by his act and they proceeded to stomp a mudhole in him. I hate violence. But sometimes people just won’t keep their opinions to themselves to prevent them from receiving violent, rather than witty, retorts ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/18 "2014-02-13T18:43:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I doubt the local Klansmen spend much time on Yelp. It’s 2014, everyone’s on the internet. I don’t go to yelp, and I found out about this stupid story. If the guy is committing any civil rights violations, that’s a matter for the courts. Otherwise he should be ignored with contemptuous disdain. He is on the losing side of history, let him wallow in his own sad ignorance and hate. Don’t give him his undeserved 15 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/19 "2014-02-13T19:12:52Z")
The best possible outcome is that gays, blacks and other unwanted people show up, get refused service, and head straight for the local, state, or federal officials who can slam the guy with all the legal problems that civil rights violations can accrue. It shouldn’t take too many to sue the business out of existence. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134/20 "2014-02-13T19:37:28Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > So let me see, the Yelp “backlash” reviewers hope to: > > 1. Bring in gay customers to the restaurant, to spend money and support his business. > > – or > > 1. Warn gays not to come to the restaurant, because the guy doesn’t want them there? > > – and in either of the above cases, > > 1. Provide publicity for the restaurant in mass media and on the internet so that those who agree with the owner can find the restaurant and dine there. > Excuse me if I see this as win-win-win for the restaurant owner. Or make his place a laughingstock in his community and people, who don’t want to be seen as racist/homophobic troglodytes, stop going in droves. Not all publicity is good publicity. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racist-restaurant-owner-gets-backlash-from-yelp/681134.md?page=2)