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Cancel Me If You Can
In his unfiltered style, Dave Portnoy details the journey of how he built his polarizing media empire, Barstool Sports, while refusing to bend the knee to those who tried to tear him down, staying true to himself and blocking out the haters.
Dave Portnoy is a gambler. From his days playing Little League baseball, he has always bet on himself and his future, which is exactly how he built his digital media empire, Barstool Sports. It all started in 2004, when Dave wrote what he knew and passed out a four-page broadsheet newspaper all over Boston. The idea was simple but not everyone wanted their sports takes from SportsCenter anchors in suits. Fans wanted something local, raw, and unapologetic—written in the same language and tone you might hear at your local sports bar. So, Dave gave it to them.
More than twenty years later, Barstool has grown into a nine-figure company with over 300 employees and 150 active brands. But the story doesn’t end there. Dave continues to expand Barstool and his personal brand, launching into the world of sports betting, giving honest pizza reviews, building generational media stars, and giving back to dog shelters and small businesses with the help of his own famous rescue dog, Miss Peaches.
Though he didn’t set out to be a political lightning rod, it happened—and he’s fully aware that half the internet hates him while the other half loves him. The truth? He doesn’t care, as long as people take interest. He’s always been brutally honest, and he always will be. Dave’s journey hasn’t been perfect. He’s failed—publicly and personally—and he’s constantly willing to risk it all. Why? Because he already knows what it’s like to lose everything and start over, time and time again. So why not?
In Cancel Me If You Can, Dave lays it all the hard work, the timing, the luck, the poisonous relationships behind the curtain, and the balls it took to get to where he is today. This isn’t a memoir or a business book—it’s another bet on himself. But honestly, would you really want to bet against him? The odds are against it.
Dave Portnoy is a gambler. From his days playing Little League baseball, he has always bet on himself and his future, which is exactly how he built his digital media empire, Barstool Sports. It all started in 2004, when Dave wrote what he knew and passed out a four-page broadsheet newspaper all over Boston. The idea was simple but not everyone wanted their sports takes from SportsCenter anchors in suits. Fans wanted something local, raw, and unapologetic—written in the same language and tone you might hear at your local sports bar. So, Dave gave it to them.
More than twenty years later, Barstool has grown into a nine-figure company with over 300 employees and 150 active brands. But the story doesn’t end there. Dave continues to expand Barstool and his personal brand, launching into the world of sports betting, giving honest pizza reviews, building generational media stars, and giving back to dog shelters and small businesses with the help of his own famous rescue dog, Miss Peaches.
Though he didn’t set out to be a political lightning rod, it happened—and he’s fully aware that half the internet hates him while the other half loves him. The truth? He doesn’t care, as long as people take interest. He’s always been brutally honest, and he always will be. Dave’s journey hasn’t been perfect. He’s failed—publicly and personally—and he’s constantly willing to risk it all. Why? Because he already knows what it’s like to lose everything and start over, time and time again. So why not?
In Cancel Me If You Can, Dave lays it all the hard work, the timing, the luck, the poisonous relationships behind the curtain, and the balls it took to get to where he is today. This isn’t a memoir or a business book—it’s another bet on himself. But honestly, would you really want to bet against him? The odds are against it.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published June 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
June 30, 2026
Read it in one sitting. It is definitely Dave Portnoy in writing. Appreciated his honesty which is his brand.
July 6, 2026
I’ll round down to 4.5 ⭐️ for the terrible title and cover art. Otherwise, a compelling read, and even if you hate Portnoy and/or Barstool and the Barstool culture, you gotta admire a guy who sticks to his guns and never wavers, even in the face of cancellation and instant ruin. He’s funny and brutally honest; both come through in the book.
He started the Barstool Fund (to save small businesses) during Covid, and bought his company back for $1 - largely to protect his employees - when he could’ve ridden off into the sunset, a $100+ million man. There’s a lot to respect there, even if he sometimes is a mean, arrogant, petty and insufferable jackass. He talks at some length about his relationship w his erstwhile wife, Renee, which was of interest to me.
A lot of compelling chapters, detailing a lot of things I didnt know about.. The Chernin Group purchase, the Penn purchase, the Call Her Daddy drama, the Business Insider chronicles, Barstool Van Talk and Sam Ponder, his relationship w Big Cat and PFT.. I finished it quickly.
Oh, and he pillories Nate. Fuck Nate.
He started the Barstool Fund (to save small businesses) during Covid, and bought his company back for $1 - largely to protect his employees - when he could’ve ridden off into the sunset, a $100+ million man. There’s a lot to respect there, even if he sometimes is a mean, arrogant, petty and insufferable jackass. He talks at some length about his relationship w his erstwhile wife, Renee, which was of interest to me.
A lot of compelling chapters, detailing a lot of things I didnt know about.. The Chernin Group purchase, the Penn purchase, the Call Her Daddy drama, the Business Insider chronicles, Barstool Van Talk and Sam Ponder, his relationship w Big Cat and PFT.. I finished it quickly.
Oh, and he pillories Nate. Fuck Nate.
July 2, 2026
Honestly I could just listen to Dave Portnoy talk all day long so the audiobook was perfect 😂
But really, if you are looking for a crass, honest and wild come up story this is it. Dave’s story will have you laughing, crying, and wanting to know more. A one of a kind underdog story.
But really, if you are looking for a crass, honest and wild come up story this is it. Dave’s story will have you laughing, crying, and wanting to know more. A one of a kind underdog story.
July 3, 2026
Long-time stoolie (slightly cringe to use that term), so this is a bit of a surreal experience to re-read things I experienced in real time. I didn’t realize how many seminal entertainment-related memories in my life involved el pres and barstool, but each section was a nice time capsule into a previous world, for humanity and for myself.
Good behind the scenes stories about the inner-workings of barstool, particularly the relationship with Big Cat and PFT. Pretty astonishing in hindsight that it was all kept relatively hidden.
I feel as I imagine many do, these days - we gravitated toward an initial iteration of Dave. He was an underdog, so it was fun to watch him fight back, if sometimes repetitive. Now, as the clear superior in the power imbalance, it feels petty and unnecessary. Dave obviously doesn’t care, but at nearly 50, its time to grow up
Good behind the scenes stories about the inner-workings of barstool, particularly the relationship with Big Cat and PFT. Pretty astonishing in hindsight that it was all kept relatively hidden.
I feel as I imagine many do, these days - we gravitated toward an initial iteration of Dave. He was an underdog, so it was fun to watch him fight back, if sometimes repetitive. Now, as the clear superior in the power imbalance, it feels petty and unnecessary. Dave obviously doesn’t care, but at nearly 50, its time to grow up
July 9, 2026
I listened to this mainly for the CHD drama. It was interesting to hear all the backstory of how Barstool was founded. It was a lot of Dave Portnoy to listen to, but fun hearing it directly from him. I had to skip the political chapter bc I can’t get behind him there, and I wish he was a little less aggressive with the little digs towards certain people. He really is unapologetically himself, which I can respect, however, there are certain things he said I can’t agree with or support.
July 6, 2026
I came for the CHD tea but stayed for a really entertaining story and enjoyed this book thoroughly. While Dave is a definitely a jerk and has made a lot of questionable choices, I think his story is inherently interesting and it’s clear his work ethic, loyalty, and dgaf personality has really shaped the success of barstool. I was cackling the whole time listening to the audio book. Loved hearing the mention of my CITO girls too!
July 8, 2026
They could never make me hate Dave
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
Read
July 5, 2026No mention of Miss Peaches until the last line of the epilogue however, $10 of all sales of this book go towards saving our puppies. I think today is the last day. Go Miss Peaches!
July 6, 2026
So good! I feel like I was having a conversation with Dave Portnoy listening to the audiobook. Enjoyed hearing his whole story of how Barstool Sports started, and he’s hilarious and so unapologetically himself and I love it!
June 30, 2026
Dave is so funny! A must read!
July 2, 2026
Honestly a good read, I’m not a diehard stoolie but my husband and I keep up with a variety of their talent. This book takes you along on the journey of barstool and it’s pretty cool! I think Dave is easy to hate (I personally like how unashamed he is) but he has done a lot of good. Idk read it if you’re curious 🤷🏻♀️
Listened to it in one sitting, he does read it himself which was also a nice touch!
Listened to it in one sitting, he does read it himself which was also a nice touch!
July 4, 2026
This is not a typical read for me, but it is fast paced and overall a good read. I was initially drawn to this book because the original ghost writer was a comedian I enjoy supporting, Francis Ellis. I knew Dave rewrote the book after being unhappy with Francis’ version but I was surprised to see that nearly all of Francis’ writing had been cut.
Dave is unapologetically authentic (hence why he needed his words), and the story of Barstool is truly one of a kind. The company itself can often be cringe and Dave can be insufferable, but aspects of the company are uniquely entertaining and provide a breath of fresh air in the sports industry that has been dominated by ESPN and other Goliaths for decades.
Dave provides insight on feuds with PMT and expands on how he was able to buy his company back for $1 since his NDA with PENN and ESPN had cleared. He also highlights the barrage of fabricated accusations that were made against him throughout the years and continually recited by media outlets as facts despite already exonerating himself in the court of public opinion.
Dave reflects on the poor decisions he has made that have reverberated in the media throughout the years. The most puzzling one to me was his decision to reblog a photo taken by paparazzi of Tom Brady’s naked 2 year old son and comment on the child’s genitalia. Even while acknowledging it was a mistake, Dave still argues that those who identify the photo as child pornography are the ones sexualizing the child. The logic is flawed and elementary. An innocent picture of a child can be normal to you and I, but to a bad actor, the picture is CSAM. The majority of CSAM on the internet is innocent pictures of children posted by parents that is then exploited by bad actors. This is done when the bad actors either use the innocent photos to share on platforms in order to grant them access to more explicit CSAM or by altering the photos with deepfakes or AI to create child pornography. A joke about Brady’s son’s genitalia is not worth platforming child pornography. Later in the book, Dave says that anyone who searched and watched his sextapes that were leaked without his consent committed a felony. How about the irony in that logic.
At least it got me out of a reading slump.
Dave is unapologetically authentic (hence why he needed his words), and the story of Barstool is truly one of a kind. The company itself can often be cringe and Dave can be insufferable, but aspects of the company are uniquely entertaining and provide a breath of fresh air in the sports industry that has been dominated by ESPN and other Goliaths for decades.
Dave provides insight on feuds with PMT and expands on how he was able to buy his company back for $1 since his NDA with PENN and ESPN had cleared. He also highlights the barrage of fabricated accusations that were made against him throughout the years and continually recited by media outlets as facts despite already exonerating himself in the court of public opinion.
Dave reflects on the poor decisions he has made that have reverberated in the media throughout the years. The most puzzling one to me was his decision to reblog a photo taken by paparazzi of Tom Brady’s naked 2 year old son and comment on the child’s genitalia. Even while acknowledging it was a mistake, Dave still argues that those who identify the photo as child pornography are the ones sexualizing the child. The logic is flawed and elementary. An innocent picture of a child can be normal to you and I, but to a bad actor, the picture is CSAM. The majority of CSAM on the internet is innocent pictures of children posted by parents that is then exploited by bad actors. This is done when the bad actors either use the innocent photos to share on platforms in order to grant them access to more explicit CSAM or by altering the photos with deepfakes or AI to create child pornography. A joke about Brady’s son’s genitalia is not worth platforming child pornography. Later in the book, Dave says that anyone who searched and watched his sextapes that were leaked without his consent committed a felony. How about the irony in that logic.
At least it got me out of a reading slump.
July 7, 2026
Listened to this on audio and could not turn it off. Dave is polarizing and he knows it, but you cannot deny that he is a chaotic genius and worked his tail off. I disagree with him on just about everything, but I respect the hell out of his loyalty and transparency.
This book gives you all the BTS tea/scoop you’re looking for in a book about a company- the Call Her Daddy part was especially juicy.
This book gives you all the BTS tea/scoop you’re looking for in a book about a company- the Call Her Daddy part was especially juicy.
July 5, 2026
Not his biggest fan but you gotta give him credit as a businessman. Very entertaining!
July 7, 2026
Sorry not sorry I love this man
July 7, 2026
Such a good audiobook- entertaining, funny, and insightful. I laughed out loud so many times
July 8, 2026
dave portnoy they could never make me hate you
July 8, 2026
Fkn loved this on audio. He is probably the most authentic person out there. Also fuck yes to “if you go low, I go lower” 😜 loved all the CHD tea and excited to listen to sofias once it’s out. Obviously don’t love his love for trump but thoroughly enjoyed the political chapter.
July 8, 2026
Came for the call her daddy drama, stayed for Dave
July 8, 2026
I love Dave Portnoy. That is all!
July 4, 2026
Listen to the Audiobook. It's like listening to an extended Dave Podcast. You have to be a fan of Dave or admire how far he's come to give this book 5 stars I think. But I am. Pure grit and brutal honesty. So 5 stars it is. And I would never never want my name etched on a bottle of his champagne.
July 6, 2026
Listened via audiobook. Knew a lot of it, but it was cool to hear about the beginning of Barstool!
July 8, 2026
Listening to this in the audiobook is best! Love Dave & great book!
July 1, 2026
Gave it a try thinking maybe it would redeem him wrong. It is arrogant, frat bro garbage, giving icky SA culture vibes.
July 7, 2026
I really liked this book. I thought this is a person that followed his passion and he worked really hard, did not back down, and was very transparent with his company. Fascinating story!
July 3, 2026
Found it funny & honest until he started supporting Trump
July 3, 2026
Dave Portnoy genuinely claims that in 2013 Barstool Sports was the most important source during the Boston Marathon bombings
July 3, 2026
Some parts were a self suck and some parts I wanted to punch him but the story of how he originally built the business were really interesting
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July 10, 2026Capitalist Fairy Tale
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews