Buffalo Wild Wings announced Thursday it has pulled all advertisements featuring actor Steve Rannazzisi after he admitted earlier this week he lied about escaping the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
Rannazzisi appeared in recent spots for the restaurant chain tied to fantasy football and the NCAA basketball tournament.
“Upon careful review, we have decided to discontinue airing our current television commercials featuring Steve Rannazzisi,” the company said in a statement.
Rannazzisi, who had been telling a harrowing tale for years about working for Merrill Lynch in the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terror attacks, was confronted with evidence earlier this week that his story was fabricated.
The New York Times reported the actor and comedian was actually working in Midtown Manhattan that day, and was not employed by Merrill Lynch.The investment bank has no record of Rannazzisi’s employment, nor did it have an office in either tower, per The Times.
Rannazzisi, 37, has attributed much of his success in the entertainment industry over the years to his decision to flee New York after 9/11.
“I still have dreams of like, you know, those falling dreams,” the actor said during a 2009 interview.
FX Network, which is airing its seventh and final season of FXX’s The League, in which Rannazzisi stars, issued a statement saying:
We are disappointed to learn that Steve Rannazzisi lied about being in the World Trade Center on 9/11. It is upsetting that he would fabricate a story about having survived that horrible tragedy.
It is also unfortunate that he did not admit to the truth sooner.
We believe Steve is sincere in his apology and will do everything he can to make amends moving forward.
Rannazzisi also stars in a one-hour special on Comedy Central, and the network said Thursday: “We are very disappointed to hear about Steve’s misrepresentations and are currently determining how we will move forward.”
Rannazzisi issued a lengthy explanation/apology on Twitter Wednesday after he was confronted about his false 9/11 account.
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