NEW YORK (AP) — The founder of Papa John’s says the pizza chain needs him back as its public face, and that it was a mistake for the company to scrub him from its marketing materials after he acknowledged using a racial slur last month.
John Schnatter says in an interview with The Associated Press that he believes he can return to TV and radio ads once the public understands the context of his comments.
A representative for Papa John’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Schnatter has been under fire since Forbes reported last month that he used the N-word during a media training conference call. He apologized for using the word, but said it was taken out of context and that he didn’t use it as an epithet.