Danny Moloshok/Reuters
Papa John’s founder John Schnatter accused a media agency of attempting to extort $6 million from the pizza chain to prevent reports of the conference call in which Schnatter used the n-word. The Papa John’s founder told a Kentucky CBS station that a media agency called Laundry Service allegedly tried to blackmail the company, telling them, “If I don’t get my F-ing money, I’m going to bury the founder.” CNBC reports that Papa John’s “held firm,” and Schnatter alleged that the media company then brought the story to Forbes where it broke and “went viral.” Schnatter also claimed that he was “actually kind of provoked” into saying the n-word because he was “just repeating” what someone else on the call said after they repeatedly used the word themselves. This comes after Schnatter stepped away from the company following the release of the remarks and his apology for using the racial slur.