If it’s two things Washington, D.C. residents don’t play about, it’s go-go music and former Mayor Marion Barry. But this well-known D.C. pizza chain is catching heat after a not-so-subtle ad reference to D.C.’s forever mayor has many hollering “racism.”
&pizza’s new ad campaign promoting their new dessert says it “may not be the perfect dessert, but they’re the perfect dessert for D.C.” The dessert in question: “doughy knots” filled with marionberries, “drizzled with vanilla icing and topped with powdered sugar.” With the use of the fruit, marionberries, in the dessert, it makes sense why &pizza would think to call them “Marion Berry Knots”— a clear food pun— but here comes the real issue.
The popular pizza chain says “The Marion Berry Knots have enough powdered sugar that will have customers bumping elbows to order and even force the DEA to look twice.” With additionally references to drugs with slogans like “THESE KNOTS WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!” and “Bump up the party with our all-new Marion Berry Knots! It’s criminal how good these are,” you can see exactly why many are turning up their noses— no pun intended.
Now, Barry’s widow, Cora, is calling out the pizza company for it’s distasteful ad campaign. She told DC News Now, “I just think it’s racist. In this city, it is outrageously racist. You can print that. It’s racist and disrespectful.”
The ad campaign promoting the new dessert heavily alludes to Barry’s controversial past during the 90s when the mayor was arrested and sent to prison on drug charges. According to History.com, Barry was captured on a surveillance camera smoking crack cocaine during a joint sting operation by the FBI and D.C. Police back in 1990.
The following year, Barry was sentenced to six months behind bars, and although many thought that would be the end of his political career, he was eventually elected to city council. Then in 1994, Barry was re-elected for a fourth term as D.C. mayor.
The people of D.C. clearly stood by Barry, and even after his mayoral terms, he won with 96 percent of the vote in a 2004 bid for Ward 8 City Council. He died in 2014, but even 20 years after his death, Barry’s legacy vibrantly lives on in the heart of the District.
&pizza — similarly to Barry — is regarded as a restaurant staple in the District. It’s the perfect spot for a late night bite, and you’ll always walk out with the pizza of your dreams....but best believe if it comes down to &pizza vs. Barry, residents know exactly what side they’re standing on.
X user @rackedup_red wrote “Marion Barry is def on that list of people in this area you cant ever play with their name. They called that man the mayor for life for a reason.”
D.C. resident Clarine Thomas told DC News Now “I think this is definitely in very, very poor taste. And it does not represent what we stand for, especially not in this community,” she said. “So very, very disappointed. It’s gonna make me rethink even buying something here.”
Since receiving backlash, the restaurant has not officially responded. As of now, the Marion Berry Knots are still on the menu for a limited time as advertised.