Dave Portnoy Denies Wanting to Sleep With Brianna Chickenfry Amid Grace O'Malley Drama

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has responded to a whirlwind of rumors surrounding his relationship with Brianna "Chickenfry" LaPaglia and the recent departure of Grace O'Malley from the company in a new video he posted to social media.

Portnoy, who has been in the middle of the drama that has played out over the past few weeks, took to the streets for an impromptu "walk and talk" video message that he made to clear the air. See the full clip down toward the bottom of this post.

The firestorm all started after O'Malley, in a December 16 Instagram Story, announced her exit from Barstool following a public fallout with LaPaglia over their joint podcast, Barstool Sports' PlanBri Uncut, as People magazine summarized this week.

Portnoy has been at the center of it all as fans speculated about his involvement in the fallout, particularly regarding his relationship with Brianna.

But in his reply video, Portnoy didn't hold back, addressing various accusations head-on, including the claim that he wanted to sleep with Brianna.

"I'm only defending her supposedly because I want to f*** her, which is crazy," he said, vehemently denying the allegations. "I like Bri. I've done a podcast with her for four years. I'm friends with her, and I defend my friends. That doesn't mean I don't like O'Malley. I like O'Malley, but O'Malley doesn't need defense right now. The entire internet's on her side, and the entire internet's going for Bri's throat."

Portnoy explained that the tension between Brianna and Grace began months ago, with their friendship unraveling over various issues, including the breakdown of their podcast. According to him, the turning point came when Grace posted a lengthy Instagram story after Brianna's comments about the PlanBri podcast.

"I read that, and I'm like, well, you just threw a f***ing grenade and then ran away," Portnoy said of O'Malley's reaction, which he felt unfairly painted Brianna in a bad light.

Despite the public scrutiny of both women, Portnoy showed support for each. "I honestly get both sides," he said. "If I was a lawyer and you said, 'Dave, you have to go to court and argue for Grace or Bri,' I think I can make a compelling case for each of them. I get it." He further explained that his only goal was to avoid conflict and let both women succeed in their respective careers, wishing O'Malley well as she moves on from Barstool.

In the video, Portnoy also took a moment to address the online speculation and personal attacks on his character, including a claim that Brianna looks like Portnoy's ex-wife. "People are f***ing nuts," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

In the end, Portnoy closed the video by reiterating that the situation was much more complex than people online were making it out to be.

"Two best friends of 20 years get in a fight and f***ing hate each other like poison, and we're in the middle of it," he said, summing up the chaotic and often confusing drama currently cleaving Barstool fans.

With O'Malley officially leaving Barstool and Brianna continuing to forge ahead with her career, it could seem like the fallout from this dramatic split will continue to play out in the public eye.

Portnoy's message? Let the two women live their lives away from the noise. "I just want them both to be happy," he said, adding that the constant bashing of one person over the other only complicates an already messy situation.