
Papa John’s founder John Schnatter, who resigned from his role as chairman last week after using the N-word, has now reportedly said it was a mistake to leave the company.
In a letter to board members, Schnatter gave more details about the conference call in May that led to his stepping down – and dragged Kanye West into his account, CNBC reported.
Schnatter had previously apologized for his use of the racial slur but protested that it had been part of a media training exercise organized by the pizza chain’s marketing agency, Laundry Service.
Schnatter resigned at the behest of the Papa John’s board last Wednesday, after a Forbes article revealed he used the N-word on that call.
In an interview on Friday with a local Kentucky TV station Schnatter said that the Laundry Service had “kind of provoked” him a little bit to use that word in a confidential PR strategy session.
In the letter sent to Papa John’s directors on Saturday, according to CNBC, the former chairman also mentioned Kanye West, saying the media agency suggested he partner him on TV ads and promotions. According to the letter, Schnatter refused to work with West because “he uses the N-word in his lyrics”.
Schnatter’s use of the N-word came in a later, separate part of the call, CNBC said.
In the letter he insisted he would never use the N-word as a racial epithet.
“The board asked me to step down as chairman without apparently doing any investigation. I agreed, though today I believe it was a mistake to do so,” Schnatter wrote in the letter obtained by CNBC.
Papa John's founder says resigning over N-word use was a mistake