The CEO of 1st Phorm, a St. Louis supplement and fitness company, has come out against co-founder Andy Frisella's viral comments about women in law enforcement.
The controversy began when Andy Frisella made derogatory comments about female police officers during an episode of his "Real AF" podcast that came out last Thursday on National Police Woman Day.
“In my opinion, women shouldn't be in the f****** field and police officers," Frisella said in the episode. "... Every woman cop I've ever dealt with, every single one that I've ever been pulled over by, try to make me feel like a f****** b****. If that person didn't have a badge or a gun, you could punch a hole through their f****** face and end their life, and they're talking to you like you're a f****** piece of s***."
That episode was later taken down, and Frisella posted a 12-minute episode, called "I messed up and I'm sorry," addressing those comments.
Sal Frisella, 1st Phorm CEO and brother of Andy, addressed the situation Tuesday night and attempted to distance the fitness company from the podcast.
"The clip originated from his personal podcast, which is not affiliated with 1st Phorm, and the comments made towards women in law enforcement do not reflect the views of 1st Phorm," he said in a statement. "We do not agree with his statements, and we do not condone the words or the context in which they were presented."
Since the episode aired, several St. Louis-area police departments have released statements condemning Frisella's comments and a local fitness chain announced it was removing all 1st Phorm products from its retail offerings.
"As CEO of 1st Phorm, I assure you that we are taking immediate and significant steps to repair this relationship (with police), both locally and nationally," Sal Frisella said in the statement. "... 1st Phorm has always stood by our local community, and we will continue to support the brave women and men in law enforcement, just as we have for the past 20 years ... You will see both myself and our organization taking concrete steps to rebuild trust and strengthen these vital relationships."
Find Sal Frisella's full statement below:
I want to address a recent situation involving a podcast clip from my brother and founder, Andy Frisella. The clip originated from his personal podcast, which is not affiliated with 1st Phorm, and the comments made towards women in law enforcement do not reflect the views of 1st Phorm. We do not agree with his statements, and we do not condone the words or the context in which they were presented.
As his brother, I am deeply saddened by this situation, I also know Andrew’s longstanding track record. I am confident that these remarks do not reflect his 20 years of positive contributions to this city or our enduring relationship with law enforcement. We remain committed to supporting our brave women and men in law enforcement, as we always have.
As CEO of 1st Phorm, I assure you that we are taking immediate and significant steps to repair this relationship, both locally and nationally. We are working in unity with police departments to set an example of how a strong community can come together to overcome challenges.
1st Phorm has always stood by our local community, and we will continue to support the brave women and men in law enforcement, just as we have for the past 20 years. Personally, I believe in actions over words. You will see both myself and our organization taking concrete steps to rebuild trust and strengthen these vital relationships.