A prominent fitness entrepreneur, associated with local law enforcement due to significant donations, has found himself on the receiving end of severe criticism following comments made on his popular podcast. Notably from St. Louis, Andy Frisella expressed views suggesting that women should not serve as police officers, and moreover, opined that unarmed men could ‘take the lives of’ female officers. These remarks were made during his ‘Real AF’ podcast episode, which ironically was aired on the same day designated as National Police Woman’s Day. The comments instigated while discussing a recent incident involving NFL player Tyreek Hill from Miami Dolphins, who was stopped by traffic police in Florida.
The resultant backlash was swift and assertive, with leading figures in St. Louis and St. Louis County police departments strongly condemning these sentiments. The officials announced their intention to cut all current and future interactions with Frisella’s businesses and refuse any inflow of donations. St. Louis County Executive, Sam Page, stepped forward in agreement with this decision, expressing his public disapproval for Frisella’s words. Derek Machens, president of the St. Louis County police union, highlighted in a letter to the members that the severity of Frisella’s statements exceeded criticism, bordering on promoting violent fantasies against females in uniform.
Reacting to this fallout, Frisella issued a 12-minute apology via an audio recording on Saturday. While admitting regret about his choice of words, he denied those words were removed from the podcast due to public objection. Instead, he emphasized it was to avoid endorsing such behavior or conversation concerning law enforcement. Frisella’s attempt to reach out on Sunday for comments proved unsuccessful.
Born and raised in St. Louis, Frisella has created a notable impact within the entrepreneurial sector due to his successful ventures in the fitness and nutrition industry. As a co-founder of Supplement Superstore and 1st Phorm nutritional supplements, he has an estimated annual revenue over $200 million from his multiple businesses. One of his pioneering initiatives, the ’75 Hard’ fitness challenge, has garnered significant attention. Boasting over 3.3 million followers on Instagram and millions of ‘Real AF’ podcast listeners, Frisella’s influence is unquestionably vast.
In his subsequent recordings addressing the controversy surrounding his initially aired comments, Frisella drew attention to his history of hosting charity events for police officials. He emphasized having donated millions of dollars ‘collectively, over the course of our business life’ towards law enforcement. However, the adverse reactions of the local police to his deleted remarks, extensively shared among officers over the weekend, were unmistakably clear.
Frisella’s comments were seen as an effort to belittle men, quoting in particular female law enforcement officials. He went on to stipulate that his personal belief mandates that women should not serve in the policing field and continued to infer violent actions against unarmed women officers. These comments drew outcry from several individuals connected to the police force. Sgt. Jennifer Williams, a retired officer whose daughter is serving in the St. Louis County police force, highlighted how his apology seemed motivated by the potential damage to his business operations rather than a genuine change of heart.
According to Williams, Frisella’s initial comments, which he defended in the following episode, reflected his real mindset, and it had more to do with financial considerations than moral beliefs. Derek Machens reiterated this sentiment in his note to the officers. While recognizing the importance of Frisella’s financial contributions, Machens insisted that such support cannot come at the cost of integrity, ethics, and mutual respect.
About a day after Machens disseminated his letter, Kenneth Gregory, the St. Louis County Police Chief, distributed an email to all staff members, decrying Frisella’s remarks as ‘hateful.’ Even as Frisella attempted to retract his comments, Gregory announced that the department has decided to discontinue association with him and his businesses. Gregory outlined that such ‘violent and unacceptable’ language would not be tolerated, especially not against their fellow female officers.
As previously arranged, Frisella’s fitness company, 1st Phorm, had provided county police staff with a series of complimentary classes during 2023 and 2024. Confirming the absence of any ongoing contracts with Frisella’s companies, Sgt. Tracy Panus confirmed the department’s unanimous stand. Both Chiefs, Robert Tracy of St. Louis City and Chief Kenneth Gregory, echoed a commitment to sever ties with Frisella, stressing that the disparaging comments made by him do not mirror the moral and ethical values of their departments.
Following the unfolding events, both departments highlighted the importance of women in law enforcement. In a statement from Chief Robert Tracy, it was emphasized that female officers are an integral part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, risking their lives daily in the line of duty. Joe Patterson, executive director of the county’s police union, thanks department leaders for their strong stand, recognizing that women, as the fastest growing group of new recruits, need to know they are valued, respected, and crucial to public safety.
Facing mounting criticism over his comments, Frisella responded again on Saturday via a 20-minute video in a Q&A format, which by Sunday afternoon, had over 100,000 views. While accepting some level of responsibility for his language and generalizations, Frisella refrained from outrightly admitting wrong. Instead, he nuanced his statement, clarifying that ‘certain’ women and men might not be suitable for the police force.
Frisella’s subsequent 12-minute apology recording narrated an incident from his past that triggered his comments about women in law enforcement. He recalled an interaction a decade ago when a couple of female officers ‘berated’ him during a traffic stop. He stated that a male officer later intervened to resolve the situation. However, Williams expressed doubts about the legitimacy of this story, claiming that during her 33-year tenure in law enforcement, apprehended individuals were typically detained, and it was uncommon for another officer to intervene and release the individual without good reason.
In the final audio, Frisella admitted that his initial comments were inappropriate. He clarified that his intention was to point out how situations can escalate due to the involvement of armed personnel, regardless of gender. He conceded that singling out women was not justified and didn’t align with his true feelings
Prominent Fitness Magnate Faces Backlash Over Sexist Comments appeared first on Real News Now.
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