A recent dessert launch at a pizza establishment in Washington, D.C. is causing quite the stir … and some individuals claim the confection named after the late D.C. Mayor Marion Barry is outright discriminatory.
The situation is this … a trendy eatery called &pizza has unveiled a new sweet called “Marion Berry Knots” … however, the main contention revolves around the promotional strategy, which heavily references Marion’s notorious crack cocaine conviction.
This delectable item consists of a doughy knot, brimming with berries, glazed with vanilla icing, and dusted with powdered sugar … and &pizza promotes it by stating, “Elevate your celebrations with our newly introduced Marion Berry Knots! They’re so good, it’s almost criminal.”
Other drug-related allusions and innuendos appear in an advertisement featuring a mound of a white powder next to the knots, with large, bold text proclaiming “THESE KNOTS WILL BLOW YOU AWAY!”
A press statement regarding the newly added item to the menu notes that the Marion Berry Knots “contain enough powdered sugar to have patrons jostling for orders and may even cause the DEA to take a second look.”
On the surface, the advertising campaign appears to target the nadir of Marion’s political journey … when he was arrested by the FBI on narcotics charges in January 1990, after agents captured footage of him using crack cocaine in a covert operation.
Marion’s legal battle barred him from seeking re-election as the mayor of D.C., resulting in a 6-month incarceration. However, he was eventually re-elected as the mayor of D.C. … and many residents believe his legacy should encompass more than his drug-related charges.
Cora Masters Barry, the widow of Marion, expressed her utmost disapproval … stating to DC News Now, “It’s biased and insulting.”
We attempted to contact the pizzeria … but have yet to receive any response.