If you’re a fan of larger-than-life personalities, the idea of Dave Portnoy, the brash founder of Barstool Sports, crossing paths with Elon Musk, the eccentric billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX, feels like the ultimate collision of chaos and charisma. Both men have built empires on their unfiltered takes and relentless drive, so a real-life meeting between them seems like it would be the stuff of legend—think epic rants, wild ideas, and maybe even a spontaneous pizza review on a Tesla production line. But here’s the kicker: despite their public interactions and mutual admiration (or occasional jabs), there’s no definitive evidence they’ve ever met face-to-face. Let’s dive into what we do know about their dynamic and imagine what might have been if these two titans had shared a room.
The Closest We’ve Got: A Digital Bromance
The story of Dave Portnoy and Elon Musk’s “interactions” is mostly a tale of social media exchanges and parallel universes. Their first notable brush came in May 2020, when the world was locked down, and both men were vocally fed up with it. Portnoy dropped a now-iconic, profanity-laced rant on Twitter (now X), questioning how long the economy could stay shuttered over COVID-19. “I’d rather die of corona… or take my chances,” he bellowed, arguing that people deserved a choice. The video went viral, racking up millions of views, and caught the eye of none other than Elon Musk.
Musk, who was simultaneously raging against California’s restrictions on Tesla’s factory, tweeted back, “Well said! Please run for office. The politicians & unelected bureaucrats who stole our liberty should be tarred, feathered & thrown out of town!” It was peak Musk—hyperbolic, provocative, and dripping with revolutionary vibes. Portnoy didn’t miss a beat. He didn’t run for office, but he did capitalize on the moment, selling “Portnoy/Musk 2024” shirts on Barstool’s site. The exchange was a match made in anti-establishment heaven, uniting two guys who love to thumb their noses at authority.
Crypto Clashes and Twitter Tiffs
Their digital dance didn’t stop there. Fast forward to 2021, and the two were sparring over cryptocurrency—specifically Bitcoin. When Tesla sold off 10% of its Bitcoin holdings, Portnoy tweeted, “So am I understanding this correctly?
@elonmusk buys #bitcoin. Then he pumps it. It goes up. Then he dumps it and make a fortune.” He wasn’t wrong to smell a rat—Musk’s tweets have a notorious knack for moving markets. But Elon clapped back, “No, you do not. I have not sold any of my Bitcoin. Tesla sold 10% of its holdings essentially to prove liquidity of Bitcoin as an alternative to holding cash on balance sheet.”
Portnoy doubled down with a meme of a dog chomping lettuce, declaring he was holding his one Bitcoin 100%. It was classic Dave—unapologetic and ready to call out anyone, even a billionaire he admired. Musk, for his part, stayed cool, sticking to his guns. The exchange wasn’t hostile, but it showed their dynamic: Portnoy’s street-level skepticism versus Musk’s high-stakes chess game.
The Twitter Takeover Hype
By 2022, when Musk was gunning to buy Twitter, Portnoy was all in. “Elon has em by the balls,” he tweeted, marveling at Musk’s $44 billion “gangster” move to take the platform private. He even speculated on Fox News that Musk’s push for free speech could shake up the social media world—something Portnoy, no stranger to bans and controversies, could get behind. Later that year, when Musk complained about bots on the platform, Portnoy chimed in, “Hey
@elonmusk can you please fix these bots on this piece of sh– platform you got tricked into buying.” Musk replied calmly, “Yup, we have a plan.” It was another fleeting moment of alignment—two rebels griping about the same broken system.
So, Did They Ever Meet?
Here’s where the trail runs cold. Despite their overlapping orbits—Twitter feuds, shared disdain for bureaucracy, and a knack for making headlines—there’s no public record of Dave Portnoy and Elon Musk meeting in person. No pizza-fueled summit at SpaceX, no impromptu Tesla ride-along, not even a courtside photo at a game. Their interactions have been confined to the digital realm, a series of tweets and soundbites that tease what could be an epic real-life bromance (or showdown).
What If They Did?
Imagine it: Dave rolls up to a Tesla factory with a stack of pizzas, ready to film a One Bite review while Elon pitches him on colonizing Mars. Portnoy would probably call Musk “the ultimate market manipulator” to his face, then challenge him to a beer pong match. Elon might counter with some cryptic quip about AI taking over pizza ovens, then offer to fund Barstool’s next wild stunt with crypto profits. The energy would be electric—two guys who live to disrupt, trading barbs and big ideas over a couple of slices.
The Verdict
As of February 23, 2025, the Dave Portnoy-Elon Musk real-life interaction remains a dream deferred. Their relationship is a modern saga of mutual respect, occasional friction, and a shared knack for stirring the pot—all played out on screens rather than in person. Maybe one day we’ll get that blockbuster meetup. Until then, we’ve got their X posts to keep the legend alive. What do you think—should Dave and Elon finally link up, or is their digital sparring match enough to keep us entertained?
