Fact Check: Guy Fieri Threw Robert De Niro Out of His Restaurant?

Claim:

Chef Guy Fieri threw Robert De Niro out of one of his restaurants and told him to "go dine in some woke place."

Rating:

Labeled Satire ( About this rating? )

On June 1, 2024, the SpaceX Fanclub Facebook page (@SpaceX6683) posted that celebrity chef Guy Fieri threw Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro out of one of his restaurants. According to the post, Fieri told De Niro, "Go dine in some woke place." As of this writing, the post received more than 148,000 likes, 14,400 comments and 21,000 shares.

The post read, "Guy Fieri Throws Robert De Niro Out Of His Restaurant, 'Go Dine In Some Woke Place.'"

The first comment under the post linked to an article about the purported news on esspots.com. The story began as follows:

In an unexpected twist in the world of celebrity dining, culinary star Guy Fieri made headlines by reportedly ejecting legendary actor Robert De Niro from one of his popular restaurants. The reason? Fieri, known for his spiky hair and larger-than-life personality, allegedly told De Niro to "go dine in some woke place." This surprising incident has sparked widespread discussion, combining elements of Hollywood drama, culinary culture, and the ever-persistent debate over "wokeness" in America.

The altercation reportedly took place at one of Fieri's flagship restaurants, Guy's American Kitchen & Bar, located in the heart of New York City. According to witnesses, De Niro arrived with a small group of friends for a casual dinner. Known for his discerning palate and frequent patronage of top-tier dining establishments, De Niro's presence initially caused a buzz of excitement among the staff and other diners.

However, the excitement quickly turned into confusion and tension when Fieri himself made an appearance. It's rare for the busy restaurateur to personally visit his establishments, which made his sudden entrance all the more notable. Witnesses claim that Fieri approached De Niro's table with a stern expression and engaged in a brief, heated conversation with the actor.

While the exact details of their conversation remain unclear, multiple sources confirm that it ended with Fieri making a blunt statement to De Niro. "You should go dine in some woke place," Fieri allegedly said before asking De Niro to leave the restaurant. The actor, visibly taken aback, reportedly complied without causing further commotion, leaving the establishment with his party in tow.

Commenters under the Facebook post were quick to celebrate the supposed news.

Wrestler and mixed martial artist Ken Shamrock commented from his verified Facebook account, "Finally fighting back with the crazy woke agenda."

A different user wrote, "De Niro deserves everything hs's [sic] getting. He brought it on himself."

One person commented, "I love it! Only wish I was the one to give Little Bobby DeNero [sic] the boot myself."

Another user remarked, "It's about time people start fighting back."

However, the item was not a factual recounting of real-life events. The SpaceX Fanclub Facebook page displays the description, "We post SATIRE. Nothing on this page is real." Further, a disclaimer on esspots.com specified the website "specializes in satire, parody and humor" and said "we would like to emphasize that nothing on this website is real."

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Sources:

Mikkelson, David. "Why We Include Humor and Satire in Snopes.Com." Snopes , 15 Aug. 2019, https://www.snopes.com//notes/why-we-include-humor-and-satire-in-snopes-com/ .