Giant spinning mating eagles clock? Check. Moat? Check.
Papa John’s founder John Schnatter gave an “MTV Cribs”-style tour of his mansion on TikTok, and it’s pretty much as eccentric as you’d expect from the controversial former CEO of the pizza empire.
Schnatter ― who resigned as board chairman of the pizza chain in 2018 after reports that he used a racial slur in a conference call ― gave followers a peek at his self-named “Papa Castle” on Tuesday after recently joining the video platform.
The $11 million mansion is the most expensive home in Louisville, Kentucky, USA Today reported last December. In other videos shared on the platform last month, Schnatter showed off what appears to be a vintage car collection and also a private helicopter. It all sits on a nearly 16-acre block of land, People reported.
“Howdy. Papa John. Welcome to my crib,” Schnatter says at the start of the 55-second video. Viewers then see a shot of the mansion’s exterior ― complete with turrets and a moat.
Then, as he backs into the entryway of his home, he gives a quick rundown of eagles’ mating techniques as he introduces the giant sculpture recreating just that. “This isn’t just a sculpture, it’s a clock!” the caption reads. Schnatter says the clock spins four times an hour.
Schnatter then teases his library, where he says he makes videos and writes letters, but he’s saving that tour for part 2.
Forbes reported that the pizza mogul’s net worth was briefly $1 billion in 2017. However, Schnatter’s wealth reportedly declined following a string of controversies. Prior to his ouster from the Papa John’s board, he had already stepped down as CEO in late 2017 after he attempted to blame declining pizza sales on the NFL’s handling of its players’ protests against police brutality.
The video clocked 1.2 million views on TikTok, where some commenters pointed out the tasteless timing of the extreme display of wealth while the nation faces economic distress. It then made its way to Twitter, where it got the treatment: