'I think he's a rat and a liar': Watch Dave Portnoy and Vlad Tenev's heated Robinhood debate
- The Barstool Sports founder and the Robinhood CEO spoke on Portnoy's YouTube channel on Tuesday.
- Portnoy opened by calling Tenev a 'rat' and pressed the CEO on Robinhood's liquidity issues.
If you missed the livestreamed conversation between Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy and Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, here's what you need to know-and how to watch.
It started on an awkward note. In his introduction, Portnoy made his opinions known: "We all know how I feel about [Tenev,] I think he's a rat and a liar."
Portnoy opened the conversation by asking Tenev: "Ok, Vlad, you know everybody here who's watching this hates your guts, right?"
"That's what I hear," the CEO responded.
The insults died down while Portnoy pressed Tenev on what happened with Robinhood's temporary restrictions on GameStop and other "meme stock" trading.
Portnoy accused Tenev of betraying Robinhood's mission - serving retail investors - in favor of protecting the firm. But Tenev responded that market volatility and stock freezes spoke to "deep systemic vulnerability in the financial system."
"It wasn't just a Robinhood-unique issue," he said.
In the 38-minute conversation, Tenev and Portnoy discussed February's Congressional hearings on the GameStop market volatility. In addition to the substance of the hearings, Portnoy brought up Tenev's look.
"Your hair - it looks normal here," Portnoy told Tenev, but at the hearings, he called Tenev's blunt cut "a ridiculous look." Tenev sported a "Taco Tuesday" hat for the livestream.
The conversation, which aired on Tuesday night, is available in full on YouTube.