Wing man’s story: Eatery chain ends ad campaign after comedian’s 9/11 lie

Buffalo Wild Wings will stop airing TV commercials featuring comedian Steve Rannazzisi, who said this week that he lied about being in the World Trade Center during the Sept. 11 attacks. Rannazzisi, who is also a star on the FXX show “The League,” has said in the past that he was working as an account manager for Merrill Lynch on the 54th floor of one of the World Trade Center towers when it was hit by a plane. Sally Smith, CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings, had said Wednesday in an interview with Yahoo Finance that Rannazzisi was selected for the company’s marketing because “The League” fit with its image. When working with public figures, she said companies have to consider how to vet them.

There’s always a risk and there’s always things that you need to be aware of.

Sally Smith, CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings

The New York Times first reported Rannazzisi’s admission earlier this week. Rannazzisi, in prior claims, described the “pandemonium” he witnessed when he ran out into the street on Sept. 11. He also said six of the 10 members on a basketball team he played on died. This week, Rannazzisi said on Twitter that he was, in fact, working in another part of the city and not at the World Trade Center.

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