“Mr. Tea-KO” Barry Allen, the Ohioan known nationwide for clocking a belligerent racist off his feet with a can of Twisted Tea, explained his actions on a Cleveland sports-centric podcast, Mark One Sports, on Wednesday.
The episode went over the racist incident, the “Tea-KO” nickname, his new Twitter handle (@OfficalMrsteako), and the incredible memes that have spread over social media.
Allen explained the finer details of the altercation, from the time he entered the Circle K convenience store to the social media hoopla that arrived after the incident. He also dug into the racial aspect.
“As soon as I walk in, he’s standing with his friends, I was assuming, and calling the employees, two black guys, n****rs,” he said. “I’m like, ‘all right. Let’s just hope he leaves by the time I get up there,’ so, I ignored it.”
Allen says that when he got to the counter with his beverage, the racist white man was still talking his shit.
“And he’s still there, still saying the word like he was just a normal black guy having fun with all his buddies, just chilling,” Allen recalled. “And you could tell by their faces they wasn’t really feeling it, but they can’t say nothing ’cause that’ll put their job on the line.”
“Me, I didn’t feel that way,” he said to the host. “I’m like, ‘C’mon bro, stop saying the word. Why you shouting out ‘n****r,’ bro?’”
“He’s like, ‘Man, I say “n****r” whenever I want. Leave me alone’ and pretty much went back into his conversation,” Allen said. “I’m like, ‘C’mon, stop saying the f—-ng word. You’re really pissing me off now.’”
“I’m [like], ‘F–k your mama,’” Allen said. “He’s starting to be in this tough-guy act.”
The “mama” talk bothered Allen, he said, because the incident had taken place near the date of his mother’s death.
However, once Allen dropped the can of Twisted Tea and the unnamed racist kicked at it, it was game over in a flash.
“That’s when I pick it up, and he goes to kick it,” he told Mark One. “He really didn’t kick me, but I felt the kick coming. So I just reacted at that point.”
Thus, the racist received an ass-whooping, and the rest of the world received the content we deserved. He also says the man continued to follow him in the store, threatening to fight him once they got outside. However, Allen says but the time he paid for his items and left, the other man was gone.
Police did not arrest Allen, mainly because the racist elected not to press any charges.
“I called my wife soon as I got in the car,” said Allen, who is married with five children. “By the time I got in the car and started moving and backed out and got on the road, I’m telling my wife, ‘I hit a guy in the face with a can.’”
“She’s like, ‘I know. I’m watching it,’” he said. “The lady had 5,000 views by the time I drove two blocks home.”
Allen does admit that he’s been “overwhelmed” with the attention and is trying to get through all the messages. He told the show that he’d gotten messages from Ireland, Australia, and even the Czech Republic.
He also specifically mentioned his young son, Silas, who is disabled. There is a GoFundMe to help purchase a wheelchair van for the little guy.
With all the goodwill that’s come Allen’s way, it’s been the legendary memes that will live forever.
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