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Pop Culture

Lil Nas X responds to protesters outside his concert by ordering them pizza

Sometimes the best way to fight hate is with kindness coupled with a little bit of petty.

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Lil Nas X gives protesters pizza.

Lil Naz X really is a gift to this world, but that obviously depends on who you ask because for some people his existence seems to chafe some uncomfortable places. Recently people decided they just couldn't allow the singer to live his best life without him knowing that they did not approve, so they protested outside of his concert. Lil Nas X could've been pretty upset about the protest and let it ruin his show but he did the complete opposite. The "Old Town Road" singer decided to respond with an unexpected gesture of kindness by ordering the group pizza.

Depending on the topping, the gesture could've been seen as hostile. Did it have pineapples or anchovies? Those toppings are so controversial, pizzas could've been launched back into the venue out of sheer spite. Alas, there was no launching of pizzas or even eating of pizzas as the protesters declined the offer and sent them back with his team. Interestingly enough, the singer didn't even know the protesters were there until his fans repeatedly tagged him on Twitter with videos of the protest. But who protests outside of a concert venue when you can enjoy the free parking lot music?

No, it's not the people from "Footloose," but that was a valid guess. It was actually a group of people who just don't like that the singer is gay, even if his music makes you involuntarily move your booty. The protesters were holding up signs that contained biblical wording like "repent and believe." This isn't the first time Lil Nas X has run into vocal naysayers, and he usually responds with a cheeky clap back.

The rapper partnered with MSCHF to make Satan Shoes and gave the red man downstairs a lap dance in his music video for "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" because people supposedly told him to go to hell. If there were ever a petty contest, Lil Nas X would be crowned Petty King, so the change-up seemed a bit surprising. Instead of clapping back, he sent food, which probably confused the protesters more than anything else.

No worries though, if you live for the pettiness level that the singer consistently delivers, he took a trip back to Pettyville when the group returned his pizzas. The unapologetic singer wrote in a tweet "update: they didn't want the pizza but I accidentally fell in love with one of the homophobic protesters." I'm sure that tweet is keeping this particular protester up at night thinking the star is interested in him romantically, and just to solidify it, Lil Nas X tweeted the next day lamenting about the love that got away.

I must admit, I'm fully invested in this faux romance. Will they ever cross paths again? Will they fall in love during conversations over pizza? I guess the world will never know. But what we do know is, Lil Nas X is just trying to make music he enjoys and love whoever he wants and that shouldn't be controversial.

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A man battling cancer gave away his free pizza prize — and got more pizza in return.

'Life gave me pizza, so I made peace.'

For a fleeting moment leaving the chemotherapy treatment center, Josh Katrick forgot about the year he'd been having.

He'd just gotten an email telling him that — out of roughly 1,200 names — his was the one randomly selected from a raffle at Mario's Pizza in Northampton, Pennsylvania. A lot of free pizza was coming his way.

The family-owned local hot spot had held a promotion giving away two large pizzas and one two-liter beverage every month throughout 2017.  

"I remember coming out of [the chemo treatment center] thinking, 'I just won pizzas for a year!'" Katrick told WFMZ-TV 69 News of that moment in early December. "'That's cool!'"

Photo via Mario's Pizza, used with permission.

For Katrick, the news came amid quite a surreal few months.

The 36-year-old learned he has colon cancer in July. He had surgery in August and has since completed seven of 12 rounds of chemotherapy, NBC 10 News reported.

Photo via Mario's Pizza, used with permission.

"It’s been a fast time," he told the outlet. "It still feels like the blink of an eye."

Most people would argue a guy like Katrick is more than deserving of a few free slices considering what he's been through lately.

Katrick, however, had other plans in mind.

Katrick asked Mario's — his favorite pizza joint in town — if his free pizza could be given to the Northampton Area Food Bank instead.

"I've been getting so much from family, friends — people I don't even know well — the last few months," he explained to WFMZ, that he didn't think a year's worth of free pizza should be spent on him.

GIF via WFMZ.

At first, Frank Grigoli, a manager and co-owner's son at Mario's, didn't know what to make of the request.

Before he knew Katrick wanted the pizza to be given to the food bank, Grigoli was a bit befuddled. Mario's has been in business 37 years, after all, and quality is baked into every bite — why would someone pass on a delicious free lunch?

After learning it was about helping Northampton's most vulnerable people, however, Grigoli says Katrick's request brought "tears of joy." "This guy has a big heart," he said.

Still, something was bothering him. "That night, I went to sleep and something didn’t feel right," Grigoli admits. The next day, he decided, "we’re gonna give [Katrick] a gift.”

Photo via Mario's Pizza, used with permission.

Inspired by Katrick's selfless deed, Mario's decided to give both Katrick and the food bank a free year of pizza.

"It's better to give than receive," saidGiuseppe Aiello, whose father, Giovanni, co-owns the restaurant. "Especially during this time of year — Christmas — it's a great time to think about that and see examples of it around town."

The food bank can choose between having either the same deal Katrick won or throwing a pizza party with the entire year's worth of food and drinks — 24 large pizzas complemented with 12 two-liters — all at once, Grigoli tells Upworthy. So all in all, Mario's is giving away 48 pies to very deserving recipients next year.

Photo via Mario's Pizza, used with permission.

Free pizzas aside, things are looking good for Katrick in 2017.

Feeling better with the holidays here, and more than halfway through his chemo treatments, Katrick is expected to make a full recovery, according to NBC 10 News.

Regardless of his prognosis, though, Katrick is someone who always wants to see the glass as half-full.

“The old attitude of, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade," he said. "Life gave me pizza, so I made peace.”

Watch WFMZ-TV 69 News' report on Katrick's story below:

A Florida pizzeria came up with a simple but smart way for customers to pay it forward.

A guy down on his luck walked into the Winter Garden Pizza Company in Winter Garden, Florida, to buy a piece of pizza. Then he found that he was 50 cents short.

That's when Debbie Liskey, the manager, quickly turned to the bulletin board behind her. "Look, we can use one of these," she said. She pulled off a "pay it forward" note, good for 2 slices, and handed it to him. When she said, "You'll even get an extra slice," the man started crying.

Inside Winter Garden Pizza Company. Image by Alicia E. Barrón.

Because of this notorious Pay it Forward board, Debbie sees these reactions all the time.

When they order, people can donate anything they'd like for whomever they feel could use it. On the board, there's a free pizza for a veteran coupon, 6 free garlic knots for a pregnant lady, a coupon for a large cheese pizza for someone who has a rescue dog with them, and even a free slice for a girl with pigtails.

"I would say, mainly, it's used for the less fortunate, the homeless," Debbie says.

But anyone can use it. Debbie fondly talks about the homeless girl who visits her once a week, because she knows she can get a nice, hot meal thanks to the generous "pay it forward" notes.

The Winter Garden Pizza Company owners, Michael and Alison Scorsone, started the board two years ago.

They wanted to give back to the community, so the owners kicked off the bighearted board with six "coupons" of their own.

Debbie says it just kept going from there. Usually, when customers see the curiously generous Pay It Forward board, they ask about it. Then, some of them want to contribute, too. It's contagious.  

The Pay It Forward board inside the pizzeria. Image by Alicia E. Barrón.

You never know when a simple act of generosity is coming your way, and this board is proof.

This pizzeria is offering a little bit of relief to people who might need it the most, but what's even better is that this simple gesture has helped to build a tight-knit community.

"It warms my heart, it really does," Debbie says. "Like for the homeless ... that's the ones that really get me, you know? When you can do something for those people."

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