A Few Guys, a Postcard, and a Pizza Place

Last Thursday, Hsiao-Ching Chou of Suzuki + Chou Communimedia sent out a mysterious press release, which read in part: "In the last day, Pagliacci [Pizza] started receiving calls from fellow pizzeria owners complaining about a postcard they had received containing disparaging words on it. Pagliacci DID NOT have anything to do with sending the postcards."

An hour later, SW contributor Sara Niegowski sent The Cutting Room a PDF of the actual postcard, which was addressed to All-Purpose Pizza (among other pizzerias) as Pag's "Stupid Competitor." In response, All-Purpose owner Kedra Reisinger distributed the PDF to press in an e-mail with the subject line "Pagliacci's is Lowbrow and Classless," but was subsequently informed that Pagliacci claimed the postcard was the work of an unknown prankster.

"I [then] noticed that it was on their 25th-anniversary cardstock, and it's obviously some weird joke," Reisinger said, laughing. (Pagliacci celebrated its 25th in 2004.)

"It's inexplicable," says Matt Galvin, co-owner of Pagliacci, which SW recently presented with a Best of Seattle Lifetime Achievement Award (in the form of a golden pizza slice) in honor of the local chain's winning "Best Pizza" every year for the past century. Galvin says Pagliacci started hearing about the postcard a week ago. He and his staff have since been calling every pizza place in the city to explain the situation. "I'm gratified that everyone pretty much dismissed it," he says. "Imagine the time and the money they spent on the prank."