The Los Angeles Times deleted a social media video from the Dodgers’ season opener in Tokyo following a backlash online.
The clip – which was branded ‘offensive’ and ‘insulting’ – showed journalist Mark E. Potts sampling some of the concessions from inside the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
He was in Tokyo for the Dodgers’ two-game series against the Chicago Cubs, which kicked off the 2025 MLB season.
However, the newspaper’s attempt to show the difference between stadium menus in Japan and the United States backfired.
‘As a journalist from LA who has lived in Tokyo for almost a decade, this offends me on many levels,’ one social media user wrote.
‘So hard to watch… and insulting to Japanese people and culture,’ another wrote. Others branded it ‘lame as hell’ and ‘cringe’.
The Los Angeles Times deleted a social media video from the Dodgers’ season opener
The clip showed a journalist sampling some of the concessions from inside the Tokyo Dome
Shohei Ohtani in action for the Dodgers against the Cubs at the Toyko Dome on Tuesday
Following the barrage of negative comments, the video was pulled down within a day of appearing on Instagram. It now appears to have been deleted from the LA Times’ website, too.
‘They are unique; they are fun; they’re different than any ballpark you’ll find in the States,’ Potts says of the options in Toyko. ‘But quick disclaimer,’ he continued. ‘I didn’t eat any of the fish stuff.’
Per SFGATE, the journalist instead sampled some French fries and a hot dog, as well as beer, fried chicken, pasta, pizza and a churro. Potts eventually tries a plate of gyoza.
‘They gave me some chopsticks,’ Potts explains in the clip. ‘That was a bad idea. I don’t know how to use chopsticks. Pro tip: You can just stab stuff with them.’
Using chopsticks to stab food is frowned upon and considered rude in Japan. Later in the clip, as reported by SFGATE, Potts tries ramen and a pork bun which is ‘filled with all sorts of good stuff I should know, but I don’t’.
But he turned down the chance to try Takoyaki, a popular street food. ‘No, thank you,’ he says.
One LA fan on social media claimed: ‘Takoyaki are literally available at Dodger Stadium.’
Others slammed the video online, too. ‘How they be from a major US city in 2025 and unwilling to even try takoyaki…or use chopsticks,’ one fan said.
The video sparked a backlash online, with fans branding it ‘offensive’ and ‘insulting’
The controversial video now appears to have been deleted from the LA Times’ website
The Dodgers’ two-game series against the Chicago Cubs kicked off the 2025 MLB season
‘That’s 90’s humor they’re several decades past that being acceptable. we really are regressing as a society.’
Another wrote: I’m not Japanese but 6 years in japan is making cringe at what he’s doing (with) the chopsticks. Talk about cultural insensitivity.’
Another social media user who criticized the video was Marina Watanabe, who previously worked for the newspaper. ‘If only there was a Japanese video journalist they didn’t lay off who could’ve covered this,’ she wrote.
DailyMail.com contacted Potts for comment. He told SFGATE that his ‘intention was to show the food at Tokyo Dome and poke fun at myself for being uncultured.
‘We took the video down after receiving some comments indicating it was not received as intended,’ he said.
