By Chris Mann
Read Chris Mann’s review of Richie McGinniss’s book, Riot Diet, here.
The Amazon blurb for the book says: “This is an account of some of the most chaotic and polarizing protests in American history, told by a man who was in the middle of the mayhem—from the George Floyd protests/riots during the summer of 2020 through January 6th, 2021. In RIOT DIET, Richie McGinniss leads a Washington, DC–based news team to Black Lives Matter demonstrations around the country.”
Richie McGinniss and I spoke via phone on March 6, 2025. He answered these questions in our call and via subsequent email.
Q) What skills did you learn from bartending, surfing, playing hockey and/or Middle East studies and immersion that may have helped you be effective in your role as protest-riot videographer and journalist?
A) Of course, bartending afforded experience talking up all sorts of folks, but Richie found his surfing experience to be super helpful in evaluating the landscape of protest-riot scenes. He likened it to identifying and assessing the salty local surfers and the newby “grom’s” (a surfing term short for grommets who are young and inexperienced), and determining where the safe spots were. Riot immersion, like surfing, is an individual sport and you’re on your own in both cases if you get into trouble.
Q) Can you tell me why you included historical references throughout the book?
A) Richie states in the Author’s Notes, that “…it’s important to survey our past from a bird’s-eye view before we can map the road ahead.” He further states, “I would come to learn that the victors may be the authors of history, but a few big companies are the ones who master the news.”
News is essentially history, but more recent. He uses the history to show the parallels between previous moments in history, and also to emphasize that we are living through historic times.
Q) Why did you include vignettes from your immersion in the Middle East within the Portland chapter?
A) The flashback to his time in the Middle East was intentionally placed in the Portland chapter with both the Lebanon/Jordan experience AND the Israel one as a way of showing that journalists are there to experience other people’s realities rather than to impose their own versions of reality onto the culture they don’t understand.
Q) Are you saying that you don’t understand Portland’s culture or the culture of its activists?
A) Yes, in each of these cities that he covered he was an outsider and he believes that journalism is an art of constant discovery. The assumption that journalists have in this day and age is that they know everything and always have the answers for who is right and who is wrong. Rather than imposing this on the reader, he takes them along his journey of discovery and lets them decide for themselves.
He also used his experiences from the Middle East to highlight the parallels between the old world and the new: our politics have become more tribal than ever before. But ultimately, we have forgotten that we are blessed to be in the United States and we should never forget that the people from that part of the world, no matter what side of the conflict they were born into, would love to come to America for a “fresh start.”
Q) One poignant statement I recall is that you are able to differentiate between a pepper ball wound and that of a rubber bullet. How many times were you a victim of non-lethal munitions? How many concussions? Any other injuries besides the wound to your arm from the hot tear gas canister that gave you a tear gas “tattoo”?
A) It might not be possible to catalog all of Richie’s injuries from the protests. He was hit by two searing hot tear gas canisters in Portland. They were fired into his arm and leg in rapid succession and each left deep scars. He received two concussions, one in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and one in Washington, D.C, an estimated 100 pepper balls and about as many tear gassings, 70 with a mask and likely about 30 times with no mask, one rubber bullet in Portland, which didn’t break the skin but left a massive bruise, and a close encounter with a firecracker in Washington D.C., affecting his hearing.
Q) In your opinion, can you estimate the percentage of protestors in Kenosha that were from outside the city or state?
A) The crowds grew a lot after the first two nights. By the third night, he believes most of the protestors were from outside Kenosha. He felt that he could tell the difference between residents of Kenosha, Milwaukee and Chicago based on their manner of dress and speaking.
Q) Have you been doxxed and threatened in your private life?
A) Yes, he was doxxed as staff after Tucker Carlson’s house was vandalized in 2018. He was also threatened due to the Rittenhouse trial, the left viewing him as an advocate for the right and the right accusing him of lying about nearly being a victim of one of the bullets. He was also accused of being a pedo-lover because he tried to save Joseph Rosenbaum’s life and some believed he was a meth-head because of a viral photo showing him concussed in real time at the Capitol protest-riot.
Q) What can you tell us about your next book, Riot Diet II?
A) Among other things, the new book, expected later this year, will take us to the January 6th Capitol protest. The book includes a chapter on Richie’s experience as courier of the Hunter Biden laptop and a chapter on Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Look for the author to show us what both sides of the political spectrum have in common and how law enforcement ended up in the crosshairs of both.
Q) While you were in Kenosha, your riot diet included some popular Wisconsin go-to’s. You ate at Culver’s, including a burger, cheese curds and a Spotted Cow or two. Please rate the Culver’s burger and Spotted Cow.
“10/10. The Culver’s patty was fresh, perfectly salted, and as tender as butter. The lettuce was crisp and the tomatoes were fresh, which is a rarity when it comes to fast food. The bun was lightly toasted on the griddle with just the perfect amount of char, adding to the delicious variation of textures between the soft top of the bun, the crispy under belly, the tender patty topped with melty American cheese, and the crunchy lettuce.
Spotted Cow is a pleasantly drinkable farmhouse ale, the perfect compliment to any salty meal with an earthy body and a sweet finish. I wish I could get Spotted Cow in DC!”
Riot Diet is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites, at two different price points with either color or black and white photos on the print copy. I don’t think you would lose much by going with black and white if you’re budget-conscious, especially if you’re someone who followed the stories in real time during 2020.
www.pigeonpress.com
Find the book here.
Color copy of book available here.
