Adelaide pizza shop owner John Kapiris sparks controversy with bizarre racist promotion

An Adelaide businessman – well known for his social media stunts – has posted a racist video to promote his new business, while wearing a tea towel on his head to mimic a turban.

A controversial Adelaide businessman has defended a racist video posted to social media in which he mimics an Indian accent to promote his new pizza shop on Uber Eats.

In a 17-second video posted to Facebook, former greengrocer John Kapiris announces his Glynde pizza shop, “KapirisLand is on Uber” while wearing half a beard and a tea towel on his head, folded to resemble a turban.

He then puts on an Indian accent and says “you ring a ding ding, the Kapiris the king”.

Controversial ex-greengrocer John Kapiris has posted the bizarre video on his pizza shop page, Kapirisland pizzas. Picture: Facebook

Mr Kapiris said “99 per cent of people think it’s hilarious”. Picture: Facebook

The post is accompanied by the caption “we are on uba (sic) … This video is only for shots and giggles. I love all raices (sic)”, and a comment from the business stating “come on trolls”.

When contacted for comment, Mr Kapiris said “99 per cent of people think it’s hilarious”.

“It was a very, very funny video,” he said.

He denied the video was racist and when asked about those who found the video offensive, Mr Kapiris said “that’s bad luck for them”.

“That’s the way I promote my business. I’ve got a massive community of Indians that … buy their pizzas from here and they rang me themselves personally and just said that’s just the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. I didn’t do it to offend anyone.”

This is not the first time Mr Kapiris has stirred up controversy.

In 2023, he used a derogatory term to refer to Matildas soccer players in a video filmed at his former fruit and vegetable store at Rostrevor.

Prior to that, in an unrelated incident, he had also been charged with hindering police and disorderly behaviour after officers attended his business and found him in his underwear. Those charges were later thrown out in court.

In 2019, he made an emotional plea for a thief who stole potatoes from his fruit and veg to come forward – not for her to be punished but to help her.

The video posted on Tuesday had been viewed more than 45,000 times within three hours of being uploaded and triggered a mixture of responses.

Mr Kapiris also stirred up controversy in 2023 when he used a derogatory term to refer to Matildas soccer players. Picture: Facebook

Mr Kapiris at his former business St Bernards Fruit and Veg Market, Rostrevor. Picture: File

While some praised Kapiris for being “so funny”, others said they found the video “disgusting”.

“The world is healing, bullying is back,” said commenter Gino Gent.

“Love all races? Or hate them equally?” questioned another in a comment that appears to have since been deleted, along with other negative feedback.

Kapiris said he deleted two responses, including a comment that said “disgusting” and other one that was “bagging Indians”.

Originally published as Adelaide pizza shop owner John Kapiris sparks controversy with bizarre racist promotion