During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, actor Jon Bernthal made an impassioned defence of pitbulls, arguing that negative attitudes towards the breed constitute discrimination analogous to racism. Bernthal drew a parallel between fearing pitbulls and prejudice based on race or sexual orientation, characterising both as fundamentally unjust. He emphasised that whilst pitbull bites pose genuine risk, statistical likelihood of aggression does not differ substantially from smaller breeds such as Chihuahuas.

Bernthal grounded his position in his own experience with highly trained pitbulls, describing them as excellent companions. However, his stance contrasts with widespread concern about the breed's capacity for violence in documented incidents. The actor's advocacy takes on additional context given his 2009 arrest for assaulting a man who allegedly grabbed his dog, an event that resulted in three years' probation. Bernthal expressed regret over that physical outburst whilst maintaining his support for the animals themselves.