Wife of Papa John's Founder: It's Over

M. Annette Cox files for divorce from John Schnatter after 32 years as husband and wife
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 6, 2019 7:38 AM CST
Wife of Papa John's Founder: It's Over
In this Oct. 18, 2017, file photo, Papa John's founder John Schnatter attends a meeting in Louisville, Ky.   (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

The "finest human being" John Schnatter says he's ever met has filed for divorce from him. The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that M. Annette Cox, 59, submitted paperwork Thursday in Kentucky to end her marriage to the 57-year-old Papa John's founder. Schnatter stepped down as CEO in early 2018, then as chairman of the board later that year after controversial comments about anthem protests in the NFL, as well as the use of a racial slur during a conference call. Per Cox's filing, the couple has been separated since April 1; Cox says their marriage is "irretrievably broken."

Based on the court document, it seems like the two, who were married for 32 years, already had a settlement of sorts in place, as Cox simply asked for that agreement to be entered into the official divorce decree. The couple's assets are said to include an $11 million Kentucky mansion, a $23 million ski condo in Utah, and a $6 million condo in Naples, Fla. Schnatter most recently made headlines just last month, when he claimed to have tested the current quality of Papa John's pizzas by devouring 40 of them in a month's time, per the New York Post. His verdict: "It just doesn't taste as good." The couple have two adult children, per the court filing. (More John Schnatter stories.)

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