I guess we should’ve expected this, Save Jerseyans!
Their reaction. Not your reaction.
On Saturday, yours truly innocently posted a video of Phil Murphy being loudly booed at Red Rock in Red Bank. I knew it would be well-received by the Save Jersey faithful, but the video – shared originally on Twitter – has since gone “viral” and accrued over one million (!) views on the platform. Murphy’s verbal thrashing by a Monmouth County has also been covered by media outlets ranging from Fox News to the UK’s Daily Mail.
Even the RNC is getting in on the fun back on this side of the Pond:
WATCH: Over the weekend, Democrat Governor Phil Murphy was booed by concertgoers. pic.twitter.com/r2hp2AZl2k
— GOP (@GOP) July 10, 2023
Why did it catch fire?
Offshore wind turbine exploration killing whales and dolphins? Murphy fatigue from over-exposure? Anger over the reality of yet another governor focusing far too much on national ambitions?
The proximate cause, I think, was singer Brian Kirk (who was performing with his band “the Jirks”) lecturing the crowd for daring to boo the governor who’s supposed to work for them and not the other way around. Interestingly, Kirk went into damage control mode and told a local Patch page that the governor WORRIED aloud about being booed. Kirk also slandered yours truly by alleging that the viral video was somehow “enhanced.”
“He sang the entire song — to cheers mind you — and then after it was over some people booed him. And that’s when I said something,” said Kirk. “I really think that video was enhanced.”
Seriously? Want to know what “enhanced” the booing Brian Kirk, King of the Jirks? Your bizarre decision to lecture your own audience! On what planet did you think that would end well?
And according to my sources (and others in attendance), our video may’ve actually UNDERSTATED the razzing Murphy received from he audience…
I was there. When the singer berated the audience the booing absolutley got louder. He failed to realize that the audience was blue collar workers who dont want to be told how to act.
— Jim Newton (@JimboFig) July 10, 2023
Meanwhile, Murphy was asked by a member of the media about the video, and his talking points where fairly similar to his pal Kirk’s (though Murphy, as an experienced spin doctor, wasn’t dumb enough to come right out and accuse yours truly of tampering with video evidence).
“I think what you’ve seen on the Internet is a little skewed in terms of the actual reaction,” Murphy said on Monday. “We actually got through a whole song and the place was rocking pretty good.”
"A buddy of mine was playing and he coaxed me to come up on stage, which I wasn't wild about doing," @GovMurphy says.
— Alex Zdan (@ActualAlexZ) July 10, 2023
A little skewed?
Rocking pretty good?
Sometimes it’s best to simply own a mistake or bad experience, but honesty with one’s self (or anyone else) has never been Murphy’s strong suit.
