© 2024 Blaze Media LLC. All rights reserved.
Mayor Bill de Blasio mocked over 'cringe' stunt aimed at enticing New Yorkers to get vaccinated
Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Image

Mayor Bill de Blasio mocked over 'cringe' stunt aimed at enticing New Yorkers to get vaccinated

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) received a lot of attention online Thursday after he made a big production of a promotion aimed at enticing his constituents to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

But reactions were overwhelmingly critical of de Blasio's display, mocking him for an array of reasons.

What are the details?

De Blasio was plugging an offer from Shake Shack, a burger chain offering a free burger and fries to New York City customers who present confirmation that they have been fully vaccinated.

To drive the point home, de Blasio munched on fries while still talking and holding up the side item, saying, "You're saying I can get these delicious fries — wait a minute, but there's also a burger element to this?"

The mayor then holds up a burger for all to see, saying, "I want you to look at this and think about — again some people like hamburgers, some don't, I really want to respect all ways of life — if this is appealing to you, just think of this when you think of vaccination."

He then takes a bite, saying, "Mmmmmm ... vaccination. I'm getting a very good feeling about vaccination right at this moment."

Several observers on Twitter took issue with using fast food to lure people into getting vaccinated, saying that promoting unhealthy eating seemed counterproductive.

"One of the most American things I've ever seen," one person wrote. "Play on emotions, entice the obese with unhealthy food, this is the ultimate cringe, WTF!"

Some took issue with de Blasio's table manners. One person tweeted, "Is that how he really eats fries? What the hell?" Others said they were surprised to see de Blasio eating the burger and fries with his hands like a normal person, after he went viral in 2014 for eating pizza with a fork and knife.

A handful of folks said that Shake Shack's deal was a far cry from what is being offered in other parts of the country, pointing out that Ohio is holding a lottery and giving away five $1 million prizes to vaccinated adults.

The general consensus was that the presser was "just straight up weird."

Want to leave a tip?

We answer to you. Help keep our content free of advertisers and big tech censorship by leaving a tip today.
Want to join the conversation?
Already a subscriber?