January 1, NJ Governor Murphy Booed Off Stage at Concert, Crowd Unmoved by Singer’s Pleas

In a remarkable demonstration of public sentiment, a crowd at a New Jersey concert gave Democratic Governor Phil Murphy a sound drubbing last week.

The governor’s introduction by the lead singer of Brian Kirk & the Jirks was drowned by relentless booing, which only intensified after the singer’s attempts to chastise the crowd.

Watch @GovMurphy booed mercilessly by the crowd at Red Rock in Red Bank… pic.twitter.com/gDavJ8ytLz

— Matt Rooney (@MattRooneyNJ) July 8, 2023

At the Red Rock Tap + Grill in Monmouth County, Brian Kirk invited Governor Murphy onstage, only to be met by a chorus of boos from the crowd, drowning out the sparse applause.

A cellphone video shows a stunned Murphy, garbed in what looks like an American flag, hugging Kirk and other band members amidst the audible public disapproval.

Unimpressed with the crowd’s reaction, Kirk attempted to admonish the audience, declaring, “Hey, listen to me! He didn’t want to hear that! He’s a buddy of mine! This is not about politics! He’s a friend of mine! Do not do that! Out of respect for my friend, don’t do that!”

This plea, however, only seemed to add fuel to the fire as the booing grew louder.

The incident was not just contained to the venue; the band faced backlash on their Facebook page as well.

One user, Vicky Giglio, warned, “Big mistake doing what you did at the show. You just sealed your band’s fate… It’s a shame.”

When asked how, she advised, “Go read all the comments on your many posts, you’ll see how so. Don’t bring politics into a show.”

Bottom Line

This public denouncement of Governor Murphy may reflect his diminishing popularity in the region.

Although he was narrowly reelected in 2021, he was decidedly defeated in Monmouth County, winning only 40% of the vote compared to Republican Jack Ciattarelli’s 59%.

Adding to the governor’s challenges, last week he was under fire for signing a bill that provides a tax break to Danish offshore wind developer Orsted.

The bill’s signing followed the clearance from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for Orsted’s Ocean Wind I project, despite concerns about potential adverse effects on endangered marine life.

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