By The FirstIn an unexpected twist at a weekend concert, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy found himself on the receiving end of a chorus of boos. The event occurred at the Red Rock Tap & Grill in Monmouth County on Saturday night when Brian Kirk, the lead singer of Brian Kirk & The Jirks, invited the Democratic governor to join him onstage.
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In a video shared widely on Twitter, Governor Murphy can be seen hugging the band members while a wave of boos rose from the crowd. The displeasure expressed by the attendees did not appear to have been anticipated, and the reaction was strong enough to cause Kirk to intervene.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, what did I tell you guys?” Kirk called out into the sea of spectators, wagging a chastising finger at them. The singer proceeded to defend the governor, reminding the crowd that the gathering was about music, not politics.
“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. Don’t do that. Out of respect for my friend, don’t do that,” Kirk implored the crowd, making it clear that the Governor’s appearance was more personal than political.