Saturday night, a pro-Trump heckler and her husband took their protest of a comedian’s performance too far when they threw a beer can at her head after a brief exchange.
Ariel Elias drank the beer in question to the delight of the audience at Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, after nearly avoiding major damage.
The incident began when an audience member asked Elias if he had voted for Donald Trump.
Elias responded, “Did I vote for Donald Trump?” What are your thoughts? The woman responded, “No.”
The comic said, “Okay.”
Here’s a question for you: knowing I’m the only Jew in the room, why would you ask me that? Are you trying to get me killed?’
She continued, “I vote in New York, but it doesn’t matter.”
Elias during the original conversation with the heckler in which she was asked who she voted for in the 2020 presidential election.
Shortly after Elias attempted to continue her performance, the heckler’s husband threw a beer can at her.
Elias was almost missed as the can smashed into the exposed brick wall.
Elias responded to escaping damage by guzzling the drink, much to the audience’s joy.
Then, a man is heard saying, “It doesn’t matter here, either!”
Elias continued, “It doesn’t matter who you voted for; I don’t care who you voted for; I’m just glad we’re all here together.”
The woman rebuffed Elias’s offer of peace, responding, “So you voted for Biden.”
Elias’s frustrated response was, “I don’t know, why does it matter?” Elias ultimately yielded to the heckler’s persistence and replied, “I don’t know, why does it matter?”
The heckler stated, “I could tell by your jokes that you supported Biden.”
A woman in the audience wanted to know if Ariel Elias, pictured here, had voted for Donald Trump, sparking the incident.
The comedian from Kentucky brought the house down when she responded to the heckler with “Alright.” I can know you voted for Trump based on the fact that you’re still talking when nobody wants you to.
The heckler responded negatively to Elias’s attempt to resume her performance by exclaiming, “How nasty! Telling me to stop talking! No one instructed me to quit.
Elias chose to demonstrate her point by stating, “Okay, make some noise if you want her to be quiet.” This statement was welcomed with applause.
The comic acknowledged that she had requested questions from the audience throughout the performance.
As Elias attempted to bring the show back on track, she began her next section by stating, “Here, let me finish up that segment, and then we’ll go on.” I’m so insecure that I went and got an intrauterine device.
The husband of the heckler then threw a beer can towards the stage, just missing her and striking the brick wall.
A man can be heard saying, “Come on, buddy, that’s not allowed here.” Then, some sort of activity occurs off-screen.
Elias fetched the remaining beer and, to the surprise of the rest of the crowd, drank it.
The official Uncle Vinnie’s Twitter account afterwards announced that the beer thrower would be prosecuted. The account merely referred to him as the heckler’s “white trash spouse.”
Elias revealed in an interview that she was anxious throughout the exchange when Trump was mentioned, stating, “I know where I stand.” The club’s logo features a rifle in place of the letter ‘L’
Elias stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that her performance was not going well prior to the interruption by the heckler.
She stated that there was a raucous group of approximately 20 individuals celebrating a birthday with a Mexican theme while sporting false mustaches. Elias stated that they were instructed to be quiet before her concert began.
Elias’s response to the beginning of the jeering was, “I know where I am.”
The club’s emblem depicts a rifle in place of the letter ‘L’ She’s obviously trying to entice me into something, so I figured, ‘Let’s see where she tries to take it on her own, and perhaps I can use that to get out of this situation.’
Elias stated of the beer chug, “I knew I had to chug it.”
After exploding against the wall, I was relieved to find that there was still some remaining. In addition, my adrenaline was raging, so despite the fact that I typically don’t drink before or during sets, I felt this was an acceptable exception.
According to her website, Elias was born in Kentucky and currently resides in New York City. Once, The New York Times described her as a “sly young comedian.”
Elias stated in a Sunday interview with Buzzfeed that the Point Pleasant Police Department had gone to the club to collect evidence.
She reported on the website that fellow comic Gianmarco Soresi gave her a hug as she exited the stage. Elias reported that she instantly called her husband to inform him of the situation.
Elias told Buzzfeed that a member of the birthday group apologized for their actions and a member of the audience offered her $20.
The proprietor of the club told Buzzfeed that the heckler and her husband departed the scene immediately after the exchange.
According to her website, Elias was born in Kentucky and currently resides in New York City. Once, the New York Times described her as a “sly young comic.”
Jimmy Kimmel, an A-list comedian, tweeted, “Five stars for this amazing performance” in response to Elias’s actions.
Patton Oswalt tweeted that Ariel was not even performing political material. The intoxicated heckler desired grievance and vengeance, as do all MAGAts. They will modify the truth in front of their eyes to obtain it. You SOUND like you voted for Biden.’
In response to Elias’s tweet that she was scheduled to return to Uncle Vinnie’s in April, Whitney Cummings wrote, “Great, can I open for you?”
Cummings tweeted the can-throwing video along with the following message: “For all of you who want to make fun of comics for claiming we didn’t sign up to be physically attacked and put on a pedestal, have a peekie poo. @Ariel Comedy You are a gentleman.’
In a tweet, George Takei referred to Elias as a “hero among us.”
Elias tweeted about the event, stating, “I’d appreciate it if someone could let my teachers know that drinking beer has actually been beneficial to my career.”
She told Rolling Stone, “I don’t hide who I am or alter my presentation.” I also avoid discussing politics on stage, as that is not the focus of my stand-up.
She continued, ‘However, my perspective is that of a southern Jew, and I frequently discuss being a woman and body image. I believe I’m competent enough to make those who disagree with me laugh and enjoy themselves. Yes, I have been overwhelmed by crowds, a few individuals have left, and occasionally someone says something. But I’ve never gotten half a free beer for it.’