Baltimore Mayor’s ‘Pull Your Mask Up’ Comment to COVID-19 Press Conference Heckler Goes Viral
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COVID-19 brought gathering and live entertainment to a halt. And while it's far down the list of the worst effects of this required shutdown, the lack of shows has brought with it a loss of the collective schadenfreude at seeing a heckler put in their place.
It's in this environment that clapback-starved Twitter users have grasped upon a nascent catchphrase from Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott. Staring down a shouting man during a press conference on COVID-19 mandates, he said "Shorty, pull your mask up" reminding him that "people dying."
Baltimore elected a LIT ass mayor. He wants all the smoke. 😂😂😂 #brandonscott
Follow @polialertcom for political news and Civics 101 pic.twitter.com/e9HmY60DQE— BallerAlert (@balleralert) January 5, 2021
Though the phrase resonated and will no doubt be on T-shirts and face masks within the week, it's worth noting that Scott wasn't calling a random citizen "shorty." Scott was speaking to Baltimore activist Duane "Shorty" Davis, who pointed out the oversight on Twitter and in a video and was backed by other locals:
Because I keep seeing this: The "shorty" in the video of Baltimore's Mayor Brandon Scott is activist Duane "Shorty" Davis. He is a protest institution unto himself and is a tireless advocate for the city.
He is also an artist. My piece on him from 2015 https://t.co/s5I8Z2h46o— brandon soderberg (@notrivia) January 5, 2021
Never one to let the truth get in the way of a good catchphrase, Twitter gushed over the mayor's response.
I have a brand new favorite politician and it’s Baltimore’s new mayor Brandon Scott.
This whole exchange is great.
“Shorty, pull your mask up. People are dyin’.” pic.twitter.com/9rpOre9gyu— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) January 5, 2021
“Pull your mask up, shorty” = Baltimore’s next COVID safety campaign https://t.co/KOnXyTnZKV
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 5, 2021
Baltimore Mayor from the trenches lol “hold tight shorty and pull your mask up” 😂🤣
— AI Up Georgetown 3️⃣ (@ImHard2Guard) January 6, 2021
Shorty pull your mask up 😂😂😂😂 that Baltimore came out with a quickness
— Mrs John Wick (@travelin_always) January 5, 2021
“Shorty pull yo mask up man”
- Brandon Scott (2021) pic.twitter.com/PwfUg0unVg— Rodell (@RealRodell) January 5, 2021
Y’all: None of these politicians are in tune with their citizens
**Brandon Scott enters**
Y’all: “he so ghetto”
Y’all see ghetto, I see a man who knows his city and is himself. Grow up. https://t.co/UtRwez1NBx— dinner plate-sized areola stan acct 🏁 (@mattyaintshit) January 5, 2021
Baltimore is loaded with creativity.
Earlier today Mayor Brandon Scott interrupted his press briefing to tell the man who interrupted him (@shortman_9)to pull up his mask
Tonight: https://t.co/TXCgelJ9Pm— Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) January 6, 2021
Y’all better stop playing with that man #BrandonScott https://t.co/R5lnYucE82
— Nay (@_justnay44) January 5, 2021