POINT PLEASANT BEACH – It’s said that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” That’s going to be put to the test as a video has gone viral of a comic at a local comedy club getting a beer chucked at her. However, the publicity might not be so good for the man who threw his drink.
Ariel Elias was performing at Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club on October 8. She was doing some crowd work, which is when the comic interacts with the audience and improvises. Anything can happen in a situation like this.
She asked if anyone had any questions for her. A woman asked “Did you vote for Donald Trump?”
Elias responded “What do you think?”
“No.”
“OK…Here’s a question for you, why would you ask me that knowing I’m the only Jew in this room? Are you trying to get me killed?” This gets laughs. Then she explains how she voted in New York so it wouldn’t matter. “Everyone vote for whoever you want…I don’t care who you voted for I’m just happy we’re here together.”
“So you voted for Biden?” The woman continues. Elias said she did and asked why it mattered. The woman responded: “I could just tell by your jokes that you voted for Biden.”
“All right,” Elias responded. “I can tell by the fact that you’re still talking when nobody wants you to that you voted for Trump.” This gets a huge cheer.
The woman said something about whether people really wanted her to shut up. The comic asked the crowd to cheer if they wanted the woman to be quiet and they did.
“That was on me for thinking I could have a human interaction,” Elias said. She then moves on from the crowd work to go back into her routine.
That’s when the beer hit the wall behind her. People start saying things like “Are you *expletive deleted* kidding me?” Without saying a word, Elias chugs the beer. The video ends there.
A lot of comedians shared the video, complimenting her on her style and grace under pressure. It’s now spread worldwide. If you search for “Ariel Elias,” Google will auto-fill your search and add the word “beer” to her name.
“This is the first time this has happened in 19 years,” said Dino Ibelli, owner of Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club. He can be seen in the video crossing the camera’s path to de-escalate the woman.
Ibelli said that the crowd that night was really good except for that one couple.
Trolls on the internet challenged Ibelli about why security didn’t shut it down before it happened. He said that when a comic is working the crowd, they don’t interfere. He went to calm the woman down and the beer bottle was thrown by a man who hadn’t even said anything yet. He threw the beer then he left immediately.
“It happened so quickly,” Ibelli said. “It wasn’t like Will Smith walking up to Chris Rock.”
The suspect has been reported to Point Pleasant Beach police, and Ibelli said he’ll be pressing criminal mischief charges and the patron won’t be allowed back. Elias has the option of filing more serious charges.
“She didn’t get hurt and that’s why we can joke about this,” he said. Elias will be back again in April.
The video going viral is good for Elias, since it has been shared by the likes of Jimmy Kimmel and The Tonight Show. She’s going to be on Joe Rogan soon.
While this incident rocketed her to international notoriety, it remains to be seen if it helps the local club.
“In about a week no one will remember it happened here,” he said.
JerseyShoreOnline.com requested comments from Elias and Point Pleasant Beach Police. If they respond, they will be added to a future story.
