'How the f*** is this a real thing': Joe Rogan, others blast Mayor Bill de Blasio for video pushing NYC arts while city collapses

Popular podcaster Joe Rogan and other cultural commentators blasted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio over a video touting the arts and culture — featuring mask-wearing dancers doing interpretive jumps on a street, no less — while the city continues to collapse under the weight of several factors, most notably the coronavirus.

What are the details?

First, check out the video:

While the dancers do their thing, de Blasio explains that "if we really want to bring back the heart and soul of New York City, we need our arts and culture back, and we need people to see it and feel it, to participate in it" — and for folks to know that the "essence of New York City has not been defeated by the coronavirus."

Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @NYCMayorsOffice

Enter the Open Culture program, which is designating 115 street locations in all five boroughs that will give artists a chance to showcase their talents, the clip said.

"Our cultural community is our conscience, our cultural community is our hope and identity as New Yorkers," de Blasio concluded.

'How the f*** is this a real thing'

The Sunday video is getting thoroughly ratioed, having received more than 3,000 comments compared to just over 900 likes as of Tuesday afternoon. And regarding reactions to the clip, it appears that the vast majority of commenters were turned off it.

Rogan didn't mess around, tweeting simply, "How the f*** is this a real thing."

Other notable commentators shared similar reactions:

• "NYC is now Portlandia," Dave Rubin observed. "If you haven't already, you must flee as soon as possible."
• "Sane New Yorkers are already leaving for FL," the Daily Wire's Ben Shapiro declared.
• Kyle Kashuv responded in this way: "New Yorkers: 'Pls my family is starving. I can't pay rent'; De Blasio: 'Here's some funding for ballerinas doing dances.'"
• "@NYCMayor Bill de Blasio has utterly destroyed New York City businesses and forced people out of the city in droves," Young Americans for Liberty tweeted. "And his solution is a government-funded dance party. If you haven't fled yet… run."
• "I've said New York City was over for two decades now," conservative author and security expert David Reaboi replied. "Finally, the mayor's office all but admits it."
• "The NYPD is defunded, people are dying from increased crime rates, @BilldeBlasio targets for harassment Jewish communities, he has destroyed small business and restaurants in the city — and all he does is promote interpretive dance..." author and retired defense department operative Tony Shaffer said. "De Blasio needs to be recalled."