A New Jersey man who has long considered himself the “biggest advocate and supporter” of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey recently took to social media to express his outrage and disappointment with the brand.
Pauly Michaelis posted a now-viral video on Facebook where he can be seen burning Jack Daniel’s merchandise and pouring hundreds of dollars worth of booze into a fire pit, all in protest of what he perceives as the company’s shift towards being “woke.”
In the video, which was posted on a Friday, Michaelis introduces himself as a longtime fan of Jack Daniel’s.
“For those of you who know me well, my drink has always been Jack Daniels,” he wrote in the caption. “For over 150 years since 1866, this drink was always associated with cowboys, warriors, bikers, savage rock bands, and all American badass people.”
However, he goes on to express his disappointment with the brand, claiming that they have gone “woke,” a term often used to describe companies or individuals who express support for social justice causes or advocate for progressive change.
Michaelis proceeds to throw a large Jack Daniel’s mirror, glasses with the company’s logo, and a wooden bar sign into a large outdoor garbage can. He then dumps several bottles of whiskey on top of the fire pit and sets it ablaze, including two bottles that he claims are worth $250 and $100 each. Throughout the video, Michaelis can be seen flipping the middle finger towards the camera and repeatedly expressing his disdain for the company.
The source of Michaelis’ outrage appears to be Jack Daniel’s 2021 ad campaign, titled “small town, big pride,” which featured drag queens from the popular TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
This campaign has resurfaced recently and has sparked conservative outrage, similar to the backlash that Bud Light faced when they partnered with a transgender influencer.
Michaelis’ actions mirror a larger trend of conservative groups boycotting American brands, such as Hershey’s and Bud Light, for including transgender individuals in their campaigns.
Michaelis’ video received support from many of the commenters on his Facebook post, with some applauding his actions as a stand against “woke” culture.
One person commented, “Absolutely agree! Thank God someone is standing up & speaking out!! This WOKE S**T is destroying our Country.”
Another commenter lamented, “Are you freaking kidding me! It’s a sad day in the USA.”
The video also gained traction on TikTok, with one person questioning, “Are you telling me that Jack is now Jill.”
However, critics of Michaelis’ actions were quick to point out the irony of his protest.
In the video, Michaelis is seen wearing Carhartt, a workwear brand based in Michigan that faced conservative backlash last year after its CEO expressed support for vaccine mandates.
Some detractors also highlighted the fact that Michaelis seemed to be destroying his own property and wasting his own money in his protest against a multi-billion dollar company.
Despite the attention and support his video received, Michaelis has not responded to requests for an interview as of Wednesday.
It remains to be seen how Jack Daniel’s will respond to this controversy, and whether Michaelis’ actions will have any lasting impact on the brand’s reputation or sales.
