NJ man torches Jack Daniel's merch in protest of 'woke' company

May 2024 · 4 minute read

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A New Jersey man proclaiming himself the “biggest advocate and supporter” of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey burned merchandise and hundreds of dollars worth of booze in a now-viral tirade against the liquor company for going “woke.”

Pauly Michaelis posted the video Friday on Facebook of himself torching a Jack Daniel’s mirror, glasses with the company’s logo, as well as a wooden bar sign.

“For those of you who know me well my drink has always been Jack Daniels,” Michaelis wrote. “For over 150 years since 1866 this drink was always associated with cowboys, warriors, bikers, savage rock bands and all American badass people.”

“THEY WENT WOKE,” Michaelis wrote, followed by a middle-finger emoji.

The backlash comes as the whiskey brewer’s “small town, big pride” 2021 ad campaign featuring drag queens from “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” has resurfaced — sparking conservative outrage similar to how some Bud Light fans boycotted after the beer company partnered with a popular transgender influencer.

In the video, Michaelis introduces himself as the “biggest advocate and supporter of Jack Daniel’s.”

The April 7 video took off on social media. Facebook / Pauly Michaelis

“I have been for 40 years of my life, if not longer. Here’s the deal: You went woke,” he says. “So, here’s what I got for you guys.”

He then can be seen throwing a large Jack Daniel’s mirror in a large outdoor garbage can along with “every Jack Daniel’s glass” he has ever owned. Michaelis then tosses a wooden bar sign into a fire pit before dumping several whiskey bottles on top.

“And the capper. Two of the world’s most expensive Jack Daniel’s. Two-hundred fifty dollars a bottle, and one hundred dollars a bottle,” he fumes before showing the two bottles to the camera.

Michaelis showed off his two most expensive Jack Daniel’s bottles before dumping out the liquor and throwing them away. Facebook / Pauly Michaelis
Michaelis brought several bottles from inside his house to empty into his fire pit. Facebook / Pauly Michaelis

“F–k your woke-ass company,” he says before pouring the expensive bottles into the fire pit. He then sets it on fire and points both middle fingers toward the camera.

The outrage over the whiskey company’s advertisement from two years ago comes as conservative groups are boycotting several big American brands, like Hershey’s and Bud Light, for including transgender women in their campaigns.

Most recently singers Kid Rock and Travis Tritt expressed outrage over transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney’s partnership with Bud Light, with both saying they would no longer be supporting the brand. Bud Light has stood behind working with Mulvaney, who has over 10 million followers on TikTok.

Michaelis tossed several Jack Daniel’s glasses in his trash can during the video. Facebook / Pauly Michaelis
Most of his Facebook commenters agreed, while on other websites like Reddit, the criticism over the video was much harsher. Facebook / Pauly Michaelis

Most of the 200 commenters under Michaelis’ Facebook post supported his actions, with some claiming to “have seen the last of greatness this country has to offer.”

“Absolutely agree!” one person commented on the video. “Thank God someone is standing up & speaking out!! This WOKE S**T us destroying our Country.”

Another commenter added: “Are you freaking kidding me! It’s a sad day in the USA.”

The outrage over the whiskey company’s advertisement from two years ago comes as conservative groups are boycotting several big American brands like Hershey’s and Bud Light. Facebook / Pauly Michaelis

The video also took off on TikTok, prompting one person to question, “Are you telling me that Jack is now Jill.”

Critics online were quick to point out that Michaelis was wearing Carhartt, a Michigan-based workwear brand that drew conservative backlash last year after its CEO said it will continue to require a vaccine mandate.

Some detractors remarked how Michaelis seemingly threw away a lot of his own money, with one Reddit user writing, “He sure showed that multi-billion dollar company!” Others simply made jokes.

Online critics blasted Michaelis for throwing away his own money for the sake of the video. Facebook / Pauly Michaelis

“He thinks Jack Daniels merch counts as decor. Those drag queens did him the biggest favor,” one person wrote.

Another noted, “My toddler does things like this when he’s upset too.”

Michaelis did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for an interview on Wednesday.

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