Alleged ‘Transphobic’ NJ ‘Karen’ Makes Huge Scene at Restaurant in Smithville [VIDEO]
They've become the most recent 'social' labels for bad behavior: The 'Karens' and 'Kens' of the world. And, two of them, from Freehold, NJ, caused quite the ruckus at a restaurant in Smithville last weekend.
It happened at Fred & Ethel's Lantern Light Tavern at Historic Smithville's Village Green where Lisa and Michael Smurro were dining.
Lisa Smurro started a public tirade, all caught on video, over an alleged encounter she had with a transgender person inside the restaurant's ladies room, reports 6abc.
In the video recording, Smurro can be heard telling a waitress, "She's a man using my bathroom. There was a man pissing in the women's bathroom. She's a man. She's a man.", and then stating a person can only be born male or female.
The situation only escalated from there with restaurant employees and other patrons getting involved. It all ended when Michael Smurro, a middle school vice principal in the Neptune, NJ School District, threw his beer at diners sitting on Fred & Ethel's outside terrace.
Fred & Ethel's owner Tony Coppola was quick to denounce the insensitive remarks made by the couple, and says that kind of hate is not supported or tolerated by the restaurant. He told 6abc.com, "We have a diverse staff and I think a lot of them took this personally. All are welcome here and we just ask that you treat one another kindly, and if you can't do that, take your hate somewhere else".
As for Michael Smurro, he has since apologized for his outburst via at statement to the Associated Press (probably because the video of the incident has hit the internet and he's worried about losing his job), that said, "I allowed my emotions to get in the way of my normally sound judgement and reacted in a way that was inappropriate. I do not condone violence or discrimination of any kind and should have simply walked away. I apologize to the person I threw my beer at and wish I hadn't done so. I apologize to anyone I offended." I mean, at least he's taken responsibility for his actions. Something most Kens and Karens fail to do.
We love our friends at Fred & Ethel's and are sorry they had to endure this kind of behavior. And, I have another question. What the heck did Mike Smurro have on his head? A shark fin? Must've been a theme weekend at Village Green.
**No hard feelings to any nice men and women out there named Karen or Ken.
SOURCES: 6abc.com; Associated Press
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