You would think this were a joke, but the headline is for real.

And to think about it, it kinda flies against the mantra Kenny Chesney sings about in the song “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem”.

So, imagine this for a second.

Were Kenny Chesney to appear in Asbury Park, just as he did last week in Wildwood, city officials would probably ban him from singing that song due to a little known ordinance which hadn’t been enforced.

The ordinance of being properly dressed, meaning no bathing attire on the Asbury Boardwalk.

I know, crazy talk, right?

Yes it is.

Louise Murray, the recently-elected chairperson of the city’s Republican party, said
“Asbury Park was known for being the classiest boardwalk in the summertime. You never went down there unless you were dressed.”

In the past, beachgoers could not walk the boards barefoot without someone telling them to put their shoes on, recalled Murray, who is also a former city councilwoman.

“I’ll be darned if I want to be standing at a bar and have somebody slither up in a Speedo or bikini that shouldn’t be in a bathing suit,” Murray said. “It’s disgraceful … I implore you to enforce this, but do not amend it.”

Deputy Mayor John Loffredo responded, “I honestly don’t disagree with you.”

This is an attack on beach-goers.

Doesn’t it give you the impression that shore towns will do anything they can to discourage beach-goers from coming to their towns in the first place.

First Point Pleasant closing the bars at midnight, now Asbury Park looking to enforce the ban on wearing bathing suits on the boardwalk.

Add to that the proposal that the Asbury beach chief made the other day about instituting a state law prohibiting the use of the beach when no lifeguard is around and it makes you wonder.

Does anyone not want you to go to the shore anymore?

I’m telling you, you can’t make this stuff up.

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