Bon Jovi, Jon Stewart and Bruce Springsteen want you to wear a mask
Three New Jersey icons have teamed up with a timely message in Jersey speak: "wear a friggin' mask."
Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart and Jon Bon Jovi are masked up and standing together in a billboard for the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, an organization all three have been active with since it was created in March. The logo for the state Department of Health also appears on the billboard.
"As we enter the holiday season, it’s important to stay vigilant about Covid-19," First Lady Tammy Murphy, who leads the fund, wrote in a message featuring the billboard on her Twitter account.
Some people took exception to the language or message.
"Great language for our children to see," Jessica DeCaro wrote in a response to the First Lady's tweet.
"Sorry to tell you they are not role models. Nasty," @loujul wrote in response.
"Sorry I don't take medical advice from talk show hosts and entertainers," @Alydal12 wrote in response.
As cornavirus cases spike in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy's message for the Thanksgiving season has been to keep gatherings small and limited to your immediate family. He has also encouraged mask-wearing even when indoors with guests.
"Please wear a mask when around individuals outside of your immediate household," the governor said at his coronavirus briefing on Monday.
Murphy spokesman Dan Bryan said the photo was taken over the weekend, and 30 billboards are going up. They've been donated by Interstate Outdoor Advertising and creative work was donated by Glover Park Group.
The billboard came about because the first lady wanted to get some influencers to encourage mask use, he said.
"Given the surge in COVID-19 cases statewide, the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund, in partnership with the State of New Jersey and the Department of Health, is delighted to support this initiative to encourage all New Jerseyans to continue 'wear a friggin mask.'" the pandemic relief fund said in a message. "We understand that many are suffering from COVID fatigue, but mask-wearing (over the nose), along with social distancing, is proven to help stop the spread. Together as New Jerseyans, we must remain vigilant and keep up the fight against this deadly virus.”
There may be additional billboards or public awareness moves coming — Bryan would only say there's "more to come."
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ