Bruce Springsteen Appears to Pass Over Chris Christie During Brooklyn Concert Moment
A brief moment at a concert in New York City has quickly drawn attention online after former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie appeared to be ignored by legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen during a live performance at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Springsteen and the E Street Band were performing as part of their “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour on Thursday night when the interaction happened. In a fan-recorded video circulating online, Springsteen can be seen walking through a crowd toward the stage while audience members stretched out their hands hoping for a quick greeting or high-five.
Among the fans standing nearby was Christie, a longtime supporter of Springsteen’s music. The former governor extended his hand toward the singer as Springsteen moved past the crowd. However, the music icon continued walking with his head lowered and did not appear to acknowledge Christie before returning to the stage.
The moment lasted only a few seconds, but it quickly became a talking point online because of Christie’s well-known admiration for Springsteen over the years. Christie briefly pulled his hand back after being passed over and then turned toward the people around him before clapping along with the performance.
At the same time, the video also showed that Springsteen did not appear to stop for or acknowledge other fans reaching toward him during that part of the concert. There was no clear indication that Christie was intentionally singled out during the moment.
Christie has publicly described himself as one of Springsteen’s biggest fans for years. His social media biography even identifies him as a “Springsteen fan” alongside his political background. The connection between the two New Jersey figures has often attracted public attention because of their very different political views and occasional public disagreements.
Over the years, the relationship between Springsteen and Christie has gone through several ups and downs. Springsteen previously criticized Christie during his time as governor, although the pair also shared a widely publicized embrace during a Hurricane Sandy fundraiser in 2012.
Their relationship later became strained again after Springsteen joined Jimmy Fallon in a parody performance connected to the Bridgegate scandal during a 2013 television appearance. Despite that history, Christie said earlier this year that he and Springsteen had repaired their relationship over time and remained in contact through texts and conversations.
Neither Springsteen nor Christie publicly commented on the concert moment following Thursday night’s show.
Springsteen and the E Street Band are scheduled to continue their tour with another performance at Madison Square Garden on Saturday as the “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour moves forward.
Sources:
CNN
Barclays Center
Madison Square Garden
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Official Tour Information
