Comic chugs beer thrown at her after joking with Trump fan in NJ

POINT PLEASANT, NJ (WPIX) — A comedian performing at a New Jersey comedy club was nearly hit by a beer can thrown by a bystander after an awkward exchange with a heckler. But instead of letting it get to her, the young comedian grabbed the can and drank the rest of the beer.

Ariel Elias was on the stage at Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club in Point Pleasant Beach around 9:30 p.m. Saturday night when a woman in the audience began asking Elias who she voted for in the 2020 presidential election.

“Did you vote for Donald Trump?” asked the woman, as seen in Video shared by Elias on social media.

The comedian tried to joke it off, replying: “Why are you asking me that when you know I’m the only Jew in this room? Are you trying to kill me?!”

“So you voted for Biden?” the woman yelled back.

“I don’t know. What does it matter?” Elijah answered.

“Yes, you have!” replied the heckler. “I could tell from your jokes that you voted for Biden.”

“I can tell from the fact that you’re still talking even though no one wants you to vote for Trump,” Elias fired back, drawing cheers from the crowd.

A few seconds pass, then a beer flies across the stage. The drink whizzed past Elias and exploded against a brick wall behind her. Elias was startled at first and seemed to gasp before picking up the can and drinking the rest of the beer, the video shows.

Club co-owner Dino Ibelli said the beer was thrown by the spectator’s husband. The club management has reported to the police and banned the customer from the premises.

“She handled it like a pro,” Ibelli told Elias’s Nextstars WPIX. “It’s adrenaline. You can’t write that. She was a bit shaken after that.”

Just before the beer was thrown, Ibelli said he warned the audience — allegedly a Trump supporter — to go downstairs or leave after she interrupted Elias’ set. She decided to leave, but when Ibelli turned around, he heard the can hit the wall and someone pointed out the culprit, he said.

“Thank God no one was hurt,” Ibelli said. “When I see [the alleged perpetrator] again he won’t make it through the door.”

WPIX contacted the Elias and Point Pleasant Police Department but did not immediately receive a response.

However, Elias joked on Twitter that this might be the best thing that could have happened to her.

“I would really appreciate if someone could just let my teachers know that drinking a beer was actually great for my career,” she joked on twitter.

The incident also caught the attention of Jimmy Kimmel, who credited Elias “Five stars for this flawless performance.”

“Can I make my late night debut on your show?” Elias then asked Kimmel.

“Absolutely,” he replied.

The show’s producers are currently in contact with Elias, deadline confirmed, and are looking to book her for an upcoming episode.