'Whoever thought live-streaming barber's visit would be a good idea should be fired': 'Reboot' Beto gets roasted online for broadcasting his haircut AND back massage - one day after saying he regretted his 'privileged' campaign launch
- Beto O'Rourke was ridiculed on social media for live-streaming a 'weird' 20-minute video showing him getting a haircut during a campaign stop in Texas
- The Democratic Presidential hopeful is seen chatting awkwardly in Spanish to a barber who cuts his hair and at one point calls his ear hair 'nasty'
- Social media users immediately jumped on the footage with many questioning his campaign advice following a series of embarrassing PR blunders
- It comes a day after he said regrets launching his campaign on the cover of Vanity Fair because it showed his 'privilege'
Democratic Presidential hopeful Beto O'Rourke was ridiculed on social media for live-streaming a 'weird' 20-minute video showing him getting a haircut during a campaign stop in Texas.
The former Texas congressman, 46, made a stop at Chema's Barber Shop in El Paso as an assistant live-streamed footage of him in a barber's chair as indulged in some personal grooming.
And what came next made for awkward viewing as he made chitchat with the barber in Spanish and had to introduce himself to another customer who failed to recognize him.
His latest attempt at branding himself as a man of the people came just one day after claiming he regretted launching his 2020 election campaign on the cover of Vanity Fair, and said the move reinforced his 'privilege.'
Democratic Presidential Beto O'Rourke was ridiculed on social media for live-streaming a 'weird' 20-minute video showing him getting a haircut during a campaign stop in Texas
The video showed him speaking in Spanish with the barber named Manuel along with another man who entered the shop.
At one point in the live-stream another customer strolled in and said he recognized O'Rourke, but did not know who he was. The Texas Democrat explained to the man that he is running for president.
The former Congressman also took questions from viewers during the stream, before eventually discussing his education reform platform.
He made an attempt at humor when the barber appeared to trim some of his ear hair, with the politician explaining: 'We’re cutting out some of this ear hair that you get when you get older. It grows out of your ears, and if you don’t get it cut, it can be nasty.'
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To fill the awkward silences, O'Rourke gave an update on his three children, explaining that his daughter Molly was taking a standardized test.
He went on to say that his son Ulysses has a basketball game Wednesday night, and his son Henry has a baseball game coming up, with the children expected to finish up in school in a couple of weeks.
He claimed he was 'doing an impromptu town hall at Chema's', as his assistant asked him to tell viewers what was going on.
O'Rourke then falls silent as the barber gives him a back massage with an electric device.
The-father-of three could've been mistaken for a weatherman at the end of the clip as he exited to the store, giving viewers a virtual tour of El Paso landmarks and an update on the warm temperatures in the Texas city.
In the 20-minute clip which was live-streamed on Facebook, O'Rourke chatted in Spanish to Manuel, the owner of Chema's Barber Shop in El Paso, as he stopped intermittently to answer questions posted from Facebook users
Another barber shop patron came over and spoke to O'Rourke as he said he liked El Paso and claimed he was using the exchange as an 'impromptu town hall stop'
O’Rourke has frequently live-streamed events to try to connect with voters, using the platforms to talk to his social media followers directly during his unsuccessful bid to beat Texas Senator Ted Cruz last year.
It also wasn't the first time O'Rourke gave voters an insight into his daily life, with the 2020 hopeful posting a live-stream video of a visit to the dentist back in January.
As could be expected, the video clip posted via his Facebook campaign page was mercilessly mocked on social media, with people branding him 'egotistical'.
One Twittter user named @126 wrote: 'Beto O'Rourke live streaming his haircut is 2020’s saddest moment.'
Manuel the barber then videoed O'Rourke as he said hello in Spanish to his children
The end of the clip saw the Former Texas Congressman leave the shop and give viewers an update on the weather and a look at El Paso landmarks in the vicinity of the store
MAGABattaram wrote: 'Beto O'Rourke live-streaming a haircut. Was he pandering in Spanish? No one cares!'
A user named Ken tweeted: 'Really, how corny..Next, I suppose it will be you live-streaming your colonoscopy.'
@GDBlackmon claimed: 'So, to "reboot" his failing campaign, Beto O'Rourke live-streamed himself getting a haircut and having a massage today.
'I kid you not - nobody could possibly make this stuff up.'
Jonathan Williams said: 'I guess the campaign trail is already taking a toll on @BetoORourke, he has turned into Kevin Nealon... And whoever is advising his campaign and thought it would be a good idea to live-stream a haircut should be fired immediately.
As could be expected, the video clip posted via his Facebook campaign page was mercilessly mocked on social media, with people branding him 'egotistical' and questioning his campaign adviser's style of public relations
SusanW, using the name @gswickes, claimed O'Rourke should focus on his policy strategy instead of spending so much time behind the cameras.
She tweeted: 'This is just nonsense! A haircut?#!#! @BetoORourke turn off the cameras or you will just me another #egotistical leader! “It’s all about me!”
Austinb172 wrote: 'Hate to have to tell you this @BetoORourke but we care about your policies, not your haircuts. And frankly, you’re lacking any substance in both.'
@Ryon claimed: 'I’m a supporter but stop doing weird/stupid stuff if you are running for President. Get a grip!!!'
However some people on Facebook praised the 2020 frontrunner and cheered the livestream. 'We need you Beto,' one Facebook user said. 'Lets go Beto,' another said in the comments section of the Live-stream.
O'Rourke launched his campaign in the April issue of Vanity Fair, and the cover story was titled 'Beto's Choice: His road to 2020 begins.' In the article, O'Rourke said he was born to be president. He faced a backlash for the comments he made
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump attacked some of the 2020 Democratic contenders and singled out O'Rourke's attempt to restart his campaign.
He made a joke of O'Rourke's appearance on Monday in the second half of Rachel Maddow's MSNBC program.
'What the hell happened? Remember about four weeks ago he said, "I was made for this." He was made for it! He was made to fall like a rock,' Trump mocked.
'Political geniuses, when you have to restart your campaign, history has said that that does not work out well, right?' he asked.
O'Rourke faced backlash for the mode in which he decided to announce his candidacy, revealed during his Vanity Fair interview for the April issue that he was running for president and was 'just born to be in it'.
O'Rourke later admitted that launching his campaign in Vanity Fair was a mistake and that it 'reinforced the perception of privilege.'
It wasn't the first time O'Rourke gave voters an insight into his daily life, with the 2020 hopeful posting a live-stream video of a visit to the dentist back in January
'You can probably tell that I want to run,' he said. 'I do. I think I'd be good at it.'
'I want to be in it. Man, I'm just born to be in it, and want to do everything I humanly can for this country at this moment,' O'Rourke told the magazine.
However he later admitted the interview was a mistake and that it 'reinforced the perception of privilege.'
He claimed: 'Yeah, I think it reinforces that perception of privilege,' O'Rourke said when appearing on The View after co-host Joy Behar asked if it was a mistake and 'elitist' to appear on the cover of the magazine.
'In the article I was attempting to say that I felt that my calling was in public service,' Beto said in reference to claims that in the interview with Vanity Fair he said he was born to be president.
During the video, O'Rourke gave an update on how his three children, Molly, Ulysses and Henry were, claiming they were looking forward to the summer holidays
'No one is born to be president of the United States of America, least of all me.'
O'Rourke also said that if he were to earn the Democratic nomination, he would be 'fortunate' to run on the same ticket as Stacey Abrams.
'There are a number of women who aren't running, who may run, including Stacey Abrams, who is a real hero to me. The grace with which she met that defeat on an unfair, unlevel playing field for the secretary of state, perhaps rigging in part that election.
'Her focus on democracy forum, a new voting rights act, ensuring that every single vote counts in this country, is inspiring stuff at a time that our democracy is so badly broken,' O'Rourke said when asked about the prospect of Abrams running as his Vice President.
