Minneapolis mayor's awkward dance at black business fair ignites nationwide mockery

A video posted on TikTok last week captured Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey dancing at the Black Entrepreneur State Fair, an annual weeklong celebration of Black-owned businesses held August 9-15 at Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. The footage shows Frey moving his hips and shoulders to hip-hop music while wearing sunglasses and interacting with an emcee on the dance floor. The clip quickly migrated to X, where it spread widely and prompted a wave of mockery from conservative commentators and social media users.

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson characterized the performance as a "humiliation ritual," comparing it unfavorably to a previous incident where Frey appeared to struggle while eating Somali food. Outkick writer Ian Miller suggested that Democrats have become the party of untalented theater kids who entered politics because they could not succeed in the arts. Other users described the dance as "cringe" and an embarrassment, with one joking they would prefer he had defunded the police instead. The criticism extended beyond the dance itself, with some commentators connecting the performance to broader issues in Minneapolis, including claims of city disarray and rampant fraud.

The incident is part of a larger pattern of Democratic lawmakers and candidates facing online ridicule for attempts to connect with voters through dance and lighthearted performances. Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed separately drew criticism for a resurfaced campaign video in which he parodied the children's television show Blue's Clues to explain voting by mail. In that video, El-Sayed wore a green-striped shirt and recreated the show's "Mail Time" song and dance, pulling an "Abdul for Senate" ballot from a mailbox to explain ballot deadlines and voting procedures. He concluded by adapting the show's "Blue's Skidoo" catchphrase to "Vote ski-doo. We can too!" before disappearing into a campaign-themed picture frame. Critics labeled this video "the most cringeworthy political advert" and "disgusting."

The reactions to both Frey and El-Sayed reflect a recurring dynamic in contemporary American politics where opponents seize upon awkward or unconventional campaign tactics to portray Democratic politicians as out of touch or unserious. The mockery often amplifies through conservative media ecosystems and social media platforms, transforming local events into national talking points. In Frey's case, the criticism tied his personal performance to governance outcomes in Minneapolis, a city that has faced intense scrutiny over public safety and fiscal management. Fox News Digital reached out to Frey's office for comment but had not received a response at the time of reporting.