Comedians Try Handing Out Masks In Huntington Beach. It Doesn't Go Well

Mask-wearing has people on both sides of the issue expressing strong feelings. So when comedic YouTube duo Chad and JT recently tried literally giving masks away in Huntington Beach (with a healthy sense of humor), it touched a nerve.

In their video, which has already garnered more than 1.2 million views since it was posted earlier this week, Chad and JT encounter a slew of folks resistant to their offer of free masks. Sometimes it’s funny, like when people give a confusing rationale for going maskless, while other times it’s intense, with people shouting profanities and physically intimidating them.

“There [were] moments where I was like ‘Oh this could pop off,’” said JT. “And I was a little bit extra concerned because I was in my Rainbow sandals, so I was like ‘These aren’t ideal for wrestling or for running.’”

Chad and JT run the YouTube channel “Chad Goes Deep.” Chad told our newsroom's public affairs and culture show Take Two that he got the idea for this particular video while surfing in Huntington.

“I saw a lot of people not wearing masks and I was like ‘Oh, crud. Seems like the supply chain is boned up. There must be a shortage,” Chad said. What he found instead when they brought a box full of masks downtown was that people have other reasons for walking around without masks.

“It wasn’t a supply chain issue,” JT said. “People just think they suck. Which I understand -- people don’t like to be told what to do.” In the duo’s signature style of loose metaphors and tangents, JT gave this comparison: “[It’s] like when my mom told me I had to move out, it was also hard for me to hear and be told… but it was for the best though, and that’s what matters.”

Huntington Beach isn't the only place in Southern California where people are shirking the rule on face coverings. The New York Times put together a detailed map showing the likelihood you'll find people walking around maskless in different areas, and there are a number of local spots where the unmasked scofflaws roam.

Ultimately, the hostility Chad and JT faced didn’t impact the way they felt about their community. When Take Two host A Martinez asked the duo if they thought their actions made Huntington Beach a better place, JT responded: “Naw, it was already sick.”

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW FROM TAKE TWO:

CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR COVERAGE ON MASKS:

• 4 Tips For Handling Confrontations Over Wearing A Mask In Public
• No Mask? No Problem In The OC
• They Got The Memos, But LA Cops Still Aren't Wearing Masks

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