Florida Republican candidate for governor, James Fishback, made jokes about Vivek Ramaswamy during a campaign event that have spread online. Fishback said, “There is a fork in the road,” and that he had to explain what a fork was to Vivek, jokingly.
The whole crowd laughed at the line, and nobody seemed to take offense. He added, “It would be weird if I showed up not wearing shoes, right?” Fishback, a hedge fund CEO and political newcomer, is running as an outsider in Florida's Republican primary. Ramaswamy has stayed silent on the matter.
The video clip has been shared on social media, with many finding it funny while others see it as a cheap shot, but maybe it’s a little of both. Fishback's delivery got cheers from the audience, showing the humor landed in the room even if it raised eyebrows elsewhere. People are, again, overwhelmingly flocking towards those who are tired of being “politically correct.”
Ramaswamy has spoken about his Indian heritage in the past, including how his family traditions shaped his views. The barefoot interview was part of a home tour during which he explained that he prefers to go without shoes indoors, as is common in many Indian households.
The fork joke similarly nods to eating with hands in Indian cuisine, something Ramaswamy has not hidden but has not made a central part of his public image. This could very well hurt Ramaswamy’s chances with conservatives, leaning too heavily into Indian culture when he was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, right here in the United States.
Fishback's jokes carry a point worth noting. If Ramaswamy wants to hold a position of power in the United States, he needs to act a little more civilized and adapt to basic American norms.
This great nation has standards and expectations for those who seek leadership roles, and Fishback's humor highlights the idea that aligning with those norms shows respect for the culture one seeks to lead. It is about expecting anyone who wants to represent America to understand and embrace its customs rather than clinging to foreign ones in a way that stands out or puts them before our standards.
The exchange highlights how humor can play a role in GOP events where candidates aim to stand out with sharp lines at rivals or enemies. The people of America, especially these days, love someone without a filter, someone willing to be a little edgy. Fishback has made other controversial statements, but this one drew the most attention recently. The Ramaswamy jokes add to his style of direct commentary, which some appreciate for its bluntness while others question whether it helps or hurts his chances in the primary.
Online reactions vary, with some users laughing at the clips and others calling them out for being insensitive. The video has been reposted on platforms like Instagram and X, with captions noting the crowd's overwhelmingly positive response. As the Florida primary approaches, Fishback's approach may appeal to voters looking for unfiltered talk, but it could also alienate those who prefer more polished messaging.
Fishback is one of the few Republicans willing to call out the rot eating away at American families. He’s targeting sites like OnlyFans, where young women trade their dignity for fast money, and has called for a 50% sin tax on these profits. Fishback is right: this online filth is wrecking a generation of young women who should be building real lives, not selling themselves to strangers online (and in person).
The money from this tax would go to teacher pay, crisis pregnancy centers, and a mental health czar for men, real solutions to the damage caused by porn addiction and the cultural decay unleashed by unfiltered explicit content. Fishback also wants to rein in runaway AI before it floods the internet with deepfake porn, another threat to American youth and basic decency.
Time will tell if the Fishback campaign will continue to gain traction.