The Rolling Stones, in a photo recently posted on their Facebook page.
As you may have heard by now, at The Rolling Stones’ Aug. 1 concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Mick Jagger made a comment about stopping at the Tick Tock Diner in nearby Clifton for some Taylor ham and disco fries.
But, guys, he was joking. At least, that’s the way I interpret it.
First, let’s look at what he said (which you can also listen to for yourself at the 9:54 mark of the top video below): “It’s great to be here in New Jersey. We’re really loving it here. We’ve been here for a few days. I mean, it’s the health food capital of the USA, right? So, we went to the Tick Tock Diner for Taylor ham, egg and cheese! With disco fries! The sloppy joe to go! Delicious.”
He then made a sarcastic joke about the American Dream mall finally being open and full. So the Tick Tock comment came after the health food joke, and before an obviously untrue (and intended to be funny) comment about the mall. Hmmm …
When the band performed in Philadelphia, on July 23, he made a similar comment, about getting a hoagie at Wawa, at the exact same point in the show: after “Honky Tonk Women” and before the band introductions. (You can hear it for yourself at the 4:52 mark of the second video below). And he has been saying similar things in other cities. Hmmm …
Keep in mind, too, that Jagger is a health food fanatic, and recently had heart surgery. To quote from a recent article about him, “Sir Mick maintains his 28-inch waist with a diet consisting primarily of fresh fruit and veg, whole grains, legumes, chicken and fish. He has reportedly tried the Keto diet — a highfat, very low-carb regime that followers say helps drive down their body fat levels. After being persuaded by Jo Wood, ex-wife of Stones guitarist Ronnie, he has eaten organic food for years.” Is this the kind of person who chows down on disco fries at a diner? Hmmm …
Keep in mind, too, that no one actually spotted Jagger or anyone else associated with the band at the diner, though NorthJersey.com quotes a Tick Tock waitress who thinks she may have served Jagger, though the guy “didn’t really show his face,” she said. And in an interview with CBS News, diner owner Penelope Spyropoulos said he was there, but wore a big hat and had his head down, and “nobody recognized him.” Yet now she’s sure this mystery person was him? Hmmm …
One more thing: The Tick Tock is on the north side of Route 3, west of the stadium. So if you going to the stadium from New York, you’d have to go past the stadium to get to it. And if you were coming from the west, it would be on the wrong side of the highway. So it’s not a natural place to stop, unless you were already familiar with it and willing to go out of your way.
Why am I even writing about this? Well, the local media is treating this rather unlikely event as a fact, and I just want to express my skepticism. Here is a sampling of local headlines:
NJ.com: The Rolling Stones ate Taylor ham at the Tick Tock Diner (yes, they called it Taylor ham)
NorthJersey.com: Rolling Stones got satisfaction at Tick Tock in Clifton before MetLife show
NJ1015.com: Mick Jagger goes full Jersey at the Tick Tock Diner
WCBS880.com: North Jersey Declares Victory After Rolling Stones’ Taylor Ham Breakfast
newyork.cbslocal.com: Taylor Ham? Mick Jagger Visits Famous New Jersey Diner, Ignites Debate Over Name Of Classic Sandwich
Again, I really don’t think so. A guy like Mick Jagger always gets what he wants. And what Mick Jagger doesn’t want, clearly, is Taylor ham, egg and cheese at a diner, as delicious as it may be.
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4 comments
The enthusiasm of the crowd on Monday evening, August 5, 2019, was electric. The crowd never sat down once, stomped, sang, cheered and went wholly wild. The Rolling Stones exceeded my wildest expectations. They are still the World’s Greatest Rock n’ Roll Band and prove it all the time.