As Americans watched the Capitol riots unfold Wednesday afternoon, amid a sea of reactions on Twitter, social media lit up to Anderson Cooper‘s Olive Garden remarks. The CNN anchor dragged the beloved Italian restaurant chain into the discussion as he was covering the events for the news outlet, prompting some fans of the restaurant to come to its defense.
With a chyron reading, “Trump addresses rioters he unleashed: ‘It’s time to go home,’” on the screen, Anderson addressed the ongoing riot, which lasted several hours Wednesday afternoon. Congress had convened for a joint session to count and certify electoral votes amid President Donald Trump‘s continued baseless claims of a rigged election. Anderson suggested that after responding authorities cleared the scene, the large mob would head on over to Olive Garden.
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“Look at them, they’re high-fiving each other for this deplorable display of completely unpatriotic, completely against law and order, completely unconstitutional behavior, it’s stunning,” he said. “And they’re going to go back to the Olive Garden and to the Holiday Inn they’re staying at, or the Garden Marriott, and they’re going to have some drinks and talk about the great day they had in Washington. They stood up for nothing other than mayhem.”
While Olive Garden has yet to respond, others on social media were quick to do the work for them. Shortly after the words tumbled from Anderson’s mouth, clips of the segment made their way to Twitter, where people were fast to react, some finding humor in the moment while others wondered why Olive Garden had to get pulled into the chaos. Scroll down to see what people had to say.
Anderson Cooper just said “these people are gonna go back to the Olive Garden…tonight” 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/DlPwnwVLCD
— Stephen Gass (@PremiumGass) January 6, 2021
Anderson Cooper: “They’re gonna back to their Olive Garden and whatever holiday inn they’re staying at”
— Alec (@_alecmorgan_) January 6, 2021
Olive Garden: pic.twitter.com/4jcYAXix6J
“They are going to go back to the Olive Garden and to the Holiday Inn that their staying at” I AM SCREAMING pic.twitter.com/GFV8fHAjVA
— Corporate Barbie (@corporatebarb) January 6, 2021
ANDERSON COOPER SAID THEY’RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE OLIVE GARDEN AND THE HOLIDAY INN WHERE THEY CAME FROM TO DISCUSS THIS 😭 pic.twitter.com/QXbtHV1DgL
— k. matt | kristyn (@kmatthewildcat) January 6, 2021
ok not anderson cooper dragging olive garden…….
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) January 6, 2021
Anderson Cooper with the sideways Olive Garden slam on CNN did make me lol
— Tressie McMillan Cottom (@tressiemcphd) January 6, 2021
olive garden and the holiday inn trying to figure out what they did to anderson cooper to deserve that: pic.twitter.com/KBBDoBVJGK
— . (@dontask1997) January 7, 2021
olive garden was minding their business when anderson cooper brought them into this mess………….. pic.twitter.com/m8Xwy3Nw1b
— 𝓵𝔂𝓷𝓷 ✨ (@jooniconic) January 6, 2021
Anderson Cooper could’ve left Olive Garden out of this. Great breadsticks, solid value, welcoming for kids. No need to be smug and elitist here. pic.twitter.com/lVm0vIArti
— Ryan Glasspiegel (@sportsrapport) January 7, 2021
Anderson Cooper just said “these people are going to go back to their Olive Gardens and Holiday Inns” and I nearly choked on my breadstick
— Doc Around the Clock (@DocAroundThClok) January 6, 2021
Anderson Cooper just really laying into the rioters: “They’re going to go back to the Olive Garden.”
— Joseph Goodman (@JoeGoodmanJr) January 6, 2021
Anderson Cooper: “They’re gonna back to their Olive Garden and whatever holiday inn they’re staying at”
— Haley Corrine Jordan (@Jo1Corrine) January 6, 2021
Me an Olive Garden employee: pic.twitter.com/CZBQS7Pygd
anderson cooper: they’re going to olive garden
— ✿ michelle (@technicolourdnp) January 7, 2021
olive garden: pic.twitter.com/uGj6alfVgb
Not Anderson Cooper dragging Olive Garden 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/ili2NEJMs2
— BooBoo And A Blunt (@HelloCoello) January 6, 2021