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New Jersey’s volcanic Gov. Chris Christie erupted again yesterday — snapping at a Jersey Shore heckler, “You’re a real big shot! Keep shooting your mouth off!”
The confrontation — captured in a 29-second video aired by TMZ yesterday — began as the governor was walking, ice-cream cone in hand, on the boardwalk Thursday night in Seaside Heights, the town made famous by MTV’s “Jersey Shore.”
An unidentified passer-by criticized his education policies, which have outraged many of the state’s teachers.
The remark triggered the gubernatorial outburst.
Christie, in a polo shirt, moved toward the man, shouting, “Keep walking away. Big shot.”
“Just take care of the teachers,” his tormentor shot back.
“We’ve got your back, Gov. Christie,” a supporter chimed in.
Before the clash got out of hand, an unidentified man, who appeared to be a bodyguard in Christie’s entourage, put his arm around the governor and ushered him away.
The video didn’t show exactly what set off the governor, but his office said the critic cursed Christie while the governor was with his children.
The governor has been battling the stereotype of New Jerseyans — Jersey Shore inhabitants, in particular — as loudmouths.
Christie asked Gov. Cuomo to take back the rowdy cast of “Jersey Shore,” which he noted was made up of New York residents.
While being considered a potential Republican vice-presidential nominee, Christie has had to live down his own reputation for having a short fuse.
In March, a town-hall meeting in Florence Township turned into a shouting contest between Christie and a former Navy SEAL, William Brown.
From the audience, Brown, a Democrat who had run unsuccessfully for the state Assembly, interrupted Christie and denounced the governor’s support for renaming a Rutgers University campus.
The exchange escalated until Christie called him an “idiot,” and police escorted Brown out of the building.
Christie blew up at another town hall last month, calling a lawmaker “one arrogant SOB.”
And last Saturday, he erupted again, when a reporter asked an off-topic question about the New Jersey Legislature while Christie held a press conference about the state’s water shortage.
“Are you stupid?” Christie demanded. “On topic. On topic. Next question.”
The governor later ended the conference with, “Thank you. I’m sorry for that idiot over there. Take care.”