‘The zoo has come to town:’ JD Vance’s excuse for his cringey donut shop visit somehow made the whole thing worse

Ahead of the U.S. vice presidential debate between J. D. Vance and Tim Walz, Vance’s cringe-inducing visit to a donut shop has resurfaced along with his strange excuse for the awkward encounter.

The painfully awkward donut shop visit went viral in August, offering further support to the claims that Vance is very strange. Since being announced as Donald Trump’s running mate, the term “weird” has persistently followed Vance. Kamala Harris has dismissed all the wild things Trump and Vance say as “just plain weird,” while her running mate Walz called Vance and Trump “weird” and “creepy.” The term isn’t without reason, as Vance does have a weird obsession with women having children, wrote a whole book expressing disdain for those in poverty, and has made numerous strange and out-of-touch statements, such as claiming that grandparents are the solution to America’s child care crisis.

Even so, he still left viewers stunned with his awkwardness when a video of him attempting to interact with a donut shop worker went viral. The worst part, though, was that he seemed to be wholly unaware that his interaction was unusual.

J. D. Vance’s cringey donut shop visit and excuse resurface

Many are curious about how the debate between Vance and Walz will play out, given how different they are. While the internet has been enamored with Walz’s relatable, warm, and jovial personality, Vance has left viewers questioning if he is capable of conversing with other humans after his donut shop incident. During a rally in Valdosta, Georgia, Vance and his team stopped at Holt’s Sweet Shop. In the viral video, Vance walks into the restaurant, chuckling before stating, “The zoo has come to town!” He and his team seemingly walked in with their cameras rolling without asking permission, causing a worker to quickly state she didn’t want to be filmed. Instead of turning off the camera, Vance tells his crew to just “cut her out” of the video later.

He then attempts to make small talk with the worker behind the counter, starting the conversation by saying, “I’m J. D. Vance. I’m running for vice president of the United States.” Unimpressed and likely confused about what she’s supposed to do with that information, the woman flatly responds, “Okay.” Seemingly flustered by her response, he does a few “umms” and “uhs” while muttering under his breath before asking for a random assortment of donuts. He then attempts to make small talk again, asking each worker how long they’ve been working there and how long the restaurant has been open, but showing no interest in their responses.

The video instantly went viral as users roasted Vance’s failed attempt as being personable. The problem wasn’t that he was socially awkward but that he seemed not to know how to converse with others unless the conversation was centered around him. He seemed to think that all he had to do was announce his vice president race, and everyone would be so enthused and in awe of him that they’d carry the conversation. When that failed, his attempts to make conversation and show the tiniest bit of interest in the lives of ordinary people were so forced it was hard to watch. However, when questioned about the interaction, Vance didn’t believe he was the problem.

In an interview with NBC News, Vance addressed the awkward moment and suggested that it was caused by the staff being put off by his whole entourage. He indicated that the female worker who ignored his vice president comment was the one responsible for the incident, stating he “felt terrible” for her. He explained, “I just felt terrible for that woman. We walked in, and there are 20 Secret Service agents and 15 cameras, and she clearly had not been properly warned, and she was terrified, right? I just felt awful for her.”

It’s good that he acknowledged he shouldn’t have been filming those workers with no warning. However, he somehow failed to address that he was responsible for the awkward exchange, not the worker. Her reaction is what one would expect of a worker suddenly having Vance puffing his chest out while starting the conversation by announcing his campaign. He could’ve started the conversation with a simple, “Hi, how are you?” Perhaps he could’ve asked for a donut recommendation or questioned how their day was going. There were so many ways he could’ve had a casual conversation and showed an ounce of genuine interest in someone besides himself. His entourage likely did unsettle the staff, but his inability to form an authentic, basic human connection was the biggest contributor to the awkward vibe.