Not unlike this oversized monument to commerce and all-in-one family entertainment, the twitter account Gabel and Coyne run represents the side of the state that is brash, proud, and unashamedly weird. And they’re both looking to instill pride in its residents: @NJGov with quippy, viral tweets about pumping gas and being; the American Dream by boasting a dizzying array of amusements, not to mention close to 17,000 possible jobs.
“I cut my teeth in New York,” Gabel says. “But New Jersey is comfort, it’s home. But New Jersey is misunderstood. It’s got the energy; it’s got the competitiveness. It made me into who I am.” Gabel was bullied growing up By couching more important matters in humor, they hoped to more effectively engage with citizens. Still, it wasn’t until early December that a chestnut of a joke set them apart from the pack. According to Gabel, Coyne keeps a pack of tissues on her desk because their antics often make her laugh so hard that she cries — and on that December day, she needed it.
Ha.