Mass. state senator trolls her trolls in TikTok video

Jo Comerford, a Northampton Democrat, posted a video on social media last Friday, reading her most dedicated critics’ comments — and asking them some follow-up questions. 

Standing in front of a whiteboard with the various insults that fill her comments, Comerford sarcastically addressed a few of her favorites. The video was intended to “name these attacks and invite us all to do better together,” Comerford said in a statement. 

“Sometimes sunlight and a little humor go a long way,” she said. “The video wasn’t so much a response to the online attacks as it was a plea on behalf of our beleaguered democracy.”

A commenter, who Comerford identified as “Phil,” was one of the lucky few who got their own shoutout. In the video, Comerford said Phil called her “a ‘Massachusetts clown and loser’ 12 times in the last six months.” 

“But here’s the thing, Phil, and it’s keeping me up at night,” she quipped. “Sometimes you spell ‘loser’ L-O-S-E-R, and … maybe this is intentional on your part, sometimes you spell it L-O-O-S-E-R. … Are you making a play on my virtue? Please be in touch.”

Comerford highlighted another critic, “Jeff,” who she said called her “the dumbest lesbian alive.” 

“Was it this green jacket that I wear all the time, Jeff?” she said in response. “Or was it the fact that I use universally sensible shoes? You have to let me know, Jeff.”

She even called out a user who called her an insulting name, asking for the correct pronunciation. 

“Pete, Pete, Pete, you win the prize,” she said. “You called me an evil twatwaffle, and Pete, I’m telling you, I just can’t believe how good that is.” 

Comerford ended the video on a more serious note, pointing out to these commenters that by hiding behind screens, she is unable to engage with them in meaningful conversation. 

“Let’s actually have a conversation,” she said. “This name calling, the profanities, the misogyny, you can do that if you want … or we can actually work together to make Massachusetts better. Your choice.” 

Comerford said the video stems from the concern she has for her constituents and how to best serve them. 

“Some of the frequent posters are my constituents,” she said. “I work for them. And apart from worrying about how much time they spend on screens, I worry about their wellbeing. About how to reach them. About what makes them angry. About what more I can do to serve them and make their lives a little bit better.”