OVERBOARD

Seattle Bar Very Much Regrets Its Tone-Deaf ‘Catch the Virus’ Party

Four employees have quit and three bands have canceled, its owner said.

A pirate-themed bar in Seattle thought it should try its hand at stand-up last week, telling patrons on Facebook to come out and “catch the virus or just stay home and whine.” No one clapped. Instead, four employees of The Vessel Taphouse quit and three bands canceled upcoming performances, owner Steve Harley told The Everett Herald. The invite had also promised discount admission with proof of a positive COVID test. Harley insisted the venue wasn’t trying to encourage people to get COVID and said the rogue employee who wrote the tone-deaf invite has been fired. “We were getting comments that we were trying to infect the public,” he said. “Clearly we have no interest in that.” Still, the band the bar did welcome said they were playing to retaliate against the “vax happy anti freedom type folks.” One bartender who quit said the bar usually adhered to public health guidance, but the post was still the breaking point. “That bridge is burned,” they said.