The internet can be weird, wild, and scary. But once in a while, something viral tugs at your heartstrings. That’s exactly what happened last week, when a 75‑year-old Brooklyn man named Bob “the Cigarette Maestro” Terry invited strangers to share a smoke with him, and thousands showed up.
Bob is an actor and performer and part of a comedy collective called Old Jewish Men. To promote his smoke-filled gathering, he put fliers around New York and passed them out to random people in the park.
In the flyer, Bob told people to meet outside Washington Square Park between 2:00 and 2:05 p.m. on Friday, November 21. He used the power of social media to share videos inviting people, and it went viral. Meme accounts started reuploading the flier, and people counted down the days.
What happened next was pure magic - more than 1,500 people showed up. Students, skaters, people on their lunch break, longtime smokers, people of all ages, gathered in the park, waiting for Bob to light the first cigarette.
He was a star as the crowd chanted, “Bob! Bob! Bob." Bob lit other people's cigarettes, posed for selfies, signed autographs, and made his dream come true.
Some are cheering it as a moment of community, while others are raising eyebrows about the health. But for a few minutes, Bob created something, a rare, special moment where strangers came together.
Plus, no one is arguing that cigarettes are good for you. The “Cigarette Maestro” himself wants smokers to cut back, and for people who’ve never smoked to never start. He has started smoking less, but still burns through half a pack of Marlboro Reds a day. He told The Post the party was an “occasion to speak to social media, and to be a force for good."
“If you’re not smoking, don’t start, and if you are, definitely quit. And if you can’t quit, at least cut back," he added.
He shared a video recap of the event on YouTube, where he shared his happiness. "I can't tell you how grateful and happy I am to have had this event and that all of you showed up and came today, and we're doing something fun together," he said.