Chicago Mayor’s ‘Stay Home’ Meme Turns Into T-Shirt Merch
Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot has spent the last two months imploring Windy City residents to “stay home, save lives” to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Now, she’s even putting her name behind merch with the infamous slogan.
Lightfoot’s political director Dave Mellet said t-shirts and stickers with a stern-looking caricature of the mayor standing by the city skyline are now on sale online and proceeds will go to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Chicago Tribune reports. The artwork was designed by local artist Mike Noren.
The merchandise is a take on one of the many internet memes of Lightfoot getting serious about her stay-at-home orders for Chicagoans. Being a good sport about it, the mayor put out a series of funny public service announcements on her own social media platforms in hopes that it might continue to encourage people to follow coronavirus guidelines.
Lightfoot has taken a hands-on approach to convincing people to stay home to mitigate the spread of the virus, even going as far as driving around town and telling people on basketball courts “your jumpshot is always gonna be weak, stay home.”
During an appearance last month on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” Lightfoot said the memes began to surface after she issued an order shutting down Chicago’s popular Lakefront Trail. Humor, she said, helps to unify people.
“Giving people hope and using humor,” she said, “it’s a great way to break through the noise and reach people. I think it's important for the mayor to be seen not just behind a TV screen, but to be out in the community -- safely, of course -- but to be present.”
The t-shirts will run you $30, while a three-pack of stickers costs $8.