In news that should surprise no one who has been conscious the past several years, people, especially “influencers,” have been flocking to the infamous stairs in the Bronx featured in the Joker movie. And in other news that should also surprise absolutely no one, it’s making residents of the Bronx very upset.
The stairs are located along West 167th Street and listed as being at 1165 Shakespeare Ave. in the Bronx. We know this because there, as of this writing, 945 posts on Instagram with the hashtag #jokerstairs and who knows how many more on Twitter.
U.S. Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district, and Bronx native, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told TMZ, “When I was growing up, everyone would tell us to stay away from those steps or go with a friend.”
She also would prefer it if tourists didn’t make such a scene, saying, “I think the way a lot of us feel is, listen, like, keep your Instagram posts outside of the Boogie Down. Like, this is for us.”
AOC, however, was just being nice – something other residents of the Bronx haven’t felt compelled to be in their social media posts about #jokerstairs.
Please, if you’re reading this and you’re not from around here (or ever been to the Bronx, Yankee stadium does not count) PLEASE DO NOT COME HERE.
Thanks,
Bronx Resident pic.twitter.com/s5u9gVPtyM
— Maybe: Candy (@_cvndy) October 15, 2019
— Cierra Leone (@CierraJaneille) October 16, 2019
— Carabali (@TheShoeSnob) October 20, 2019
— GravitysEnemy (@GravitysEnemy) October 21, 2019
— David Castro (@ChaosDaveUFC) October 21, 2019
Others just felt the need to issue a warning.
— Ashley Banks hit single (@IamLeoBitches) October 20, 2019
— The Lord 🥀 (@KalelFelder) October 18, 2019
— bella goth (@kailaniskye) October 15, 2019
— hiddenintheclouds ⛈ (@Mueses34) October 22, 2019
— Vee🦋 (@Vee1313) October 18, 2019
For what it’s worth, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. tweeted that he hopes all these people visiting the #jokerstairs “decide to spend money while they’re here in our local businesses and vendors.”
@rubendiazjr @TheBronxTourism Come for the stairs, stay for the GSW.
What a time to be alive.
