Move over, Superman. Step aside, Abraham Lincoln. Have a seat, Indiana Jones. America has a new hero. His name is Alex Kemp.
Kemp is a veteran NFL referee, the head on-field official who announces rulings to the crowd through a live mic. Kemp was the referee for the Detroit Lions-Seattle Seahawks game this afternoon and, in one hot mic moment, gave us one of the best lines from an NFL official in recent memory. He was announcing an intentional grounding penalty on Seattle quarterback Geno Smith for intentional grounding, and the rest is history:
“I’m talking to America here excuse me”
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 17, 2023
All time line from this ref pic.twitter.com/03q9CgPmWO
'That is the best line I've ever heard out of an official.' Greg Olsen, the Fox analyst who was announcing the game, knew he was witnessing greatness. And we can't disagree with him.
Ref putting that work in, yall better respect that man
— NYCDaFuture (@NYCDaFuture_) September 17, 2023
Twitter, of course, was quick to recognize the outstanding moment.
ALL of America. 🤣🤣🤣
— Philly Sports - Love & Pain (@PHLSportsPain) September 17, 2023
#Murica pic.twitter.com/Q5aznrffkq
— HeWhoWalksBehindTheRows (@1BehindTheRows) September 17, 2023
This Ref will be talked about for years to come. 🤣🤣🤣
— Steve Shawl (@Steelers_Fan80) September 17, 2023
We wanted to salute Kemp ourselves. Or at least throw him some respect knuckles.
Some users recognized the wider impact of Kemp's hot mic dismissal.
I'm 100% going to say this the next time someone interrupts me in a meeting at work.
— DeFi Samurai (@DefiSamurai) September 17, 2023
My posts https://t.co/yY86Iyl5vd pic.twitter.com/JrH8TyHvbv
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) September 17, 2023
Me when my wife tells me to stop tweeting https://t.co/VPIR1qGl80
— Collin Reischman (@CMReischman) September 17, 2023
Honestly, the applications for saying the line are endless.
We expect Kemp will soon be added to the Hall of Fame of memes and gifs.
How has this never been used in a presidential debate. https://t.co/RVJi23qhOK
— David Ditch (@DavidADitch) September 17, 2023
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The next Republican debate is at the end of September and it would not surprise us at all if one of the candidates trotted this line out.
But for now, this is Kemp's moment and we want to let him bask in it.
https://t.co/A6NYLeFXiW pic.twitter.com/pdIx0Vi6uB
— Todd Wilson (@TDubb) September 17, 2023
His name is Alex Kemp, and he’s a goddang superstar.
— K. Andrew Deffley (@AndrewDeffley) September 17, 2023
This is amazing. https://t.co/zK0cZmcKRU
If nothing else, Kemp made us all laugh, and that is something we can all use from time to time.
Take your crown, king. You earned it.
(By the way, the Seahawks won the game in overtime, but Kemp is the real winner today.)
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