In a news cycle populated by increasingly silly things, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson — the same man who once abandoned an interview to find his luggage and held a closed-door meeting in a closet with Ted Cruz — is here to save the day. No really, that’s probably what United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz, Press Secretary Sean Spicer and many others currently under bombardment are thinking right now. Why? Because Carson got himself stuck in an elevator for 20 minutes while visiting a housing development in Miami, Florida on Wednesday.
The world first became aware of Carson’s predicament (which mirrored one that his boss, President Donald Trump, encountered during the campaign) when Miami Herald reporter Rene Rodriguez posted what can only be described as a “drama in three acts” on Twitter.
First stop on Sec. Ben Carson's two-day listening tour of Miami: The Courtside Family Apartments (Alonzo Mourning should be here soon). pic.twitter.com/p0IDc4WnqZ
— Rene Rodriguez (@RodriguezRene) April 12, 2017
Alonzo Mourning and police wait for fire dept to arrive . Sec. Ben Carson is stuck in the elevator iat the Courtside Family Apartments pic.twitter.com/vySNZLNgD3
— Rene Rodriguez (@RodriguezRene) April 12, 2017
20 minutes later @SecretaryCarson is freed from stuck elevator at Courtside Morning Apts. Alonzo Mourning looks more relieved than anyone pic.twitter.com/umbTyGkNau
— Rene Rodriguez (@RodriguezRene) April 12, 2017
Carson and his entourage, including his wife Candy Carson, were eventually freed from their captivity and allowed to proceed with the day as planned. This included a brief meeting with Miami Heat alum Alonzo Mourning who, as depicted in Rodriguez’s tweeted photos, waited nervously for the HUD Secretary’s rescue from the elevator.
Even so, the retired neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential candidate’s name began trending immediately on Twitter. What resulted was a predictably hilarious assortment of “stuck in an elevator” jokes at Carson’s expense.
Ben Carson being stuck in an elevator in a public housing building is God reminding us that she always has the last word.
— deray (@deray) April 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/morgan_murphy/status/852148437797568513
https://twitter.com/PalmerReport/status/852149370778734595
Ben Carson visited a housing project and got stuck in the elevator.
So the Trump admin's solution will be to cut its subsidies.
— jordan (@JordanUhl) April 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/KaivanShroff/status/852164006236344320
HUD Secretary Ben Carson got stuck in a housing development elevator today. From inside he was heard saying "this is a very spacious studio"
— R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) April 12, 2017
For all we know, Ben Carson has been stuck in an elevator since January. I mean, there's just no way of knowing.
— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) April 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/ziwe/status/852142430174547968
https://twitter.com/fivefifths/status/852156752648953856
https://twitter.com/bourgeoisalien/status/852159859067953152
Anxiously refreshing my browser looking for a @SecretaryCarson "Trapped In The Elevator" hip-hopera from @rkelly
— Myka Fox (@MykaFox) April 12, 2017
https://twitter.com/bourgeoisalien/status/852162780794892288
Trump admin: We can salvage the 100 day mark if we avoid any more metaphors for crippling incompetence
Ben Carson: pic.twitter.com/cN4Jr0CdWg
— zeddy (@Zeddary) April 12, 2017
(Via Miami Herald)