James Comey's testimony inspires 'covfefe' parties with bars offering free drinks and Trump bingo

'I feel like I'm living in a twilight zone', one New Yorker said

A watch party in San Francisco plays the Comey testimony (Getty Images)

Former FBI Director James Comey’s congressional testimony has been called the “Super Bowl of Washington,” but it’s not just political junkies in the US capital who woke up early and headed to the pub to catch his anticipated remarks.

Outside of the beltway, bars across the country opened up early to watch the testimony. From Houston to San Francisco to New York, bars and restaurants offered up specialty cocktails and breakfast options for Comey-watchers.

“Grab your friends, grab a drink and let’s get COVFEFE!” the Washington Bar Shaw’s Tavern wrote on Facebook, a reference to a strange word Donald Trump tweeted, leaving the internet puzzled about its meaning.

In New York, some flocked to SideBAR to take in the spectacle. They sipped on beers and cocktails in the chic sports bar in Manhattan as Mr Comey told the Senate that the White House had lied to the American public. They munched on brunch as a Democrat compared Mr Trump to a robber putting a gun to Mr Comey’s head, and as a Republican sought to divert the focus of the proceedings by once again drudging up Hillary Clinton’s emails.

“It does function as a kind of sporting event”, Ben Verschoor, a server at a restaurant in Times Square who showed up wearing a hat with a pin calling for political resistance to Mr Trump, told The Independent. “I follow the news pretty heavily. This is a very unusual event.”

SideBAR decided to open up early for the hearing just a few days ago, breaking from an unofficial tradition of only opening up their doors before regular operating hours in the event of an intriguing sporting event. The Comey hearing proved to have a similar draw. Patrons spilled over into a back room, forcing the staff to open up a second bar to serve customers their ale.

Some people there expressed un underlying feeling that Mr Trump had done something wrong, even if there isn’t a “smoking gun” to prove those allegations. Some came to the bar to try and find some sense of fraternity instead of watching at home on their own.

“I feel like I’m living in a twilight zone where there’s such a bevy of evidence of collusion”, Ariana, a comedy writer who declined to give her last name, said.

Ariana joked that comments from Trump ally and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie that the President’s attempts to pressure Mr Comey were “normal New York City conversation”, likening the comment to the “Godfather” movies.

“I know that Chris Christie has said that’s just how New Yorkers talk, but I personally haven’t asked anyone to pledge loyalty to me”, she said.

But, just a couple hours after Mr Comey’s firing opening statement, and all the questioning that followed, the allure of the scandalous narrative had subsided. As lunchtime came around, political junkies wandered off into the world and SideBAR returned to business as usual.