Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) faced a tough crowd during his Jimmy Kimmel Live appearance on Tuesday night, but he still received cheers for his push to decriminalize marijuana in his state.
Perry sat down with Jimmy Kimmel in Austin, Texas, where the late-night comedian is hosting his show for the week. The Governor was met with some booing when he walked out onto the stage, but he just laughed off.
“There’s three places you want to make sure you don’t want to be introduced if you’re the business I’m in,” he said, holding up his fingers. “A hockey match, a rock concert and now Jimmy Kimmel’s show.”
The Governor then took a backhanded shot at the city, calling Austin the “blueberry in the tomato soup” of Texas and “a little different.”
But the unfriendly audience warmed up to Perry when the conversation turned to marijuana. The Republican Governor touted Texas’ lower penalties for small drug crimes and pointed out that the state had shut down a prison thanks to the policy changes.
“We’re tying to be smart about it,” Perry said of drug punishments. “You don’t want to ruin a kid’s life for having a joint.”
When Kimmel asked if Perry had himself smoked marijuana, the Governor said no.
Watch the interview below:
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