West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has made a bizarre statement during a televised state address involving his dog and Bette Midler.
A bitter sentiment between the two stems from a tweet Midler made back in December, in which, the 76-year-old actor and singer described the state of West Virginia as "poor, illiterate and strung out".
Per CNN, the full tweet took aim at the senior US senator from West Virginia Joe Manchin and his lack of support for President Biden's Build Back Better Act.
Midler's original tweet read:
"What #JoeManchin, who represents a population smaller than Brooklyn, has done to the rest of America, who wants to move forward, not backward, like his state, is horrible. He sold us out. He wants us all to be just like his state, West Virginia. Poor, illiterate and strung out."
Midler would go on to apologize for the tweet, saying: "I apologize to the good people of WVA for my last outburst. I’m just seeing red."
However, it would appear as if Gov. Jim Justice is still hung up on Midler's comments.
During a televised state of the state address on Thursday, Justice called to have his English bulldog join him at the microphone.
He then processed to tell those in attendance: "Absolutely too many people doubted us. They never believed in West Virginia - they never believed in West Virginia! That we could do it."
Justice continued: "They told every bad joke in the world about us."
The governor then picked up his dog and told the room: "And so, from that standpoint, Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there, kiss her heinie" - all while showing his dog's backside to the cameras and crowd.
The gesture was received by cheers and applause from those in the room.
However, over on social media, it has received a mixed reception.
In a tweet shared by Bette Midler herself, one social media user wrote: "Way to go, Jim Justice! Nothing like proving Bette Midler right on national television. Did you REALLY show us your dog's a**hole? REALLY? Thanks for conforming to all our worst stereotypes about Southern d****k men"
Midler also retweeted the following post, of which, the sentiment speaks for itself:
