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‘Beach bum’ on food stamps goes viral

Here’s how Jason Greenslate, a La Jolla surfer who gets $200 a month in government food stamps, describes a typical day: “Wake up, go down the beach with my friends, hit on some chicks, start drinking.”
( / Fox News)

A 29-year-old La Jolla "beach bum" is causing waves around the country for his reliance on government food stamps after being featured in a Fox News report last week buying sushi, lobster and coconut water, driving what looks to be a Cadillac Escalade and describing his typical day like so: "Wake up, go down the beach with my friends, hit on some chicks, start drinking."

"All day, every day," comes the next quote from Jason Greenslate, who's shown surfboard and guitar in hand, and, in his words, "living the Rattlife."

(Yes, Rattlife is a real word. It's the name of his band and his band's website, which explains that lead guitarist Jason "The Dragon" Greenslate aka "Freebasin Jason" "should probably slow down" but that "from High Speed chaises [sic] to being kicked out of every bar, this Rattlfer [sic] is slowing down for no one.")

Maybe there's no such thing as bad publicity for a wannabe rock star, but Greenslate's interview with Fox senior national correspondent John Roberts for a report on the nation's food stamp enrollment surge has stirred up outrage on both sides of a debate over the government program. Critics say it's evidence of abuse and fraud. Critics of Fox News say it highlighted someone who's not representative of a program that's primarily a hand up for people with families and in need.

Roberts explains in his report that Greenslate, who attended San Diego State University and once worked as a recording engineer, stays with "family, pals and girls he dated" and "gets by with a little help from his friends and you the taxpayer;" Roberts reports that he's "taken aback" by the fact that Greenslate's not embarrassed to be "sponging off the rest of us."

Red Alert Politics followed up the report with its own, writing, "With more than 47 million Americans enrolled in SNAP — costing taxpayers nearly $80 million last year — unabashed food stamp recipients like Greenslate are common in a program that has been also plagued by abuse and fraud."

On the other end of the spectrum, a critical post on Media Matters reported this under a headline blasting Fox's "shameless representation" about the aid program:

Surely it would not have been difficult for Fox to find a realistic face of food stamp recipients, as 76 percent of SNAP households include a child, elderly person, or disabled American. This dishonest depiction of SNAP is the latest example of Fox's longstanding tradition of maligning the poor.

Greenslate gets $200 a month placed on a so-called SNAP card courtesy of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

"$200," Greenslate says on camera. "Free money. It's radical. Why not?" Later, on the beach, he says, "This is my job right here to make sure everything's rolling smoothly, to make sure the sun's up and the girls are out."

"It's radical. Why not?"

Here's a sample of reactions from YouTube. Read on for many more.

liz smith: This doesn't make sense. He's driving a $50k car. He has thousands of dollars in musical instruments. No source of income. He's so over the top in 'ebt lobster' comments etc etc. Honestly, I think this could be a propaganda piece.

Kim Parigoris: I want to get in my car, drive to San Diego, and find this punk and hit him on the side of the head with a 2x4.

Jon Slagill: $200 really isn't much. He's really not happy with himself I'm sure. No one likes being a loser.

Seth Breidbart: I'll give you $100 if you can find him and this story is anything like true.

Here are other reactions. Add your own below.

The Blaze: Why Does This Beach Bum Spend Your Tax Dollars So He Can Surf, Drink, and Score ‘Free Food’ Year Round? Because ‘It’s Awesome’

ambrosia: 1 word………Ugh! 2 words…….Social Parasite! 3 words……Get a job!

zapparules: $200 a month. Not too many lobster dinners gonna be affordable with just $200 a month. Curious… Do all you screaming (correctly) about a waste like this do the same when it comes to calling out the waste in say… Our military? Or the wasted Billions given in tax breaks, subsidies and the like to some of our most profitable corporations? Which is worse? A beach bum taking $200 a month or… Very well compensated military or corporate ‘leaders’ taking millions in gov’t handouts?

RRSJD: I hope it makes you do more than want to shrug. This guy is the definition of the social leach and low information voter. Democrats love this guy and his ilk. Someone needs to pull the plug on his benefits and give him some reality therapy.

bdsconserv: shrug? really? it’s an outrage! it makes me want to slug him and all the politicians who approve this crap with OUR money!

Red Alert Politics: [WATCH] California surfer uses food stamps to buy sushi and avoid work

Ben Chapman: This is part of the Neocon propaganda machine. We spent trillions on corporate wellfare, bailing out banks and insurance companies after they made shitty investments, and what do they do with the money? Pass out multi million dollar bonuses. We spend further trillions on endless war, hundreds of billions on weapons programs that the pentagon itself doesn't even want...but whats our real problem? The lazy, greedy, freeloading poor. Right.

Jason Murdoch: Just because we have federal spending issues across the board... doesn't make this any less of an issue. Just because you can find a worse example doesn't make this right.

Linda Swartz: Work hard, pay your taxes, so you can help support people like this!

Larry Pucci: This is not America.

Media Matters: Fox's Shameless Misrepresentation Of SNAP Recipients

ThorsteinVeblen2012: I live and grew up in San Diego and knew people like Jason Greenslate. They live at home and never have to grow up. Most people tire of the Jason Greenslate's of the world, the grow old friendless pathetically hanging out at the beach selling drugs and breaking into houses. Rather than this being an issue of SNAP abuse it should instead be an issue of poor parenting.

jm313: It's both.

Daiseymae:Of course, there is some fraud in the system by a few people. My mother-in-law didn't state she was married, and she received more money for her children. She was later caught, and she got into trouble.

jm313: I don't think they were portraying him as the typical SNAP recipient I think they were showing that people do game the system.

msn: Froth at the mouth over Fox's rockin' food stamps 'beach bum'

Felecia360: It should be for people who NEED it due to circumstances beyond their control. I was on food stamps BRIEFLY after having a kidney removed and having no paid sick time/vacation and being unable to work. I received only $30 in assistance based on my "projected income" and I only got it for one month. This "man" should be ashamed and the program should be seriously overhauled.

mkntx361: I hope they find you and take them away... my husband and I were on the food stamp program for a few years but have since been able to get off of them. we were struggling so bad back then... but now as I look back we would have starved... this guy...he is truly a scumbag... and needs to be reported to the fraud line!

D-Days Revenge: So the fact that it was Fox News means that MSN and so many others have to see it as "no big deal"? We all know there are many people who need assistance, but I think we also need to open our eyes to the fact that there are MANY people out there taking advantage of it just like this idiot does. Take that "$50 a week" mentioned and multiply it by many thousands. He's certainly not the only one.

Landy1981: Take away his food aid, plain and simple. These government programs are meant for individuals and families who cannot afford both food and housing on their income, alone. While Mr. Greenslate is not typical of someone who is using food stamps, he needs a lesson in humility. Maybe spending time on the streets, or in prison, would be enough to dissuade him from abusing the system again.

Got thoughts of your own? Please add them below. Also, are you or do you know Greenslate? Reach out to us.