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Garth Brooks hugged former presidents after his performance, and the internet reacted

The internet was talking more about what happened after the Country Music Hall of Famer's performance.
Image: Joe Biden Sworn In As 46th President Of The United States At U.S. Capitol Inauguration Ceremony
Former U.S. President George W. Bush hugs Garth Brooks at the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021.Drew Angerer / Getty Images
/ Source: TODAY

On Wednesday, Garth Brooks performed a stirring rendition of the classic spiritual "Amazing Grace" during President Joe Biden's inauguration. But it's what happened after that seemed to catch the attention of the internet.

Brooks, 58, made sure to shake hands and hug not only President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, but all former presidents and first ladies in attendance as well.

Some people seemed to really love the moment. "Garth Brooks running around hugging everyone is the energy I’m taking into this new era," one person tweeted.

Another person wrote, "I did not expect my favorite part of the inauguration to be Garth Brooks running around grabbing and hugging people but here we are."

This person said, "Garth Brooks running around, hugging all the former presidents and their wives, is one of the best things I've ever seen."

However, while some noted that it was one of the sweeter moments from the day, it was also perceived differently by others, considering Brooks wasn't wearing a mask and seemingly disobeyed social distancing guidelines by making sure to shake hands with everyone.

A representative for Brooks told TODAY that Brooks tested negative for COVID-19 three days in a row, including Wednesday morning.

"Really hope Garth Brooks is in good health after hugging the majority of America’s living former presidents," one person tweeted.

Another person said, "Can Garth Brooks stop hugging everyone without a mask!"

This person wrote, "I’ll never not sing with Garth Brooks. But he’s gonna need to stop hugging people."

Others just found his frenetic energy hilarious, since it really seemed like he was running around trying to hit every notable person before decking out.

"Garth Brooks went around hugging the presidents and dipped out like he was leaving the cookout early with a to-go plate," one person tweeted.

One person humorously compared his exit to a funny Chris Farley clip.

On Monday, it was announced that Brooks would be performing at Wednesday's event. “It’s not a political statement,” he said when his performance was announced. “This is a statement of unity. This is kind of how I get to serve this country.”

The Country Music Hall of Famer has performed at every inauguration since Jimmy Carter, except for the ceremonies for Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan.