19-year-old mayor of Oklahoma town is a gaming enthusiast

49 Comments by Griffin McElroy May 17th 2008 3:15PM
Filed under: Culture, Politics

University of Oklahoma freshman John Tyler Hammons harbors the stereotypical interests of a 19-year-old college student -- an Associated Press report, apparently written by a 1950's schoolteacher, credits Hammons as enjoying "fast cars and rock n' roll". Anachronistic lingo aside, the teenager also apparently spends his time beating the pants off of seventy-year-old incumbents in local mayoral races, and according to the same AP story, could probably beat the rest of Muskogee's local leaders in a round of Call of Duty 4.

Yes, the "baby-faced" gaming enthusiast will be sworn in next week as the mayor of Muskogee -- an Oklahoma city of about 38,000. Though his achievement completely overshadows our teenage feat of becoming the youngest Taco Bell assistant manager in the tri-county area, we can't wait to see how a fellow gamer (one who is many years the minor of most of Joystiq's staff) decides to run a town -- almost as much as we can't wait to hear the mayoral pick-up lines he busts out at the next Sooner soiree.

Tags: gamer, hammons, johntylerhammons, mayor, mayoral, muskogee, oklahoma, politics

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

HighFiveJesus: May 17th 2008; 3:20PM

I could see a lot of sim city jokes coming from this.

Nick the Hero of Canton: May 17th 2008; 4:33PM

Exit without saving.

Nick the Hero of Canton: May 17th 2008; 4:34PM

Damn >_> Reply was meant for BPM.

HighFiveJesus: May 17th 2008; 8:39PM

its a mr. burns sponge bob flipper baby, i love it.

HighFiveJesus: May 17th 2008; 3:20PM

I could see a lot of sim city jokes coming from this. But i can't think of any.

BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392]: May 17th 2008; 4:00PM

What's he gonna do when UFOs and giant monsters come to town?!

HighFiveJesus: May 17th 2008; 4:34PM

i'd send in a giant whatever the heck your picture is. its creepy enough to stop any alien threat.

BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392]: May 17th 2008; 5:44PM

>:3

Benny: May 17th 2008; 7:42PM

Dude, everyone knows that's Spongeblob.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force): May 17th 2008; 10:54PM

Correction: it's Spongeburns.

Benny: May 17th 2008; 3:22PM

Citywide Kill-A-Hooker Day confirmed.

Donald: May 17th 2008; 3:28PM

The original story doesn't tell what system he plays. For all we know, he may present the key to the city to a giant Mudkip.

Yuccadude: May 17th 2008; 4:06PM

So I herd you liek Mudkips?!

BigD145: May 17th 2008; 3:40PM

I can think of a lot of cities that would be better off under a 19 year old.

BlaqueBeird: May 17th 2008; 6:03PM

Almost anybody would be better off under a 19 year old. High-five!

Anybody?

HighFiveJesus: May 17th 2008; 10:43PM

high five!

B3astofthe3ast: May 17th 2008; 3:45PM

Great! As more and more people from the gaming generation start going into politics and government, we should see a gradual decrease in the whole "video games are bad" thing currently being churrned out of our current government.

BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392]: May 17th 2008; 4:03PM

But then we'll end up using whatever the next popular form of media as the scapegoat for all of society's woes. :)

B3astofthe3ast: May 17th 2008; 4:09PM

But by then, we'll be the old hags that don't even understand said new media, and will be completly against it regardless of how awesome it is, so its all good. ;)

Blue_Falcon: May 17th 2008; 3:48PM

I had no idea you could get in ANY legitimate politics at that young of an age.

After doing some Wiki research, apparently in the 70's some 11 year old was the mayor of a town for some time.

This is nuts.

BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392]: May 17th 2008; 5:36PM

Even though (apparently) he can run that young, I'm impressed he actually got voted in.

Seriously. Way to go, Mayor Hammons! Do some good while you're in office!

(I wonder if he browses Joystiq, Kotaku, Destructoid, etc...)

Double J: May 17th 2008; 3:59PM

"Mr. Mayor sir, there is a man wreaking havoc on the streets!"

"How many stars would you say he's at?"

"What? Sir, he just set the McDonald's on fire"

"That's at least a 4 star rating, call in the choppers"

SirPasta117: May 17th 2008; 4:22PM

Awesome!

Frenzy: May 17th 2008; 4:31PM

lulz

noskillbassist: May 17th 2008; 4:27PM

You win the internets. [+]

Chameleon: May 17th 2008; 5:01PM

kudos sir, kudos ....

[+]

giantenemycrab: May 17th 2008; 5:44PM

That's hilarious.. That's something I'd expect from Penny Arcade. Good job sir.

DWells55: May 17th 2008; 10:02PM

Can we enter his comment into the weekly webcomic roundup? It would win.

Nick the Hero of Canton: May 18th 2008; 6:43PM

Wow. This must be the first time that comments saying how funny a comment was, each of the, gets 3 hearts.

Will: May 17th 2008; 4:21PM

I wonder what his APM rating will be when he micromanages Muskogee.

Let's hope he doesn't start his career off as a Mayor against a Korean or something!

mundox: May 17th 2008; 4:35PM

Does he have ubermicro? :O

JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force): May 17th 2008; 4:51PM

Achievement Unlocked - Became a Mayor of Oklahoma Town - 20mm Penis Growth

BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392]: May 17th 2008; 5:34PM

20mm? That's all. SO not worth the effort...

JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force): May 17th 2008; 5:42PM

Hey you get 15 GS for passing TFAF on Expert and carrying a fucking Gnome.2cm is actually a lot.Ask people who use penis-enlargement drugs.

Wilhelm: May 17th 2008; 7:03PM

2 cm isn't even an inch. (2.54 cm = 1 inch)

JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force): May 17th 2008; 8:16PM

aww...fine, 10cm.

BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392]: May 18th 2008; 1:30AM

lol Metric.

vidGuy: May 17th 2008; 4:51PM

Achievement Unlocked!
Become the City Mayor

Next Achievement: Rule the World, 100GP

JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force): May 17th 2008; 5:13PM

Shit, I know that I said that "Video Games Controversy will end as soon as soon as the Gamer Generation starts running the country" but that's a little bit to early.

Macroy: May 17th 2008; 5:14PM

Hey guys, we made it! I'll start drawing the "G in sunrays" now, because IT IS TIME FOR GAMERS TO TAKE OVER THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

Next stop, Secretary of the Treasury!

MrGuru: May 17th 2008; 11:19PM

i can imagine his resume now. lmao

i was a town mayor @ 19. lol

LaughingTarget: May 18th 2008; 7:28AM

"So, Mr. Hammons, can you tell me why you left your last job?"

"I was caught playing with my PSP in the room between the executive dining room and the kitchen."

Chase: May 19th 2008; 8:14AM

Bring on the prostitutes!

FOXHOUND: May 19th 2008; 8:52AM

"Muskogee, Oklahoma Prostitutes...? ehhhh... I'll pass."

drewsillac: May 19th 2008; 10:03AM

I live right outside Muskogee in a town called Broken Arrow...

(Okie from Muskogee)...
We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee;
We don't take our trips on LSD
We don't burn our draft cards down on Main Street;
We like livin' right, and bein' free.

I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where even squares can have a ball
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all

We don't make a party out of lovin';
We like holdin' hands and pitchin' woo;
We don't let our hair grow long and shaggy,
Like the hippies out in San Francisco do.

And I'm proud to be an Okie from Muskogee,
A place where even squares can have a ball.
We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
And white lightnin's still the biggest thrill of all.

Leather boots are still in style for manly footwear;
Beads and Roman sandals won't be seen.
Football's still the roughest thing on campus,
And the kids here still respect the college dean.

We still wave Old Glory down at the courthouse,
In Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA.

FOXHOUND: May 19th 2008; 1:26PM

No offense... but after hearing that song, a 19 year old mayor for that town doesn't seem so impressive. x_x"

chronomaster.k: May 19th 2008; 3:55PM

I can't believe the lack of Sim City jokes here.

just an accepting OKIE: Jun 28th 2008; 9:55PM

Do you all think that you're funny? Muskogee's new mayor may be an inexpirienced "gamer" fresh out of high school, but who are any of you to judge that he wont do the town acheive great things or the small Oklahoma. Is it not enought that he has the stigma of his age to carry around , but now also he is being picked on for personal interests. His "young" ways could give the historic Oklahoma town something it needs, a re-invention. I would like to see any of you judging him run for mayor and win. Give him a chance to prove himself worthy and if in time Mayor Hammons fails at his duties feel free to rant!!!

Nick the Hero of Canton: May 18th 2008; 6:44PM

Uhm, everyone is praising this.

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