Joe Piscopo says it's time for America to fully reopen: 'You can't take the rights of the people away'

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Joe Piscopo says it's time to fully reopen

Comedian and actor Joe Piscopo explains the push to reopen America's economy.

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It's time for America to reopen its doors once again, New Jersey comedian and co-owner of Retro Fitness Joe Piscopo urged Saturday.

Appearing on "Fox & Friends Weekend" with host Griff Jenkins, Piscopo said it is time for Americans to go back to work.

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"Retro Fit, we spent so much money adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines. We have done everything. We spent thousands of dollars, you know, doing the social distancing. By the way, our gyms are more sanitary than an operating room. I'm telling you: we went all out," he added. "So, we are locked, we’re loaded, we’re ready to go, and we just wish Governor [Phil] Murphy would ease up."

Piscopo, who had considered a gubernatorial run in 2017, told Jenkins if he was governor of the Garden State he'd put his residents back to work and leave mitigation "up to the people."

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy holds a news conference regarding the COVID-19 cases at the War Memorial in Trenton, N.J. on Saturday, April 11, 2020. Murphy says he is ordering state transit systems to reduce their capacity by half and will require all transit riders to wear face coverings. (The Record via AP)

"We’re New Jersians, we’re New Yorkers, we’re Americans. We know what we are doing. We know how to respect this vicious virus," he remarked.

"It’s time to get back. You can't dictate to us what to do," Piscopo asserted. "A lot of people are doing what they want to do anyway, but we’re adhering to the laws. We’re being right. We’re not opening, you know."

Piscopo also noted that while Retro Fitness is ready to hit the ground running when Murphy gives the order, a lot of people he had talked with on the Joe Piscopo Morning Show on AM9 70 The Answer are frustrated with the response.

"People are frustrated more than I’ve ever seen them, Griff," he explained. "So, you know, one of these days I feel like going in, man, because you can't take the rights of the people away. And, they're locking us down."

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"They are locking us down. And, Americans – that’s not the nature of Americans," Piscopo concluded.

New Jersey officials announced 146 new COVID-19-related deaths on Friday and 1,394 new positive test results in the state. There have been more than 152,000 cases confirmed in the state since March with almost 11,000 deaths. The state is still in the process of Phase 1 reopening measures.