Aiken Mayor awards key to the city to comedian behind 'Stranger Things t-shirt cameo

Atlanta comedian Adam Murray hit the guests of Aiken's Amentum Center for Performing Arts with joke after joke, keeping them laughing all night long. But Mayor Rick Osbon was the true showstopper Friday night.

He surprised Murray with the key to the city. The audience erupted in applause, while Murray, completely lost for words, could only laugh and smile.

Earlier this summer, Murray became famous in the Aiken community after giving South Aiken High School a retro cameo on season four, episode six of "Stranger Things." He played "Angry Townsperson #2." Eagle-eyed viewers saw that in his last shot he was wearing a T-shirt with the 1980's "South Aiken Thoroughbreds" name and logo. Murray chose it because he thought the shirt looked cool, and it would keep him cool on the hot Atlanta set, he told The Augusta Chronicle.

Read more: South Aiken High School gets unique cameo in Netflix show 'Stranger Things' season 4 episode

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Screenshots of Murray wearing the shirt went viral in the area, and the South Aiken High community used the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the school.

The South Aiken Booster Club re-created the iconic t-shirt for a limited time and sold it to raise funds, and Murray has helped organize multiple events around town to take photos, sign autographs and sell these and similar shirts.

The biggest event was the Amentum's comedy show on Friday, Aug. 19., where Murray headlined..

After the show, Osbon, who has been mayor for seven years, said this was only the third key he'd ever awarded someone.

"The connection with the community all over a random t-shirt worn is a great story, it made the community feel good," the mayor said. "Then when you see the generosity shown through raising money for a great cause for our youth programs and our schools... just a kind guy."

Between the various fundraisers, Murray said on Sunday, Aug. 21, they have raised around $14,000 for South Aiken High. The journey has been a unique one, and to culminate in an out-of-the-blue honor like the key to the city, Murray is still shocked by everything that's happened in the last couple of months.

"It's wild," he said. "You don't think that such a seemingly innocuous choice is gonna lead to such a crazy outcome."

Murray is continuing his work in comedy and acting. He said he has roles in some more big TV shows in the near future, though he couldn't give away any specific details.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Aiken Mayor awards 'Stranger Things' comic with key to the city