In an attempt to drum up attention for Kamala Harris’ presidential bid, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has once again stirred up a social media frenzy—this time with pizza.
On Thursday, de Blasio shared a video of himself eating pizza in an unconventional way, which has left many puzzled and, frankly, cringing.
Instead of savoring the pizza as any red-blooded New Yorker might, de Blasio chose to eat the slice crust-first, topped with a bizarre garnish of coconut shavings.
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In the video, de Blasio dumps a bag of dried coconut over a cheese pizza and proceeds to flip the slice around, biting into the crust.
The odd spectacle, which was posted on X (formerly Twitter), was aimed at promoting “Paisans for Kamala,” a virtual event featuring Italian-American celebrities and political figures in support of Harris.
The 63-year-old politician-turned-professor captioned his post, “I am hungry. I will eat pizza today,” adding an invitation for viewers to join the event online.
The pizza stunt comes as a not-so-subtle nod to de Blasio’s earlier “pizza scandal” back in 2014, when he was ridiculed for eating pizza with a fork during his time as mayor.
Back then, de Blasio was seen at Goodfellas Pizzeria in Staten Island, where he used utensils to eat a smoked-mozzarella-and-sausage pie.
The act sparked outrage among pizza-loving New Yorkers who adhere to a strict hands-only approach when it comes to the city’s iconic food.
The incident was labeled #forkgate, with critics lambasting the mayor for his “first mistake” in office.
But this time, de Blasio’s pizza faux pas takes a much wilder turn.
Coconut on pizza is far from a typical topping, and the crust-first approach was just the icing on the proverbial cake. His attempt to go viral with the stunt may have had the opposite effect, as viewers were left more bewildered than impressed.
The virtual event de Blasio was promoting, “Paisans for Kamala,” is set to feature a variety of Italian-American stars, including Steve Buscemi, Marisa Tomei, Lorraine Bracco, and John Turturro, among others.
In addition to the celebrity lineup, political figures like Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman John Garamendi, and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro are expected to appear.
According to a press release, the event will bring together Italian-American celebrities and political leaders for “a night of stories, recipes, and a conversation about the stakes in the 2024 election.”
Though de Blasio has yet to reclaim his political spotlight, the former mayor remains active in academic circles, now using his platform to promote Harris’ presidential campaign in unconventional ways.
Whether the pizza stunt will generate the kind of attention he was hoping for remains to be seen.
While some viewers may appreciate the attempt at humor and nostalgia, many still remember de Blasio’s initial #forkgate scandal as an affront to New York pizza culture.
At the time, de Blasio defended his choice by explaining that using utensils to eat pizza was a habit he picked up during trips to Italy, where it is customary to use a knife and fork. Whether coconut pizza and crust-first eating will become a trend is unlikely, but it certainly succeeded in bringing de Blasio back into the public eye—if only for a moment.
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In the end, this latest pizza stunt may just serve as another reminder of how de Blasio’s relationship with pizza continues to baffle the internet.
But if his goal was to make people talk, mission accomplished—though perhaps not in the way he envisioned.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) September 5, 2024
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