JOHN ROGERS
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — He’s the ultimate button-down, blue-suited mayor. But put Eric Garcetti in a hockey jersey and there’s no telling what he might do.
On Monday, he let fly with the F-word in front of millions of people as he led his city in celebration of the Los Angeles Kings’ second Stanley Cup championship in three years.
Having shed his pinstriped suit of choice for a hockey jersey, Garcetti stepped in front of TV cameras and some 19,000 people gathered at Staples Center, where the Kings won the Cup on Friday.
“There are two rules in politics,” the usually soft-spoken mayor told the Kings and their fans. “They say never ever be pictured with a drink in your hand. And never ever swear.
“But this is a big f—ing day. Way to go, guys.”
As the mayor, smiling broadly, returned to his seat, the players and fans rose in a standing ovation.
“Well, we told our players not to cuss. Thanks,” joked Luc Robitaille, the Kings’ president of business operations.
Within minutes, the mayor’s remarks were trending on Twitter and had been posted, uncensored, on YouTube and other video sites.
Mayoral spokesman Yusef Robb didn’t respond to email or phone messages asking if Garcetti meant to say what he said.
The mayor’s official Twitter account did repeat much of what he said — with the hashtag BFD.
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