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Mayor Garcetti lets the F-word fly and a city starts talking
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Jun 17, 2014
Listen 21:14
Mayor Garcetti lets the F-word fly and a city starts talking
Mayor Eric Garcetti caused quite the uproar on Monday, when he dropped an F-bomb at the LA Kings victory ceremony.
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 16:  Los Angeles Kings Mayor Eric Garcetti raises a beer and swears during the Los Angeles Kings Victory Parade And Rally on June 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Kings Mayor Eric Garcetti raises a beer and swears during the Los Angeles Kings Victory Parade And Rally on June 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.
(
Harry How/Getty Images
)

Mayor Eric Garcetti caused quite the uproar on Monday, when he dropped an F-bomb at the LA Kings victory ceremony.

Mayor Eric Garcetti caused quite the uproar on Monday when he dropped an F-bomb at the LA Kings Stanley Cup Championship celebration.

Reaction to the incident has revealed a veritable rorschach test, with many in the crowd cheering on the seemingly free-wheelin’ mayor, while others called pre-calculated political foul and others still, including the unsuspecting FOX Sports Network, were just plain offended that the mayor of the second largest city in the country would let loose an expletive on live daytime television at a family event.

What does the city’s reaction say about the way Angelenos perceive Mayor Garcetti? The word can have a range of uses as parts of speech and as obscene versus simply colorful; should usage standards acknowledge that? Or is this just a case of politicians appealing to the lowest common denominator in an effort to appear to be one-of-the-people? And is the way you perceive the use of the word an even greater generational issue?

Guest:

Robin Abcarian, LA Times columnist who has written a piece on the Mayor’s F-bomb for today’s paper

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