San Diego

Mayor Todd Gloria Responds to Criticism of Parody Video Calling it ‘Light-Hearted'

The Downtown San Diego partnership produced the parody video that they will be using at an annual fundraiser that includes a roast

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A parody video featuring San Diego's mayor and other leaders pokes fun at former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Gloria's former opponent in the mayoral race, Barbara Bry, and the video is garnering attention.

The video, originally posted to YouTube but since removed, showed San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and City Council Members Jen Campbell, Chris Cate and Stephen Whitburn in a parody to the tune of Mark Morrison's "Return of the Mack." Some of the lyrics call Bry "the status quo" that "has to go" and say of Faulconer, "he lied to me" about the changes he promised.

Mayor Gloria responded to criticism about the video and said it was all part of annual tradition to support the nonprofit, the Downtown San Diego Partnership.

"This is a light-hearted video, a part of an annual event that supports our local non-profit and supports businesses in our downtown neighborhood. This is an event that is annual, the mayors of San Diego have participated in it for years and years and that's all there is to it," Mayor Gloria said on his 3 day trip to Washington D.C. where he is meeting with congressional leaders and White House officials to talk about border restrictions, housing and the infrastructure bill.

There have been other parody videos made by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. One year the group did a spin on the movie "Top Gun" and another one had a "Les Miserables" theme.

"What we're trying to do is to support a local non-profit that is critical to supporting businesses in our community and is also on the frontlines of our struggle against homelessness," Gloria said about this year's video.

In a statement to NBC 7, Betsy Brennan the President of Downtown San Diego Partnership said: "The Downtown San Diego Partnership hosts an annual all-in-good-fun roast event to support the organization’s mission of promoting an economically prosperous and culturally vibrant urban center. This event features parody videos, like this one, that the organization produces and pays for. In this event’s more than seven-year history, we have enjoyed working with elected officials who take their work and service to our communities seriously while still being willing to take the time for some light-hearted fun in support of the Downtown Partnership’s nonprofit work and mission."

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