Mayor Gets Piece of NYC's Mind on Pizza Etiquette

Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 1 MIN.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio got his pizza with smoked mozzarella, sausage and a dash of scandal.

The newly installed mayor unintentionally spiced up a political meeting at a Staten Island pizza joint Friday by digging into his slice with a knife and fork.

That's a no-no for many New Yorkers, who believe pizza should be folded and eaten with their hands.

Photos of a utensil-wielding de Blasio spread across Twitter and prompted mock outrage, some even calling for his impeachment. It was reminiscent of a "Seinfeld" episode in which characters make a stir by eating a candy bar with flatware.

De Blasio, who prides himself on his Italian-American heritage, later explained that he eats pizza the way they do in Italy. He starts with a knife and fork, then uses his hands.


by Winnie McCroy , EDGE Editor

Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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