With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Mayor Twitters About Lu at U2, Forgets What City He's In
()
Swept up in the good time-y vibes surely prevalent during last night's heavily-touted U2 concert at the Rose Bowl, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa took a couple of opportunities to share his exuberance over the occasion via Twitter. Villaraigosa and his girlfriend, KTLA reporter Lu Parker, were among the approximately 96,000 fans who packed the Pasadena stadium to see one of the last engagements in the rock band's "360 Tour" with support from the Black Eyed Peas.
Lately Villaraigosa has been less cagey about his relationship with Parker, particularly after the duo have been making enough public appearances to warrant many a watchful Angeleno wonder if an engagement is eminent. Whereas earlier this year he did not publicly acknowledge he'd taken at least one of his costly trips with Parker as his companion, last night he shared with the world that he was enjoying the concert with Lu (and, bonus: a smiley-face emoticon!).
Aside from his love life, his oft-repeated "I love L.A." sentiment kept eyebrows raised. For anyone with even a scant knowledge of local geography, if Villaraigosa were to be loving any L.A. last night while at the Rose Bowl he'd be loving L.A. County, not the City of which he is the head. Mike of Franklin Avenue agrees:
But c'mon. Fine, attend the U2 concert (along with them "Black Eye Peas") -- but the Rose Bowl is in Pasadena. I'm pretty sure the mayor knows that. So tossing in a "I love L.A." while not really enjoying an event in L.A. seems kinda wrong -- at least for the mayor of Los Angeles.
Support for LAist comes from
(We'll let his band-name spelling error slide; after all, a person can get twitterpated whilst Twittering via TwitterBerry.)
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce. -
The rock legend joins LAist for a lookback on his career — and the next chapter of his music. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain.
Best of LAist