Mayor Bloomberg Doesn't Like Movies, So I Don't Like Mayor Bloomberg

It's well known that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg isn't a fan of his contingents' right to the idea of freedom of choice. He doesn't fancy smoking in restaurants or bars, nor any large sodas or salt to be a part of a citizen’s diet. He believes his "personal army" (NYPD) can derail crime by using "stop and frisk" tactics. But when 85% of the targets are African American or Latino, all this does is intensify the malaise minorities have toward law enforcement. Especially when 90% are exonerated. I let all that slide because he’s not my mayor, so his actions do not affect me.

But when this pompous billionaire gripes and castigates about a segment of the film industry, that becomes personal. Bloomberg is fed up with movie trailers, and you should be fed up with his tenure as mayor of New York.

In a recent interview with M magazine, the mayor vented, "I sat through an hour of trailers, and every one was stupider than the other...And then there were these ads for video games — for adults! And you want to know why we're dumbing down politics.”

I can’t defend the dreadful trailers and advertisements that play before a feature; we are in accordance with sub par trailers that tease sub par movies. It’s just that these promotions come with the territory, but they also create a window for final bathroom breaks or concessions stand runs. Unless those are prohibited in New York theaters too.

By Bloomberg's own admission, he is not exactly a film buff, claiming to have seen less than ten films during his lifetime. Nevertheless, there’s no complaining when New York City generates $7 billion in revenue off television and film alone. Bloomberg never fussed when Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the states film tax credits another five years, costing taxpayers $420 million each year. But why would that hassle Bloomberg? He enjoys prolonging things, like his net worth and his term limits.

To be fair, Bloomberg hasn't suggested any regulations on promotional trailers, and his final term is up in November, so I doubt any legislation will be introduced, let alone passed in time. But, when this mayor demonstrates his pedantic moxie and bans a generous deed like donating food to homeless shelters, anything is possible with Nanny Bloomberg in charge. Never trust an imperious head that comes with a curious pen.