Fact Check

Bloomberg Refused Second Slice of Pizza at Local Restaurant

Was New York mayor Michael Bloomberg denied a second slice of pizza at an Italian eatery in Brooklyn?

Published May 2, 2013

Claim:

Claim:   New York mayor Michael Bloomberg was denied a second slice of pizza at an Italian eatery in Brooklyn.


FALSE


Example:   [Collected via e-mail, May 2013]


Was Mayor Bloomberg really refused a second piece of pizza at a pizzeria in Brooklyn? Was it really a protest by the owner to the soda
ban?



 

Origins:   On 2 May 2013, the Daily Currant published an article stating that New York mayor Michael Bloomberg had been denied a second slice of pizza at an Italian eatery in Brooklyn:



New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was denied a second slice of pizza today at an Italian eatery in Brooklyn.

The owners of Collegno's Pizzeria say they refused to serve him more than one piece to protest Bloomberg's proposed soda ban, which would limit the portions of soda sold in the city.

Bloomberg was having an informal working lunch with city comptroller John Liu at the time and was enraged by the embarrassing prohibition. The owners would not relent, however, and the pair were forced to decamp to another restaurant to finish their meal.


By the end of the day links and excerpts referencing this article were being circulated via social media, with many of those who encountered it mistaking it for a genuine news item. However, the article was just a bit of political humor from the Daily Currant, which was spoofing Bloomberg's efforts to limit the size of sugary drinks (such as sodas) to 16 ounces at restaurants, theaters and food carts in New York.

As noted in the Daily Currant's "About" page, that web site deals strictly in satire:



The Daily Currant is an English language online satirical newspaper that covers global politics, business, technology, entertainment, science, health and media.

Our mission is to ridicule the timid ignorance which obstructs our progress, and promote intelligence — which presses forward.

Q. Are your news stories real?

A. No. Our stories are purely fictional. However they are meant to address real-world issues through satire and often refer and link to real events happening in the world


Last updated:   2 May 2013

David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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