Mayor Bloomberg probably scheduled a Late Show appearance on Monday night so he could tout the health benefits of his so-called soda ban as the law went into effect, but thanks to the surprise ruling that affirmed New Yorkers’ right to guzzle vats of sugary beverages, instead the mayor had to ruminate on his failure with David Letterman. Bloomberg spouted off some statistics on the obesity, but dodged Letterman’s attempts to drag him into a discussion of the “corporate food industry’s” culpability, and revealed there’s a limit to his passion for outlawing delicious things. “Don’t ban Cheez-Its,” said the mayor. “Cheez-Its are okay. That’s my addiction.”
Bloomberg also restated his rationale for banning junk foods that he isn’t particularly fond of:
I think that it’s incumbent on government to tell people what they’re doing on themselves and then let people make their own decisions. So our job is to educate people and the ban on bigger cup sizes was a way to remind you that if you wanted 32 ounces you’d have to take two cups and maybe you’d only take one.
When asked what he plans to do after he leaves the mayor’s office, Bloomberg revealed that he’d like to share his rather intrusive approach to education with a wider audience. “There’s a job open in Rome,” said Bloomberg. “I’m sort of waiting for a call.”
