Before launching into a really strong, heartfelt discussion about such important issues as governing with technology, race relations, traffic, homelessness, youth employment, and civic engagement at Fast Company’s Creative Counter-Conference in Playa Vista on Thursday, Mayor Garcetti took a moment to weigh in on another, super duper serious matter: what the New York Times’ Style section thinks about Los Angeles. At the start of his scheduled talk with Fast Company editor Robert Safian, Garcetti asked any ex-New Yorkers to raise a hand and then brought up last week’s Los Angeles and Its Booming Creative Class Lures New Yorkers-Gate, saying he had thought “Facebook was going to meltdown” after the divisive article went viral with Angelenos (and started inspiring Bingo cards) over the weekend. Clearly, said the mayor to those who had left New York for L.A., you’re on the right side of the debate.
Oh, and he had a quip for Silicon Valley, too: “That’s, like, sooooo 2013.”