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Marty Markowitz: "This Was Not About Sex Dancing"
By
Ben Yakas
Published Feb 13, 2011
Modified Feb 13, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Feb 13, 2011
Modified Feb 13, 2011
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If it wasn't obvious from the tricycles, singing, and participation in "Lighten Up Brooklyn", Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz fancies himself something of a kook. But his kookiness didn't charm one Brooklyn dad: blogger Brooklyn Spoke, a self-described "Park Slope liberal breeder nutjob," thought it was a bit questionable that Markowitz brought a pole dancing exercise instructor on stage during a State of the Borough speech he made at Sunset Park High School recently. So he wrote him a little note.
In it, he respectfully questioned why Markowitz needed to have a semi-naked woman dancing on stage during the speech, especially with little children in the room. He also said he thought women and girls deserved an apology: "Even though you were promoting a local business, to feature a woman pole dancing on stage during your presentation — at a public high school, no less — was crude and in poor taste. Is that really the message you want young girls in your borough to see and hear?" Lo and behold, a few days later he received a response direct from Markowitz:
Are you serious?????? First, there were no young girls present and secondly, this guest did nothing lewd…she runs a business that is all about exercise for men and woman…..this was not about sex dancing….every year in my annual Borough speech I present bonafide Brooklyn characters…and unique Brooklynites doing unique things……that’s all there is to it…..marty
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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