Outburst Earns Oddo Web Fame

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The New York Sun

A City Council member’s expletive-filled meltdown during a joke interview has grown into a Web sensation after a clip of the outburst was uploaded to YouTube.

James Oddo, a Republican and native Staten Islander, is seen during an episode of a Norwegian comedy program, Rickets Rost, threatening violence and telling his interviewer to “get the f— out of my office.”

Sitting in his office across from his interviewer, a young blond woman, Mr. Oddo is seen biting his lip as he answers her question on whether African Americans are allowed to run for president.

It’s after the next question — on whether Senator Clinton can win the presidency after “that embarrassing incident with the cigar” — that the Council member loses it.

“Get out of my office before I throw you the f— out of my office and I take your cameras and I throw them out of the f—ing window, alright?” Mr. Oddo says as he stands up and rips off his lapel microphone. “Get the f— out of my office before I beat the f—ing s— out of you right now.”

Mr. Oddo said today that he regretted his vulgar choice of words, describing them as an “unvarnished, emotional reaction” to an unfunny attempt at comedy.

“I have a very good sense of humor. I find nothing humorous about that quote unquote joke,” he said. “Joking about race is unacceptable.”

The video clip, linked here, has gotten more than 25,000 views since it was posted on the popular video-sharing Web site four days ago.


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