Hizzoner Honors ‘Gossip Girl’

The Queens Tribune editorial covers Mayor Bloomberg's celebration of Gossip Girl's 100th episode, where he proclaimed January 26, 2012 as "Gossip Girl" Day in honor of the success of the show and the positive impact of the film industry on the local economy.

Did you hear the one about the mayor?

 

In a star-studded press conference at Long Island City icon Silvercup Studios, Mayor Mike Bloomberg proclaimed Thursday, Jan. 26, as “Gossip Girl” Day in honor of the show’s 100th episode, while highlighting the success of the film and TV industry in the City and its impact on the local economy.

 

Bloomberg and Media & Entertainment Commissioner Katherine Oliver were joined at the podium by “Gossip Girl” stars Blake Lively, Penn Badgely, Ed Westwick, Matthew Settle, Kelly Rutherford and Kaylee DeFer, along with executive producers Stephanie Savage and Joshua Safran.

 

Savage said that when the opportunity to make “Gossip Girl” was presented, she was told that filming in New York City would be impossible. But the mission became “New York or bust.”

[...]

State Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria) — who represents the district home to Silvercup, Kaufman-Astoria Studios and Broadway Stages — was one of the major proponents of the tax credit and sees it as a tremendous way to keep the entertainment industry in the area, especially Long Island City.

 

“The success of the film and TV industry is one of the great success stores in western Queens in a difficult economy,” Gianaris said. “The fact that there is a sector of the economy in Queens is booming has helped us get through a difficult [time].”

Read the full article here.