LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The mayor of Burbank, California, Konstantine Anthony, has found himself at the center of a storm of controversy after a video of his attendance at a fundraising event went viral on various social media platforms.
Footage showed the Democratic party member getting spanked by a drag queen, sparking a wave of reactions online.
Some individuals argued that the event was intended exclusively for adults, while others contended that it also accommodated minors, fueling heated discussions across the internet.
Mayor of Burbank spanked by drag queen
The event in question, the Drag Queen Bingo, was hosted by the Santa Clarita Valley Dems on the 9th of September.
The event's poster indeed indicated that it was open to those aged 15 and above, but it also explicitly mentioned that it was "not suitable for children."
The video gained traction primarily due to its dissemination by various online accounts, including Libs of TikTok, which played a pivotal role in its viral spread.
This controversial account asserted that Konstantine Anthony had been spanked by a drag queen in the presence of minors.
Once the video made its way to Twitter via the Libs of TikTok account, it rapidly accumulated nearly two million views. Konstantine Anthony himself responded to the video's virality with a quip, asking provocatively, "Jealous???"
Subsequently, after the video had gone viral, the mayor engaged in a back-and-forth with Libs Of TikTok, arguing vehemently that there were no children present at the event. However, neither claim could be independently verified.
Who is Konstantine Anthony?
According to the official City of Burbank website, Konstantine Anthony's upbringing was in the small suburban town of Castro Valley, located just outside of Oakland, California.
His educational journey led him to spend his middle school years in rural Iowa and to study film at San Francisco State University, where he was exposed to a diverse group of students from around the world.
In 2004, he made the move to Burbank, where he embarked on a career as a union actor in film and television.
Notably, Konstantine Anthony boasts a 20-year background in improv comedy, which translated into appearances in numerous television shows and movies. His "passion for social justice" issues served as the catalyst for his entry into politics.
On his second attempt at securing a seat on the Burbank City Council, he succeeded and made history by becoming the first openly autistic elected official west of the Mississippi River.
Further delving into his affiliations, it's revealed that Konstantine has been a member of SAG-AFTRA since 2006 and joined SEIU in 2019.
Additionally, he has served on various councils and boards, including the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities since 2018, the executive board of Burbank PFLAG since 2019, and the Burbank Transportation Commission from 2017 to 2020, where he resigned from his position as Chair to take his City Council seat.
On a personal note, the mayor is married to actor and comedian Margo Rowder, and the couple is proud parents to one child.
Konstantine Anthony faces backlash
As the controversial video of the mayor being spanked continued to circulate online, it ignited a flurry of reactions from the public.
"Real classy by the Mayor," one tweeted.
"This is a mayor of a large city? God, what have become?" another wrote.
"The real question is why the Mayor of Burbank would degrade his town by getting spanked by a Drag Queen. You have zero respect for your city or the office for which you hold," someone else added.
"It's truly mind-boggling what passes for 'campaign events' these days. What happened to decorum and setting a positive example for the younger generation? The world seems to be on a whole new level of bizarre," a comment read.
"I really don’t think this is what the founders had in mind when trying to protect 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,'” another offered.
