Colorado's 'Rising Sex Star' to Promote Statewide Literacy
Colorado governor calls out 'sex star' before group of kids.
March 2, 2012— -- Public officials have tried to come up with creative ways to promote literacy, but Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper's method of getting the attention of a group of young students may take the cake.
An uncomfortable moment kicked off a Wednesday event promoting Colorado Literacy Week at a Denver elementary school when the Democratic governor stood up to introduce Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia to a group of 40 children.
The introduction, though in some ways flattering, might not have best suited his audience:
"Now I get to introduce that rising sex star," Hickenlooper began. As awkward laugher ensued, he realized his mistake. "Symbol, I mean. Symbol. Not star."
Perhaps Hickenlooper meant to give a variation on his previous descriptions of Garcia as a "rock star." But this particular iteration somewhat missed the mark.
Garcia apparently "shrugged off the remark, and said he knew the governor was just trying to make an ironic remark," according to the Denver Post. "He calls me a rock star a lot," Garcia told the Post.
As a Harley-owning biker who can be seen rumbling down the streets of Denver and rolling with the Harley-Davidson Road Kings, the lieutenant governor is known for being quite a personality.
Regardless of whether the shoe fits Garcia, the foot landed in Hickenlooper's mouth.