HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut’s governor took a shot at the city of Houston following the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four, which was held in that city last weekend.
Gov. Ned Lamont, who traveled to Houston and was on hand Monday night to watch the University of Connecticut men's basketball team win its fifth NCAA Tournament championship, talked about his visit earlier this week on WPLR-FM's Chaz and AJ show.
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“After winning the semifinals, you walk around downtown Houston, which is butt ugly," the Democrat said. “Not much there.”
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, also a Democrat, responded that he did not appreciate the governor “throwing shade” at his city after it went to the trouble to “feed you, dine you, host you, house you."
"And you're going to go back and talk about ‘butt ugly?’ Which end was he looking from?” Turner said on KHOU-TV.
Lamont made an apology of sorts on Thursday after being asked about his comments during an unrelated news event.
“We had a ball in Houston during the NCAA Final Four,” Lamont said. “The people there were incredibly gracious and welcoming for us, and the basketball game was pretty darn good as well.”
Lamont also emphasized that he was joking around on the radio show and said he enjoyed Turner’s response to his comments.
“He said: ‘Maybe the governor’s looking at the wrong end of a beautiful horse,’ ” Lamont said. “I guess I resemble that comment. I want to say more importantly that nothing compares to the beauty of that amazing basketball championship on Monday night.”
Later Thursday, Lamont and Turner spoke over the phone and Lamont apologized, Turner tweeted. Turner said he accepted the apology and again congratulated UConn for its championship.
“We both had a good conversation,” Turner tweeted.