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Mayor Bloomberg Gets Smooched by Osborne the Sea Lion

By Jill Colvin | August 16, 2012 7:25pm
Mayor Michael Bloomberg got a goodbye kiss from Osborne, the sea lion during his visit to the New York Aquarium.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg got a goodbye kiss from Osborne, the sea lion during his visit to the New York Aquarium.
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Flicker/Spencer T Tucker

CONEY ISLAND — Mayor Michael Bloomberg ended his visit to the New York Aquarium Thursday afternoon with a special goodbye kiss — from a California sea lion.

Hizzoner made a surprise appearance at the aquarium’s sea mammal show after a press conference announcing plans for a massive new shark tank, and got some love from Osborne, one of the aquarium's biggest stars.

The “Sea Lion Celebration at the Aquatheater” had just begun when a trainer announced the show had a special guest, Mayor Bloomberg — who was welcomed with a mix of cheers and boos.

The mayor then walked out onto the pool area stage and Osborne swam up and greeted him, before giving him a wet one, and then performing a back flip, a spokeswoman for his office said.

The mayor then waved and the sea lion waved, before the mayor made his exit, without saying a word.

The spokeswoman could not immediately confirm whether it was Bloomberg's first marine mammal kiss, but said the encounter left him smiling — better than at least one previous encounter with a whiskered critter.

Bloomberg, of course, has a strained relationship with Staten Island Chuck, the temperamental groundhog who took a chunk out of his finger back on Groundhog Day in 2009.

He was later caught on video calling the furry weather-predictor a "son of a b--ch" for the bite.

The mayor has now smooched a host of famous stars during his time in office, including Miss Piggy and Lady Gaga.

Osborne the sea lion performs alongside his friends, Duke, Nav, and Diego, according to the aquarium’s website.

He is a star on YouTube, with numerous videos showing off his wicked dance moves, including a signature tail shake that would make Beyonce jealous.