He did promise swagger.
Eric Adams’ exit from the mayoral race Sunday means he’ll cap off a first term defined by big promises, actual achievements, a historic corruption indictment — and a deep, often-hilarious weirdness even his harshest critics will miss.
Even the mayor’s mantra for dealing with naysayers was so left-field it inspired a Jeopardy! clue.
“All my haters become my waiters when I sit down at the table of success,” Adams — who promised to bring “swagger” back to the city — is fond of saying.
While Adams never killed a groundhog like his bumbling predecessor Bill de Blasio, he gave New Yorkers plenty of “can you believe what the mayor did?” moments.
From recalling his “shorty” in Queens to making heart hands with a robot, here are Adams’ most ridiculous moments.
A ‘vegan’ who eats fish
Adams long touted his vegan, plant-based diet, but ended up floundering early in his term when it was revealed he sometimes noshes on fish.
“I want to be a role model for people who are following or aspire to follow a plant-based diet, but, as I said, I am perfectly imperfect, and have occasionally eaten fish,” he carped at the time.
In the end he wouldn’t come clean — and told locals to “ignore the noise.”
Crystals give NYC a ‘special energy’
New York City’s mayor is convinced the Big Apple has a “special energy” — with unique crystals.
Adams was dubbed “NYC’s first Crystals Guy mayor” by Hell Gate NYC, even wearing multi-colored gems on his right wrist to help with healing.
He told Politico that the city’s iconic bedrock is made up of tons of gems and minerals, and claimed “there’s a special energey that comes frome here.”
The haunting of Gracie Mansion
Hizzoner didn’t wait for Halloween for a ghost story.
Adams said in May that he’s convinced the mayoral mansion is teeming with spooks — making the announcement from the press box at Yankee Stadium.
“I don’t care what anyone says, there are ghosts in there, man,” he told announcers Michael Kay and Cameron Maybin. “Listen, they’re creeping around!”
Adams the turnstile jumper
The mayor told a town hall crowd in March that he’s jumped a turnstile a few times in his life — for love.
Adams said he once had a “shorty” way out on Rockaway Beach, and sometimes had to cut some corners to get to his destination.
“There’s a real history,” he told the Queens crowd. “I had a shortly that lived out here.
“I used to come out, taking that long A train ride in the cold,” he said. “You know, love is blind. One or two times I didn’t have a token so, yes, I did jump over the turnstile.”
What’s my team?
Opening Day 2024 had Adams donning an embarrassing baseball cap that left New York sports fans wondering if he was rooting for Queens or The Bronx.
The mayor showed up wearing a cap with both the Mets and Yankees logos — leaving onlookers puzzled.
“Now let’s bring home a championship,” he said.
Partying awkwardly with Cara Delevingne
New York’s nightlife-loving mayor was snapped partying with model Cara Delevignge and hip hop star A$AP Rocky at an event at One Vanderbilt in Manhattan in March 2022, just three months after his swearing in.
The awkward moment came as Adams urged people to get their “butts back” to the city at a promotional event for Wells Fargo credit cards.
“So, anyone who moved to Florida, get your butts back to New York City because New York City is where you want to be,” he said.