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Mayor Mike Pantelides Parodies NCAA 'In The Annapolis' Ad

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Striking while the iron is hot. The mayor in Annapolis is taking quick advantage of the NCAA Tournament commercial featuring Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee.

Marcus Washington explains how the mayor is pushing to extend the city's 15 minutes of fame.

Within a 30 second Capital One commercial, Maryland's capital takes the national stage.

After seeing the commercial, Annapolis' mayor, Mike Pantelides, and his office decided to join the hype and record a parody.

"I think it's huge. Annapolis is a very popular city. It's the state capital. We get four million tourists a year. But to be on a national stage like that, it just does so match to help promote our identity," the mayor said.

WJZ sat down with a woman who had seen the original commercial. We wanted her take on the parody.

Come Visit "In the Annapolis" - This Place is Awesome! by CityofAnnapolis on YouTube

"It's a great commercial. There's a few things they listed I haven't done yet," she said. "I need to get on that. I've got more to do."

With attention of the commercial, and maybe now, the parody, former Annapolis residents have something to brag about once they return home--like Alicia Zamorano--who now lives in Louisville.

"And they think they're the basketball town. And then we have our commercial with Annapolis in it, and I'm like, 'Yeah, Annapolis is a basketball town,'" she said.

The mayor says he tweeted out the commercial to Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee.

He hasn't gotten a response, but says if they decide to come to Annapolis, he will personally give them a tour of the city.

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