Culver City elects first out gay mayor—and Elphaba helped celebrate

Culver City elects first out gay mayor—and Elphaba helped celebrate

Culver City, the California city where The Wizard of Oz was filmed, has elected its first out gay mayor — and some notable Ozians were there to celebrate.Freddy Puza was unanimously voted by Culver City's city council last Monday to become mayor, making him the first out LGBTQ+ person to hold this post in Culver's 108-year history.Culver City is a major entertainment hub; it's home to Sony Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where Judy Garland mad…

Culver City Makes History With First Openly LGBTQ+ Mayor-Vice Mayor Duo

Culver City ushered in a new era last Monday night, marking a historic moment for the Southern California city as the City Council unanimously selected its next mayor, vice mayor and city manager before a packed audience at Mike Balkman Council Chambers. Council Member Freddy Puza was unanimously chosen to serve as Culver City’s mayor for 2026, becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ mayor in the city’s 108-year history. Puza, who was first elected to …