‘E-L-G-S-E-S, Eagles!’ Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s spelling fail becomes a Philly meme

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker went viral on social media after attempts to lead an Eagles chant resulted in her misspelling the Philly-based team’s name.

Philadelphia mayor’s ‘Eagles’ spelling flub goes viral

Cherelle Parker has been the mayor of Philadelphia for a little over a year, the first female mayor and 100th mayor overall of the city. She found herself going viral after she attempted — and failed — to spell ‘Eagles’ in a chant on Jan. 19, 2025. During a news conference hours before the Eagles secured a snow-filled playoff victory over the Los Angeles Rams, Parker chanted, “E-L-G-S-E-S, Eagles!”

“Let me hear you all sing,” Parker said before confidently spelling, “E-L-G-S-E-S, Eagles!”

Predictably, the internet had a field day. The video has been shared across social platforms, turning Parker into the latest Philly meme and even had her misspelling turned into a t-shirt. 

Rightwing folks call Mayor Parker a ‘DEI hire’

As the clip gained traction, it didn’t take long for conservative critics to weigh in, with some using the opportunity to label Mayor Parker a “DEI hire,” even though she was elected, not hired.

The term ‘DEI hire,’ which has been weaponized by critics of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, has popped up frequently in online comments in the wake of the Trump administration’s efforts to reverse “decades of systemic inequities.” They were also part of a broader assault on the federal workforce, which the president has long viewed as a bloated bureaucracy,” according to reporting by the New York Times.

However, Parker has made it clear that she’s unbothered by the noise, using the situation to rally the city and highlight her Eagles pride.

Mayor Cherelle Parker addresses her spelling flub

On Thursday, Jan. 23, Mayor Parker embraced the moment, referencing it during an Eagles rally and joining fans in a proper rendition of the famous chant. Determined to turn the gaffe into a win, Mayor Parker enlisted the help of die-hard Eagles fans during a rally in LOVE Park. Surrounded by a sea of green and even the Eagles mascot Swoop, Parker took the stage ready to prove her Philly fandom.

“Teach your mayor, how do we spell Eagles?” she asked the fired-up crowd, who enthusiastically spelled it out, “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!” with Parker joining in at the end.

The first-term Democrat leaned into the humor, telling fans that she’s ready to learn from her mistake. She joked to the crowd, “Now listen, your mayor went out there and got in trouble, y’all. We went viral!”

“Just for the record, on today, we have to show the nation that your mayor is also a good student,” Parker quipped. “So, Philly are you ready to teach your mayor?”

Mayor Parker went on to good-naturedly discuss her spelling flub with NBC10‘s Miguel Martinez-Valle. 

She said to him, “Hey listen, I’ll tell you this, if they didn’t know who the mayor of Philadelphia was, they sure do now,” adding, “We’re gonna do everything that we possibly can to cheer our Birds on to victory.”

In a post on X following the Eagles rally, Mayor Parker wrote, “That sure was fun today cheering on our @Eagles. Sunday can’t come soon enough. Go Birds! Fly E-A-G-L-E-S  Fly ”

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