Imagine Lennon's take on cig ban

Dabin for News/Michael Dabin

Flowers are arranged in a peace sign at the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park dedicated to the late Beatles legend John Lennon.

Let it�be, Bloomberg!

A caller to the mayor's radio show who identified himself as John and spoke in a - possibly fake - British accent asked Mayor Bloomberg how a certain Beatle would react to the extension of the smoking ban into his favorite park.

"I'm curious as to what you think," the caller said Friday, "how the great John Lennon would feel about not being able to smoke in Central Park?"

Bloomberg, his tongue planted firmly in cheek, suggested that one of Lennon's former band mates should be consulted before answering the question.

"Well, I don't know but we could probably ask Paul McCartney," Bloomberg said. "The next time I see Paul - it's an interesting question. I'll ask him."

Lennon lived in the famed Dakota apartment building at Central Park West across from Manhattan's most famous greenspace and frequently enjoyed the park with his wife, Yoko Ono.

Fiercely anti-tobacco, Bloomberg even suggested the legendary musician and activist might have changed his mind about smoking, yeah, yeah, yeah.

"Keep in mind, John, that ... the world has changed; people's interests have changed," Hizzoner said. "So what John Lennon might have thought then may be different than what he'd think today."

After Lennon was murdered in 1980, the Imagine memorial was dedicated in his honor in the park's Strawberry Fields. Smoking will be outlawed in all city parks in May. Jonathan Lemire

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