Toronto's City Council has voted overwhelmingly to strip Mayor Rob Ford of some of his powers after he rebuffed huge pressure to resign.
The vote came a day after another series of antics from Mr Ford that angered city councillors, anti-drunk driving advocates and even Toronto's football team.
In the span of a few hours on Thursday, the leader of Canada's largest city used obscene language to deny that he pressured a female employee for oral sex, admitted that he had driven while drinking and then apologised for his vulgarity and said he was seeking professional help, though he refused to give details.
Most city councillors are frustrated by Mr Ford's refusal to step aside since he admitted last week to smoking crack, but they lack the authority to force him out of office unless he is convicted of a crime.
Their vote on Friday suspends Mr Ford's authority to appoint and dismiss the deputy mayor and his executive committee, which runs the budget process.
John Filion, the councillor who introduced the motion, has said the goal is to prevent Mr Ford from firing executive committee members who speak out against him.
A subdued Mr Ford has vowed to fight the motion, which was approved in a 39-3, in court.
Mr Ford apologised with his wife by his side "I can't support this and obviously I have no other options but to challenge this in court," the mayor said.
The vote comes as it has been announced that Mr Ford it will be hosting a new weekly TV show with his brother.
Ford Nation will air on Monday on Canada's Sun News Network, following the cancellation of the pair's radio talk show just days ago.
Doug Ford, the show's co-host and a city councillor, said: "Rob is like Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh. You just never know what he is going to say."
Rob Ford's troubles began escalating in May when news reports first surface of a video showing him smoking crack.
After months of evading the question, the mayor last week admitted he had smoked crack when Toronto police announced they had obtained the video during the course of a massive drug investigation.
Mr Ford said he had smoked crack cocaine in a "drunken stupor". He does not face any criminal charges.
But then he was caught on camera in a drunker, profanity-laced rant where he issued angry death threats.
And the scandal further deepened this week when court documents suggesting sexual misconduct and drug use surfaced.
Mr Ford's bobblehead dolls sold out quickly Mr Ford was verbally abusive to aides, drove his car while drunk and entertained women thought to be prostitutes, according to news reports citing the documents.
He has admitted buying drugs illegally for the past two years, but denied other allegations and said he was taking legal action against people who had made them.
As he was defending himself at a news conference on Thursday, Mr Ford said that he is "happily married" and at one point used obscene language to say he did not need to seek oral sex elsewhere, shocking reporters at the scene.
Mr Ford drew gasps, giggles and at least one exclamation of "oh my God" from reporters.
His crude remarks led to a complaint by the Canadian Football League, which slammed Mr Ford for making the offensive statement while wearing a Toronto Argonauts jersey.
The mayor later appeared before camera to apologise for his language, with his wife Renata by his side.
Mr Ford's repeated controversies are not just fodder for late night comedians.
A low-cost American airline, Spirit Airline, said in an ad that "We're not smoking crack" as they offered cheap fares next to Mr Ford's silhouette profile.
As Mr Ford continues to resist immense pressure to step down, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has hinted for the first time that she was weighing solutions to the crisis, including legislation to possibly oust the mayor.
"The things that we are seeing and hearing about Mayor Rob Ford are truly disturbing," she said.
This week, he defiantly appeared to sign Rob Ford bobblehead dolls sold for charity at City Hall. The figurines sold out quickly.
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