As much as we love to poke fun at our politicians, it’s even more fun to watch them poke fun at themselves. Methuen Mayor Bill Manzi and Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan traded a few yucks at last week’s St. Patty’s Day lunch in Lawrence. I’ve excerpted the clip of Manzi’s well-delivered roasting of Mayor Sullivan here. From flying bullets to political rivals no topic was too hot to kick around (including a little return fire from Sullivan regarding Manzi’s ongoing dispute with his former police chief, whom he fired).
Does anyone ever take this stuff seriously? Apparently so. Last week Eagle-Tribune reporter J.J. Huggins reported that fired Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon is seeking to have a video clip of a St. Patty’s Day roast from last year viewed as part of the Civil Service Commission hearing where Solomon has been trying to get his job back. The “evidence” in question? State Rep. Barbara L’Italien singing a little diddy about Manzi’s trouble with the chief. There isn’t really any information revealed in the song, but Solomon’s attorney says they wish to see it to examine whether political factors were part of Manzi’s decision to fire Solomon later that year.
Will the commission buy that? We’ll have to wait and see. It would certainly be a shame if future political roasts were hobbled down to a series of knock-knock jokes and PC-laden one-liners.
Here’s L’Italien’s solo in case you missed it:
Noah R. Bombard is the new media editor for The Eagle-Tribune in North Andover. He is a former award-winning newspaper and magazine editor who has been covering news in Massachusetts since 1997.