Las Vegas Weekly

March 16, 2009 · 8:09 AM

Oscar Goodman charity roast: Burned, poked and toasted

By Robin Leach

Mayor Oscar Goodman, in Brooklyn Dodgers uniform, is roasted at Green Valley Ranch.

Photo: TVT

It fell to me to kick off the insults heaped on our merry Mayor of Mirth Oscar Goodman at his official roast at the weekend charity fundraiser for the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.

Many of the mayor’s City Council members attended the gala dinner at Green Valley Ranch, and even his wife, Carolyn, scorched him with political officials Larry Brown and Gary Reese. Oscar sat onstage solo and was forced to wear a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball cap and shirt instead of his normal impeccable suit and tie.

TV personality and news anchor Paula Francis played mistress of ceremonies and even produced a video of his bloopers! It was definitely a night of poking, burning and toasting, and charity organizers far exceeded their $50,000 fundraising goal. The partnership had its largest turnout of supporters since the charity began 11 years ago.

I told the audience: “You can’t get anywhere with Oscar by just shaking his hand. You must kneel and kiss it.” I revealed he was always a very superstitious man because in a fight -- and let’s face it, he’s had many – “he always kept a horseshoe in his glove!”

Even with all the insults poured on him, everybody agreed before the night was over that Oscar’s “the very best man we could ever have asked for as mayor of our city.”

Share This