The feud between Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and HBO funnyman John Oliver might be coming to a close ”“ provided that Oliver acquiesces to a new demand put forth by Boughton.
Lest we forget, the fracas started on an Aug. 16 episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” with the British-born comic launching into an expletive-heavy rant against Danbury as part of a segment on problems with Connecticut”™s jury selection process.
Boughton responded in a Facebook video by facetiously announcing Oliver”™s name is being attached to a sewage treatment facility, stating “We are going to rename it the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant,” the mayor said. “Why? Because it”™s full of crap just like you, John.”
Oliver answered Boughton with the promise of donating $55,000 to Danbury-area charities if the sewage plant was named for him, adding that he would pay for a sign bearing the “John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant” name.
Boughton accepted the offer in a Facebook video this weekend, albeit with the caveat that Oliver attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the renamed facility in person.
Still, Boughton was not ready to let bygones be bygones, ribbing Oliver”™s charitable donation pledge as being “a little light for somebody in the 1%” and demanding that the comic go through with his offer.
“Now look, don”™t Oliver this up,” Boughton said. “Should you choose not to take us up on this offer, we certainly have something we’ve named after you ”“ your own personal porta potty, the John Oliver S***house. So, Mr. Oliver, come on up to Danbury and sit on your throne.”
Oliver, who lives in Manhattan, did not publicly respond to the offer to visit Danbury. Not to editorialize, but we suspect we haven”™t heard the end of this story.
