Budget Testimony Performance Art Teased in Monitor

by Garret Ean | May 14, 2013 | 9 comments

Last Thursday, I spent a good portion of the day at the New Hampshire state house, waiting to film a dramatic performance by two artists identifying themselves as Adam Sutler and Edgar Friendly. It was a harrowing experience, as the budget analysis is among the most drawn out public hearings in the state each year. Bureaucrats and their supporters from around the state gathered to plead for their slice of the pie.

Adam’s testimony went over the heads of most as it was the first one called following the dinner break. Edgar was called hours later, and his presentation drew the suspicions of the senate panel chair, who questioned its relevance to the budget and called for an end to the performance after two minutes.

The record of these performances is scheduled to appear on the internet shortly, but in the meantime, the Concord Monitor’s Ben Leubsdorf and satirical blogger Susan the Bruce have published their own analysis of the theatrics. From the Monitor:

The Senate Finance Committee got punk’d Thursday night.

The committee’s public hearing on the state budget was already past the four-hour mark (en route to a final running time of six hours) when a man who had put his name down as Edgar Friendly was called to testify. (more…)