BP Markowitz to ‘Go Out with a Bang’ at Final State of the Borough Address

April 5, 2013 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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Invite-Only Crowd at Barclays

After 12 years as Brooklyn’s quintessential advocate, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will deliver his final State of the Borough Address at an invitation-only event at Barclays Center next Thursday, April 11.

BP Markowitz will surely highlight his many accomplishments as Borough President during a time when Brooklyn has boomed — including the development of Barclays Center, the coming of chain stores to Fulton Mall, the building of new residential developments in and near Downtown Brooklyn and the deal to create a new, high-tech school in the old Transit Authority building at 370 Jay Street.

But expectations are running high that his final State of the Borough speech will also feature a show-stopper or two.

In past addresses Markowitz –- never the wall-flower –- has pranced with feather-wearing West Indian dancers, peddled to the podium on a giant tricycle, eaten tons of cheesecake and caused shock waves by featuring a pole dancer gyrating in 5-inch heels on a stripper pole.

The annual spectacle also spotlights what he calls “Brooklyn characters.”

Past characters have included the national texting champion, opera singers, a moonwalking six-year-old Michael Jackson impersonator, Coney Island burlesque queens, and a memorable Mr. Universe, who took off his shirt and strutted his stuff.

This year’s scheduled guests include many notable Brooklynites: Cat Greenleaf of NBCNewYork’s Talk Stoop, Tony Danza, Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan, Adam Richman of the Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food” and performances by the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and singer/songwriter Jay Black.

Beyond that, Markowitz-watchers will just have to wait to see what happens. “There will be elements that will be certainly humorous,” Markowitz spokesman John Hill told the Brooklyn Eagle on Friday. He added, “We’re going for the element of surprise.

“There’s definitely going to be some good stuff,” Hill said. “He’s definitely going to go out with a bang.”

Marty to go quietly? As one of his famous traffic signs warns drivers about to leave Brooklyn, “Fuhgeddaboudit!”