JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Swearing-in ceremonies for new public officials are serious business. If we're lucky, there might be moments of levity during the pomp and circumstance.
We were so lucky Saturday during the swearing-in ceremony of Mayor Donna Deegan. She was sworn in by friend and fellow First Coast News, On Your Side alum, Duval County Circuit Judge Kim Sadler.
Prior to Deegan taking the oath of office, Sadler shared many kind words about the new mayor and their history together. One of those moments occurred during Sadler's swearing-in in 2018.
The judge reminded Deegan, and shared with the audience, how the mayor also shared kind words about her during her 2018 swearing-in.
"When I got sworn in as a judge, Donna broke barriers," Sadler said during her pre-swearing-in address Saturday. "Donna Deegan helped me out and had some remarks for me. In fact, can we play the video?"
The audience was clearly surprised. Many laughed. Some gasped.
The video rolled and Deegan, as rappers say, started spitting hot fire creating her own version of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby," replacing the hook with "Judge Judge Kimmie." She didn't miss a beat and her lyrics were hilarious.
As if that wasn't enough to take the audience by surprise, when the video ended, Sadler looked as though she was going to return the favor as the intro to Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight," started playing.
Sadler took off her black judge's robe, did a little dance, and told the crowd to wave their hands in the air. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on who you ask, before Sadler could "spit her fire," Duval County Chief Judge Mark Mahon clad in his black robe took to the stage and pulled rank.
"With all due respect to our mayor-elect, that was pretty bad rap," Mahon joked. It was understood that he didn't mean bad as in good. Mahon then put Sadler back on task. "I forbid you to rap. You need to get the mayor sworn in," he said.
The audience was indeed entertained. And shocked.
