Adrian Shanker Gets Roasted

The mayors of Allentown and Bethlehem with Mike Fleck and Adrian Shanker (photo by John Morgan)

More than 200 people got together in Allentown this past weekend with a common cause – to help Adrian Shanker ring in his 25th birthday with a celebrity-style roast. As the president of Equality Pennsylvania, Shanker spends a lot of time talking about very serious issues impacting LGBT citizens across the commonwealth, but for his birthday this year, he and his peers decided to have a little fun for a great cause.

A few government officials even got in on the act as official roasters during the April Fool’s event, including mayors from Allentown (Ed Pawlowski) and Bethlehem (John Callahan), and the Lehigh County Democratic Party Chair Bar Johnston and Easton City Councilman Mike Fleck.

Roastmaster Ryan Hill, a comedian from Pennsylvania, led the roasters over brunch at The Palace Center with several notable Pennsylvanians in the audience. Spotted at the roast were Mrs. Pennsylvania Kate Mack, Montgomery County Democratic Party Chair Marcel Groen, Bucks County Congressional Candidate Kathy Boockvar (we met her recently at the HRC Gala at the Ritz-Carlton), Doylestown Councilmembers Det Ansinn and Don Berk and State Representative Joe Brennan.

Shanker even addressed the crowd in closing, telling a few jokes of his own and reminding everyone about his goals with the organization. There was also a raffle and silent auction to benefit Equality PA.