Tiara Time

NT: But look what happened to Lincoln!

Severns: True. But Phil brought me his speech, and it was 40 minutes long. I said, "No, my God, you've got to cut it back!" He said, "I want a long speech." I figured, "He's the mayor, and he has good intuition." I said, "You're right. Go for it, honey."

Emily Piraino

First Lady Christa Severns is no political pawn.

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NT: Probably people wouldn't love a four-minute State of the City address.

Severns: He knew that. That's why he's mayor, and why I wear a tiara to make photocopies.

NT: He proposed to you at Clinton's first inauguration.

Severns: Oh, my God! Who told you that? Actually, it was the night before the inauguration. In front of 40 people. He and [former mayor] Paul Johnson cooked it up together. Halfway through his little speech, I figured out what he was building up to, and I thought, "How can I turn this situation on its head?" So when he asked me, I said, "Well, where's the ring?" And he didn't have one. I said, "I already have a job and health benefits, why should I marry you?" I figure, I have an audience, so why not play to them?

NT: You should have your own talk show.

Severns: I've always wanted to have one. I'd call it Christa Talk.

NT: Hey, if Tom Simplot can do it, you can, too. You could have a cooking segment. You could wear your tiara!

Severns: I could, couldn't I? But I'd want to be funny, and some television producer would tell me to shut up and get serious. Which I can't imagine doing. I just can't.

E-mail robrt.pela@newtimes.com