Orange County Judge Gothia to be roasted at BC Chamber event

Seven years have passed since Bridge City had a good roasting and as the summer of 2022 grows into a scorcher, it's County Judge John Gothia who is going to face the heat.

On August 4, the Bridge City Chamber of Commerce is having a "celebrity roast" of the head of county government. "Tables are going fast," said Chamber Director Mandy Lyda.

Gothia is a longtime Bridge City resident who has been active in the Orange and Bridge City chambers of commerce before successfully running for Precinct 3 County Commissioner. When the county judge resigned suddenly, Gothia was appointed to the position and then won election.

Gothia was instrumental in getting Bassmaster and other professional fishing tournaments to Orange County; so the audience should expect some fish jokes.

This will be the tenth celebrity roast fundraiser for the Bridge City chamber and the first since 2015, when Bridge City Mayor Kirk Roccaforte took the jokes and teasing.

Gary Stelly of kogt.com will serve as master of ceremonies for the event. Roasters will be Precinct 1 County Commissioner Johnny Trahan; Ida Schossow, head of the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce and a neighbor of Gothia; David Jones, owner of Gopher Industrial; and banker Joe Love.

Lyda said sponsor tables are $600 to seat eight. Individual tickets are $65. The event will be at 6 p.m. August 4 at the Bridge City Community Center off West Roundbunch Road. Tickets include dinner and adult beverages.

Gothia joins an exclusive group of roastees. The Bridge City Chamber's first celebrity roast was of lawyer H.D. Pate in 1996. Then came State Representative Ron Lewis in 1997, and noted Cajun W.T. Oliver in 1998.

Lyda said the chamber then skipped a couple of years and in 2000 roasted Lester "Buckshot" Winfree. Ninth Court of Appeals Judge Don Burgess was in the hot seat in 2002. A few years went by for the next one in 2009 with then-County Judge Carl Thibodeaux honored. Gisela Houseman was roasted in 2011, Ross Smith in 2013, and Roccaforte in 2015.

Tickets and tables can be reserved through the Bridge City chamber at 409-735-5671, or email Lyda at [email protected].