Friends roast legendary comedian Bob Seibel

Bob Seibel will be 69 years old on Thanksgiving and Sunday night he was roasted like a turkey.

And the beloved comedian seemed to enjoy every one of the needles and barbs that his colleagues in show business directed at him during a two-hour laughfest and lovefest at The Comedy Club at Cheers in Faneuil Hall Marketplace.

Comedian Johnny Pizzi hosted the non-stop barrage of jokes and funny anecdotes about Seibel, who has been performing comedy for more than three decades.

Seibel smiled as comedians like Tony V, Paul D’Angelo, Brad Mastrangelo, Paul Gilligan, and Steve Sweeney elaborated on his idiosyncratic behavior, while also thanking him for his loyalty, friendship, and opening doors in their respective careers.

Jeanne Sullivan-Toomey, a Lynn-based comedienne and one of the event organizers, also spoke with reverence about Seibel, a man who has performed at countless benefits for charities. “We love you, Bob,” said Sullivan-Toomey.

There was very funny video tribute filmed in Lynn and headed by Pizzi and Sullivan-Toomey and even an endorsement from Sarah Palin lookalike Cecilia Thompson, who pronounced that Seibel would be the ideal running mate for the 2012 election.

“Bob does more than anybody for people,” said D’Angelo. “He has a big heart, he’s genuine, he’s amazing – he’s one of the first people that was nice to me in this business. He’s one of the most wonderful guys in the world – he’s out of his mind.”

Ever the gentleman and flanked by his girlfriend, Diana, Bob Seibel said afterwards he was touched by all the kind words at his roast.

“It was fantastic – it was just a great showing of love between a lot of people,” said Seibel, who was born in Lynn Hospital on November 25, 1941. “I’m nothing special, I’m just one of a group.”

The people who packed the comedy club Sunday night would argue differently for Bob Seibel is something truly special.

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