A Very Buddy Book Signing

Say Buddy to anyone in Rhode Island and everyone knows exactly who you are referring to – former Providence Mayor and Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci, Jr.

So ingrained is Cianci in RI's psyche, politics and press that his nickname is instantly recognized. When he arrived for a book signing at Wakefield Books in the Wakefield Mall, there was an electricity in the air amongst the staff and the patrons waiting in line as well.

Yet, after all the years of State Trooper chaffeurs and other perks of office, here was Buddy all by himself, without any entourage or companions.

Cianci was one of the longest serving mayors in the United States, occupying the office first from 1975 to 1984 and then again from 1991 to 2002. Of course, along with the titles and power came the falls from grace, the felony convictions and the federal jail time.

Today he presides over the radio airwaves from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every weekday on WPRO 630 AM (99.7 FM). His book is titled Politics and Pasta - How I Prosecuted Mobsters, Rebuilt a Dying City, Dined With Sinatra, Spent Five Years in a Federally Financed Gated Community and Lived to Tell the Tale.

Most of the folks who lined up to meet Cianci and have their books signed attested that they were fans long before his current radio show and that they were frequent listeners now. For Linda Samuelian of Providence, the book was part of her birthday gift. She was visiting her daughter in Wakefield and decided to attend the signing.

"I'm a big fan" she said. "I listen to him on the radio every day."

Jarad Lepore arrived bearing a gift of homemade spicy sausages in a canning jar and brought along an old #1 license plate from Providence for the ex-Mayor to sign.

"I read the book The Prince of Providence (by former Providence Journal reporter Mike Stanton) and when I found out that Buddy was writing his own book I knew I would have to read it," Lepore said. "I read it in one sitting. It is great book."

Joanne Shagalian and Christine McLeod came to see Cianci since both of their late husbands (Donald and Chip) had been classmates of the Mayor at Moses Brown. Cianci told Joanne that it was her late husband's uncle Ernie who actually introduced him to politics.

"That must have been so long ago" she said.

The mayor had a wistful look on his face when he responded, "Ah, I was just a kid."

Cianci showed off a fantastic memory during the book signing. Whenever anyone mentioned a cousin or aunt, he would immediately come up with an event or time that he remembered them from.

When Theresa Monahan of Narragansett took her turn at the table he told her that she was from New York.

"How did you know?" she asked. "You still have the accent," he said. "How long have you been here?"

Monahan replied, "53 years." Cianci assured her that qualified her as a Rhode Islander. 

Monahan is a fan of his radio show. "He tells it like it is," she said.

The former mayor graciously took as much time with each person as was needed. He displayed his famous charm and sense of humor. Some patrons had several books for him to sign for their dads or aunts or as future gifts.

Margaret Whaley, the 22-year-old daughter of South Kingstown Town Councilor Ella Whaley, is a huge fan of Cianci's radio show. She even made her parents take her to Federal Hill to the Old Canteen Restaurant for dinner a couple of weeks ago since the Mayor mentions it all the time.

"He's a good guy," she said. "He made the Providence Place Mall happen."