It's harder to figure out who comes out worse after Leo Molloy's performance on late night TV and Wayne Brown's public complaint about it.

Mr Brown's surprise at the earthy nature of Mr Molloy’s character, particularly when he's playing up for the cameras, suggests he's a ‘wowser’.

After all we've seen plenty of politicians playing up on late night telly to show they're not buttoned up bores.  Simon Bridges has a long history and who can forget Kieran McAnulty dropping a c-bomb on 7 days. And McAnulty has been recently promoted to a minister outside of cabinet.

Meanwhile, suggesting that Mr Molloy needs professional help is just a massive step too far.

On the other hand Mr Molloy's claim that this was comedy is a bit rich.  This was an attempt at outrage humour. Guy Williams does it all the time and many people seen no laughs in it.

Now outrage humour only works if it's actually outrageous. But Mr Molloy's behaviour last night was not outrageous.  It was just Leo being Leo.  

We know that side of him but what we don't know is whether he has the chops to foot it as Mayor.  He seems to think that the mayoralty has power when really he will just be one vote around a table. We're supposed to vote for Mayors who bring the Council together and nudge them in the right direction.  Not for Mayors who invite councillors to fight them in his bar side boxing ring

The most successful mayors are the inspirational ones, not the confrontational ones.

The suspicion was always that Mr Molloy is not that sort of person and last night confirmed it.

What this is all really showing is what a dog's ear the Right's mayoral campaign is.

Labour's Ofeso Collins is leading.

On the right Mr Molloy is polling the highest of the three.  Behind him is Viv Beck who has the C&R seal of approval and bringing up the rear is Mr Brown who is sinking $500 thousand of his own money into the campaign.

The three split the right vote. The right would be better served by just one candidate but all 3 seem bloody-mindededly determined not to stand down.

The three are like rats on a sinking ship desperately fighting each other and not fighting Mr Collins, who if this carries on will laugh all the way to the Mayor's office.