Who was in the wrong here?

I think it’s pretty common to make a second speech after a few drinks.

A sounds like an absolute twat who thinks they’re more important than anyone else.

No wonder the colleague ie leaving.

Haha. Love it! 🤣

i think you’re B. It was a bit unnecessary but not that deep. A needs to grow up.

I can think of a couple of people who would absolutely make sure they gave an unplanned speech at the end... it would be them being attention seeking and trying to make the event about them.

Other people might do it spontaneously and it cone across as natural, so I suppose how was it done.

Naturally, with something coming up and B saying "I remember the time... and everyone falling quiet because what he was saying was good. Maybe then he felt he had to continue etc.
Or him standing up and saying "actually I want to say something, all be quiet and listen."

My suspicion, on the basis he clearly argued about it was that he was more of the latter. Otherwise he'd have apologised and said he hadn't planned it, but sorry it came over that way.

Person A is being ridiculous.

A leaving do is a place for speeches. If A and B both knew the person leaving and clearly had different points to make then they can both say stuff.

A is being a dick and needs to apologise.

Sounds like there's some historical beef with A and B. Same role and same level of management within a company can cause all sorts of problems with jealousy, competitiveness and general ill feeling between them - there will be things professionally they won't agree on which will fuel the flames.

A does sound like a bit of a dick tbh but it depends if it was arranged for A to do a speech and it was all agreed. That said, if it's a party then anyone should be able to say their bit if they want to - so I don't think B did anything wrong

Sounds like A and B just don't get on! It'll blow over eventually!

😀

‘Margo, just remember it was I, A, who first described just how devastated we were to be losing your chiseled good looks from Dunder Mifflin!’

It was rude and f B to do an impromptu second speech. It’s sending a message that the first speech by A wasn’t good enough and so they had to step in and help out by putting on another speech.

They had a physical fight over leaving speeches?! For who? Margot Robbie?!

That sounds utterly pathetic and best forgotten about. Why on earth would it be offensive for more than one person to do a speech? Unless B's speech was slagging off A and their speech/work/character.

But it’s a leading do… loads of people speak at leaving do’s.
A sounds like an idiot.

On the face of it, unless there's more of a back story, A is being a precious twat.

Reminds me of the speeches in bridesmaids! 😆

Agreed, who in their right mind cares that someone else gave a second speech at someone’s leaving do?

It’s a complete non event, A is ridiculous - do they have form for being really hard work? I feel sorry for the persons who’s leaving do it was to have this nonsense overshadow it with a silly row.

Wasn't there a plan beforehand about who would give the speech? In my experience of this kind of thing, the person giving the speech wants to prepare a little in advance and think of some nice things to say. And if there's a card or gift they would have it with them to hand over.

If it was clear that A would give the speech then I can see why A is annoyed. If it was completely spontaneous then A is unreasonable (although I still think it's a bit weird to have a second speech).

Had B had a drink by the time they got to do their speech? My advice , for what’s it’s worth, is to ignore the pair of them.

Exactly! The person who matters is the person who is leaving. They probably were chuffed to have another speech. A making it all about themselves is totally inappropriate unless there is a backstory.

A is a drama llama

I'm in the middle of the two options. Yes it was unecessary and attention seeking of B to do a second speech. Anything they wanted so badly to say to the exiting colleague not covered in As speech could have been said one to one.
However the appropriate response from A would be a bit of an eye roll that B had to get in on it, but say nothing. Causing a row and bad atmosphere over this is very childish.

Sounds like B knew giving a speech would piss A off and that’s why they did it.

If they are similar levels, and have similar roles and relationship with the leaver sounds like there may already be tension between the two. To me it feels like B had their nose put out of joint because A had made a speech and wanted to make a point by doing the second one.
It reflects badly on both of them - grownups would normally discuss who was going to make the speech and certainly not make a big thing about it afterwards.

Yes, you can imagine the person leaving going home from the party very relieved s/he wasn’t going to have to deal with A and B’s dramas any more…