Weekly Mail March 25, 2018

Sorry this came out late.

Saturday people around the country participated in The March for Our Lives, a protest march against gun violence. There were several poignant moments during the day, including the speeches given by the survivors of the Parkland shooting. Also here in NY, Paul McCartney, marching by the Dakota and remarking that one of his best friends was a victim of gun violence right around here.

I really hope these mass gathering continue, well, no. I hope they continue until something changes for the better. It's heartbreaking that these things are necessary, but since they are, I hope they continue with the passion and commitment to change that we've seen. Because that is how you get things done around here.


I did some marching myself on Saturday, but mine was at the Rockville Centre St. Patrick's Day parade. Along with Tara, Tim and our nephew Connor. It has become a nice family tradition. Plus we had a beautiful day.



TELEVISION REVIEW: American Crime Story: The assassination of Gianni Versace.
Starring: Darren Criss, Edgar Ramirez, Ricky Martin, Penelope Cruz.

I was a big fan of the FX miniseries American Crime Story: "The People versus OJ Simpson.

So I was very curious when they announced the second installment of the series was going to be about the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace. I wondered as to how they were going to get nine or ten episodes out of a story that I thought it was fairly open and shut.

From what I could remember, Versace was gunned down by some maniac outside his mansion in Miami.  The cops knew who did it; they had a name and picture and everything. Yet somehow the suspect, Andrew Cunanan managed to avoid the cops and the feds for an entire week until they surrounded him and he killed himself.

 For couple weeks in July 1997 it was the biggest story going. It would come back later on that summer after Princess Diana’s death when it was pointed out that the last time Elton John and Diana were seen together was at Versace’s funeral in Milan.

So yeah, I tuned in and once again American Crime Story knocked it out of the park.

First of all  the casting was again superb. When I was watching The People vs. O.J. Simpson,  I really felt like I was once again watching Marcia Clark, Chris Darden, and Johnnie Cochran,  even though I was actually watching Sarah Paulson, Sterling K Brown and Courtney B.Vance.

This time it was Darren Criss who is totally believable as serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Criss just made himself a household name with this performance. Penelope Cruz was a fairly convincing Donatella Versace, (though just for S's and G's, I'd have cast Maya Rudolph.)  Even though the title was the assassination of Gianni Versace, This miniseries was almost entirely about Cunanan.

The miniseries actually started with Cunanan’s murder of Versace and worked its way back. In some ways that was confusing, you wouldn't understand his rationale for killing one person till you turned in the next week and realized what his relationship was with his victim. But there was a certain, well,  I don't know if you would call it a satisfaction, when you put the pieces together.

By the time they flashed forward at the end of the series, to when Cunanan was on the run, you had the whole story. And Criss' brilliant acting, showing both Cunanan's psychotic and vulnerable sides, really sold it.

Supposedly the next two American Crime Stories are going to be about Monica Lewinsky and Hurricane Katrina. They should both be must view miniseries.


RADIO: End of an Era

It was October 7, 1988. WFAN was going to be switching frequncies moving from 1050 to 660. In the Shea Stadium parking lot, prior to that night's Mets Dodgers NLCS Game 3, WFAN afternoon host Pete Franklin was talking to Don Imus, who by virtue of WFAN's taking over the 660 frequency, would become the FAN's new morning host. There was a switch there that would move the FAN down the dial and Franklin who had been bad-mouthing Imus ever since the take over had been announced, asked him who should throw the switch.

"Well Pete, being that it is raining, the station decided that you should handle all the electrical equipment." Imus deadpanned.

I was hooked.

For the next 30 years, from my walkman on the Q45 to high school, to driving to college, to the 7 train into the city, to once again driving to work, he has been my morning man. He's gotten me through 8 Presidential elections, two wars in the Persian Gulf, 9/11, OJ Simpson and countless other huge news stories of the day. His edge and sense of humor, are as much a part of what I try to do here every week. Often lately I've held back, but there was a time, when I really wanted this to be a written version of what he delivers on the radio.

On Thursday, he hangs up his microphone for good, after 50 years in the biz, the better part of the last 48 of those here in NY.

You can't mention the good stuff in his career without mentioning his lowest moment; the comments he made about the Rutger's Women's Basketball team. At the time it happened, I felt he had gone too far because he made fun of college kids. But I also remember he had said and done far worse. He apologized profusely and to this day is remorseful. I know I'm gonna catch flak for this but I still don't think he should have been fired for it. To fire him and then replace him with the likes of Craig Carton? Hypocrisy in it's purest form.

And his new show on WABC was different. It still had its moments, but it really was never the same. And since he's announced his retirement, it as been a skeleton of what it once was.

But still, what you saw is what you got from him. After he roasted the Clinton's at the White House Correspondents dinner in 1996, and was catching flak for it, it was Mike Lupica who wondered aloud, "Did they think they were getting Bob Hope?"

They don't make them like this anymore folks. Maybe some would say that's a good thing, but not me. I'm going to miss the old cowboy. Between him and Francessa leaving within months of each other, my radio listening has taken a huge hit.


I didn't watch the 60 Minutes interview with Stormy Daniels, but I will leave it to Imus in the Morning to offer my opinion on the whole thing. One of the characters he has on the show is a guy who impersonates Carl from Sling Blade. His take? "It all comes down to who you believe...the fake blond with the big boobs? ..............Or Stormy Daniels?"


Sorry again for the delay on this. Probably won't publish next week on Easter.

Have a Happy Easter and a Great rest of the Week