The Night I Fell In Love With Mel Brooks

On November 29, 1970, Dad and I watched the Giants beat the Redskins in the afternoon.  Later that night he talked me into watching the David Susskind Show with him.  I only did so, already suffering father overload, because David Steinberg was a guest.

The show's theme, "How to Be A Jewish Son," the panel also included George Segal and Mel Brooks who I vaguely knew. I was 16 and as soon as Brooks opened his mouth I lost my sense of place and laughed my ass off for 90 minutes. It's brilliant.

The original "The Producers" from 1968 is my favorite movie. Mel Brooks is the funniest man on earth.

Thank you, Dad. Your taste in several areas was impeccable.

If you enjoy my work, check out my memoir, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." It's available at  Logos Bookstore, 1575 York Avenue, or buy it online at Amazon,  Barnes and Noble or other booksellers. If you do read it, please leave a few honest words about the book on Amazon and B&N. Thank you!  (125 five-star Amazon reviews out of 125 posted)

"The Fuhrer Was a Terrific Dancer!"

Tommy & Eddie @ March 1994

Why Eddie mattered. When I love something intensely and a close friend loves it with equal intensity we need nothing further to achieve bliss.

Eddie and I loved the J Geils Band, the New York Giants, The Beatles, Yorkville, The Pineapple Bowl, SJU Rugby, the Beach, among other things but they all fall behind the insane number of times we watched the original Mel Brooks' "The Producers." We saw it over 75 times together and add around fifty solo screenings each.

For us, the film was a ritual of joy.

We traded lines like a Martin & Lewis routine.  Eddie was my best riff partner. I love friends who jump in, even if they sometimes jump without looking.  But Eddie waited until he had something to say - it wasn't his style to interrupt. He'd wait for the idiots (me included) to run out of hot air then Edward dropped in the line that stopped the talking and started the rolling laughter - the kind of laughing that if you walked into the room unaware you'd think we were doing Amyl-nitrate.

I miss Eddie's humor, warmth and generosity. We all miss Eddie.

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In honor of Edward Edgar Ekis, a few of the best:


Franz Liebkind: Not many people know it, but the Fuhrer was a terrific dancer. He could dance the pants off Churchill!  Hitler... there was a painter! He could paint an entire apartment in ONE afternoon! TWO coats!

Concierge: Who d'ya want?

Leo Bloom: I beg your pardon?

Concierge: Who d'ya want? Nobody gets in the building unless I know who they want. I'm the "concierge". My husband used to be the "concierge", but he's dead. Now I'M the "concierge".

Max Bialystock: We are seeking Franz Liebkind.

Concierge: Oh... the Kraut! He's on the top floor, apartment 23.

Max Bialystock: Thank you...

Concierge: ...But you won't find him there... he's up on the roof with his boids. He keeps boids. Dirty... disgusting... filthy... lice-ridden boids. You used to be able to sit out on the stoop like a person. Not anymore! No, sir! Boids!... You get my drift?

Leo Bloom: We... uh... get your "drift". Thank you, madam.

Concierge: I'm not a "madam"! I'm a "concierge"!

Franz Liebkind Is Dead ~ Kenneth Mars Died

Want to cheer up? Watch Mel Brooks classic 1968 "The Producers," starring Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Kenneth Mars, Lee Meredith & Dick Shawn.

Kenneth Mars, a wonderful character actor, and the original Franz Liebkind passed away on Saturday.

Below is my favorite scene from the film featuring Mars, may he rest in peace. "Today Broadway, tomorrow..."

"This calls for schnapps!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIZKZ3C1ML8

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/movies/15mars.html?ref=obituaries

By The Light of The Silvery Moon

Yesterday, I was biking on the 102nd Street transverse from the West Side to the East Side. A friend called, I stopped, we spoke for 30 minutes and twilight set in. The full moon lit up the Fifth Avenue sky over the park.

This reminded me of my favorite film, The Producers with Zero Mostel & Gene Wilder.

Boating in Central Park, they plotted their plan for the worst play ever. Opening night, they retired to the tavern across the street from the theatre where there was only one other customer, Willam Hickey, deeply drunk.

Figuring the flop is in the bag, Zero Mostel said to Frank Campanella, the bartender, "Barkeep, Barkeep, another drink for myself, my associate, Mr. Bloom, and don't forget our good natured inebriate over here."

Their initial toast, " "Here's to failure!"

Hickey, the good natured inebriate down the bar answers the toast, "Oh, thank you. It's very kind of you."

After the toast, Max Bailystock dropped a dime in the juke box and the three of them launched into a dancing rendition of By The Light of the Silvery Moon.

By the light, of the silvery moon,

I want to spoon,

To my honey I'll croon love's tune.

Honey moon, keep a-shinin' in June.

Your silv'ry beams will bring love's dreams,

We'll be cuddlin' soon,

By the silvery moon.

By the light (not the dark but the light)

Of the silvery moon (not the sun but the moon)

I wanna spoon (not croon, but spoon)

To my honey I'll croon love's tune

Honey moon, honey moon, honey moon

Keep a-shinin' in June

Your silv'ry beams will bring love's dreams

We'll be cuddlin' soon

By the silvery moon

The silv'ry moon...

The music was written by Gus Edwards, the lyrics by Edward Madden. The song was published in 1909. It was one of a series of moonrelated Tin Pan Alley songs of the era.

Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts ~ They Can Lock Us Up and Lose The Key

"Yorkville Stoops to Nuts," maiden voyage burst out of port with a joyous rendition of "Prisoners of Love," from the best comedy ever, "The Producers. Mel Brooks classic 1968 film. Lose your job? Miss your wife? House burn down? Watch this movie, it helps.

Mickey Fiorillo, my first guest & I revisited the Yorkville neighborhood of Mickey's youth, the 1930's, 1940's & 1950's. He and I still have a lot to talk about. Mickey's coming back next week to finish our conversation. I'm bringing my copy of the 1939 WPA Guide to New York City with me, we are going to dive into the Yorkville neighborhood section and see what we can find out about the place 71 years ago. They'll be music, too!

Closed the show with Dion's cover of Tom Waits, "Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night." My Aunt Barbara former Kronk's patron was pleased.

Davino, Giovanna's owner is a terrific chef and host. Come down to 1567 Lexington Avenue @ 100th Street and try it out. Thank you, Luis and Anna for taking care of us so well last night. Thank you to my friends for being there and supporting me.

Please visit Giovanna's any Tuesday @ 9pm for "Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts" ~ the radio show.

If you want to listen to last night's show go to the Centanni link

http://www.centannibroadcasting.com/

and find the line below.

Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts 7/13/2010 with host Tommy Pryor-and Guest Mickey Fiorillo

be well, Tommy

Lorenzo Saint DuBois

My daughter, Alison, deejays a radio show at her college. On her Valentine's Day show she played a bunch of dedications for friends and family. She dedicated "April Fools," to me. I was touched Ali remembered I love the song. Later in the show, she put Lorenzo Saint DuBois into the rotation with "Love Power."

This song from the original 1967 Mel Brooks film, "The Producers," is psychedelically speaking, the greatest love song ever recorded. And who better to perform the number than the supreme nut job, Dick Shawn aka LSD. This tune is so cool, Yo Lo Tengo covers it. See the film, be awed.

Take it, LSD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkYBJId7WZs

Love power. I'm talking about love power. The power of a sweet flower is gonna rule the earth. And there'll be a great rebirth. Love is a flower that is fine. When I'm walkin' with my darlin' and we're holding hands,and life is fine, 'cause she understands.' A walking down the sunny street givin' pretty flowers to the people that we meet. And I give a flower to the big fat cop, he takes his club and he beats me up.I give a flower to the garbage man, he stuffs my girl in the garbage can. And I give it to the landlord, when the rent comes 'round. He throws it in the toilet and he flush it down. It goes into the sewer, with the yuck running through her, And it runs into the river that we drink. Hey world, you stink! Ah, man it's later than you think Girl you got just one more chance. Come on baby, while I dance. Love, love power. I'm talking 'bout love power. The power of a little flower. You don't think 'bout no little flowers,Oh no, all you think about is guns. If everybody in the world today had a flower instead of a gun, there would be no wars. There would be one big smell-in.

Just the flowers. Hey, man, a flower. A flower. What you do to my flower, man? You hurt it, like everything else. Everything else. Flowers.

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