I AM PROUD TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE of being a member of the Friars Club. To me, the Friars Club is an oasis in the middle of a concrete metropolis. Located in the heart of New York City, it is a comfort zone for meeting or dining with news contacts and friends, as well as enjoying the camaraderie of fellow Friars. The Friars Club is steeped in entertainment history dating back more than 100 years when George M. Cohan and Irving Berlin penned the lyrics to “Over There” and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” in the clubhouse we call our Monastery. Our membership over the years has included such icons as Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lewis, Milton Berle, Lucille Ball and Barbra Streisand. And the club is multigenerational. Members have brought their children in as members and they in turn have brought their families. My son Steven is a member and my daughter Jill has been a member. They began coming here at the age of four and seven. Steven has long since become active, having served as a governor. We are continually striving to bring younger members into the club. We look to them for fresh ideas and future leadership. Some of my most memorable moments have been at the club. I had my first date with my wife Lorri here in 1989. I was roasted at my bachelor party in the Milton Berle Room, hosted surprise birthday parties for my wife, and had my daughter’s wedding shower here. A member for 37 years, I look at the staff as members of my family, and the club is like an extension of my home.
When I joined the Friars Club back in 1979, I doubted that I’d be able to use the club much because I was working for an evening news broadcast. Somehow I found the time to not only hang out, but also to get involved, having served several terms as a governor and as an officer.
In 2004 I chaired our Centennial Committee and succeeded in getting Mayor Bloomberg to rename our street “Friars Way.” For my efforts, I was honored as “Friar of the Year” at our roast that lambasted Donald Trump. I turned to him from the podium and said, “Eat your heart out Donald, I’m the only one on this dais they’re going to say anything nice about today.” The annual roasts are a Friars tradition, and the roster of those we’ve roasted is a Who’s Who in show business. We have also presented an annual Icon Award, to the likes of Tony Bennett, Robert De Niro and Tom Cruise. We also recently honored Martin Scorsese.
Each year we contribute to charities by hosting functions and benefits through our charitable arm and our Sunshine Committee. I play Santa Claus at a function the club sponsors for underprivileged children.
The Friars Club is a place to be with friends. With its eclectic membership, there’s always something going on. But it’s also a place to relax. We have a gym and a masseur in the building. I often bring news contacts to the club for lunch. It is always a comfortable place to sit and talk.
The club means a lot to me, and for that I enjoy playing an active role. This fall I produced and hosted a political forum called, “Electile Dysfunction.” I have also produced programs that honored Al Roker, the cast of the Sopranos, and news legend Mike Wallace, to whom we presented the Friars Lifetime Achievement Award. I even recruited Walter Cronkite, also a Friar, to serve as master of ceremonies at that event. It was another of those unforgettable nights at the Friars Club. CD
First Person is a column written by club members and directors about what makes clubs special.