RIP singer/actor Vic Damone, 89. Born Vito Farinola to Italian immigrants in Brooklyn, he sang in the choir at St. Finbar's Church in Bath Beach. When his father was injured at work, Vito had to drop out of Lafayette H.S., my beloved alma mater. Working as an usher and elevator operator at the Paramount Theater in Manhattan, he met Perry Como, stopped the elevator between floors, sang, and asked his advice. Impressed, Como said: "Keep singing!" and referred him to a local band-leader. Vito would name his first child Perry. He decided to call himself Vic Damone, using his mother's maiden name. Although many of his songs cracked the charts, only one,
You're Breaking My Heart in 1949, reached #1. His matinée idol looks were a natural for the big and small screen. He has 17 credits listed under his name as an actor. Most of his roles were related to music. In '62 & '63 he hosted a summer television variety series on NBC called
The Lively Ones, which showcased jazz, pop and folk performers, as well as comedians. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any video of it. Like many celebrities who had a long career, he had ups and downs. He married five times. He declared bankruptcy in the early 1970s, but subsequently earned enough as a casino performer to clear up his difficulties. His autobiography is titled
Singing Was the Easy Part. In 1997 he received his diploma from Lafayette H.S. when officials granted him credits for life experience and asked him to give the commencement address. He advised graduates to "Have spiritual guidance. Don't lose God. There is a God. Trust me." Well done, sir. (Facts from Wiki & IMDb) Here's a live clip of Damone doing a Gershwin medley:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVrIPVqpyKw And here's a pic:
After seeing President Trump's budget proposal, it begs the question: Does the deficit and debt even matter? Apparently no more than the debt ceiling, which was raised seven times under Dubya and five under Obama, 74 times since it was first instituted in the '60s. What a neighborhood Washington D.C. is.
The NFL is not the only league with an attendance problem. Since 2008 attendance at major college football games has dropped 10.1%. Fans are leaving those neighborhoods.
My thanks to Natalya and Benedict, who purchased four books in Russian, and to Al the Mensch, who bought
In the Land of Giants: My Life in Basketball by Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues and David Levine. Bogues is one of the most remarkable athletes in the history not only of the NBA but all sports. Standing only five-three, he played 14 seasons for four different teams, averaging 7.7 points and 7.6 assists per game. He coached one season in the WNBA - and each woman on the team was taller than him by at least three inches. Here's some perspective on Mr. Bogues and his neighborhood:
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