Saturday, June 27, 2009

Tony Bennett still prefers Astoria

From the NY Times:

Tony Bennett sings about leaving his heart in San Francisco. But when he talks, it seems to have remained in Astoria, the western Queens neighborhood where he grew up.

“The finest place to live,” Mr. Bennett, 82, said as he showed a reporter his favorite haunts. “I’ve been all over the world — Paris and Florence and Capri — and yet I come back here and I like this better than any place I’ve ever lived.”

Mr. Bennett lives on West 57th Street in Manhattan now, but visits his old neighborhood regularly, and it seems to transport him back in time to when he’d stare longingly at the shimmering skyline of Manhattan across the East River. It is only a 15-minute subway ride away, but to a young Anthony Dominick Benedetto, the son of an Italian immigrant grocer, it loomed large and distant like Oz.


At the end of the video, he says he likes the fact that there are no skyscrapers where he grew up. He didn't say anything about the Queens Crap.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

God Bless him. He is a real class act as well as a great talent. Very few have had the extended success that he has enjoyed.

linda said...

tony bennett is a true astorian..
started out in Riccardo's catering, as a singing waiter.. it's amazing he still loves astoria...

grew up in astoria too but moved to maspeth when i had my first son. love astoria, but love maspeth too... would love it more if lizzy was out and the damn pigeon lady......oh and if they stop the damn h.s....

georgetheatheist said...

"There are sensible, functional apartments and homes. I really like it here." - Tony Bennett in the NY Times video.

Hahahahahaha.

"I've always been a Democrat. Believe me, we've got to keep the Democrats in". - Tony Bennett at the Democratic National Fundraiser in March

Hohohohohoho.

Anthony DiBenedetto, former cocaine addict. An addled brain?

Gary the Agnostic said...

A class act, as opposed to you, George.

2nd Ave Sal said...

Speaking as an old time Astorian, this guy is a phony, believe me, packaged by his son a slick operator. Most of my crowd feel the same way, but what can you do?

My great uncle used to be a bouncer at a club on Queens Plaza and he would show up and got pitched out he was so awful.

Tony B has nothing to do with Astoria, simply is trading on an image. He does nothing for the community, never shows up for anything, and God forbid he donates a dime to the place that put him on the map.

Even the Frank Sinatra HS fund raising was done in Manhattan.

And that name has pissed off a lot of long time residents who think it should be named for a true star of the community, Ethel Merman.

Sinatra was a mobster from Hoboken, a nice image for Astoria, eh? But Tony B is a Rat Pack wannabe and the Valone$ just went along with this farce.

I mean really, do you want your son or daughter to go to a school named after someone who beat up Mia Farrow?

Pete the Wig said...

If we can't rename the high school after Astorian Ethel Merman (a Bryant HS alumna), instead of Mr. Rat Pack, we can always rename it after Papa Charlie (the Judge) Vallone.

He spawned a great song & dance team.

georgetheatheist said...

Why's this liberal shyster "a class act", Mr. Agnostic? Because he wears a pinky ring and has a bouffed hair-do?

("A" Greek for "without". "Gnosis" Greek for "knowledge")

Gary the Agnostic said...

georgetheatheist said...
Why's this liberal shyster "a class act", Mr. Agnostic? Because he wears a pinky ring and has a bouffed hair-do?

("A" Greek for "without". "Gnosis" Greek for "knowledge")

Saturday, June 27, 2009

-----------------------------------

Ooooh, gee. That's telling me off, George.

Maybe it's because of the way that he sings, and conducts himself. You would be wise to conduct yourself in the same way, instead of using this forum to vent your rage at anyone who dares to criticize you.

georgetheatheist said...

Ascendo tuum.

Gary the Agnostic said...

georgetheatheist said...
Ascendo tuum.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

===============================

There comes a time in a man's life, and I've had plenty of them.

--Casey Stengel

Gary the Agnostic said...

georgetheatheist said...
Ascendo tuum.

Sunday, June 28, 2009



=================================

And by the way...

Mangez La Merde, Georges

georgetheatheist said...

Peace, nigga.

Gary the Agnostic said...

georgetheatheist said...
Peace, nigga.

Monday, June 29, 2009
----------------------------------

Classy as always, bucko.

georgetheatheist said...

Of course Mr. Ignorance (Hey folks, a guy who revels - REVELS - in his stupidity by calling himself an "agnostic") you're a class act. From your comments we know you starch your underwear. You like the stiffness of the cloth between your buttocks.

My caravan moves on. Keep howling.

-30-

Gary the Agnostic said...

georgetheatheist said...
Of course Mr. Ignorance (Hey folks, a guy who revels - REVELS - in his stupidity by calling himself an "agnostic") you're a class act. From your comments we know you starch your underwear. You like the stiffness of the cloth between your buttocks.

My caravan moves on. Keep howling.

-30-

Monday, June 29, 2009
---------------------------------

Awooooo.

Of course, all you can do when challenged is call people names.

Anthony DiBenedetto said...

You know when I make my poo-poo, flies don't come but rather butterflies nest. After I eat asparagus, my streaming wee-wee smells like rose water.

I'm a classy guy.

"I smell my farts...in San Francisco.
High on the thrill enthralling me.
I seek that essence when it sparks.
I'm hoping it leaves marks.
Let morning fog horns fill the air.
Let 'em blare.
We just don't care...in San Francisco.
We hear that cue
And bend our knees.
A friendly fog blows through...San Francisco.
We find it fun
To sniff the breeze."

philthedill said...

("A" Greek for "without". "Gnosis" Greek for "knowledge")

Your classical education has failed you, Georgie.
Correctly, that would be:
"A" Greek for "without" or "un-", "Gnostos" Greek for "known." Hence, not summing to "ignorant" but rather "unknown."

Leave the agnostic alone, you Rand-worshipping false "atheist"!

georgetheatheist said...

I don't "worship" Rand. I am a student of Rand.

The derivation of "gnostos" comes from the word "gnosis" ("knowledge" or "understanding")

An "agnostic" is a person who doesn't know what the hell is happening and admits it. Dig?

Now don't be a Dummkopf.

Anonymous said...

An "agnostic" is a person who doesn't know what the hell is happening and admits it. Dig?

Your understanding of etymology and semantics is about as nuanced as your understanding of everything else - simplistically black and white. Who's the Dummkopf here?

georgetheatheist said...

You are.

Good vs. Evil. Guilt vs. Innocence. Existence vs. Consciousness.

philthedill said...

Good vs. Evil. Guilt vs. Innocence. Existence vs. Consciousness.

... and then Nonsense ate itself.

www.aynrand.org
www.sophists.org
www.childishthinker.org