Before he became famous, comedian Rodney Dangerfield grew up in Kew Gardens, Queens. He graduated from Richmond Hill High School.
His link to this community is celebrated with a mural, painted last year, around the corner from Lefferts Blvd.
Italian artist Francesca Robicci painted the mural for free, working from a photo provided by Dangerfield's widow, Joan.
But Joan Dangerfield, who donated $1,000 toward the project, is unhappy how it turned out.
She says her late husband still gets no respect.
Her lawyer wrote Robicci and the community group that commissioned the mural to complain. The lawyer called the painting "an entirely unaccptable image" and a "less-than-flattering portrayal of Rodney, who deserves nothing but the highest respect."
The lawyer demanded that it be painted over.
Robicci says she'll wililng to make any necessary changes, which would mean flying in from Italy.
Joan Dangerfield's lawyer now tells NY1 she is happy to hear of the artist's offer. The two sides, the lawyer tells us, will talk privately to see if a compromise is possible.
26 comments:
It is not a very good likeness of him.
A little bug eyed, otherwise I thought it looks pretty good.
That depiction looks like it was traced. To be fair, it is the most familiar picture of Rodney, and there should be other things the community should worry about, like the incoming redlining of their neighborhoods from de Faustio's shelter building proposal.
on that note,
HEY EVERYBODY WE'RE ALL GOING TO GET LAID!!!
It doesn't look much like him. I can see wanting it painted over.
I think it looks exactly like him. The curly-cue lettering has to be changed.
George is right. Throw Rodney Dangerfield's name into Google Images and you can see that he regularly posed in wide-eyes, often purposely contorting his face. It was his schtick. He was a comedian who used his physicality to enhance his act. It already does pay him high respects. This was a well-intentioned tribute, which is immediately recognizable even if his name weren't there. It's meant for public enjoyment, not to appease his ungrateful widow.
Why did these idiots use an artist from Italy when we have already the best in New York one of out own who would have done the job right.
My niece could have done a better job, and she's 12.
I cant believe the stupidity going around, I feel like I'm on another planet at times.
I see people are blind here in Queens too !!
This shitty mural looks more like that actor from "The Fly" Jeff Goldblum then Rodney Dangerfield
Francesca Robicci is a literary painter, likely with no experience in American culture, climate or Murals --mistake #1 (and a big one)
Did she even use the correct Elastomeric prep and paint mix on that mural ? If not the climate will have it peeling by next winter.
They need an experienced commercial artist to help her
Enough with murals. Its so ghetto.
I think of tributes to dead drug dealers whenever I see one.
An artist from Italy, really?
Don't we have good artist in the mecca or art, NYC?
Why someone bothers in bringing an Italian to paint in New York?
They deserved what they paid for, assholes including the widow.
"Enough with murals. Its so ghetto. I think of tributes to dead drug dealers whenever I see one. "
Enough with your implied racism. You live in NYC, there is a lot of art here, and that should absolutely never change. If you are thinking of dead drug dealers when looking at a comedian you might want to see a psychologist because the problem is not the art...
Jesus FUCK, it looks like Dangerfield, what the hell is the problem? This is what people are worried about when our borough is turning into a garbage mess third world country.
STOP getting distracted by shit like this.
It looks exactly like him. He wasn't known for his looks. He was hysterical though.
Did anyone ever consider a mural for Kew Gardens resident, the murdered Kitty Genovese?
""what the hell is the problem""
Destruction of Heritage at stake, these Italians drop in here painting murals the next thing you know some other group wants equal time to do stupid shit.
Dangerfield was no beauty but he was one of our own and should be painted and depicted by one of our own. Not some insulting apparition and lettering by somebody who lives in Italy.
Colored people from Trinidad started painting a doorway lime green in Middle Village the people begged them to stop and offers to do the proper Faux woodgrain for them (lucky they went for it)
The artist did it for free, then the widow decided to donate $1000. Look lady, if you wanted something to turn out better, have it commissioned by an artist of your choice, otherwise sit down and shut it.
"Enough with murals. Its so ghetto. I think of tributes to dead drug dealers whenever I see one. "
Enough with your implied racism. You live in NYC, there is a lot of art here, and that should absolutely never change. If you are thinking of dead drug dealers when looking at a comedian you might want to see a psychologist because the problem is not the art...
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Come on, this IS ghetto. Admit it.
Do you ever see 'murals of artwork' like this outside of the ghetto in the boroughs of Manhattan or Brooklyn? No.
I'd be pissing fire ants if someone put a giant ugly picture of me on a wall in my own home town, especially if they made me look like a 200 year old middle eastern turtle and I'm dead.
Rodney deserves some respect so he can rest in peace !
George makes a good point with a mural for Kitty. The thing about that is then other murals would be requested for other victims of random violence or even at the hands of police brutality, which unfortunately there have been a glut of the past decade.
Besides, if the Kitty incident happened today, it would be filmed with either surveillance cameras or idiot's cellphones before someone would call the cops.
Yadda, yadda, yadda....all of these astute "art critics" including George the "A"!
Be grateful that Rodney is even remembered.
Considering the price the widow paid for the commission....spend more money and get a better artist.
I do not RESPECT what the cheapskate thinks about art.
The Kitty Genovese 1964 murder rises above the "normal" murders we experience. Her murder was iconic. It's even studied in university sociological textbooks. And I would say it's one of the first instances, if not the progenitor of Fake News. The NY Times reporting of it lied to the readers that the apartment house witnesses did not contact the police. A front page article to boot. They did and they were denigrated into being portrayed as non-caring members of society.
The Kitty Genovese murder began the 911 phone system.
I walked by the murder site the other day while waiting for a Kew Gardens Cinema movie to begin. There is no signage as to what happened there. No memorial. Nothing.
No respect. Hell in Richmond Hill high school he shared his locker with a mop !
Violence at the hands of police brutality......GFY....Can't wait till every cop has a body cam and you can see true manner of how these savages...I mean victims of police brutality interact. Be careful of what you wish for.
Rodney couldn't even get respect as a kid!! His mother always told him to go outside and play "Run and go fuck yourself"!
"The Kitty Genovese murder began the 911 phone system."
That's actually a good justification for a monument/plaque or a street naming.
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