Marty Markowitz, a man who’s basically been a living avatar of Brooklyn in his time as borough president, is going to need a new job soon. Not because people are tired of him, but because term limit laws require that after three terms (usually two, thanks you very much City Council), BK’s booster and food lover-in-chief has to say goodbye. So he used his State of the Borough speech to trot out some celebrity pals to see if he could make it in Hollywood or as the host of a late night show.
This year’s speech was more of a victory lap for the borough prez and was short on enormous policy proposals, which we suppose you deserve after giving them for 12 years. According to the Brooklyn Paper, guests on Brooklyn Tonight included Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy and your boyfriend Pat Kiernan. Tony Danza was there as the musical guest, to reprise his rap about famous Brooklynites from last year’s Brooklyn Book Festival, and Christie Quinn apparently sang a deliriously off-key rendition of “How Do You Solve A Problem Like Losing Marty?” (original version here) He even had a monologue, although we don’t like his gay marriage joke (“I believe love is love, unless you love the Knicks. Then you’ll burn in hell”). No sir, not at all.
Just in case the talk show host thing doesn’t work out for him, Markowitz also put together a demo reel, showing his acting chops in Brooklyn-set movies as diverse as Do The Right Thing, Moonstruck and Scent of a Woman.
True story: I helped write the 2007 Bronx State of the Borough address for Adolfo Carrion. And while I sat watching him deliver it, he spiked what was probably the best joke I wrote in the entire speech. Because “Boston already had a tough week.” Writing material for Marty look much more fun, is what I’m trying to say.