Of the 54 governors New York State has had, Mario Cuomo is the only one whose portrait isn’t hanging in the state capitol’s Hall of Governors, because he refuses to pose for one. He has a lot of reasons, but when it comes right down to it, he says it’s because he thinks that posing for one is kind of vain and precious and, and what, is he going to wear like a “powdered wig”? He’s been going on like this about it since he left office fourteen years ago, but now that George Pataki’s likeness is scheduled to be hung in the corridor next year, Assemblyman John J. McEneny, the gallery’s unofficial curator, says he won’t wait for Cuomo to man up any longer. He may end up putting up an unflattering picture just to spite him. “I believe the governor has been approached several times and so far has shown no interest in providing a portrait, in which case, I believe we’ll have to put up a portrait of our choosing,” McEneny told the Times. “The implication is obvious there.”
Pataki, on the other hand, didn’t need threats or coercion to get him to pose. Personally, he’s tickled by his portrait.
Unlike Mr. Cuomo, Mr. Pataki is clearly enjoying the ritual. Last July, he gathered friends and supporters at Manhattan’s “21” Club for a private showing of the portrait. And he had already asked the artist, Andrew Lattimore, for revisions to his first version, according to a spokesman for Mr. Pataki.
Okay, so yeah, we sort of see Mario’s point. But look, dude, it’s just a portrait. Sitting for one won’t make you like that.
