Photo Courtesy CNBC
Job: CNBC’s hunky on-air editor. Also, author of the recent bestseller, King of the Club: Richard Grasso and the Survival of the New York Stock Exchange.
Age: 40s. (How’s that for a hedge?)
Neighborhood: Stuyvesant Town
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
My dad. The last man I knew to have such a distinct, New York accent that he used to pronounce the words toilet “terlet” and oil “earl”
What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes at San Pietro.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
Scream at sources to get stories, scream at producers to put them on CNBC, and then scream at editors to get more time for stories that I’m writing.
Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
Yes, but I would have to stop eating so much at Campagnola and Elaine’s.
What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?
Chicago in 1999.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
Rarely. I’d rather spend my money on people who work. That’s why I’m a good tipper.
What’s your drink?
Coffee and martinis.
How often do you prepare your own meals?
Two or three days a week. I worked as a dishwasher through high school and college. It taught me how to cook, and I haven’t stopped since.
What’s your favorite medication?
Coffee and martinis.
What’s hanging above your sofa?
I could be wrong, but I think it’s a painting. For details, ask my wife.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
Anything over $20. I spend $15 plus $5 tip at Yan and Son on First Avenue near Stuy Town. Yan claims to have been the best barber in Russia and taught his son everything he knows. Both are deadly with a razor.
When’s bedtime?
Depends on how many martinis I drink
Which do you prefer: the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
I actually remember hanging out at the old Times Square as a kid with my friends and barely survived. Any more info will get me in trouble. So the short answer is the old Times Square.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
Nice man.
What do you hate most about living in New York?
Traffic. Everything else I can deal with.
Who is your mortal enemy?
I generally see the goodness in all of God’s creations.
When’s the last time you drove a car?
Last week. Minus the traffic, I love driving in the city.
Who should be the next president?
I’d rather keep people guessing.
Times, Post, or Daily News?
By far, the Post. Forget that it’s a great read; the Post actually breaks news: a dying art.
Where do you go to be alone?
I work out a lot, and I love running along side the East River and working out at the park near Houston Street. No one bothers me, not even the panhandlers.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
He/she knows how to properly pronounce Houston Street.
