Name: Chazz Palminteri
Occupation: Actor, writer, and director. His film The Dukes opens wide in theaters today.
Age: 56
Neighborhood: Palminteri was born and raised in the Bronx. Remember A Bronx Tale?
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Bob De Niro … he single-handedly put Tribeca on the map as a neighborhood and as a powerful film festival.
What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
Truffle Risotto at Roberto in the Bronx. Any time I go there, Roberto always makes me something special that I can’t get anywhere else.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
Read — whether it be plays, scripts, books, or projects. Who knew that the kid who hated homework spends his life doing homework?
Would you still live here on a $35,000 salary?
No, I’d live in Sicily.
What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?
The Little Mermaid with my kids and my wife. I thought it was a great family show, plus I have a newfound respect for anyone who can act and sing in Heelys.
Do you give money to panhandlers?
Food, yes — money, no. Homelessness is a problem that I think our country should handle.
What’s your drink?
Caymus wine — I even named my dog after it — how’s that?
How often do you prepare your own meals?
When my wife abandons me, I make my old reliable — pasta with garlic and oil.
What’s your favorite medication?
Baseball — the Yankees — need I say more?
What’s hanging above your sofa?
A huge picture window that looks out to my backyard, and my wife’s very expensive drapes.
How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
There is no price for a good haircut.
When’s bedtime?
That depends on where I am … some cities keep me up later than others.
Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
New, because it attracts more people for this great city of ours.
What do you think of Donald Trump?
Love him — he’s great for New York
What do you hate most about living in New York?
Traffic — something is wrong when it takes a half an hour to go three blocks.
Who is your mortal enemy?
Laziness — it is the root of all evil.
When’s the last time you drove a car?
Two minutes ago — I am looking for a new one.
Who should be the next president after Obama?
Any one of the Baldwin Brothers — preferably Billy.
Times, Post, or Daily News?
Times. I love the “Arts” section.
Where do you go to be alone?
My office — it’s as big as my first apartment.
What makes someone a New Yorker?
Tenacity — someone who can pick themselves up, brush themselves off, and start all over again.
