21 questions

Jonelle Procope Drinks Champagne to Take the Edge Off

Name: Jonelle Procope
Age: Do I have to?
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Occupation: President and CEO of the Apollo Theater, which is currently celebrating its 75th-anniversary season, and which today commemorated the anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death with a plaque in its Walk of Fame, with a tribute concert to follow Tuesday, June 29.

Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Malcolm X. He was such a complex but inspirational figure.

What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
That’s a hard one. There are so many choices in this city, but I have to say a five-course meal at Per Se.

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
I fund-raise for the Apollo to raise money for the institution, including our artistic programming and our Education & Community program.

Would you live here on a $35,000 salary?
No way. This is a very expensive city to live in.

What’s the last thing you saw on Broadway?
Fences, starring Denzel Washington. It was phenomenal.

Do you give money to panhandlers?
Yes.

What’s your drink?
Champagne. It takes the edge off.

How often do you prepare your own meals?
Rarely. I don’t have time. By the time I get home, I’m too exhausted. I’m the restaurant industry’s best friend.

What’s your favorite medication?
Champagne. Did I say it takes the edge off?

What’s hanging above your sofa?
Nothing.

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
More than $250.

When’s bedtime?
When I’m sleepy.

Which do you prefer, the old Times Square or the new Times Square?
125th Street. No, really. I like the new Times Square. It’s very “bright lights, big city.”

What do you think of Donald Trump?
He’s a master of marketing and self-promotion.

What do you hate most about living in New York?
Freneticism.

Who is your mortal enemy?
No one.

When’s the last time you drove a car?
Last weekend.

How has the Wall Street crash affected you?
I’ve just had to tighten my belt.

Times , Post, or Daily News?
Times.

Where do you go to be alone?
Home.

What makes someone a New Yorker?
An Empire State of mind.

Jonelle Procope Drinks Champagne to Take the Edge Off