Steve Aoki Is Much Happier Now That He Quit World of WarcraftName: Steve Aoki.
Job: D.J., designer, Benihana heir, and celebrity friend. Aoki will be spinning this Saturday night at Room Service.
Age: 29.
Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional?
Malcolm X.
What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York?
Cabana.
In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job?
Run a record label, clothing line, and studio time when I’m in L.A.
cultural capital
Junior Vasquez Loves Cher, Will Pass on Cyndi Lauper
It’s New York’s 38th Gay Pride celebration this weekend, and even though the official dance is the one held on Pier 54 Sunday night, we thought we’d highlight a certain twelve-hour thump-a-thon occurring the night before. Why? Not only will it be one of the last big nights at that venerable gay mecca, the Roxy, before the structure is torn down next month, it’ll also be presided over by perhaps the biggest D.J. in Gotham history, Junior Vasquez, 57, who just happens to be a big old queen. Tim Murphy talked with Vasquez about the merits of Cher over Cyndi Lauper, today’s gay whippersnappers, and how you stay up all night when you’re no longer on crystal meth.
the morning line
Bloomberg Succeeds in Prying Guns From Warm, Live Hands
• Bloomberg’s novel anti-gun initiative — going after out-of-state dealers — is paying off. (It also shows an unusually, um, national-minded thinking from a city mayor). Six gun stores in outlying states have agreed to let court officials monitor their sales; twelve more are being sued into agreement. [NYT]
• The Daily News has a cover story that would drive O. Henry to suicide: A Staten Island woman gets the news of her fiancé’s death in Iraq, followed two hours later by a FedExed engagement ring from him. We don’t normally fall for the human-face-of-war stuff from our tabs, but Christ. [NYDN]
• D.J. Carl Blaze of Power 105.1 is in the hospital after getting shot “at least 13 times.” The details are murky, and the shooter took Blaze’s $20,000 gold chain, but the hail of bullets appears far too excessive for a robbery. [NYP]
• A Brooklyn rabbi was cuffed and jailed on child-molestation charges last night, after the lawsuit against him made the papers earlier in the week. The alleged victim is a 9-year-old who claims to have been abused for two years. Neighbors say the rabbi “doesn’t fit the criteria.” [WNBC]
• Demolition is set to begin in a couple of hours on the iconic, conical Revere Sugar Refinery in Red Hook. Thor Equities, which is also building on the Williamsburg-Greenpoint and Coney Island waterfronts, snatched up the factory in a less-publicized deal for $40 million. [amNY]