My Curtis Sliwa Radio Gig

Curtis Sliwa, Founder, Guardian Angels

I’ve become a sort-of regular on Curtis Sliwa’s WABC Talk Radio show. Curtis’ producer Frank Morano found me in January after I wrote Is Porn Changing the Way We Kiss? and invited me on. I figured what the hell, and wound up having a blast.  Curtis Sliwa is hilarious. He is a man’s man through and through, so discussing relationships with him is always interesting.

You may recognize the name. Curtis Sliwa is famous for founding the Guardian Angels in NYC in the late 70s. Their mission was combating violence and crime in the city’s subways. I was living in Brooklyn a few years after that. I’d just finished business school, and was too broke to take cabs around. Mostly we walked or took the subway everywhere. Rush hour was always fine, but taking the subway late, or on a weekend anytime, could be a pretty scary experience. There were often gangs just cruising around, looking very menacing. At those moments, the sight of a couple of red berets boarding the train felt like winning the lottery. They weren’t armed, but they were very courageous, and their presence served as a huge deterrent to crime. Thirty years later, Curtis Sliwa is a prominent public figure with his own talk show. He is a true populist, an independent without a party affiliation. He’s got a huge personality, strong opinions, and a great sense of humor.

I’ve been trying to figure out for ages how to bring some of those interviews here for you to listen to, but as a card-carrying member of the TFWA (Technological Fuckwit Association), I’ve managed to complicate something most kindergarteners could probably do. It’s still not perfect, but here’s a link to a recent appearance, where I discussed 25 Totally Awesome Things I Love About Men.

And just because I can’t resist, here’s a photo of Curtis in the early days. Check out that bod!

Click here to listen:

6-08-09 Sliwa

Tell me what you think! And is it my imagination, but have I developed a New York accent? Aaarrrggghhh!

Related posts:

1. Come Chat With Me On the Radio

Tags: curtis sliwa, frank morano, guardian angels, living in brooklyn, New York City, populist, red berets, relationship expert, sense of humor, strong opinions, subways, talk radio show, violence and crime, wabc