December 29, 2025 • 34 mins
Curtis continues as guest host for Mark Simone, turning his attention to Republican leadership in New York City. He argues that the current GOP leadership appears to be moving away from supporting a true two-party system, undermining efforts to make New York more politically competitive. The conversation shifts to Elon Musk’s recent comments on the city’s next mayor and his opinion on the new Fire Commissioner pick, adding another layer to the ongoing debate about New York’s political future. Curtis takes your calls, inviting opinions on the direction of NYC’s Republican leadership, Musk’s remarks, and other pressing local issues.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now the Red Beret has returned to radio. Curtis Leewall
guest host The Mark Simone Show on sevent tenor.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I had my Christmas present last week substuoting for Mark Simon.
He's the best in the business. And then I get
my pre birthday gift substuting for Mark this week up
until the second and that birthday March twenty six. I'll
be seventy two, and I know more about New York
(00:38):
City and politics and anybody alive. There's no doubt about it.
I challenge anybody because I know where all the bones
are buried in who buried them, And I don't mince
my language. We are going to get into subject matter
that is of incredible importance to all of you if
you happen to live within New York State, and the
(01:00):
same philosophy could be coming to a state where you
live or near you. Because I've spent incredible amount of
time since losing the election to Zoran Mondomi, and yes
he is the mayor. He won fair and square. He
is gonna have his celebration after he has sworn in
(01:22):
by Bernie the Out the Coca Sanders, originally from Brooklyn
who went to Madison High School, which is also where
Chuck Schumer went. By the way, update on Chuck Schumer.
Oh yeah, a lot of you are not gonna like it.
But the masters of the universe, the billionaires, they just
(01:45):
can't stop themselves from getting involved in things they know
absolutely nothing about. Big story, we're gonna get into it
in this hour. It's how Elon Musk decides to weigh
in on the new fire commissioner, who he claims, as
a result of zarhon Mondami's appointment, that people will die
(02:10):
as a result. Now he knows nothing at all about
New York City. He happens to see somebody else who
posted this, who themselves know nothing at all about the
history of the fire department and fire commissioners in New
York City, and he reposted and obviously he's in charge
of X and he's getting millions of hits like he
somehow knows all about this about the only thing he
(02:32):
doesn't know is how to put out those fires from
his Tesla batteries in his electric cars, because when they
go on fire, Oh, it takes hours to put him out.
He hasn't even yet figured that out. But we'll talk
about that momentarily. Because he couldn't be more hopelessly wrong.
(02:54):
And once again, I'll explain it from a historical performance.
Most of the fire car missioners of late most I'm
not just talking about those appointed by Eric Adams Swaggerman
with no plan.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I can't wait for him to get get out of here,
get out of our lives.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
But prior yeah, let's see Bloombert Giuliani think it's nobody's
even mentioning all the fire commissioners who served for those
mayors who had never put out a waste paper basket fire.
But do you think that a guy like Elon Musk,
(03:33):
who is omnipotent, thinks he knows everything, like all those
billionaires and millionaires because they succeeded in business, they're very wealthy.
You think he'll apologize.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Of course not. They never do.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Like Trump yesterday, I had to turn it off in
the wee hours of the morning. He's he's standing there
with Zelenski and he's saying, yeah, Russia really wants to
see the Ukraine succeed. Man, they's no way. Yeah, if
Russia takes over the Ukraine again. By the way, the
Ukraine gave up it's nuclear arsenal. They had more nuclear
(04:09):
weapons than anyone else other than the United States, and
the old Soviet Union isn't. Back in nineteen ninety one,
Bill Clinton west president, and he convinced him give up
your nuclear payload. Yeah, how did that work out? But
when all of a sudden Trump is saying, oh, yeah, Russia.
I just spoke to Putin earlier today on the phone, Yeah,
(04:30):
Russia really wants to see the Ukraine succeed. And I'm like,
Zelenski say something. Of course he' isn't gonna say anything,
because nobody can ever challenge Donald Trump.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I believe you.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Challenge authority no matter who's in charge, and when somebody
makes absolutely ridiculous comments, you must challenge it, like when
Trump said that it was the Ukraine that started the war.
How many Republicans challengship We're getting into Republican leadership, and
(05:04):
how so many Republicans are just afraid to challenge authority
at any level, local, regional, state, national, it's not you
know it, don't make a big deal about it. I
always make big deals about it because I believe you
have to question authority, especially when it doesn't make sense,
(05:24):
like that ridiculous statement yesterday of mar A Lago where
the President says, yeah, Zonski, Russia really wants you to
be successful in the Ukraine, and Zilenski, you bite your tongue,
don't say anything, or Trump and the administration will go
on a rampage against you. All right, put that aside,
(05:46):
as you know, I've spent a lot of time bisecting
and dissecting the fact that Republican leadership here in the
state of New York has decided they want a Uni party,
they don't want a two party system. They have cans themselves,
and they have convinced a lot of the Republican registered
voters that Republicans cannot win a city wide election or
(06:07):
a state wide election. Now, for some of you, you
may say, well that that sounds pretty personal.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
It is because I went through that.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
From the highest levels of the White House to Elon
Musk himself soon to be a trillionaire, the world's richest guy,
to a guy named Akman.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Who the hell is this guy? Acman?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Every day he was tweeting Curtis, you can't win, drop out,
drop out, drop out travel and you know how that went.
And then in the waning days of the campaign, the
Republican leaders Republicans decided a vote for sle is a
vote for Mondami Voa Cuomo, U Discratsiata in every which way.
(06:49):
I mean, we could spend the rest of this program
just talking about what a disgrace that guy was, because
in their minds, there are two parties in New York State.
Now there are moderate Democrats and there are socialist Democrats,
and Republicans don't have a chance to beat them citywide
or in statewide elections. Now put my election aside. Still
(07:14):
with atleast the Phonic we talked about her last week.
Suddenly she drops out and says, not only is she
dropping out of a Republican primary against Bruce Blakeman, but
she's not going to run for reelection in the House.
We lose a superstar because Republican leadership was working behind
the scenes.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
To throw her under the bus.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
You see, as much as Donald Trump, the President, threw
her under the bus. The worst part was is that
Alista Phonic had put together a campaign team mostly from
upstate New York, people that she knew, people that she trusted,
and the Park Avenue crowd down here, most of whom
(07:59):
are not Republicans, but they act like they can tell
Republicans what to do. And it's not Park Avenue in
Brooklyn and Park Avenue in the Bronx, which they've never
traveled to. It's Park Avenue in Manhattan. Decided there's nobody
from downstate involved in the least the Phonics campaign. We're
gonna go all on board with Bruce Blakeman because Bruce
(08:21):
Blakeman is a winner. This is what they said. And
he won very convincingly the Nassau County executive position re
election against his Democratic opponent. And then I hear them
tell the yeah, and he's a winner. He's a winner.
If you've been around long enough in politics, you've probably
lost more than you won. Remember, Donald Trump was an
(08:43):
exception to the rule of twenty sixteen. He's on the
stage the announcements, the president. He shocked Hillary Rodham. Clinton
was in a fetal position at the Jacob Chavits Convention Center,
spent maybe a month in a fetal position. I couldn't
accept the fact that she had lost. Very unusual. So
I'm saying, look, I know, Bruce Blakeman, I like the guide,
(09:08):
but let's face it, who would you want to be
running against Kathy Hockel. I mean I remember Bruce Blakeman.
He ran for state Controller as a Republican ninety eight
against Carl mc coole loss. He ran for the Nassau
County Legislature ninety nine loss, ran for the US Senate
special election twenty ten, remember when Hillary decided she would
(09:28):
become Secretary of State and he lost the primary to
Joe dio Guardi. And in twenty fourteen he ran for
the House and lost to Kathleen Rice. So that doesn't
disqualify him because you know, people say, well, well you
got all no, no, no no. If you can run,
he should run. But why did all of a sudden
(09:51):
you notice people of great influence surround Kathy Hockel and
we're meeting with her, and they have come to the conclusion.
And I know because people have shared the conversations with
me that rather than put all of their fiscal resource
(10:11):
and support behind Bruce Blakeuin, that they're actually gonna work
for Kathy Hulkl to get re elected because she'll keep
Zoraan Mandami and the Democratic Socialist in check.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Right, But they figure they'll have more control with her
because they don't think a Republican can win. This is
coming off the mayoral election, and by the way, President
Donald Trump did at last Stefaniki disservice, throwing her under
the bus on a number of occasions that led to
her unexpected dropping out. Although I kind of felt it,
(10:42):
I kind of felt it was coming. And now we
have what you're really not going to like, and that's
why we got to stop this. I was at a
major gathering of Republicans yesterday.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
In Midtown.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And I broke the news to all of them who
had gathered for their holiday party, is that there are
Republican leaders now, and there are Republican business people Park
Avenue people who are meeting with Chuck Schumer Despise loath
right the lowest of ratings of any major political figure
(11:18):
in the country. It's down to about twenty eight percent.
And they have come to the conclusion that if he
decides to run for reelection, and let's face it, all
these guys and gals, that's why you need term limits.
It's until death do they part. They'll run forever. Get
the defibriator next to them. They could be in the ICU.
They want to run. But if Chuck Schumer decides to run,
(11:44):
already Republican leaders and people, you know, the Acmans of
the world, who know nothing about politics. You know, they
know a lot about Wall Street, a lot about hedge funds.
They've done very well in business, but they know nothing
about nothing when it comes to politics because they made
all the wrong choices. Are now meeting privately with Chuck
(12:05):
Schumer and saying, you know, you probably can't win a
Democratic primary if you run like Cuomo. But they'll probably
either be AOC running against you in a Democratic primary,
or if she decides to run for the presidency the
Democratic primary, there'll be somebody else from the socialist wing
of the Democratic Party and you'll lose. But then in
(12:27):
the general election, we'll do like we did for CuMo.
We'll get Republicans to support you, independence Conservatives, and moderate
Democrats to stop a socialist from becoming a US Senate.
He's entertaining that why would they be doing that, because
they have already cast their lot into a UNI party.
(12:50):
They don't think that Republicans can win in statewide elections
or citywide elections. So they are the masters of the universe.
They think they know everything, and they know nothing about nothing,
as you will learn when we discuss the how can
we be kind to him, the very eccentric Elon Musk,
(13:13):
who decided to tweet his way into New York politics
a second time, because remember he had tweeted to his
massive following on x a vo for Slei is Avomandami
Voa Cuomo. Why wouldn't he He got a billion dollars
from the Buffalo billion and did nothing up there, a
billion dollars to do nothing, and seven Cuomo cronies went
(13:34):
to jail for that cause he likes Cuomo. But now
he's tweeted into something that he knows nothing about the
fire department in New York City. And you will not
have heard this analogy from anybody. That's why I know
where all the bones are buried and who buried them
(13:55):
right now on my station, at the station that I
listened to along with Nancy ten wor and it should
be yours too. Our numbers one eight hundred three two
one zero seven ten one eight hundred three two one
zero seven ten.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Curtis leewa guest host for Mark Simone on sevent ten.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Woo. Well, well, Elon Musk, I'll be kind to him.
He's eccentric, done very well in his businesses. No doubt,
but I predict since our teen today has been Hollywood
(14:36):
because of the story in the Hollywood Reporter about me today.
Curtis Leewa just wants to know where you're from. But
we know where Elon Musk is from.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
He's from South Africa.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
He convinced that the president of the United States we
was friends with and he was no longer friends with,
and he was friends with, the Afrikaaners are under siege
in South Africa, and that they should be the only
people able to come into the United States. Well, number one,
that's wrong. I've had Guardian angels in Cape Town. There's
(15:10):
crime everywhere, and the people who are the victims of
the crime of most are Black Africans in South Africa.
Will save that for a different thing. But remember it's
a year since Doze. Remember he took out that chainsaw.
He was going to cut all the waste.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Well what waste? He did nothing.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
We're spending more money than ever before, thirty eight trillion
dollar debt and it's growing. Both parties responsible.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
But let's talk about what he decided to do.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yesterday, somebody had tweeted out there that with zarn Mondami's
appointment of Lilian Moon signor as a brand new fire
commissioner that people will die. So he knows nothing about this,
but he decides, Hey, I'm going to pimp that ride,
(15:58):
and actually millions ended up up looking at it on acient.
I'm saying to myself, Hell, I'm Muskie. You don't know
anything about the fire department. You have these electric batteries
of you as Tesla batteries. When they go on fire,
it takes hours to put them out. Very difficult, I.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Might add, But let's deal with the substance of what he.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Said, and everybody immediately well, you know, Eric Adams, he
had two fire commissioners, Laura Kavanaugh and Tucker, who were
not firefighters.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
That is true.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
I didn't really like either. But you know, the fire
department is a department that can run on its own.
They don't need a fire commissioner. You know everything there
civil service, You work your way up. It's not as
political as the police department and other agencies. But let
me give you an idea of all the people. Maybe
if somebody can alert Elon Musk all the people who
(16:52):
have served as fire commissioner in New York City under
different mayors, can we go back to David Dinkins. That
wasn't that Eric Adams favorite mayor?
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Not Rudy right? David?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Okay, Charlie Hines was the fire commissioner, Charlie Hines. I
never knew Charlie Hines would be a firefighter. He ended
up becoming the King's County DA. Remember he was a
special prosecutor assigned by Mario Cuomo to deal with the
Howard Beach situation.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
That was a volatile, racially charged situation. Love that that
was Charlie Hines. Was he a firefighter?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
No?
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Then in the aftermath of nine to eleven, Michael Bloomberg
was elected because we said we needed a businessman. Who
did he appoint to be the fire commissioner? Nicholas Scipetta.
Now I had had conversations with Nicholas Scapetta down in
Metro Tech. I would run a stickball contest every year
between the firefighters and the NYPD.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Boy, this guy was quite a stickball player. He had
gone to Seward Park High School. Told me he had
lived in an orphanage for a while.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
His mother had been put into jail for stealing welfare
checks for a while. Speaking about Somalia and Minnesota, and
then when she was released, the family was brought back together.
I think a great guy. He had served under four
different mayors, Department of Investigation, Deputy mayor. He served under
Rudy Giuliani and put the child welfare agency back together
(18:27):
again and was having problems, and then Bloomberg made him
the fire commissioner.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
He had never put out a fire before.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You know what, Because the guy who had served before him,
Tommy Van Essen, was the ultimate firefighter a he was
the president of the Firefighters Union, Rudy decided to make
him his fire department commissioner. He was the whirling Dutchman again,
very good stickball player. I saw him play from Ozone Park.
(18:59):
But the men and the women hated.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Him because they said he was responsible for the faulty
new digital radios, the broken repeater systems, the crowded channel congestion,
the plague firefighting during the attack of nine to eleven,
and that many of the firefighters who were up in
Towers one in towers two had no radio communication at
(19:23):
all with their colleagues and more importantly, any of the
Office of the Emergency Management personnel.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Or the cops. So they hate Tommy van Essen. Now
could you get any more of a firefighter than Tommy
van Essen actually fought fires, was the head of the union,
the UFA, and went on to become the fire commissioner.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Wait, doesn't stop there.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Who also became fire commissioner under Rudy Howard's safer. That's
one tough jew from the Bronx. He joined the DEA.
He was busting drug dealers. You know, we're talking now
all of a sudd and Trump wants to go after
the president of Columbia. He's a drug dealer. But he
freed the former president of Honduras who he had in
(20:09):
jail for being a drug dealer. All right, well, we'll
talk about that maybe tomorrow. How it's safe for one
tough juke. Went on to become the police commissioner after
Bill Bratton, but was first the commissioner of the fire
Department in New York never put out a fire. So
do you think Elon Musk, facing all of this ack
(20:32):
act going back at him blowback, would pull that tweet
and say, hey, I made a mistake. I should never
have waded into that conversation about who should be the
fire commissioner. By the way, Lillian Bunsenira thirty one years
with the EMS. They're like ad seventy percent of the
(20:53):
responses to fire calls at EMS Man, they got one
of the toughest jobs in the city, along with correction officers.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
It's like a perpetual nine to one one call. It
can't even.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Stop to get a cup of coffee. They're racing from
one call to another, many of them emotionally disturbed persons.
Elon Musk, stay in your lane. Another example from Ackman
to Elon Musk, where billionaires the masters of the universe
talk about things as if there are authorities and they
know nothing about nothing.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
But do you think Elon Musk will apologize? Of course
you won't.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Our numbers one eight hundred three two one zero seven
ten because they all think they're omnipotent, all knowing one
eight hundred three two one zero seven ten. On this
it should be your place to be from now on,
as it is for me and Nancy sevent ten war
The Voice of New York.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Curtis Slayway joined sevent ten WR to guess os from
Mark Simon.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Well, well, I got some snail mail here. It's good
to see, and right away I went to is He
was a little Dizzy, our board operator also escape eat
from WABC, not his place to be. And I say,
is he we're friends right from our WABC days. Once
you open it up, who knows?
Speaker 3 (22:18):
You know?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I got many many enemies out there, as many of
the listeners know. Could take me back to like remember
two thousand and one, supposedly some guy in Trenton was
sending out mail that had cipro in it, or possibly
sipro not zipro. Excuse me antracks the antrax sports. Remember
(22:40):
you Inhale those that's it, You're dead on arrival. I
remember at the time the Patacki administration decided for he
and his staff to be on the safe side because
they were getting nefarious mail, along with people over at
the Fox News Channel and some other places. Take cipro
(23:01):
as a prophylactic, you know, to prevent it. God forbid
they did Inhale any of those anthrax spores. I said,
is he you know, just you know for old time shake. Noah,
it's quite all right, quite a right, Curtis. Friendship only
goes so far, is he? You weren't gonna touch that,
(23:23):
were you? But it does remind me about George Matacki.
The greatest governent we've had in our lifetime, without a doubt,
three terms, no corruption, no chaos. Beat Mario Cuomo, who
thought he was on his way possibly to becoming the
first Italian American president of the United States. And nobody
(23:45):
knew who George VATTACKI was. Nobody knew there were six
Republicans vying to run against Mario Cuomo at that time,
seeking a fourth term, and he superseded them. He had
been the mayor of p Skills Sentiments Senator. I remember
giving a speech for him at the Yale Club on
the day that I got fired in the morning Angels
(24:08):
in the morning with my wife Lisa at the time,
but he had committed to his campaign manager. I would
go to the Yale Club speak on his behalf. There
were eight people there, four family members and four of
his Yale graduate friends. That was it, and he beat
Mary o'como and turned out to be our greatest mayor.
He tells a great story. The chauffeur knows everything I know.
(24:32):
There's a phone calls of blazing. I'll get to them momentarily.
The chauffeur knows everything you know. Who was the chauffeur
for Nelson Rockefeller for a while the world's richest man,
former governor Judge Battacki, and his job. When Nelson Rockefeller
was traveling the state and spending time at a five
star hotel, you know, meeting up with his many gumatas,
(24:56):
Judge Battacki had to bring him a bottle of Dubena
and Oreo cookies. The world's richest man at that time
was drinking dubenat. It tells you all you need to know.
The chauffeurs know everything. Let's get to the phones. I
don't want to delay any longer. It's Norman who's calling
(25:18):
from Long Island. Your turn to be heard at seven
to ten wo.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
R Hi Curtis. I'm also Canarsie boy. I grew up
in Bayview and I had some famous people in my class,
like Jim McMillan, the basketball player Don Brockington who played
for the Packers. But I have two questions for you.
One question, do you think we can somehow where the
(25:43):
Republicans can get behind Alice the Pronic to run for
Senate against Schuma?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (25:50):
First off, you would think so. Now you had mentioned
McMillan who went to Columbia, but he went to Jefferson
first right on Pennsylvania Avenue along with Right.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
I had him in my class in Jefferson, my chemistry class.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Right. And then then you mentioned the great running back
John Brockington, Well, I think went on to uh N
Right went to Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, and you failed.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
To mention they're great. Coach Moe Finkelstein, Oh.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Yeah, Mo, I had Bo. He's my health teacher. He
used to walk around. You had to buy tickets for
the football game every week. I mean we didn't learn
any health there. We used to watch the films from
the games.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
What they used to have was the game of the
week would be on Channel eleven high school, whether it
was PSA, L or CHSL and Jefferson was a powerhouse then, so.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
They'd be on a lot.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
You know who the broadcaster was, Marty Klickman, who was
broadcasting New York Giant football games, Marty Klickman.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
And do you know who was on the sidelines?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Who was the reporter on the sidelines, Not the way
they do it now, some drop dead gorgeous woman that
they go to, you know during the breaks. Elston Howard,
who had been the catcher MVP for the New York Yankees.
This is what you used to get high school football
broadcasts on Channel eleven Saturday mornings, and you'd always see
(27:17):
Mo Finkelstein. You'd see all of a Sudd, Marty Glickman,
Mo tell us, how did you beat boys and girls
high this week?
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Tell us?
Speaker 2 (27:26):
And Mo would go on and on and on. Boy,
those are great memories, but I know that's not why
you were.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
Called football Court was king with Mo.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
That's for sure. All the memories.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
By the way, who was the other famous alumni of
the Bayview Projects? So with two others one and went
on not to own but to run Starbucks three times
three times? And I have no love for this guy.
I'll share that with you momentarily. And I know the
(28:03):
great NBA ball player went to Canarcie High School, went
on to success with the Detroit Pistons and the LA Lakers,
and became quite a broadcaster and handle the sports talk show.
A little bit of trivia here one eight hundred and
three two one zero seven ten, let's go if we
(28:25):
can to Mike, who I believe is calling from Long Island.
Your turn to be heard here at seven ten wor Mikey.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Hike Curtis. I'm glad to hear you back on the radio.
I want to weigh in on the new fire commissioner.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Oh could you speak up a bit, Mikey, speak up
a bit.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, Kavanaugh on the Adams was
the first DEI commissioner. She couldn't handle the job, so
they had that retired chief. I shall come back to
run things now. I know the same thing is going
to happen with this thing that he he's gonna I mean, listen,
I don't know. Hopefully she'll be good, but if not,
I hope defied. It's active and retired elicited to me,
(29:09):
do not step up to run the department for this guy,
mean Danny, if he wants this to be the commissioner,
let him do it. Now, let her run it well
what it is. But you named those other commissioners, but
they had they were credible administrators, who hold.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
On incredible administrators.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
But again, what did Ellen Musk tweet out as a
result of Lillian bon Signori being assigned fire commissioner by
Jorhanmandami thirty one years ems? People will die yet, I
just went to a litany of former fire commissioners who
served under Dinkins, Giuliani, Bloomberg, and none of them had
(29:56):
ever even put out a waste paper bag. But they
were good administrators. Well is that what may say? Fire commissioner.
And by the way, the fire department can run on itself. Again,
it's civil service to the highest level. The political appointment
is the fire commissioner. But I will tell you this,
(30:20):
she deserves an opportunity. And again I speak on behalf
of EMS workers that I know work real hard constant calls.
They don't have enough personnel. They only make about thirty
five thousand to start. They don't have pay parody with
the other uniform services who started at about fifty two thousand.
(30:40):
They have to deal with everybody that nobody else wants
to deal with to take to the hospital. Many of
them don't want to go to the hospital, and they
fight them in the back of the wagon.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
How do I know, Iron Guardian.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Angels have had to go in there and help the
EMS people who immediately have to fight with somebody. They
just put an IV into their arm and as soon
as they drop that patient off, they're running to another
nine to one. But oh no, Ellen Musk, he's an expert, right,
He's gonna turn out to be the Howard Hughes of
(31:13):
our generation. Watch very successful in business, but very eccentric.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Two Do Beat is back.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Curtis leewa guest host The Mark Simone Show on seven
to TENOO.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
And as we approach the starting the new year, the
dropping of the ball in Times Square, I've met many
people from Mexico City to Montreal to uh.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Lagos, Nigeria who were here to watch that.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
If you are from New York, you're really gonna be
down there in the manners, of course not. We'll talk
about that as we get closer to the end of
the week.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
But I want to.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Give a shout out because so often we in talk
radio are negative about political figures and what they promised
to do and don't do. I gotta give a shout
out to Vinnie Ignizio. Now some of you might know
him in Staten Island. He was the assemblyman, he was
city council member, and in the election at twenty twenty one,
(32:15):
I remember when I was going to vote. Remember I
had that little kitten in my hand, Gizmo, who Nancy
had rescued from the shelter, like she's rescued dozens of
others who would have been euthanized, and Gizmo became the
most famous cat in the world. It was featured on
Stephen Colbert went viral. They made fun of me, but
Gizmo became a star. Remember they wouldn't let me take
(32:39):
Gizmo in to vote. But when I did go in
to vote in Nancy, right near Brandt's High School on
the Upper West Side, the machine was not working, the
scanning machine, so they had to call with the call
a engineer on call. The engineer showed up like a
half hour later, and instead of adjusting things so that
(33:01):
it could accept my ballot. Remember the ballot had to
be filled out on both sides. Uh. The engineer, in
front of all the TV cameras that were there to
record my vote, karate chopped the machine. The director of
the Board of Elections said, man, you can't do that.
And that's when Vinnie Ignizio was hired as the deputy
(33:24):
executive director of the Board of Elections and said to me, oh,
we're going to reform things from these missteps, and he
delivered on that promise. Do you realize we just went
to an election cycle where there were two million, one
hundred thousand votes casts. There haven't been that many votes
casts since nineteen sixty five, the election of John Lindsay
(33:45):
and no problems. And I haven't heard anybody out there,
not in the media or anyone else praise those people
I've been at odds with it before, who did an
absolutely outstanding job to process that vote. So my berets
off to Vinnie Ignissio and everyone who was involved in
that long election process to determine who the next mayor
(34:08):
of the City of New York was. An the other
down ballot votes that you made
Now the Red Beret has returned to radio. Curtis Leewall
guest host The Mark Simone Show on sevent tenor.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I had my Christmas present last week substuoting for Mark Simon.
He's the best in the business. And then I get
my pre birthday gift substuting for Mark this week up
until the second and that birthday March twenty six. I'll
be seventy two, and I know more about New York
(00:38):
City and politics and anybody alive. There's no doubt about it.
I challenge anybody because I know where all the bones
are buried in who buried them, And I don't mince
my language. We are going to get into subject matter
that is of incredible importance to all of you if
you happen to live within New York State, and the
(01:00):
same philosophy could be coming to a state where you
live or near you. Because I've spent incredible amount of
time since losing the election to Zoran Mondomi, and yes
he is the mayor. He won fair and square. He
is gonna have his celebration after he has sworn in
(01:22):
by Bernie the Out the Coca Sanders, originally from Brooklyn
who went to Madison High School, which is also where
Chuck Schumer went. By the way, update on Chuck Schumer.
Oh yeah, a lot of you are not gonna like it.
But the masters of the universe, the billionaires, they just
(01:45):
can't stop themselves from getting involved in things they know
absolutely nothing about. Big story, we're gonna get into it
in this hour. It's how Elon Musk decides to weigh
in on the new fire commissioner, who he claims, as
a result of zarhon Mondami's appointment, that people will die
(02:10):
as a result. Now he knows nothing at all about
New York City. He happens to see somebody else who
posted this, who themselves know nothing at all about the
history of the fire department and fire commissioners in New
York City, and he reposted and obviously he's in charge
of X and he's getting millions of hits like he
somehow knows all about this about the only thing he
(02:32):
doesn't know is how to put out those fires from
his Tesla batteries in his electric cars, because when they
go on fire, Oh, it takes hours to put him out.
He hasn't even yet figured that out. But we'll talk
about that momentarily. Because he couldn't be more hopelessly wrong.
(02:54):
And once again, I'll explain it from a historical performance.
Most of the fire car missioners of late most I'm
not just talking about those appointed by Eric Adams Swaggerman
with no plan.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I can't wait for him to get get out of here,
get out of our lives.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
But prior yeah, let's see Bloombert Giuliani think it's nobody's
even mentioning all the fire commissioners who served for those
mayors who had never put out a waste paper basket fire.
But do you think that a guy like Elon Musk,
(03:33):
who is omnipotent, thinks he knows everything, like all those
billionaires and millionaires because they succeeded in business, they're very wealthy.
You think he'll apologize.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Of course not. They never do.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Like Trump yesterday, I had to turn it off in
the wee hours of the morning. He's he's standing there
with Zelenski and he's saying, yeah, Russia really wants to
see the Ukraine succeed. Man, they's no way. Yeah, if
Russia takes over the Ukraine again. By the way, the
Ukraine gave up it's nuclear arsenal. They had more nuclear
(04:09):
weapons than anyone else other than the United States, and
the old Soviet Union isn't. Back in nineteen ninety one,
Bill Clinton west president, and he convinced him give up
your nuclear payload. Yeah, how did that work out? But
when all of a sudden Trump is saying, oh, yeah, Russia.
I just spoke to Putin earlier today on the phone, Yeah,
(04:30):
Russia really wants to see the Ukraine succeed. And I'm like,
Zelenski say something. Of course he' isn't gonna say anything,
because nobody can ever challenge Donald Trump.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I believe you.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Challenge authority no matter who's in charge, and when somebody
makes absolutely ridiculous comments, you must challenge it, like when
Trump said that it was the Ukraine that started the war.
How many Republicans challengship We're getting into Republican leadership, and
(05:04):
how so many Republicans are just afraid to challenge authority
at any level, local, regional, state, national, it's not you
know it, don't make a big deal about it. I
always make big deals about it because I believe you
have to question authority, especially when it doesn't make sense,
(05:24):
like that ridiculous statement yesterday of mar A Lago where
the President says, yeah, Zonski, Russia really wants you to
be successful in the Ukraine, and Zilenski, you bite your tongue,
don't say anything, or Trump and the administration will go
on a rampage against you. All right, put that aside,
(05:46):
as you know, I've spent a lot of time bisecting
and dissecting the fact that Republican leadership here in the
state of New York has decided they want a Uni party,
they don't want a two party system. They have cans themselves,
and they have convinced a lot of the Republican registered
voters that Republicans cannot win a city wide election or
(06:07):
a state wide election. Now, for some of you, you
may say, well that that sounds pretty personal.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
It is because I went through that.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
From the highest levels of the White House to Elon
Musk himself soon to be a trillionaire, the world's richest guy,
to a guy named Akman.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Who the hell is this guy? Acman?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Every day he was tweeting Curtis, you can't win, drop out,
drop out, drop out travel and you know how that went.
And then in the waning days of the campaign, the
Republican leaders Republicans decided a vote for sle is a
vote for Mondami Voa Cuomo, U Discratsiata in every which way.
(06:49):
I mean, we could spend the rest of this program
just talking about what a disgrace that guy was, because
in their minds, there are two parties in New York State.
Now there are moderate Democrats and there are socialist Democrats,
and Republicans don't have a chance to beat them citywide
or in statewide elections. Now put my election aside. Still
(07:14):
with atleast the Phonic we talked about her last week.
Suddenly she drops out and says, not only is she
dropping out of a Republican primary against Bruce Blakeman, but
she's not going to run for reelection in the House.
We lose a superstar because Republican leadership was working behind
the scenes.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
To throw her under the bus.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
You see, as much as Donald Trump, the President, threw
her under the bus. The worst part was is that
Alista Phonic had put together a campaign team mostly from
upstate New York, people that she knew, people that she trusted,
and the Park Avenue crowd down here, most of whom
(07:59):
are not Republicans, but they act like they can tell
Republicans what to do. And it's not Park Avenue in
Brooklyn and Park Avenue in the Bronx, which they've never
traveled to. It's Park Avenue in Manhattan. Decided there's nobody
from downstate involved in the least the Phonics campaign. We're
gonna go all on board with Bruce Blakeman because Bruce
(08:21):
Blakeman is a winner. This is what they said. And
he won very convincingly the Nassau County executive position re
election against his Democratic opponent. And then I hear them
tell the yeah, and he's a winner. He's a winner.
If you've been around long enough in politics, you've probably
lost more than you won. Remember, Donald Trump was an
(08:43):
exception to the rule of twenty sixteen. He's on the
stage the announcements, the president. He shocked Hillary Rodham. Clinton
was in a fetal position at the Jacob Chavits Convention Center,
spent maybe a month in a fetal position. I couldn't
accept the fact that she had lost. Very unusual. So
I'm saying, look, I know, Bruce Blakeman, I like the guide,
(09:08):
but let's face it, who would you want to be
running against Kathy Hockel. I mean I remember Bruce Blakeman.
He ran for state Controller as a Republican ninety eight
against Carl mc coole loss. He ran for the Nassau
County Legislature ninety nine loss, ran for the US Senate
special election twenty ten, remember when Hillary decided she would
(09:28):
become Secretary of State and he lost the primary to
Joe dio Guardi. And in twenty fourteen he ran for
the House and lost to Kathleen Rice. So that doesn't
disqualify him because you know, people say, well, well you
got all no, no, no no. If you can run,
he should run. But why did all of a sudden
(09:51):
you notice people of great influence surround Kathy Hockel and
we're meeting with her, and they have come to the conclusion.
And I know because people have shared the conversations with
me that rather than put all of their fiscal resource
(10:11):
and support behind Bruce Blakeuin, that they're actually gonna work
for Kathy Hulkl to get re elected because she'll keep
Zoraan Mandami and the Democratic Socialist in check.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Right, But they figure they'll have more control with her
because they don't think a Republican can win. This is
coming off the mayoral election, and by the way, President
Donald Trump did at last Stefaniki disservice, throwing her under
the bus on a number of occasions that led to
her unexpected dropping out. Although I kind of felt it,
(10:42):
I kind of felt it was coming. And now we
have what you're really not going to like, and that's
why we got to stop this. I was at a
major gathering of Republicans yesterday.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
In Midtown.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And I broke the news to all of them who
had gathered for their holiday party, is that there are
Republican leaders now, and there are Republican business people Park
Avenue people who are meeting with Chuck Schumer Despise loath
right the lowest of ratings of any major political figure
(11:18):
in the country. It's down to about twenty eight percent.
And they have come to the conclusion that if he
decides to run for reelection, and let's face it, all
these guys and gals, that's why you need term limits.
It's until death do they part. They'll run forever. Get
the defibriator next to them. They could be in the ICU.
They want to run. But if Chuck Schumer decides to run,
(11:44):
already Republican leaders and people, you know, the Acmans of
the world, who know nothing about politics. You know, they
know a lot about Wall Street, a lot about hedge funds.
They've done very well in business, but they know nothing
about nothing when it comes to politics because they made
all the wrong choices. Are now meeting privately with Chuck
(12:05):
Schumer and saying, you know, you probably can't win a
Democratic primary if you run like Cuomo. But they'll probably
either be AOC running against you in a Democratic primary,
or if she decides to run for the presidency the
Democratic primary, there'll be somebody else from the socialist wing
of the Democratic Party and you'll lose. But then in
(12:27):
the general election, we'll do like we did for CuMo.
We'll get Republicans to support you, independence Conservatives, and moderate
Democrats to stop a socialist from becoming a US Senate.
He's entertaining that why would they be doing that, because
they have already cast their lot into a UNI party.
(12:50):
They don't think that Republicans can win in statewide elections
or citywide elections. So they are the masters of the universe.
They think they know everything, and they know nothing about nothing,
as you will learn when we discuss the how can
we be kind to him, the very eccentric Elon Musk,
(13:13):
who decided to tweet his way into New York politics
a second time, because remember he had tweeted to his
massive following on x a vo for Slei is Avomandami
Voa Cuomo. Why wouldn't he He got a billion dollars
from the Buffalo billion and did nothing up there, a
billion dollars to do nothing, and seven Cuomo cronies went
(13:34):
to jail for that cause he likes Cuomo. But now
he's tweeted into something that he knows nothing about the
fire department in New York City. And you will not
have heard this analogy from anybody. That's why I know
where all the bones are buried and who buried them
(13:55):
right now on my station, at the station that I
listened to along with Nancy ten wor and it should
be yours too. Our numbers one eight hundred three two
one zero seven ten one eight hundred three two one
zero seven ten.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Curtis leewa guest host for Mark Simone on sevent ten.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Woo. Well, well, Elon Musk, I'll be kind to him.
He's eccentric, done very well in his businesses. No doubt,
but I predict since our teen today has been Hollywood
(14:36):
because of the story in the Hollywood Reporter about me today.
Curtis Leewa just wants to know where you're from. But
we know where Elon Musk is from.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
He's from South Africa.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
He convinced that the president of the United States we
was friends with and he was no longer friends with,
and he was friends with, the Afrikaaners are under siege
in South Africa, and that they should be the only
people able to come into the United States. Well, number one,
that's wrong. I've had Guardian angels in Cape Town. There's
(15:10):
crime everywhere, and the people who are the victims of
the crime of most are Black Africans in South Africa.
Will save that for a different thing. But remember it's
a year since Doze. Remember he took out that chainsaw.
He was going to cut all the waste.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Well what waste? He did nothing.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
We're spending more money than ever before, thirty eight trillion
dollar debt and it's growing. Both parties responsible.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
But let's talk about what he decided to do.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Yesterday, somebody had tweeted out there that with zarn Mondami's
appointment of Lilian Moon signor as a brand new fire
commissioner that people will die. So he knows nothing about this,
but he decides, Hey, I'm going to pimp that ride,
(15:58):
and actually millions ended up up looking at it on acient.
I'm saying to myself, Hell, I'm Muskie. You don't know
anything about the fire department. You have these electric batteries
of you as Tesla batteries. When they go on fire,
it takes hours to put them out. Very difficult, I.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Might add, But let's deal with the substance of what he.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Said, and everybody immediately well, you know, Eric Adams, he
had two fire commissioners, Laura Kavanaugh and Tucker, who were
not firefighters.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
That is true.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
I didn't really like either. But you know, the fire
department is a department that can run on its own.
They don't need a fire commissioner. You know everything there
civil service, You work your way up. It's not as
political as the police department and other agencies. But let
me give you an idea of all the people. Maybe
if somebody can alert Elon Musk all the people who
(16:52):
have served as fire commissioner in New York City under
different mayors, can we go back to David Dinkins. That
wasn't that Eric Adams favorite mayor?
Speaker 3 (17:04):
Not Rudy right? David?
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Okay, Charlie Hines was the fire commissioner, Charlie Hines. I
never knew Charlie Hines would be a firefighter. He ended
up becoming the King's County DA. Remember he was a
special prosecutor assigned by Mario Cuomo to deal with the
Howard Beach situation.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
That was a volatile, racially charged situation. Love that that
was Charlie Hines. Was he a firefighter?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
No?
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Then in the aftermath of nine to eleven, Michael Bloomberg
was elected because we said we needed a businessman. Who
did he appoint to be the fire commissioner? Nicholas Scipetta.
Now I had had conversations with Nicholas Scapetta down in
Metro Tech. I would run a stickball contest every year
between the firefighters and the NYPD.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Boy, this guy was quite a stickball player. He had
gone to Seward Park High School. Told me he had
lived in an orphanage for a while.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
His mother had been put into jail for stealing welfare
checks for a while. Speaking about Somalia and Minnesota, and
then when she was released, the family was brought back together.
I think a great guy. He had served under four
different mayors, Department of Investigation, Deputy mayor. He served under
Rudy Giuliani and put the child welfare agency back together
(18:27):
again and was having problems, and then Bloomberg made him
the fire commissioner.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
He had never put out a fire before.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
You know what, Because the guy who had served before him,
Tommy Van Essen, was the ultimate firefighter a he was
the president of the Firefighters Union, Rudy decided to make
him his fire department commissioner. He was the whirling Dutchman again,
very good stickball player. I saw him play from Ozone Park.
(18:59):
But the men and the women hated.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Him because they said he was responsible for the faulty
new digital radios, the broken repeater systems, the crowded channel congestion,
the plague firefighting during the attack of nine to eleven,
and that many of the firefighters who were up in
Towers one in towers two had no radio communication at
(19:23):
all with their colleagues and more importantly, any of the
Office of the Emergency Management personnel.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Or the cops. So they hate Tommy van Essen. Now
could you get any more of a firefighter than Tommy
van Essen actually fought fires, was the head of the union,
the UFA, and went on to become the fire commissioner.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Wait, doesn't stop there.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Who also became fire commissioner under Rudy Howard's safer. That's
one tough jew from the Bronx. He joined the DEA.
He was busting drug dealers. You know, we're talking now
all of a sudd and Trump wants to go after
the president of Columbia. He's a drug dealer. But he
freed the former president of Honduras who he had in
(20:09):
jail for being a drug dealer. All right, well, we'll
talk about that maybe tomorrow. How it's safe for one
tough juke. Went on to become the police commissioner after
Bill Bratton, but was first the commissioner of the fire
Department in New York never put out a fire. So
do you think Elon Musk, facing all of this ack
(20:32):
act going back at him blowback, would pull that tweet
and say, hey, I made a mistake. I should never
have waded into that conversation about who should be the
fire commissioner. By the way, Lillian Bunsenira thirty one years
with the EMS. They're like ad seventy percent of the
(20:53):
responses to fire calls at EMS Man, they got one
of the toughest jobs in the city, along with correction officers.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
It's like a perpetual nine to one one call. It
can't even.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Stop to get a cup of coffee. They're racing from
one call to another, many of them emotionally disturbed persons.
Elon Musk, stay in your lane. Another example from Ackman
to Elon Musk, where billionaires the masters of the universe
talk about things as if there are authorities and they
know nothing about nothing.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
But do you think Elon Musk will apologize? Of course
you won't.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Our numbers one eight hundred three two one zero seven
ten because they all think they're omnipotent, all knowing one
eight hundred three two one zero seven ten. On this
it should be your place to be from now on,
as it is for me and Nancy sevent ten war
The Voice of New York.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Curtis Slayway joined sevent ten WR to guess os from
Mark Simon.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Well, well, I got some snail mail here. It's good
to see, and right away I went to is He
was a little Dizzy, our board operator also escape eat
from WABC, not his place to be. And I say,
is he we're friends right from our WABC days. Once
you open it up, who knows?
Speaker 3 (22:18):
You know?
Speaker 2 (22:18):
I got many many enemies out there, as many of
the listeners know. Could take me back to like remember
two thousand and one, supposedly some guy in Trenton was
sending out mail that had cipro in it, or possibly
sipro not zipro. Excuse me antracks the antrax sports. Remember
(22:40):
you Inhale those that's it, You're dead on arrival. I
remember at the time the Patacki administration decided for he
and his staff to be on the safe side because
they were getting nefarious mail, along with people over at
the Fox News Channel and some other places. Take cipro
(23:01):
as a prophylactic, you know, to prevent it. God forbid
they did Inhale any of those anthrax spores. I said,
is he you know, just you know for old time shake. Noah,
it's quite all right, quite a right, Curtis. Friendship only
goes so far, is he? You weren't gonna touch that,
(23:23):
were you? But it does remind me about George Matacki.
The greatest governent we've had in our lifetime, without a doubt,
three terms, no corruption, no chaos. Beat Mario Cuomo, who
thought he was on his way possibly to becoming the
first Italian American president of the United States. And nobody
(23:45):
knew who George VATTACKI was. Nobody knew there were six
Republicans vying to run against Mario Cuomo at that time,
seeking a fourth term, and he superseded them. He had
been the mayor of p Skills Sentiments Senator. I remember
giving a speech for him at the Yale Club on
the day that I got fired in the morning Angels
(24:08):
in the morning with my wife Lisa at the time,
but he had committed to his campaign manager. I would
go to the Yale Club speak on his behalf. There
were eight people there, four family members and four of
his Yale graduate friends. That was it, and he beat
Mary o'como and turned out to be our greatest mayor.
He tells a great story. The chauffeur knows everything I know.
(24:32):
There's a phone calls of blazing. I'll get to them momentarily.
The chauffeur knows everything you know. Who was the chauffeur
for Nelson Rockefeller for a while the world's richest man,
former governor Judge Battacki, and his job. When Nelson Rockefeller
was traveling the state and spending time at a five
star hotel, you know, meeting up with his many gumatas,
(24:56):
Judge Battacki had to bring him a bottle of Dubena
and Oreo cookies. The world's richest man at that time
was drinking dubenat. It tells you all you need to know.
The chauffeurs know everything. Let's get to the phones. I
don't want to delay any longer. It's Norman who's calling
(25:18):
from Long Island. Your turn to be heard at seven
to ten wo.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
R Hi Curtis. I'm also Canarsie boy. I grew up
in Bayview and I had some famous people in my class,
like Jim McMillan, the basketball player Don Brockington who played
for the Packers. But I have two questions for you.
One question, do you think we can somehow where the
(25:43):
Republicans can get behind Alice the Pronic to run for
Senate against Schuma?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (25:50):
First off, you would think so. Now you had mentioned
McMillan who went to Columbia, but he went to Jefferson
first right on Pennsylvania Avenue along with Right.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
I had him in my class in Jefferson, my chemistry class.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Right. And then then you mentioned the great running back
John Brockington, Well, I think went on to uh N
Right went to Green Bay, Green Bay Packers, and you failed.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
To mention they're great. Coach Moe Finkelstein, Oh.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Yeah, Mo, I had Bo. He's my health teacher. He
used to walk around. You had to buy tickets for
the football game every week. I mean we didn't learn
any health there. We used to watch the films from
the games.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
What they used to have was the game of the
week would be on Channel eleven high school, whether it
was PSA, L or CHSL and Jefferson was a powerhouse then, so.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
They'd be on a lot.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
You know who the broadcaster was, Marty Klickman, who was
broadcasting New York Giant football games, Marty Klickman.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
And do you know who was on the sidelines?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Who was the reporter on the sidelines, Not the way
they do it now, some drop dead gorgeous woman that
they go to, you know during the breaks. Elston Howard,
who had been the catcher MVP for the New York Yankees.
This is what you used to get high school football
broadcasts on Channel eleven Saturday mornings, and you'd always see
(27:17):
Mo Finkelstein. You'd see all of a Sudd, Marty Glickman,
Mo tell us, how did you beat boys and girls
high this week?
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Tell us?
Speaker 2 (27:26):
And Mo would go on and on and on. Boy,
those are great memories, but I know that's not why
you were.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
Called football Court was king with Mo.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
That's for sure. All the memories.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
By the way, who was the other famous alumni of
the Bayview Projects? So with two others one and went
on not to own but to run Starbucks three times
three times? And I have no love for this guy.
I'll share that with you momentarily. And I know the
(28:03):
great NBA ball player went to Canarcie High School, went
on to success with the Detroit Pistons and the LA Lakers,
and became quite a broadcaster and handle the sports talk show.
A little bit of trivia here one eight hundred and
three two one zero seven ten, let's go if we
(28:25):
can to Mike, who I believe is calling from Long Island.
Your turn to be heard here at seven ten wor Mikey.
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Hike Curtis. I'm glad to hear you back on the radio.
I want to weigh in on the new fire commissioner.
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Oh could you speak up a bit, Mikey, speak up
a bit.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, Kavanaugh on the Adams was
the first DEI commissioner. She couldn't handle the job, so
they had that retired chief. I shall come back to
run things now. I know the same thing is going
to happen with this thing that he he's gonna I mean, listen,
I don't know. Hopefully she'll be good, but if not,
I hope defied. It's active and retired elicited to me,
(29:09):
do not step up to run the department for this guy,
mean Danny, if he wants this to be the commissioner,
let him do it. Now, let her run it well
what it is. But you named those other commissioners, but
they had they were credible administrators, who hold.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
On incredible administrators.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
But again, what did Ellen Musk tweet out as a
result of Lillian bon Signori being assigned fire commissioner by
Jorhanmandami thirty one years ems? People will die yet, I
just went to a litany of former fire commissioners who
served under Dinkins, Giuliani, Bloomberg, and none of them had
(29:56):
ever even put out a waste paper bag. But they
were good administrators. Well is that what may say? Fire commissioner.
And by the way, the fire department can run on itself. Again,
it's civil service to the highest level. The political appointment
is the fire commissioner. But I will tell you this,
(30:20):
she deserves an opportunity. And again I speak on behalf
of EMS workers that I know work real hard constant calls.
They don't have enough personnel. They only make about thirty
five thousand to start. They don't have pay parody with
the other uniform services who started at about fifty two thousand.
(30:40):
They have to deal with everybody that nobody else wants
to deal with to take to the hospital. Many of
them don't want to go to the hospital, and they
fight them in the back of the wagon.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
How do I know, Iron Guardian.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Angels have had to go in there and help the
EMS people who immediately have to fight with somebody. They
just put an IV into their arm and as soon
as they drop that patient off, they're running to another
nine to one. But oh no, Ellen Musk, he's an expert, right,
He's gonna turn out to be the Howard Hughes of
(31:13):
our generation. Watch very successful in business, but very eccentric.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Two Do Beat is back.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Curtis leewa guest host The Mark Simone Show on seven
to TENOO.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
And as we approach the starting the new year, the
dropping of the ball in Times Square, I've met many
people from Mexico City to Montreal to uh.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Lagos, Nigeria who were here to watch that.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
If you are from New York, you're really gonna be
down there in the manners, of course not. We'll talk
about that as we get closer to the end of
the week.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
But I want to.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Give a shout out because so often we in talk
radio are negative about political figures and what they promised
to do and don't do. I gotta give a shout
out to Vinnie Ignizio. Now some of you might know
him in Staten Island. He was the assemblyman, he was
city council member, and in the election at twenty twenty one,
(32:15):
I remember when I was going to vote. Remember I
had that little kitten in my hand, Gizmo, who Nancy
had rescued from the shelter, like she's rescued dozens of
others who would have been euthanized, and Gizmo became the
most famous cat in the world. It was featured on
Stephen Colbert went viral. They made fun of me, but
Gizmo became a star. Remember they wouldn't let me take
(32:39):
Gizmo in to vote. But when I did go in
to vote in Nancy, right near Brandt's High School on
the Upper West Side, the machine was not working, the
scanning machine, so they had to call with the call
a engineer on call. The engineer showed up like a
half hour later, and instead of adjusting things so that
(33:01):
it could accept my ballot. Remember the ballot had to
be filled out on both sides. Uh. The engineer, in
front of all the TV cameras that were there to
record my vote, karate chopped the machine. The director of
the Board of Elections said, man, you can't do that.
And that's when Vinnie Ignizio was hired as the deputy
(33:24):
executive director of the Board of Elections and said to me, oh,
we're going to reform things from these missteps, and he
delivered on that promise. Do you realize we just went
to an election cycle where there were two million, one
hundred thousand votes casts. There haven't been that many votes
casts since nineteen sixty five, the election of John Lindsay
(33:45):
and no problems. And I haven't heard anybody out there,
not in the media or anyone else praise those people
I've been at odds with it before, who did an
absolutely outstanding job to process that vote. So my berets
off to Vinnie Ignissio and everyone who was involved in
that long election process to determine who the next mayor
(34:08):
of the City of New York was. An the other
down ballot votes that you made
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