Townies

William O'Shaughnessy is president and editorial director of Whitney Global Media, parent company of Westchester community stations WVOX and WVIP. In addition to The Townies, he is the author of Radio Active (2019), AirWAVES (1999), It All Comes Back to Me Now (2001), More Riffs, Rants and Raves, VOX POPULI: The O'Shaughnessy Files (2011), and Mario Cuomo: Remembrances of a Remarkable Man (2017).

Preface xi Acknowledgments xix The Political Power Brokers Robert Abplanalp 3 Andy Albanese 11 Judge Richard Daronco 16 Bill Luddy 19 J. Raymond McGovern 22 Andrew P. O'Rourke 24 Bill Plunkett 27 Frederic B. Powers 35 Hugh Price 38 Bill Scollon (Help Me with This Kennedy Thing) 49 Kirby 51 Walter Nelson Thayer 53 Whitney Moore Young Jr. 58 Westchester Guiding Lights Rocco Bellantoni 63 Remarks of William O'Shaughnessy (Page Morton Black) 67 John Branca 70 John Brophy 72 William Butcher 74 The Townie Soapbox Orators (Ines Candrea) 77 Joe Candrea 81 Hugh Doyle 83 Dr. Richard Fraser 86 Hon. Salvatore T. Generoso 94 Arthur Geoghegan 97 Theodore R. Greene 99 Napoleon Holmes 103 Edwin G. Michaelian 106 Peter Mustich 111 Nelson: A Child of the Neighborhood 113 The Last Townie (Dominic Procopio) 118 Remarks of William O'Shaughnessy (The Robert Merrill Postal Station) 120 "Colonel" Marty Rochelle 124 Alvin R. Ruskin 127 "Joe Slick" 130 Masters of Media and the Arts Vincent Bellew 135 Louis Boccardi 137 Ossie Davis 140 Ruby Dee 145 Jean Ensign 151 Music Man (Murray Grand) 152 The Herald Tribune: Death on the Ninth Floor 155 Nancy Q. Keefe 159 Nancy Q. Keefe (A Remembrance) 162 Charles Osgood 164 Hugh Shannon 167 Michael Scott Shannon 171 The Writer Talese (Gay Talese) 174 Legends of Arthur Avenue (and a Publican) Joseph Migliucci 179 Mama Rose Migliucci 182 Mario Pop Migliucci 187 Jimmy Neary 191 This Sporting Life Ann T. Mara 197 Mr. Mara (Wellington Mara) 202 John Scully 205 Higher Powers Father Terry Attridge (Interview) 211 The Priest 221 Monsignor Edward Connors 224 Monsignor Ed Connors (Interview) 227 Father John O'Brien 236 Litchfield Hills Luminaries Charlie Kafferman 243 "Lacey" 247 Caryl Donnelly Plunkett 251 Philip Roth 255 Closing Thoughts Another "Thoughts and Prayers" Day 261 Something to Believe In 264 WO Responds to a Facebook Query 269 Funeral Mass for William O'Shaughnessy 272 Index 283

A brilliant essayist, WO is a master of the epigram and the memorable phrase.---A.J. Parkinson Bill O'Shaughnessy adds enormous texture and depth to our perception of society. With his writing comes an appreciation of the richness and intricacy that is America.---Henry S. "Harry" Lodge, M.D., grandson, Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge He is the Conscience of Broadcasting.---Patrick Maines, President, The Media Institute I've always applied the term sui generis to Bill O'Shaughnessy ... but it somehow pales when applied to his overwhelming impact on our world. Sine qua non, my favorite, is better. He is both chronicler and chanticleer, and we can't do without him.---Don West, President, Library of American Broadcasting O'Shaughnessy is a New York treasure ... a friend of the mighty and the lowly. I've always admired his very- public and sometimes private embrace of the troubled and less fortunate. To reflect on his brilliant eulogies gives new meaning to the notion of a life well lived.---Bill Plunkett, Plunkett and Jaffe, New York power broker O'Shaughnessy's commentaries are great and beautifully said.---Jack Welch, former chairman, General Electric Our profession is privileged to have a man of Bill O'Shaughnessy's stature. He is one of the giants. At a time when the trivial and non-sensical seem to make headlines and profits, his always wise words on the air and in print give the rest of us hope the pendulum will swing back in the right direction.---Deborah Norville, "Inside Edition" The broadcasting profession knows Bill O'Shaughnessy is the ultimate wordsmith - a legendary, world-class broadcaster and probably the classiest man among us.---Mike Kinosian, Radio info.com and Talkers magazine These interviews, tributes, essays and thoughts off the top of Bill's handsome head are the stuff of New York history, direct from his radio bully pulpit. This is one for any library!---Liz Smith, nationally-syndicated columnist What a terrific gift with a pen Bill O'Shaughnessy has. His writings are touching and strong ... perfect for people of all ages ... he's done a lot for a lot of people.---Jonathan Bush, brother of President George H.W. Bush, Uncle of President George W. Bush