Last week there was a horrific fire in the Belmont section of the Bronx. Thirteen people vanished in the blaze. Families destroyed forever.
When something like this happens, if you’re human, then you want to help any way that you can.
If you are Chazz Palminteri and you grew up in that neighborhood then it really hits home.
Knowing Chazz the way that I do, it did not surprise me that he would get together with his friends, film legend Robert De Niro and music icon, Tommy Mottola, to do something to help.
The three are producers of the great Broadway play, “A Bronx Tale.” That being the case, they decided to give four dollars from every ticket sold to help victims that live in the building.
I have known Chazz and Tommy Mottola for a long time, and very aware of their friendship with De Niro and again, I am not surprised by this wonderful gesture.
I have always found Chazz to be a very humble man that I can always go to for help with anything and the brother is always there. Chazz and Mottola have never forgotten where they came from.
The other day I was sitting down with Chazz Palminteri having the greatest cappuccino in the world at Gino’s Pastry on Arthur Avenue then we started to walk the streets in the Belmont section of the Bronx and as Chazz started to stare at the buildings I could see how much this man loves this neighborhood. To think that there was a fire here that destroyed some lives and some buildings, I know really hurt him badly.
I have always been a lover of the arts and to say that I idolize these three men would be an understatement.
Many times when you meet your heroes, they sometimes tend to disappoint us.
I can guarantee you that this is not the case with these three men.
New York is very lucky to have them in our great city.
They just don’t live in New York, they really care about our city.
Most people are aware of Chazz’s great love of the Yankees and as you can see by Mottola’s picture, he too is a big time fan of the Bronx Bombers, as is De Niro.
They say actions speak louder than words. In the case of these three men, their actions are very much appreciated.
I guess this is just another Bronx Tale.
