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Academy Award Winning Actor Danny Aiello Jr. Interview – 2013

“Danny” Aiello Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures, including Once Upon a Time in America, Ruby, The Godfather: Part II, Hudson Hawk, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Moonstruck, Léon: The Professional, Two Days in the Valley, and Dinner Rush. He had a pivotal role in the 1989 Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing as Salvatore “Sal” Frangione, the pizzeria owner, which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Aiello is also known for his role as Don Domenico Clericuzio in the miniseries, Mario Puzo’s The Last Don.

Aiello broke into films in the early 1970s. One of his earliest roles came as a ballplayer in the 1973 baseball drama, Bang the Drum Slowly, with Robert De Niro. Aiello had a walk-on role as small-time hood Tony Rosato in The Godfather Part II (1974), ad-libbing the famous line “Michael Corleone says hello!” during a hit on a rival gangster Frank Pentangeli (Michael V. Gazzo).

In 1980, Aiello had a co-lead role with Jan Michael Vincent in Defiance, about some Manhattan residents who fight back against the thugs terrorizing the neighborhood. The next year, he received considerable acclaim for playing a racist New York City cop in Fort Apache, The Bronx (1981) with Paul Newman.

In 1981, Danny Aiello won a Daytime Emmy award for his appearance in an ABC Afterschool Special called A Family of Strangers.

Aiello’s singing has been on display in films such as Hudson Hawk (1991), Once Around (1991), and Remedy that starred his son Ricky Aiello and Jonathan Doscher. He has released several albums featuring a big-band sound including I Just Wanted To Hear The Words (2004) and Live From Atlantic City (2008). Aiello and EMI songwriter Hasan Johnson released an album in 2011 of standards fused with rap entitled Bridges.

He played the title character for the video of Madonna’s song, “Papa Don’t Preach” (1986).

Aiello’s Broadway theatre credits include Gemini, The Floating Light Bulb, Hurlyburly, and The House of Blue Leaves. He also was in the 1976 Broadway play Wheelbarrow Closers, directed by Paul Sorvino.

In July, 2011, opened Off Broadway in the two-act drama The Shoemaker, written by Susan Charlotte and directed by Antony Marsellis. The play is a stage version of his 2006 movie A Broken Sole, which began life in 2001 as a one-act play.

Celebrate Hispanic/Latino Culture on World Liberty TV’s Latino Channel

Hola WLTV viewers, Just in time for National Hispanic Heritage Month (starting Sunday, September 15th), we present to you our World Liberty TV Latino Channel! Our Latino channel highlights people and events happening in today’s U.S. Latino culture. Watch Gabriel Abaroa Jr., the President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy be honored for his great leadership and...
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Queens LGBT Parade in Jackson Heights, Queens NY – 2013

Queens Pride welcomes our friends, families, and neighbors to celebrate the 21st Queens Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival on Sunday, June 2 with a host of activities to promote pride among and for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) community of Queens and beyond. Again this year, banners announce the 37th Avenue route of the Parade and Festival.

“Our theme, ‘Equality. Everyday. Everyone.’ acknowledges the extremely important decisions before the Supreme Court on marriage equality and the hard work that our New York legislature must do to provide full equality to transgender peoples,” said Chris Calvert, Co-chair of Queens Pride.

This year, the parade will honor PRYDE/Make the Road NY as a Grand Marshal. PRYDE, the LGBTQ Justice Project of Make the Road NY, works to empower LGBTQ communities of Brooklyn and Queens through organizing and education. Its membership is intergenerational, ranging from ages 14 to 50+. It is one of the few New York City groups founded, led and constituted by low-income LGBTQ people of color organizing around public policy issues that have impacts at the citywide, state and national levels.

The Parade will kick-off at 12PM at 85th Street and 37th Avenue, ending at 75th Street. Marcus Woolen and Candy Samples will again host a reviewing stand in front of the Jackson Heights Post Office, which is where the Queenie Awards are judged. The awards honor the ingenuity and enthusiasm of groups in their demonstration of LGBTQ pride and the theme of this year’s event.

The Festival begins at 12PM with nearly 100 vendors along 37th Road and 75th Street. Two stages will feature entertainment throughout the day. The festival will cap off with a performance by George LaMond. When you hear the name George LaMond, you think of songs like “Bad of the Heart,” ”Don’t Stop Believen,” and “Si Tu Te Vas.” A Bronx native, LaMond’s musical career began in the 6th grade, where he and school mates discovered he can sing. LaMond’s career spans more than two decades, and he has received nominations for several distinctive awards, including “Best male Pop Vocalist” in 1992 and Best Male R & B Vocalist by the New York Music awards. He was also presented a gold record for the album “Entrega,” He was winner in the 2000 New York Ace Awards for Best New Vocalist, the 1991 Winter Music Conference Award for Best Freestyle Singer, and a 1991 Best Desi Arnez Vanguard Award. He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from New York’s WKTU. Hank Krumholz, Co-Chair of Queens Pride says, “We think Mr. LaMond will really get our crowd energized!”

World Liberty TV was on hand and interviewed Daniel Dromm, the Founder of Queens Pride and also the council member for the same district. We asked him about the hate crimes against the LGBTQ Community, which are happening more than ever before. See what Mr. Dromm had to say about this topic and what is being done to prevent such crimes.

Queens Pride LGBTQ 21st Annual Parade of 2013

Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival on Sunday, June 2 with a host of activities to promote pride among and for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) community of Queens and beyond. Again this year, banners announced the 37th Avenue route of the Parade and Festival.

“Our theme, ‘Equality. Everyday. Everyone.’ acknowledges the extremely important decisions before the Supreme Court on marriage equality and the hard work that our New York legislature must do to provide full equality to transgender peoples,” said Chris Calvert, co-chair of Queens Pride.

This year, the parade honored PRYDE/Make the Road NY as a Grand Marshal. PRYDE, the LGBTQ Justice Project of Make the Road NY, works to empower LGBTQ communities of Brooklyn and Queens through organizing and education. Its membership is intergenerational, ranging from ages 14 to 50+. It is one of the few New York City groups founded, led, and constituted by low-income LGBTQ people of color organizing around public policy issues that have impacts at the citywide, state, and national levels.

The Parade kicked-off at 12 p.m. at 85th Street and 37th Avenue, ending on 75th Street. Marcus Woolen and Candy Samples once again hosted a reviewing stand in front of the Jackson Heights Post Office, where the Queenie Awards are judged. The awards honor the ingenuity and enthusiasm of groups in their demonstration of LGBTQ pride and is the theme of this year’s event.

The Festival began with nearly 100 vendors along 37th Road and 75th Street. Two stages featured entertainment throughout the day. The festival capped off with a performance by George LaMond, famous for songs such as “Bad of the Heart,” ”Don’t Stop Believin’,” and “Si Tu Te Vas.” A Bronx native, LaMond’s musical career began in the 6th grade, where he and school mates discovered he can sing.

LaMond’s career spans more than two decades where he has received nominations for several distinctive awards, including “Best Male Pop Vocalist” in 1992 and Best Male R&B Vocalist by the New York Music awards. He was also presented a gold record for the album “Entrega,” He was the winner in the 2000 New York Ace Awards for Best New Vocalist, the 1991 Winter Music Conference Award for Best Freestyle Singer, and a 1991 Best Desi Arnez Vanguard Award. He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from New York’s WKTU. Hank Krumholz, co-chair of Queens Pride says, “We think Mr. LaMond will really get our crowd energized!”

World Liberty TV interviewed Daniel Dromm, the Founder of Queens Pride and also the council member for the same district. We asked him about the hate crimes against the LGBTQ Community, which are happening more than ever before. See what Mr. Dromm had to say about this topic and what is being done to prevent such crimes.

Madelyn Lugo, Chairwoman of National Puerto Rican Day Parade Inc. – 2013

Madelyn Lugo, born in Yauco, Puerto Rico, was elected as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Inc. in 2006. Previously she served twelve years as Treasurer to the Board elected in 1994. Ms. Lugo is among the co-founders of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Inc. and has contributed to the growth of the organization for over twenty years.

Ms. Lugo also serves on the advisory board of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College of the City University of New York. She earned a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico.

Ms. Lugo is the Controller for South Bronx Community Management Company Inc., established in October 1973. She handles property management and real estate development of low-income housing in the South Bronx, solely, or in conjunction with other organizational entities, or through the assistance of governmental organizations. The populations include, but are not limited to, homeless, formerly homeless, and low- and moderate-income families.

Interfaith Breakfast Hosted by Mayor Michael Bloomberg – 2012

video4 mins goes under cultural section.
BIO: Mayor Michael Bloomberg had his Interfaith Breakfast at The New York Public Library. Close to 400 hundred religious leaders from all faiths were in attendance. The following Faith leaders did an Invocation in their own faiths: Monsignor John J.Brown from St. Francis De Sales Parish Belle Harbor, Queens; Imam Khalil Abdur –Rashid, Iqra Masjid Midwood, Brooklyn; Pastor Timothy McIntyre from the Oasis Christian Center, Midland Beach, Staten Island; Rabbi Majorie Slome, West End Temple Neponsit, Queens; Rev T. Kenjitsu Nakagaki, Buddist Council of NY, Manhattan; Rev. Deborah Chadwick-Muniz, Iglesia Jerusalem, Morrsania Bronx; Priest Giani Bhupinde Singh, The Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill Queens.

Musical performance was by The Perley Childrens Choir.

Mayor Bloomberg thanked all the clergy for working together and helping him with the Hurricane Sandy disaster, throughout New York City.

Other city officials in attendance were: Dennis Walcott, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, Raymond Kelly, Commissioner of NYPD, Patricia L. Gatling, Commissioner on Human Rights and many more.

Robert De Niro Academy Award Winning Actor, Director, and Producer honored at Made in NY Awards at Gracie Mansion – New York, 2012

Robert De Niro

In 1974, Robert De Niro won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Godfather, Part II, and in 1980, he won his second Oscar, as Best Actor, for his portrayal of Jake La Motta in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull. He has also earned four other Academy Award nominations.

De Niro appeared in and made his directorial debut with A Bronx Tale and later directed and appeared in The Good Shepherd; both films shot in New York City. In 2009, he received the Kennedy Center Honor for his lifetime contribution to film and was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2011 Golden Globes.

In 2001, De Niro co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival with Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff as a response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. The festival was conceived to foster the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture.

Jake “Raging Bull” LaMotta, Former World Middleweight Boxing Champion, Inducted to the NYS Boxing Hall of Fame 2012

Jake LaMotta, nicknamed “The Bronx Bull” and “The Raging Bull,” is a retired American professional boxer and former World Middleweight Champion. He was portrayed by Robert De Niro in the 1980 film Raging Bull.
LaMotta fought former Welterweight Champion Sugar Ray Robinson in Robinson’s middleweight debut at Madison Square Garden, New York. LaMotta knocked Robinson down in the first round of the fight. Robinson got up and took control over much of the fight, winning via unanimous decision.
A rematch took place months later in Detroit, Michigan. The eighth round was historic. LaMotta landed a right to Robinson’s head and a left to his body, sending him through the ropes. Robinson was saved by the bell at the count of nine. LaMotta, who was already leading on the scorecards before knocking Robinson out of the ring, pummeled and outpointed him for the rest of the fight. Robinson had trouble keeping LaMotta at bay. LaMotta won via unanimous decision, giving Robinson the first defeat of his career.

The victory was short-lived, as the two met again three weeks later, once again in Robinson’s former home of Detroit. Robinson was knocked down for a nine-count count in round seven. Robinson later stated, “He really hurt me with a left in the seventh round. I was a little dazed and decided to stay on the deck.” Robinson won the close fight by decision, utilizing a dazzling left jab and jarring uppercuts.
LaMotta is recognized as having one of the best chins in boxing. He rolled with punches, minimizing their force and damage when they landed, but he was also able to absorb many blows.

In the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, his sixth bout with Robinson, LaMotta suffered numerous severe blows to the head. Commentators could be heard saying, “No man can take this kind of punishment!” But LaMotta did not go down. The fight was stopped by the referee in the 13th round, declaring it a TKO victory for Robinson.

Debut of NY State Boxing Hall of Fame at Gallagher’s – New York, 2012

Tony Mazzarella, a board-member of the Ring 8 Club, a New York group formed in 1954 to help and honor former boxers, has been trying to get a HOF for years. He’s offered space at his restaurant, the Waterfront Crabhouse in Long Island City, for plaques and memorabilia. A physical location is being hunted down.

Here’s the first class of honorees to be inducted. It includes 12 boxers and eight non-boxers:

“Sugar” Ray Robinson; “Iron” Mike Tyson; Jake “Bronx Bull” LaMotta; Carmen “Upstate Onion Farmer” Basilio; Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe; Carlos Ortiz; Mike “Bodysnatcher” McCallum; Gene “The Fighting Marine” Tunney; Benny “The Ghetto Wizard” Leonard; and Tony Canzoneri.

Also included are: judge/HBO analyst Harold Lederman; coach/instructor Steve Acunto; trainer/cut-man Jimmy Glenn; posthumously, trainers Gil Clancy and Ray Arcel; Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer; New York Daily News boxing reporter/cartoonist Bill Gallo; and referee Arthur Mercante Sr.

Ring 8 president Bob Duffy announced plans for the kickoff dinner. “We plan to do this every year,” Duffy said. “Our first introduction dinner will be at Russo’s on The Bay in March of 2012. We have a wall at Waterfront Crabhouse, which will list our Class of 2012 and another at the New York State Athletic Commission. We started this to honor New York fight people.”

The inductees were selected by a six-member NYSBHOF nominating committee made up of Boxing Writers Association president Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Henry Hascup, Bobby Cassidy Jr., Ron McNair and Neil Terens.