The second of three Columbus Day Parade's in which I will appear this month, Staten Island turned it out in their usual fashion for an all-American celebration. This borough has no shortage of energy when it comes to community celebrations. I was in good company, including FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and a number of local representatives from Albany. This parade was the first in 20 years to include representatives from Staten Island's LGBT community with members of Staten Island Pride Events joining the lineup. I was proud to hear applause as they marched by the crowds! The cheers continued as marching bands, dancers, floats, and a fleet of red convertibles flooded the street in celebration.
That's right, I even got some military friends to crack a smile for the camera. I have been working with our military for three years now and can say that getting them to smile in pictures borders on being the most challenging task known to man. Fascinating, eh? They are all smiles until the camera pops out, but it's always nice to capture the memory of them enjoying themselves!
After thoroughly inspecting under the hood of the convertible upon which I would perch for the ride (actually, he was showing me some killer etched art detailing on the engine) I jumped on and we were off. Block after block of people cheering! This was the highest energy I have seen of any crowd this year, causing me to blow more kisses than I think is legally allowed.
Thank you to the Staten Island community for the warm reception and for letting me be part of today's festivities! As always, thank you to Borough President Molinaro for keeping the spirit of Staten Island so wildly alive all year. See you next week, Staten Island, when I come back for the Cabaret!
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