It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been able to sit down and bust out the transcript from my exclusive interview with Howard Stern sidekick Fred Norris, but it’s not something I wanted to merely gloss over.

As you might recall, Norris was in Eastchester on Dec. 8 with his rock trio, King Norris, to perform at Mickey Spillane’s. In between sets, Norris (far right in photo) checked out a couple of rounds of the Mayweather-Hatton boxing match with drummer Frank Fallon on the second floor of the restaurant and chatted with fans and bandmates.

The same night, Norris was missing out on Howard 100 News correspondent Lisa G’s cookie party, which was being broadcast live on Sirius channel 100—seriously!—while he was prepping for his show. Norris said he didn’t regret missing it.

You know what? As long as Lisa G. doesn’t miss me too badly, I think I made the better choice of coming up to Eastchester. It seemed like the right thing to do.

Check out the rest of my exclusive interview with Norris after the break. In it, he discusses his 28-year working relationship with Howard Stern, his ideal guest for the show, and the chances of the “Win Fred’s Money” trivia contest returning.

Read more of this entry »

Over the summer, the Nyack-based rapper Lucky Me drew attention to his music by talking about drugs, Uggs, and slices of pizza in New City. When we included Lucky Me as one of our People of the Year, several readers informed us of another incendiary act from Nyack—Fire.

The 23-year-old, raspy voiced artist (Gregory Dubuisson on the dotted line) has been penning rhymes since he was 12-years-old and started passing out demo CDs back in his days at Nyack High School. He launched a MySpace page last year, which connected him to several promoters who got him gigs in Manhattan and Atlantic City, opening for Saigon at one point (Entourage fans will remember Saigon, who lives in Nanuet, as Turtle’s protégé). Fire has a deliberate, confident flow, and a gravelly voice that exudes character, but a few of the themes that pop up in his songs—sex, violence, contempt for the law—are bound to cause a stir among some Nyack residents. Especially nettlesome is a song where Fire slams the police, repeating a refrain that talks about proffering an insolent middle finger and a gesturing with his crotch. But more on that after the jump.

Read more of this entry »

These days it might seem like Martha Stewart and Katonah couldn’t be any cozier if they were cuddling in a color-coordinated pillow and duvet set, but Katonah resident Bill Tisherman is still taking a few more jabs at the business magnate/ baking queen via YouTube. Tisherman (”Tish” to anyone but Martha) recently posted several video clips from “The Martha Stewart Roast,â€? an amateur comedy show and wine tasting sponsored by his company, Wine For All.

Read more of this entry »

Fred Norris’ band, King Norris, rocked Mickey Spillane’s bar in Eastchester on Saturday night.

Howard Stern’s sound effects guru and King Norris’ guitar player was kind and conversational with fans and told jokes between songs, referencing new power couple Robin Quivers and Jim Florentine; frequent caller and New Rochelle resident Irish John, who was in the audience; and Jackie “The Jokeman” Martling.

The set list drew from classic, punk and current rock legends, including Lenny Kravitz, Jet, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Ramones and Green Day.

In the week ahead, I’ll post some quotes from my exclusive interviews with Norris, conducted before and after his sets. In the meantime, hooray for Fred!

(Photo by Chris Serico/The Journal News)

Halfway through my 15-minute phone interview with Chevy Chase yesterday, I asked the Bedford resident what movie and TV projects he was working on. His deadpan reply? “I have six pictures coming out and I’ll be on three sitcoms.” The former “Saturday Night Live” writer and cast member had been so cautious and measured with his replies up to that point, I didn’t laugh for fear it wasn’t a joke. But with his next two words, “I lied,” we chuckled and the rest of the interview flowed more comfortably.

Chase, 64, has been keeping a lower profile of late on the entertainment circuit; responding seriously to the aforementioned question, he said he’s working on a few screen projects, but cited the Writers Guild of America strike as one of the reasons he declined to elaborate. Off-screen, his high-profile appearances of late have been with wife, Jayni, raising awareness about environmental education in Bedford and beyond. The latter was the impetus for my call, but after discussing that for one minute, I had to ask him some entertainment-related questions. Wouldn’t you?

Below are highlights from my exclusive interview with Chevy Chase. In it, we learn about his truce with Howard Stern; whether he or “Caddyshack” costar Bill Murray is the better golfer; his thoughts on the strike; “SNL” then and now; and more. Some questions were rearranged and omitted to make for a cleaner read.

On mending fences with former Briarcliff Manor deejay Howard Stern, who donated an auction prize to the Chases’ charity following a feud that spanned almost 20 years:

I saw Howard this summer and, you know, those kinds of things, they die down. I think he felt bad about what he’d done. And he likes me and he likes Jayni and he’s a likable guy, and it went our way. And it was a great help to have him do that. He has so many listeners, you know. And initially it wasn’t such a great help when he did what he did to us, because we don’t have any listeners. [Laughs.] It was kind of like beating a dead horse after a while.

He sort of started to lay off I think when I called him a few years back. I said, “Look, I can’t go to a Knicks game, I can’t go to a Yankee game with my daughters, because people yell out thing like, ‘Hey, no wonder Howard Stern says you’re a pr***,’ or just stuff that’s just hideous.”

So, I called and talked to his producer (Gary Dell’Abate) and said, ‘Look, do me a favor, tell Howard what’s happening and about how it’s affecting my family,’ and Howard got on the air apparently and said, ‘Look, this is business and it’s not anything to do with a personal issue. Leave him alone.’ And I thought that was a nice gesture back then. So, when I saw him at a Bon Jovi end-of-the-(summer party this year), we kind of were civil and were just two dads talking, basically.

On the state of “Saturday Night Live” these days:

I love it. I really think it’s a resurgence. I called Lorne (Michaels) and told him I was surprised to see LeBron James, the dancing, the special effects, and all that stuff that they do—the videos—it’s so much more, technically, than what we were doing. And of course, I should expect that; it’s been 30 years. I hadn’t followed it much and then (was) following it and then (was) appearing briefly on the next show (hosted by Seth Rogen). I’ll do it again when we get closer to the elections.

To me, there are some very talented kids out there—Amy (Poehler) and Seth (Meyers)—who are perhaps doing their kind of comedy to the new [Laughs]—the new generation, whatever you want to call it. I feel secure in my own kind of comedy, too, so it’s nice to be there and get an ovation and all that.

In the end, I think that, yeah, the show has gotten quite a bit better than—it’s had some good years and some bad years. You can’t really tell what it’s going to be until you see it put together. And Lorne, as usual, is the man in charge, and even though he seems to separate himself a little bit more—because he is getting older, perhaps, or whatever—he’s still the guy who knows the right kind of edits and the right kind of thing to do from dress (rehearsal) to air, and it’s quite amazing that he still does it so well. And I’m very happy with him and the show.

On his relationship with Sneden’s Landing resident and fellow “SNL” alumnus Bill Murray, with whom he had a backstage fistfight in the show’s second season:

How would I describe our relationship? Well, we go (out). We date on occasion. You know, a little light petting, not heavy petting. … Yeah, if I can get him drunk, he’ll pursue anything. Unfortunately, he’ll also hit me with a hammer, but you know, those are the chances you take. I’d just as soon Bill Murray hit me with a hammer than anybody else because he’s pretty funny. [Laughs.] We’re friends. We’re not close; we don’t see a lot of each other, but we talk on the phone and we’ve played golf a couple of times. I can’t play for crap, but Bill’s quite good. Quite good.

On his closest friend from “SNL” :

Read more of this entry »

Fred Norris was still in college when Howard Stern made his professional debut as a deejay in Briarcliff Manor, but Norris would meet the King Of All Media at Stern’s next stop—at WCCC in Hartford, Conn. Despite Stern’s insistence that the man known as “Earth Dog” on the WCCC airwaves actually hails from Mars, their working relationship and pleasantly awkward friendship has spanned almost three decades.

Astute Stern fans know Norris is more than just a sound effects guru who knows when to play Ed McMahon’s “Hiyo!” and the unmistakable “Uh… WOW!” with perfect comedic timing. He’s also a comedy writer, trivia expert and the guitarist for King Norris, a rock trio that tours the country with original songs.

After postponing a gig at Mickey Spillane’s in Eastchester three months due to a Sept. 8 “family emergency” that reportedly turned out fine, King Norris will return to that bar for a 10:30 p.m. gig on Saturday, Dec. 8.

King Norris’ drummer, Frank Fallon, passed along Suburbarazzi’s Five Stupid Questions to the band’s namesake and today replied with Fred’s e-mailed responses. After the break, learn all about Fred’s favorite musician to appear on the Stern show, must-have sound effects and high praise for “Sour Shoes,” a frequent caller from the Lower Hudson Valley.

Read more of this entry »

Today I spoke with Richard Moll, who played bailiff Bull Shannon on TV’s “Night Court” and appeared Monday in Yorktown Heights to film his role in an Internet mockumentary series about fantasy football.

I watched many an episode of “Night Court” as a preteen when it was syndicated locally on Fox, so when the 64-year-old Moll agreed to a phone interview, I was genuinely psyched and had to stop myself from pulling my own version of “The Chris Farley Show.” Remember that time when Bull scored so well on an IQ test that scientists tested him to see if he could unlock the mysteries of life, including the reason why men have nipples? That was awesome.

Because we talked about both his Yorktown visit and career in general, I’m publishing the parts of the interview about his Yorktown experience here and about the rest of his career on Remote Access. Enjoy!

Suburbarazzi: Did you enjoy your visit to Yorktown?

Richard Moll: It made me want to put on my Revolutionary War garb and shoot a gun at anyone who was wearing red. [Pause.] It was fine! It was very nice. We shot at (”Fantastic Two” producer Jeremy Newberger’s) home and it was very beautiful. I love Westchester County. I don’t know that I’ve ever been there before. It’s so close to Manhattan, so lush and rural-looking. I love the dense deciduous forests. It’s very beautiful.

Suburbarazzi: I could tell by the photos of the film shoot that you were really into the character, who wears a black leather vest and pants combo.

Richard Moll: I appreciated the fact that they let me use my own clothes.

Suburbarazzi: What attracted you to the role?

Richard Moll: Desperation for work. No, I see it as a fun character. I do like to work and generally, given my type, the characters I play are almost always quite a bit of fun. So it’s not too hard to persuade me.

Click here to read the rest of the interview, including Moll’s relationship (or lack thereof) with the “Night Court” cast; his inaccurate filmography on Internet Movie Database; his choice to live life these days without a TV or computer; his career in cartoon voice-overs, including the recurring role of Two-Face on the critically acclaimed “Batman: The Animated Series”; and his legendary prowess on “Super Password” and other game shows.

(Photo by Tanya Pann, courtesy of Ironbound Films/Broadband Enterprises)

Suburbarazzi blew out the candles Saturday in honor of the 40th anniversary of Jimmy Fink’s graduation from Eastchester High School.

Yesterday, Jimmy e-mailed me with a follow-up about his the yearbook group photo for the graduating class of 1967:

In the big graduation picture, where we all posed on the bleachers at EHS, I am the only one wearing sunglasses!!

The Scarsdale resident and deejay at the White Plains-based The Peak provided Suburbarazzi with an additional exclusive: He said he had dinner Friday with his best friend from his high school days and today alike, Donald Levy.

In the yearbook, under his name, it said, ‘Found with Fink.’ I guess it’s still true.

Dobbs Ferry homeowner Stone Phillips was one of many celebrities to appear at today’s Winged Foot Golf Club outing in Mamaroneck to fundraise for the Autism Speaks charity.

Just before heading to the links, Phillips chatted exclusively with Suburbarazzi about the prospect of providing piano accompaniment for event no-show Taylor Hicks; the similarities between football and golf; and his plans after his employer opted not to renew his “Dateline NBC” contract, which expires at the end of the month.

Suburbarazzi: You played piano and serenaded Katie Couric on her “Today” show finale, and “American Idol” champ Taylor Hicks was expected to be here today, but didn’t show. Would you have accompanied him on a song had he shown up?

Stone Phillips: I would not. Because I wouldn’t have embarrassed him or me by trying to do that.

Suburbarazzi: You were the starting quarterback on Yale’s 1976 Ivy League Champion football team. Do any of those skills translate to anything on the golf course?

Stone Phillips: Yeah, I think some of them do. To me, it’s visualization. You have to visualize the point of junction between and the receiver and the ball you throw. And in golf it’s a lot of visualization, too. Other than that, I just try to have fun. I enjoy playing football and I enjoy playing golf.

Suburbarazzi: What are your plans, post-“Dateline�?

Stone Phillips: Nothing immediately. Nothing for a while. You know, I’m going to take some time off and do some traveling with my wife and take it from there. It’s gonna be a nice long period of rest and relaxation, and then taking on some independent projects.

Last week, Suburbarazzi published an item about Jimmy Fink, a deejay for the White Plains-based radio station The Peak. While working for another radio station and boss years ago, Fink was “fired” immediately after working an unwanted New Year’s Day morning shift that the boss “begged” him to do, according to a recent story told on air by Howard Stern’s producer Gary Dell’Abate.

Reached by phone last week, Fink confirmed Dell’Abate’s story, but said it warranted a couple of clarifications.

First, Fink said that after he worked the 6 a.m. to noon shift at WPLJ on the first day of 1980, his boss summoned him to his office to tell him he was fired. Dell’Abate had said that the boss “called” Fink to fire him, but Fink said that action happened in person.

Second, Fink said his boss mistakenly thought he was cutting him at the end of a pay period, but because Fink started another 13-week pay period Jan. 1, he had to be paid for that duration regardless. Fink not only was rehired, but also wound up staying with WPLJ—and his boss—until the station changed formats three years later, he said.

Even though Fink, an Eastchester High School alumnus, had been “fired” after 10 years at the station, he said he didn’t take it personally.

“He wasn’t firing me for something that I did or anything,” he told Suburbarazzi. “You know, that’s the way it is in the radio business. You usually will find out, ‘Hey, you just did your last show,’ for whatever reason it happens to be.”

(Photo courtesy of Jimmy Fink.)

The second auction to sell John Schneider’s car from TV’s “The Dukes of Hazzard” appears to have ended prematurely “because of an error in the listing,” according to eBay.

I’ve seen no other reports in the mainstream media on this development, so for now you can consider this a Suburbarazzi Exclusive! (Insert fancy news music here.)

The saga just won’t end for the Mount Kisco native, who played Bo Duke on the show that featured the “General Lee”—the series’ iconic, bright-orange 1969 Dodge Charger.

The first time Schneider tried to sell the car on eBay, he planned to collect $1 million to fund a sequel to his movie “Collier & Co.” But the plan stalled when the top bid of just under $10 million was deemed a hoax.

Read more of this entry »

Isaac Mizrahi was in Eastchester on Saturday, in case you hadn’t heard.

And as I predicted, my final question of the interview was the one I was most afraid to ask: “If you happen to like the outfit of anyone who comes up to you on line today, will they get the (Scarlett) Johansson Treatment?“

Mizrahi was taken aback for a moment, then played it off like a pro.

Oh! Well, that was about the bra. That was a big misunderstanding. It was like, “Oh, what’s your bra?� And three minutes later, it was like the end of the world. (Johansson)’s adorable.

Well there you have it. If you missed any of the interview, click the link below to view the entire transcript.

Read more of this entry »