RIP Ed Koch
Feb. 1st, 2013 01:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sdelmonteLove him or hate him, Ed Koch was a New York original and shaper of this town in ways still felt today. He was the first mayor I ever paid attention to, never a political hero but always someone to pay attention to. And in some ways, he was still mayor of New York, someone who was as representative of the NYC of my youth as anyone aside from maybe Woody Allen.
As you also might know, by coincidence a new film about him opens today. That film was part of the New York Jewish Film Festival, an annual affair that The Jewish Museum co-presents. And three weeks ago, looking frail but (alas, temporarily) out of the hospital, Ed Koch came to the theater for a Q&A session after the film. As far as we can tell, it was his final public appearance. It's a bittersweet thing to know that his final curtain came at something I promoted. But many long years ago, Koch visited the Museum as a private citizen and sent us a gushing note, saying how much how loved the place and offering to even be an audioguide voice. We never took him up on the offer, but that letter is in my files somewhere. And a photo of him at that Q&A is on the Museum's blog. So I feel connected to him in that way. And many others.
History will long debate his contributions and his failings. For now, New York will mourn.
As you also might know, by coincidence a new film about him opens today. That film was part of the New York Jewish Film Festival, an annual affair that The Jewish Museum co-presents. And three weeks ago, looking frail but (alas, temporarily) out of the hospital, Ed Koch came to the theater for a Q&A session after the film. As far as we can tell, it was his final public appearance. It's a bittersweet thing to know that his final curtain came at something I promoted. But many long years ago, Koch visited the Museum as a private citizen and sent us a gushing note, saying how much how loved the place and offering to even be an audioguide voice. We never took him up on the offer, but that letter is in my files somewhere. And a photo of him at that Q&A is on the Museum's blog. So I feel connected to him in that way. And many others.
History will long debate his contributions and his failings. For now, New York will mourn.
