Gothamist

Jimmy Fallon And Will Smith Perform '20s Rendition Of "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It"

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-25T13:34:00-05:00

]]>Jimmy Fallon bits over the last few years have all been musical ones—from Will Ferrell's recent "Tight Pants" song to Stephen Colbert singing "Friday," from Fallon's expert Neil Young impressions to Bruce Springsteen's wiggle-wiggle. Last night, he and Will Smith revealed that their grandfathers (Will "Sunnyside" Smith and James "Fatty Monroe" Fallon) had hosted a 1920's radio show together...and they performed "Parents Just Don't Understand," "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It," and a song that amounted to a big plug for Men In Black III. Watch below, even though this still doesn't make up for the fact the film doesn't have a Will Smith theme song. [ more › ]

Blind Woman Angry At Subway Station Robbers, Calls Them "Scum"

Jen Chung — 2012-05-25T13:20:00-05:00

]]>robbed at a Queens subway station last month is speaking out. Karen Eisenstadt told the Daily News, "Scum like that should not be out there stealing from anybody — not just from a handicapped person — but anybody. People should be able to walk around and not have this happen to them." [ more › ]

How Are You Celebrating Star Wars' 35th Anniversary Today?

Garth Johnston — 2012-05-25T13:06:00-05:00

Star Wars' 35th Anniversary Today?"/>]]>Star Wars trilogy, on May 4th—after all, you get to say: "May the Forth be with you"—a more correct day to celebrate it would be today, May 25th. Why? Because May 25th, 1977 was the day that the power of The Force was unleashed on the world at large. And we, and the movie business, have never been quite the same. [ more › ]

Speaker Quinn's 2011 Schedule Has 600 Hours "Blacked Out"

Jen Chung — 2012-05-25T12:54:00-05:00

]]>atop the polls for 2013 mayoral contenders, there's more scrutiny on what she does during city hours. NY1 recently requested her 2011 schedules through a Freedom of Information Law request... and got back a lot of blacked out itineraries. [ more › ]

It's National Wine Day, Let's Do This

Jen Carlson — 2012-05-25T12:42:00-05:00

]]>National Wine Day. This is not to be confused with National Drink Day, which is observed in February—however, you can and should celebrate it in the same way: by drinking wine. Here are some suggestions on where you can do that! [ more › ]

Early Addition: President Obama REALLY Liked Smoking Pot

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-25T12:30:00-05:00

]]>on Twitter and like us on Facebook. You can also get the top stories mailed to you—sign up here. [ more › ]

Five Great Local Beaches You Can Get To Without A Car

John Del Signore — 2012-05-25T12:15:00-05:00

It's sometimes easy to forget that New York is a city surrounded by beautiful beaches, some accessible for just the cost of a luxury MetroCard. All 14 miles of city beaches are free, and they open tomorrow, May 26th, at 10 a.m.! Click on the photos here for details on five excellent beach options within easy reach from downtown Manhattan: Rockaway Beach; Jones Beach; Fort Tilden; Sandy Hook N.J.; and Manhattan Beach. [ more › ] ]]>

Watch The PBS 1988 Documentary On Sonic Youth In Its Entirety Now

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-25T12:02:00-05:00

]]>Sonic Youth may be vague at best—as guitarist Lee Renaldo told us, "We're all talking, but we're not really talking about the future of the band right now." But the prolific group has scoured the screaming fields of sonic love and produced so much over their 30+ year history, there's always some awesome nuggets to be dug up and enjoyed. To that end: did you know that PBS produced a documentary about Sonic Youth at the height of their powers in 1988? [ more › ]

Warm And Humid Weather For The Holiday Weekend

Joe Schumacher — 2012-05-25T11:49:00-05:00

]]>Heat Awareness Day. While we won't see any excessive heat this holiday weekend it will be plenty warm and sticky outside. The atmosphere has slowed to a crawl the last few days and that means a continuation of the humidty, and the occasional shower or thunderstorm. Like yesterday, those showers could be heavy. Assuming the thick fog dissipates, this afternoon's high should reach the mid 70s across the city. [ more › ]

Suspect In Etan Patz Murder Reportedly At Bellevue, On Suicide Watch

Jen Chung — 2012-05-25T11:37:00-05:00

]]>Pedro Hernandez was arrested and charged for the 1979 murder of 6-year-old Etan Patz. Now, it's reported that he has been taken to Bellevue Hospital. A source told the Post, "He has been talking about killing himself." The Daily News reports, "Hernandez, a disabled former construction worker, was in need of medication, the sources said," while the NY Times says he was placed on suicide watch. [ more › ]

Would You Pay $295 For A Burger? How About $666?

Garth Johnston — 2012-05-25T11:25:00-05:00

]]>expensive hot dogs in the world, but it sure seems like we must have the most expensive burgers at this point. And while one of them is definitely, sadly, real, we have our doubts about the other... [ more › ]

TSA Screeners Find Shoe Knives, Fake Grenades, Knuckle Knives

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-25T11:15:00-05:00

]]>TSA is still hard at work ensuring that no weapons make it on board flights. Barely a day passes that we don't get a press release with photos of their latest confiscated loot. But while the TSA is catching the transgressors, they're frequently allowed to continue on their merry way once the weapon is confiscated! [ more › ]

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2012-05-25T11:15:00-05:00

Albany Journalist: "Jackbooted Thug Police Officers" Are Targeting My Wife

John Del Signore — 2012-05-25T10:50:00-05:00

]]>Albany Times Union (known among some local wags as the Times-Useless) is claiming that local police targeted his wife's spa in a phony prostitution sting, as retaliation for a series of articles about shady police activities. There's a lot to unpack here, but most of it can be summed up with this juicy quote editor J. Robert Port gave to the NY Times: "Obviously I have pissed some people off enough to the point where they would send in jackbooted thug police officers to do an anal search on someone I believe they thought was my wife." [ more › ]

Dylan Week: Take Our Bob Dylan NYC Walking Tour

Nell Casey — 2012-05-25T10:38:00-05:00

]]>We've been celebrating Bob Dylan's 71st birthday with a series of posts this week. As mercurial as Dylan has always been, there is one thing we do know: for as long as Dylan has been writing songs, he has been writing to, for and about New York City. [ more › ]

Call For Photos: Let's At Least Document This Never Ending Fog

Jen Carlson — 2012-05-25T10:31:00-05:00

]]>episode of Mad Men, or maybe that Stephen King movie. Either way, it's FEAR WITHOUT END... but it's also kind of pretty, albeit dreary. So send photos of this beautiful nightmare to photos@gothamist.com and we'll compose a gallery. You can also hashtag them #Gothamist and #Fog on Instagram, or tag them "Gothamist" and "Fog" on Flickr. Feel free to include a line of prose, it's what Sylvia Plath would have done. [ more › ]

Cops Release More Videos Of South Slope Pervert

Jen Chung — 2012-05-25T10:24:00-05:00

]]>followed then fondled a woman walking on south Park Slope street, the police have released two additional videos of the man suspect in the May 23 attack. [ more › ]

East River Ferry Gets A Bigger Boat (For The Weekends)

Garth Johnston — 2012-05-25T10:09:00-05:00

]]>getting a bigger boat. After being surprisingly popular from the get-go, the still-in-a-pilot-phase East River Ferry program is expanding weekend service, starting tomorrow, by bringing in 399-seat boats (as opposed to the 149-seaters they run during the week). [ more › ]

Pedro Hernandez Arrested For 1979 Murder Of Etan Patz

Christopher Robbins — 2012-05-24T19:08:44-05:00

]]>33rd anniversary of Etan Patz's disappearance, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced that 51-year-old NJ resident Pedro Hernandez was arrested in the murder of the six-year-old boy. Kelly said that Hernandez told relatives, "I did a bad thing. I killed a kid in New York." [ more › ]

Extra, Extra: Jay-Z Is Writing New Music For...Annie

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-24T18:30:16-05:00

Annie"/>]]>on Twitter and like us on Facebook. You can also get the top stories mailed to you—sign up here. [ more › ]

NJ Totally Okay With NYPD's Muslim Spying

Jen Chung — 2012-05-24T18:16:56-05:00

]]>complained about the NYPD's spying on Muslims in the Garden State, "This is the New York Police Department. I know they think their jurisdiction is the world. Their jurisdiction is New York City. My concern is this kind of obsession that the NYPD seems to have that they’re the masters of the universe." Well, now the NJ Attorney General says that the NYPD didn't do anything wrong! [ more › ]

Mandatory Arabic Debuts In NYC Public School Next Fall

Garth Johnston — 2012-05-24T18:10:04-05:00

]]>take Arabic twice a week for 45 minutes. It is the first school to require the study of Arabic, according to officials. [ more › ]

SEC Will Do NOTHING To Punish Lehman Brothers Execs

Christopher Robbins — 2012-05-24T17:55:23-05:00

]]>court-ordered 2010 report that showed that there was "actionable balance sheet manipulation" at Lehman Brothers, the emails to prove that company brass knew about it, and a Lehman employee who was willing to help expose wrongdoing at the company, the SEC will do nothing. Bloomberg News obtained a memo prepared by SEC investigators that states that the agency likely will not recommend any enforcement action against the firm or its executives. Screw up a food festival in Brooklyn, and you'll taste justice in 48 hours. Help cause the implosion of the global economy? Nothing to see here, folks! [ more › ]

Video: Katy Perry Kisses Marine At Special Brooklyn Fleet Week Concert

Jen Chung — 2012-05-24T17:32:00-05:00

]]>Katy Perry performed in a special concert for U.S. service members. The concert, sponsored by Pepsi and held at Pier 9 in Brooklyn, meant that Perry could wear an American flag dress and demand that a marine kiss her in the style of the famous V-J Day kiss in Times Square—"On the lips!" [ more › ]

T.G.I. Friday's Accused Of Ripping Off LCD Soundsystem

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-24T17:19:00-05:00

]]>Pitchfork pointed us to a recent commercial from the fast food chain, which contains a background song that sounds suspiciously similar to LCD Soundsystem's classic "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House." Does that mean Sarah's girlfriend is working the door there too? Watch the commercial, then listen to the original song below. [ more › ]

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2012-05-24T17:19:00-05:00

High Line Neighbors Hate "High Line Tourists"

Garth Johnston — 2012-05-24T17:08:00-05:00

]]>not loving the insane popularity of the High Line. So much so, in fact, that they've gone and put up signs reminding "High Line Tourists" that "West Chelsea is not Times Square. It is not a tourist attraction." Really? Because it IS attracting tourists! [ more › ]

Bud Light Lime-a-Rita Keeps Eluding Our Grasp, Possibly For The Best

Christopher Robbins — 2012-05-24T16:56:00-05:00

]]>coffee isn't nearly enough to take the edge off in this humidity: we demand margaritas. Or, canned malt beverages that are designed to taste like spirits but are actually 8% ABV Frankendrinks. After reading HuffPo's raving "fairly palatable" review, we've been prowling bodegas and Duane Reades in Manhattan and Brooklyn for Bud Light's new ~~youth marketing Trojan horse~~ concoction, Bud Light Lime-A-Rita, but have come up short. We even asked one large beer distributor in New Jersey if they stocked it. "We tasted it and decided not to keep it in stock," a clerk told us. Your loss: you have to put Hennessy in it to unlock the magic. [ more › ]

Upstate Dad Arrested For Accidentally Hitting 8-Year-Old Son With Samurai Sword

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-24T16:44:00-05:00

]]>According to UticaOD, the boyfriend was helping the 8-year-old tie his shoes when Kyi swung at him, missed, and hit the boy. [ more › ]

New Kickstarter Campaign Uses Photos Of Boobs To Raise Topless Awareness

Jen Carlson — 2012-05-24T16:32:00-05:00

]]>the young woman baring her breasts in the East Village has been doing lately. And now the man behind the Topless New York series has launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for an exhibit showing years of his photographs documenting The Cause. [ more › ]

Etan Patz Disappearance Suspect Allegedly Said He Stabbed Or Strangled The Boy

Jen Chung — 2012-05-24T16:20:00-05:00

]]>who allegedly told NYPD detectives that he killed a missing Soho child in 1979 has been identified as NJ resident Pedro Hernandez. Inside Edition obtained photographs of him and reports, "At the time Etan [Patz], 6, went missing, Hernandez was 18 and lived near the Patz family in Soho. Hernandez now lives in New Jersey and is married with a college-aged daughter." Tomorrow will be the 33rd anniversary of Etan's disappearance. [ more › ]

Century-Old Spiegeltent Arrives In NYC With New Show In Times Square

John Del Signore — 2012-05-24T16:09:00-05:00

]]>the Extra Mooga area of the Great GoogaMooga this weekend, don't sweat it—another one just popped up in Times Square. This particular century-old tent was found in a barn in Belgium and was restored for this NYC appearance. (It's also a different tent than the one that was down at the South Street Seaport back in 2006, when Gothamist presented Movable Hype 9.0 with O'Death.) These luxuriant traveling Spiegeltents were used as traveling dance halls and music/cabaret venues throughout Europe in the early 20th century; inside it feels like time stood still. [ more › ]

Hal Steinbrenner Denies Rumor That Yankees Might Be Sold

Ben Yakas — 2012-05-24T15:57:00-05:00

]]>told the Daily News, who broke the rumor. Managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner adamantly denied it in a statement: "I just learned of the Daily News story," Steinbrenner said. "It is pure fiction. The Yankees are not for sale. I expect that the Yankees will be in my family for many years to come." [ more › ]

The Brooklyn Bridge Opened 129 Years Ago Today

Christopher Robbins — 2012-05-24T15:34:00-05:00

]]>the bends had debilitated him to the point where he wouldn't walk across his own bridge the day it was completed. [ more › ]

After Bad Press, Brooklyn DA Changes Course On Child Sex Abuse

John Del Signore — 2012-05-24T15:16:00-05:00

]]>a political scandal sparked by his refusal to release the names of ultra-Orthodox Jews suspected of child molestation, as well as letting powerful rabbis decide whether child abuse allegations should be reported to the police. Hynes's cooperation with the ultra-Orthodox community has been absolutely crucial to his reelection campaigns; he's won landslide victories in neighborhoods with large Jewish populations. Now, in the wake of a damning New York Times article about his handling of sex abuse cases in these communities, Hynes is... proposing legislation. [ more › ]

After Getting Hit By Car, Michael McKean Able To Joke, Walk Four Steps

Jen Chung — 2012-05-24T14:59:00-05:00

]]>when a car struck him, breaking one of his legs and leaving him with other injuries. McKean had surgery this morning and his wife, actress Annettte O'Toole, just Tweeted, "Surgery went great. He took 4 steps just now. Sitting in chair. Very good attitude. Sends his love." [ more › ]

TLC Chairman Says Fare Hike Is Totes Aprops

Garth Johnston — 2012-05-24T14:47:00-05:00

]]>taxi fare hike of 16 to 20 percent is looking increasingly likely. Monday's surprise announcement that the TLC would be looking into a hike, just 76 days after they said they wouldn't, not only seems to have the full support of the Mayor, but it also has the backing of TLC chair David Yassky. [ more › ]

Photos: 21 Of Our New Favorite Bodega Cats (And Keep Your Photos Coming!)

Jen Carlson — 2012-05-24T14:35:00-05:00

]]>we asked you to send in photos of your favorite bodega cats, and you delivered! Click through for some photos of the adorable guys and gals that keep our foodstuffs safe from evil rodents. We kept the descriptions vague to protect the innocent. [ more › ]

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2012-05-24T14:35:00-05:00

Hester Nights Opening Postponed Due To Stupid, Unending Rain

Nell Casey — 2012-05-24T14:23:00-05:00

Sadly, we must report that tonight's debut of Hester Nights—the twilight food festival brought to you by the Hester Street fair folks—has been postponed due to the unending rain that's been falling off and on since forever. Tonight's debut would have brought gourmet food from vendors like Luke's Lobster and Pies 'n' Thighs to the Hotel Eventi Courtyard on Sixth Avenue, but now we'll have to wait until next Thursday, May 31th to nibble under the stars when the festival does their grand opening, take two. [ more › ] ]]>

Red Bulls Win Streak Snapped vs Chivas; Fans Honor Juan Pablo Angel

Dan Dickinson — 2012-05-24T14:13:00-05:00

]]>New York Red Bulls had one final league match before June international break. A win would've left them in an unstoppable position—but the visiting Chivas USA proved to be fly in the ointment, forcing a 1-1 draw thanks to former New York legend Juan Pablo Angel. [ more › ]

Your Terrified Pet Rides FREE On Coney Island Wonder Wheel Next Month

John Del Signore — 2012-05-24T14:00:00-05:00

]]>Pet Day at Deno's Wonder Wheel" will take place on Saturday June 16th. Does your pet enjoy being confined in a metal cage and hoisted hundreds of feet about sea level? There's only one way to find out! And the beauty of it is, "every dog, cat, fish and snake in town" gets to ride for FREE. Be sure to bring a couple plastic bags. [ more › ]

Dharun Ravi May Serve Less Than 30 Days In Jail

Christopher Robbins — 2012-05-24T13:48:00-05:00

]]>judge's decision to sentence 20-year-old Dharun Ravi to 30 days in jail for spying on his Rutgers roommate, Tyler Clementi, who later committed suicide. But if Ravi's sentence stands, New Jersey law may allow him to serve less than 30 days provided he maintains good behavior and completes his designated chores. The Star-Ledger reports that short-term inmates in county jails "are seldom kept for their full terms unless they are charged with rules infractions," and a 30-day sentence is automatically reduced by 10 days for good behavior. [ more › ]