I have a general interest in quintessential  New Yorkers. I’ve always known that Debi Mazar was a former Hip-Hop dancer, very accomplished actress, and cohort of mega-celebrities like Madonna and Adrian Grenier.  More interestingly though, she also came up inside a long-lost New York, with the likes of Doze Green, Lee Quinones, Charlie Ahearn, Bobbito, and Ricky Powell. These are people who I always had a genuine respect for, and have been blessed to form my own bonds with. It’s always easier to understand someone when you have a first hand experience with aspects of where they come from.

See, in the 80s, when you came to New York, you actually mingled with interesting people everywhere you went. It’s a New York that can be hard to find these days, although it’s still flickering here and there. Debi represents this golden era of the city, and I’ve always known it.

This year, around my house, we’ve been constantly glued to DVR’d episodes of Debi’s show “Extra Virgin” on the Cooking Channel. Debi and her husband Gabriele have that kind of on-camera chemestry that’s rare. They also chef up the banging Tuscan food. That’s Italian, busters…

I always thought Debi was Italian, but there was something in me that said she was a Jew. I can just tell. Yes, I come from Eastern European lineage. I don’t associate with my family’s heritage much at all, but I know another Russian Jew when I see one, especially if they’re from New York. Well, it turns out that Debi is Greek and Russian in decent, not that it matters. It’s just interesting that she’s always typecast as an Italian, married to an Italian, and has an Italian cooking show, but isn’t Italian at all.

At any rate, I was looking for the right interview with Debi to put up here, and I finally found it. Her piercing eyes, charmingly flawed face, and whole demeanor is just attractive, point blank. I think this interview really shows this in the right light.

Enjoy.

Tags: Debi Mazar Actress Extra Virgin Cooking Channel Television Actor Celebrity Interview TV Show TV Show