Dom DeLuise
One of my favorite comedians of all time was Dom DeLuise. I loved watching all his appearances on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show as well as his roles in Burt Reynolds’ Cannonball Run movies. And of course, let us not forget his own film, Fatso.
One evening, Dom came to dine at Trattoria Dell’Arte. I think it must have been his first time eating there because—judging from the look on his face—he almost had a heart attack when he saw the antipasto bar on his way to his table. In fact, he stopped to take a long hard look at the array of dishes on display and said, “I’ll be back in a minute.” Well, he wasn’t kidding.
If you know anything about Dom, it’s that he loved to eat, and Dell’Arte’s antipasto bar was legendary—and still is. So, I told him I’d make him a special plate. When I started adding food to his plate, he was panting and wheezing with each addition to it, and I asked if he was alright and he snapped back, “Don’t interrupt me, kid.” I had to laugh because Dom was just too much, an over-the-top, larger-than-life figure.
I wound up making him several more plates as if he had two assholes that night. In the end, he regaled me with his “own” recipes he made at home and told me that if I ever made it to Los Angeles, he’d serve me some of his special Italian dishes.
Later, I learned that years ago Dom lived on the same block on which I now reside at 345 W 55th Street in New York City. Now that’s food for thought.
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