Remembering Pat Cooper

In a better place, the incredible talent Pat Cooper, who died days back at age 93, a man I met and with whom I had some great, meaningful conversations, is telling me– whatever “copy and paste,” is– do not worry about it, and thank you remembering me.

There are such good memories and hopefully the recordings and past posts will manifest.

Yet, no matter, they are in my mind!

Pat Cooper driving, pulled next to me driving on the Bronx River Parkway in October ’96 (the Yankees led the Braves 3 games to 2 on their way to their first title in 18 years) asking how to get to a restaurant called Gregory’s, in White Plains, New York.

It was Pat Cooper, I indicated to him “folla” (Ode to Robert Shaw, another great, saying such as a villain in the great film, “The Sting”) and Pat praised me for helping and I had his then 212 675 #.

Mr. Cooper, whose book “How Dare You Say How Dare Me! An Autobiography Of A Life In Comedy,” written by/with Steve Garrin and Rich Herschlag was such a great read,(reviewed here in August 2013) was always open, candid and beyond funny!

Pat advised me, cared about me, and treated a man called “Doctor.” “Dr.” and me to one of his shows plus backstage candor, at Westbury years back.

The “of course not” real Dr. occasionally “scored” with his pretense/lie, but he expressed his night out seeing Pat perform and receiving his hospitality, was better!!

Pat Cooper’s amazing performance on “The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder was groundbreaking, shocking and so great to see.

He called the Chiefs not Kansas City, but Kansas and it was unfortunately more than the 3 years since they won their first Super Bowl title in 50 years, that I communicated with Pat.

It makes me feel good that Pat’s wife Emily Connor, perhaps Conner, (by either name as we say in Italian, having done a “Mitzvah” (Pat would have pulled that attempt at humor off, perhaps by not trying it), took such good care of the man, born Pasquale Caputo, who so often astounded people with his candor, talent, hard work and ability to induce laughter.

 

A one of a kind brilliant talent, Pat Cooper, pictured above.