CURTIS SLIWA Talks Violence, Vigilantism, Jewish
Summary
Adam Friedland hosts Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and former NYC mayoral candidate. They discuss Sliwa’s upbringing in Brooklyn, his encounters with organized crime, and his time managing a Bronx McDonald’s during the 1970s. The conversation covers politics, Jewish identity, and Sliwa’s survival of murder attempts.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Vior apparel and tea
Introduction of Curtis Sliwa and Guardian Angels
Sports banter and nocturnal habits
Israel, Palestine, and Jewish identity
Curtis's Brooklyn roots and mob history
Bribery attempts and mayoral race
Acting career and teenage antics
Childhood mugging and martial arts
School days and Catholic education
Baseball fandom and family dynamics
High school expulsion and recycling
McDonald's job and meeting 'Mad Chinaman'
Gang violence and gay rights in 1977
Restaurant robbery and forming the Angels
Subway patrols and Bernard Goetz
Conflict with NYPD and Mayor Koch
Relationship with wife Lisa and fighting
Mob rivalry and assassination attempt
Surviving the shooting and hospital recovery
Family loyalty and Bowery history
Political figures: Koch, Cuomo, and Giuliani
Israel debate and political polarization
Republican identity in NYC and government role
Citizen policing and drug trade myths
Legacy, humor, and conclusion
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