2008: NYC “GOTHAM GONE BAD”
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DAY 1: PALOOZIANS IN NYC
The Big Apple hasn't seen dudes quite this crazy since a bunch of fools ate lunch on this Rockefeller Plaza beam back in 1932. Let's do this, people!!
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DAY 1: THE AIRPORT
The boys are at the airport and ready to find out if New York really is the city that never sleeps.
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DAY 1: CABBING TO MID-TOWN
Sean riding in the cab, anxiously awaiting his arrival at one of the most glamorous hotels in New York.
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DAY 1: LAP OF LUXURY
Sean and Milo catch up on their sumptuous sofa bed (hint: the place is a total dump).
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DAY 1: OPENING BEERS
The Paloozians walk across the street from their “hotel” to grab a round of beers at a pub.
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DAY 1: DAISY MAY'S
After sipping a few beers, the Paloozians head out for some southern BBQ.
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DAY 1: YOU GUYS HAVE ANY MEAT?
How could any red-blooded Paloozian male possibly resist ordering something called Kansas City “Sticky Ribs”? We didn’t try to fight the urge.
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DAY 1: AL IS DONE
It doesn’t happen often, but this is the face that Al makes when he finally gets his fill of smoked meat.
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DAY 1: MORE MEAT PACKING
The boys follow up their BBQ meat-fest by hitting the up-and-coming Meat Packing District to check out a few trendy bars.
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DAY 2: NEW YORK CITY FIREMEN
The boys begin day two by heading over to Rockefeller Plaza. Along the way, they pass some of New York’s finest talking shop.
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DAY 2: 9/11 MEMORIAL
Our wondering whether the station had lost any men was confirmed when we saw this memorial around the corner.
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DAY 2: TODAY SHOW
On our way to The Rock, we see people lined up watching the filming of The Today Show.
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DAY 2: NBC STUDIOS
Looking up at 30 Rock, home of Conan O'Brien, Brian Williams, Jason Sudeikis & Liz Lemon.
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DAY 2: OLD NBC CAMERA
You can't help but wonder what this old boy filmed over the years…Johnny Carson, the news of JFK's death, the first SNL show?
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DAY 2: THE BIG AUDITION
The Paloozians audition for jobs at NBC News. They don’t get any offers.
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DAY 2: AL & SUNFLOWERS
Al stops to smell the flowers at the base of The Rock before the boys head off on their next excursion.
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DAY 2: BROOKLYN BOUND
After the tour, the Paloozians cross the Brooklyn Bridge in search of some quality NYC pizza.
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DAY 2: BRICK OVEN PIZZA
Our first stop is Grimaldi’s for some classic New York style pizza. Fold that bad boy in half and dig in.
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DAY 2: GOOD STUFF
Grimaldi's was really good--thin, crisp Neapolitan-style crust covered with fresh ingredients and chunks of mozzarella.
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DAY 2: THE EAST RIVER
Grimaldi’s is just under the famed Brooklyn Bridge and next to the delightfully brown/green East River, the final resting place of many a wayward gangster.
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DAY 2: LOWER MANHATTAN
The great city's lower tip definitely doesn't feel the same without the massive twin towers, which use to be right in the center of this view.
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DAY 2: SICILIAN STYLE
From there, the Paloozians make their way to L&B Spumoni Gardens, which is famous for its Sicilian-style pies.
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DAY 2: ALSO GOOD STUFF
The crust at Spumoni Gardens is generally thicker and the pies are square or rectangular with the sauce placed on top of the cheese. They’ve been doing it this way since 1939. We all agree that this is the day’s champion pie.
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DAY 2: SPUMONI CHASER
The key to L&B's is the after-pizza spumoni ice cream they serve. Very good stuff.
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DAY 2: BACK TO MID-TOWN
After Pizzafest, the boys head back to the hotel before catching a train to the Giants game. That’s the Empire State Building glistening in the sun and MSG on the right.
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DAY 2: RADIO CITY
And here’s Radio City Music Hall, probably the most famous indoor concert venue in the country.
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DAY 2: GIANTS 16 - REDSKINS 7
The defending champion Giants knock off the Skins in a defensive battle. Giants Stadium is pretty cool, but like everything in NYC, a little tough to get to and from.
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DAY 2: CROWDED EXIT
After the game, what seems like the entire crowd packs into one main tunnel leading toward the subway. Smalls doesn’t touch the ground for roughly 200 yards.
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DAY 2: LATE NIGHT GUT BOMBS
After the game, the Paloozians hit White Castle (Milo’s first time). Already the trip’s calorie count is off the hook.
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DAY 2: WHY STOP THERE?
To cap off a Paloozian eating day for the ages, the boys polish off some Reubens at Stage Deli, where they run into one and only comedy legend, Jackie Mason.
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DAY 3: TASTY BURGERS
The Paloozians kick things off with an early lunch at JG Mellon and some bacon cheeseburgers of the gods.
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DAY 3: THE MET
The boys make their way to the Upper West Side to visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Here are Al and Milo checking out recovered Spanish Conquistador armor.
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DAY 3: SNOOPY
The rooftop of The Met features a bunch of giant balloon art from Jeff Koons against the Manhattan skyline. Anyone have a giant pin we can borrow?
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DAY 3: CONAN O'BRIEN SHOW
From The Met, the Paloozians are then part of the studio audience for a Conan taping, featuring Jerry O’Connell, Tim Gunn and a rare skit from Triumph The Insult Dog.
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DAY 3: SPAMALOT
Then it was a race over to catch "Spamalot" on Broadway, a great spinoff of the old Monty Python TV show.
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DAY 3: TAO RESTAURANT
After an epic day of Paloozian activities, the night ends with a visit to Tao where the giant Buddha fails to inspire much zen amongst the sleep-deprived Paloozians.
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DAY 4: SMALLS X2
Day 4 gets off to a good start as Smalls spots “Smalls”, a modest jazz club in Greenwhich Village. He is thrilled to learn that he’s now officially Zagat Rated.
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DAY 4: PUB TIME
The boys settle on The Spotted Pig, an old pub that’s owned by celebrity chef, Mario Batali and comes with a Michelin Star. Years later it will get tangled up in a #metoo harassment case that essentially ends Batali’s career.
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DAY 4: DONUT CHASERS
What better way to wash down some giant cheeseburgers than to have some donuts. The Donut Plant was one of the first in the country to start making designer donuts. Yum.
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DAY 4: MAJOR STORM
At this point, the intricate Paloozian agenda goes sideways as Hurricane Hannah descends upon NYC.
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DAY 4: WASHED OUT
Our planned double header of a Phillies-Mets day game followed by the US Open Women’s final is replaced with an epic struggle to stay dry. It was a rough day.
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DAY 4: PINTS AT JACK'S
In a valiant attempt to make the best of things, the boys snag tix to see "Avenue Q”. Here’s Sean at Jack's (an Al McGough haunt) for some pre-musical Guinness & chips.
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DAY 4: AVENUE Q
The musical turns out to be a winner—like an episode of Sesame Street if it were redone by Hugh Hefner.
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DAY 4: MORE REUBENS
Then, as if one round of massive reubens at Stage Deli isn’t enough, the Paloozians hit Carnegie Deli to meet Bill, who happens to be in NYC for a wedding.
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DAY 4: PASTRAMI MONSTER
Yes, this is what a Reuben looks like at Carnegie. And yes, it takes roughly six weeks to completely eat and digest.
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DAY 4: CLASSIC DELI VIBE
With free pickles on every table and walls covered in autographs, there isn’t a place on earth that says “deli” quite like Carnegie.
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DAY 4: BILL IS ALL SMILES
Not having been subject to the same rigorous agenda as his fellow Paloozians, Bill is rested and ready to party.
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DAY 4: COSMOS IN TIMES SQUARE
After Carnegie, the boys venture over to the Marriott Marquis to sip cosmos and check out Times Square from 40 stories above.
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DAY 4: WHITTIER DREAMS
Milo tries to remember what it was like to buy a cocktail for under $20 dollars. NYC is a tad expensive.
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DAY 4: PALOOZIANS IN THE MIRROR
The reflection from the mirrored ceiling above as the Paloozians await another round of Marriott Marquis beverages.
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DAY 5: LATTE RUN
On their final day in the city, the Paloozians actually get an early start and avoid eating a 2k calorie breakfast.
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DAY 5: BACK TO THE ROCK
The Paloozians head back over to Rockefeller Center, this time to take the trip to the top for great views of NYC.
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DAY 5: TOP OF THE ROCK
Sean strolls atop the Rock for the best view of the city and to get some phenomenal pictures on a perfect day.
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DAY 5: CENTRAL PARK
The north side view from the Rock features a great view of Central Park and the Upper West and East sides.
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DAY 5: MID-TOWN
And to the South, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty off in the far distance on the right.
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DAY 5: NFL OPENERS
Before heading to the airport, the boys catch a bit to eat and watch some of NFL games at Bounce in midtown. And another Palooza is in the books.
Inside Colopalooza: Reuben Kulafofsky