After Mayor Eric Adams defiantly vowed to stay in the Big Apple mayoral race on Friday, he headed to Cipriani 42nd Street to celebrate the 77th birthday of billionaire John Catsimatidis at the annual 77 WABC radio gala.
The dress code for the 500-guest bash was, “black tie glamour with patriotic sparkle.” Chandeliers at the storied venue glowed red, white and blue, while recognizable all-American lookalikes — from Abraham Lincoln to the Statue of Liberty — mixed with the crowd.
Even with Adams present, guests urged Catsimatidis to run for mayor of New York again. (He politely declined.) But when his wife Margo Catsimatidis was introduced as the proverbial “First Lady of New York City,” “the ballroom erupted in cheers,” a spy said.
The Post reported that President Trump last weekend rang up billionaire businessman Catsimatidis, who has ties to both Adams and GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa, to voiced his dismay about what might happen if Zohran Mamdani, the socialist Democratic front-runner, wins in November.
As Adams schmoozed at Catsimatidis’ party, country icon Lee Greenwood appeared on stage to sing “God Bless the USA,” followed by tenor Christopher Macchio, former “SNL” star Joe Piscopo and famed radio host Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow.
Vinnie Medugno sang Tony Orlando’s “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” — since Orlando himself couldn’t make the event — for guests including Curtis Sliwa, Red Apple Media president Chad Lopez, Emily Pankow, Cushman & Wakefield’s Bruce Mosler, County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Republican Party Chairman Joseph Cairo, former Douglas Elliman CEO Howard Lorber, Hamptons restauranteur Zach Erdem, p.r maven Todd Shapiro and the Catsimatidis family, including wife Margo, daughter Andrea and son John Jr.
Catsimatidis’ actual birthday is Sept. 7.
John and Margo also used the occasion as their customary September bash for any pals with Virgo birthdays — a tradition they started years ago at the Metropolitan Club and moved to Cipriani to coincide with the supermarket magnate’s birthday and his WABC radio gala.
Since the couple took over the radio station, it has risen from No. 28 to No. 1 in talk radio.
Goya was a sponsor of the event, where past guests have included Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Gov. David Paterson and onetime mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner.
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