LIFE

PRH REMEMBERS

BOBBY In Memory of RYDELL

by DAN VANORE photos by PHIL KRAMER

As a kid aspiring to be a singer, I loved listening to our famous neighborhood guys. There was something about walking on the same streets they did 20 years before me. It gave me confidence and the hope to do what I had to do to succeed. Bobby Rydell was one of those guys. I drew my confidence from him and, of course, admired him.

In my career, I had the good fortune to perform with him on stage with my band The Business at a friend’s wedding. We also opened for him at one of Philly’s big Labor Day concerts at Penn’s Landing. A dear friend of mine and former bandmate, Rick Baccare, coincidentally, became very close with Bobby while performing with him at Fredrick’s, back in the day. We both agreed that Bobby not only had the best overall voice of all the South Philly pop singers, but he also had one of the best voices in the business, period!

Bobby Rydell’s idol was another legend, Bobby Darin, and you can tell the influence that his idol had on him. In the early 1960s, Bobby Rydell was quoted in 16 Magazine saying, ‘I should like for all of Bobby [Darin’s] friends to know how indebted I am to him. Not only

has he been kind enough to give me hints on most of the aspects of show business, he has also helped me in more practical ways by mentioning my name to important people who might never had known I exist. This unselfish attitude from Bobby makes me admire him even more. He’s just great!’ If you were an Italian kid from South Philly, you knew after being in Bobby Rydell’s presence for only a few minutes that he was one of us. He had the swagger, the South Philly wit, the pride in our neighborhood and, along with Charlie Gracie, never left the area. To me, that’s a huge deal. It was evident in all the photos that were posted of him with his fans immediately after he passed. He posed for a shot with everybody who asked, and their mothers! Bobby’s death was a blow for South Philadelphia and beyond. We think people like this will be around forever and that is not so. We are only fragile humans. At least he left us with a massive array of music to be enjoyed by future generations. As I said in my opening sentence, as a young kid, he was one of my musical heroes. I, along with many other South Philadelphians, will never forget him. PRH 18 | ROWHOME MAGAZINE | July /August /September 2022

photo by ANDREW ANDREOZZI

In loving Memory of our friend In loving Memory of our friend Danny Olivieri Danny Olivieri

August 20, 1957 – April 6, 2022

photo by ANDREW ANDREOZZI

There at the edge of the sea, I carve my name in the sand And watch as the waves caress each letter Until I, too, become as immortal as the sea. - DRJ

We will see you on the Beach. Dorette & Dawn

FROM CORPORATE AMERICA TO COMEDY CLUBS Pat Rocchi

Finds Humor in Everyday Life

by Maria Merlino

How much does stand-up comic Pat Rocchi and his wife Marie love Philadelphia? Even though they used to live in nearby North Wales, they’d vacation in Center City hotels for a few days to enjoy Philly’s arts and music scene.

“We actually [decided to] move to Bella Vista,” says Rocchi (pronounced like Rocky) of the Philly neighborhood. “With a SEPTA Senior Fare card to get around, we feel as though we died and went to heaven! I discov-

ered Gran Caffe L’Aquila on Chestnut Street when they first opened. My family originated in L’Aquila Abruzzo and after speaking to the manager, I discovered we knew people in common.”

After 45 years in corporate communications, including spokesperson for multiple General Electric businesses and director of communications at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Rocchi’s creativity rewarded him with many business accolades, film and television awards, and speech contest championships. As a professional communicator, Rocchi always had an interest in comedy and how it is expressed on stage.

“One year, after I successfully battled prostate cancer, my daughter gave me stand-up lessons as a Christmas gift,” he says. “I had to go to Ambler’s Act II Playhouse for them, but after that, I got the bug!”

Rocchi is one of those comedians who takes the craft seriously and takes the time to prepare his set. “I tell people there is no greater feeling than going before a group of strangers and making them laugh. And it’s all you. You stand at a microphone, and it’s only you. I very rarely blame an audience for an inadequate show. I feel it is my responsibility for the laughs.”

Lately, comedy has been taking a beating for hurting people’s feelings. Literally. Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle recently were attacked on stage. “I can say that many of us are wary of this,” Rocchi says. “We talk about it, even joke about it, as we are wont to do. But I don’t personally know a single comedian who has either stopped performing because of it or been attacked, thank goodness.”

With the current “cancel culture,” comedians are taking measures to prevent this from happening to them. “Both Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock - two very different approaches to stand-up content - long ago stated they won’t work college campuses any longer because of cancel culture. In some instances, comedians are staying true to their visions of comedy by pre-empting certain audiences who would criticize them. The Philly comedians I know begin by answering this question: ‘Is my material funny?’ If it is, they proceed.”

In the past, Rocchi’s archetype for comedy was Robert Klein, who portrayed everyday life in observational and satirical humor. Those observations of modern life are the core of Rocchi’s own humor. “Robert Klein brought a great deal of intelligence to his stand-up,” he says. Recently, though, he admires young comics like John Mulaney and Taylor Tomlinson.

This summer, Rocchi and his wife will be in Italy and Sea Isle City, NJ. When he’s home, you can find him performing at local venues like Comedy Cabaret and Cross Keys Brewing Company. He is also booked for private events like corporate meetings, birthdays, and social luncheons. Rocchi has even performed at funerals. He will eulogize your beloved with a humorous and joyful celebration of life. Pat Rocchi can be reached at comicpatrocchi@gmail.com. You can also book him for an event through https://www.gigsalad.com/pat_rocchi_philadelphia. PRH

Celebrating Our 90th Anniversary

OldTraditions of

courtesy of Chef Mitzi Jackson-Robinson @mj_thechef

Welcome to Chef MJ’s Corner, where we will feature stories about food, nutrition, health, the latest trends and hotspots, and last but not least, stories that give inspiration to each reader. You know my motto, “Food is a segue into intimate conversation! So, take a load off and get intimate.”

It seems that every time I turn on the local news, there are reports of gun violence. Sadly, I know two families who have recently lost their teenage sons to homicide in the city of Philadelphia. The good news is gun violence is actually down by 6 percent according to Controlla.Philadelphia.gov (from 2021 to 2022). I wonder…if kids had to be home by the time the streetlights came on, would this number be lower? Remember that? ‘You better be in this house by the time the streetlights come on!’

I was having a discussion with friends about their thoughts on gun violence across the country. From each one of them, several thoughts came to mind. Such as - when dinner time was sacred. When I was growing up, if you were not home by dinner time to eat with the family, you did not eat. What if this were still the case? Do you think our youth would be out past a certain hour if they couldn’t eat when they got home? The traditions of old are hardly recognized anymore.

Most families we knew had a family dinner every Sunday that was truly special. Grandma would break out all the stops, including the good dishes and those melt-in-your-mouth biscuits. We should try to incorporate these traditions more in our households. Bring back the opportunity for families to be closer together and actually communicate. Instead of just seeing each other on social media.

I have four grandchildren. I think about them every day and the world that they are growing up in. I think it’s important to talk to your children daily. Teach them to be aware of their surroundings. Not to talk to strangers. Also sadly, we have to talk to them about what they would do, where they would hide, if a gunman came into their schools. It breaks my heart, but it’s reality.

I personally have decided to talk to the younger generation every opportunity I get.

Including offering free cooking classes as a coping mechanism for depression. Let’s try to come together and bring these sacred gatherings back. Even if it helps decrease this violent system of things just a little bit, we are one step closer. PRH

A funny and poignant pageturning tale based on a true story set in Philadelphia, written by a native South Philadelphian.

Being released September 12, 2022 by The Awakened Press

www.LyingDownwithDogs.com

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THE CHILDREN’S HOUSE OF PHILADELPHIA

A Montessori Preschool Serving Students from 18 Months to 6 Years

he success of the Montessori method has been so embraced

Tby our parent community that The Children’s House of Philadelphia, which serves students from 18 months to 6 years at 2611 S. Broad Street, has expanded into a beautiful brownstone right next-door at 2607 S. Broad Street. The additional space with its high ceilings and sun-filled rooms has been lovingly restored and updated for Montessori classroom use. The new classrooms will enable our children to explore and learn through independence and purposeful work. The Children’s House staff is a select group of certified, early childhood educators. The Children’s House is an American Montessori Society member school as well as an Approved Private Academic School licensed by the Department of Education in the State of Pennsylvania. The Children’s House offers walk-through tours for interested families. Limited spaces available.

To get the latest information and newest updates about The Children’s House of Philadelphia be sure to follow our Facebook page and our Instagram account @phillychildrenshouse.

The Children’s House of Philadelphia is a member of the

Philadelphia RowHome (PRH) Magazine Business Network.

Terrill Haigler with children Aubree (5) & Aiden (9). Courtesy of Terrill Haigler

TRASH 2 TREASURE

Teaching Kids to keep their Neighborhoods Clean is Worth a Million Dollars

by Brenda Hillegas

Terrill Haigler, a former Philly sanitation worker, realized how essential that role was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, because of his environmental activism, Haigler (aka ‘Ya Fav Trashman’), is recognized as an internet and local sensation.

Since stepping away from his job in February 2021, Haigler has assumed a few new roles in his community as the CEO of YaFavTrashman, LLC, and founder of a nonprofit called Trash 2 Treasure.

He’s been featured on World News Tonight with David Muir, The TODAY Show, Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show and was invited to speak at the White House about his mission. Recently, Haigler co-hosted Philadelphia’s first 5K Earth Day Trash Walk, was awarded with the Waste Expo’s Changemaker Award, and recognized as a “40 Under 40” in the waste industry.

On June 30th, Haigler officially added “author” to his long list of credentials. His new children’s book, I’m Cool Too, is based on a conversation he had with his own three children about his job and how he does it. The book is illustrated by Deborah Tyson with Philly-based Empower in charge of project management.

“I have a theory that the way to have a cleaner, safer city is that every zip code needs a clean block,” said Haigler, who was born and raised in North Philly and currently resides in Germantown. “Studies show that littering is a learned behavior. I decided to write a children’s book to ignite positive interactions with waste and recycling, as well as to advocate for the importance of sanitation workers, and teach children why they have to keep their communities clean.”

Haigler’s goal is to sell 200,000 copies because $5 from every book sold will be donated to the School District of Philadelphia. Visit www.yafavtrashman.com and click the ‘I’m Cool Too’ tab to order the book. Follow him on Instagram @_yafavtrashman.

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