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VOL.24, NO.10
A couple of ‘critical’ importance
A star turn Rich Massabny’s unexpected turn as a theater critic wasn’t the only time that being in the right place at the right time furthered his career. He and Judy attended the Arlington County fair in 1987, when a cameraperson with Arlington Cable Television said he looked good on the station’s monitors as the station filmed fairgoers. “In those days I had nice, black wavy hair. Not the way it looks today,” he joked about his now-gray locks. So he went in to the station for an interview and was told they’d let him know about a job in the next few weeks. But just as he was about to leave, a producer came out of the control room in a panic because one of the hosts for a program called “Arlington Weekly News” didn’t show up that day. The executive producer, Don Ham-
OCTOBER 2012
I N S I D E …
PHOTO BY FRANK KLEIN
By Barbara Ruben Rich Massabny owes his long career as a critic — as well as his long marriage — to a serendipitous visit to the Northern Virginia Sun newspaper 50 years ago on the off chance they might be hiring. “I was walking in to look for a job and this guy said, ‘I’m leaving this place. Do you know showbiz, kid?’ And what do you think I answered?” Massabny recalled. Although he had no experience writing about the arts, Massabny replied, ‘Sure!’ One of the departing writer’s bosses asked him to write a review of a show featuring Sophie Tucker at the Shoreham Hotel that night. He did so, and was hired as the paper’s theater critic. But a new career wasn’t the only thing Massabny found at the newspaper. He met his future wife Judy, a reporter, there as well. They’ve now been married for 43 years, and the Arlington couple has become wellknown in Northern Virginia. Rich Massabny, 76, has hosted three public access television shows for the past 25 years, while Judy Massabny, 71, now works with Arlington County’s Office of Senior Adult Programs to raise the visibility of county senior center programs. She also represents Arlington County on the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics Committee, serving as co-coordinator.
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LEISURE & TRAVEL
Laid-back living in eclectic Key West, Fla.; plus, a glitzy train ride through Asia on the Oriental Express, and how cruises can nickel-and-dime you page 46
ARTS & STYLE Judy and Rich Massabny are familiar faces in Northern Virginia. They are pictured at the Fairfax Public Access television studio where he tapes “Conversations with Rich” and “Rich’s Place,” a cooking show, both of which he has hosted for 25 years. Rich also reviews restaurants and theaters for the TV show “Arlington Weekly News.” Judy does publicity for Arlington County senior centers as well as the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.
mond, who is still with the show, asked Massabny if he could come up with something to fill six minutes of air time. So he talked extemporaneously about Northern Virginia restaurants. “So then [Hammond] said, ‘Not too bad. Come back next week.’ And I’ve been coming back ‘next week’ for 25 years,” as the show’s theater and restaurant reviewer, Massabny said. Around the same time, he began two shows on Fairfax’s public access channel: “Rich’s Place,” a half-hour cooking show with local celebrity chefs, and “Conversations with Rich,” a one-hour interview show with a wide variety of guests. “Rich is living proof that you can go on
and on, no matter what your age, if you really like what you’re doing,” said Judy. “And he just loves all this stuff.” Rich puts it this way: “When I was 25 and did my first column, I didn’t have any background. But when you get older, you can’t help it. You’ve been here, you’ve been there, so that after a while you’re sort of an expert. No one’s around older than you who’s done all these things.” He’s also proud of his off-the-cuff style, saying he never prepares for interviews, whether they be with ambassadors, art experts or doctors. The resulting free-flowing style makes the interviews more like See COUPLE, page 55
The Color Purple musical moves audiences at Toby’s; plus, a conversation with Ms. magazine founder Susan Braun Levine, and Bob Levey on why those 70+ make better jurors page 54
FITNESS & HEALTH k Heart-healthy chocolate k Too old for mammograms?
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SPOTLIGHT ON AGING k Newsletter for D.C. seniors
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LAW & MONEY k Funds that beat the market
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VOLUNTEERS & CAREERS k Getting out the vote
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