Before I even arrived at my first summer theater job, the whole cast knew me as The Girl Who Couldn’t Figure Out How to Get Here. I sent out an e-mail to the entire contact list that read along the lines of: Hello people I’ll be living and working with for the next 3 months! I don’t have a car! I can’t figure out public transportation! Someone help me! I got several responses via e-mail, and then a call from an unknown number. I answered the phone.
On the other line was a guy from the cast who had worked the job the year before. He knew first hand how to take Greyhound and then transfer to a local bus line. He was oh so friendly and helpful and even though we had never met, we easily chatted for thirty minutes. His name was Tyson Savoretti, his first name he told me over the phone, his last I saw on the cast list. I pictured a man with a gorgeous mix of ethnicity- half black, half Italian. When I hung up the phone I knew two things: exactly how I was going to take the bus and who I wanted for my summer fling. (These are two important considerations when working summer stock.)
When we met face to face I learned white people can be named “Tyson” too. So I had been wrong about that. Still, he was still attractive and charming and spontaneous and funny, just the right amount of goofy and….into my roommate. At the time I was disappointed but now I look back and see fortune smiling down on us. It was a gigantic boon. While he and said roommate had a great summer fling, now they no longer speak. Whereas Tyson and I became friends that summer and now he is one of the best buddies in NYC. Still as charismatic and hilarious as he was when I met him, he is this week’s Other New York cliché!
Name/prefered pseudonym: Tyson Allen Savoretti, my gamer-tag/handle has always been Spee 2000.
Borough and neighborhood: Manhattan/ Hamilton Heights! But I always say North Harlem. Historically, it is near Hamilton Grange, which is what I wish it was called. Alexander Hamilton, hero, once had a farm and a home here, which still resides 12 blocks south of where I am sitting now. I love American history but hate American politics.
Actually though, I think my clicheness (which if you spell-check you get; Chilliness, Cheesiness, Chicness) is that I came to NYC with big dreams of doing SOMETHING in entertainment. But the more I learned about the reality of it, I realized I do not have the gut to put up with the people and the lifestyle required to be successful. I may have the talents necessary, but to pursue a passion is to know its dark side. Plus, people change as they get older. I found out what I want from life and from success and so I turned 90 degrees and am now kicking ass in Nursing school. I think I may actually be a Renaissance Man.
They say no one who lives in New York is actually from New York. Where are you from?
Safety Harbor, FL, near Tampa. It is a good ass place to live, even though Florida is always in the news for something horrible or ridiculous. I do not apologize for Florida, I adore it. I miss the sunshine, I miss the winters there, but I truly think that I could be happy living almost anywhere. Like Pumba said, “Home is where the rump rests!”
Bloomberg is banishing you from NYC. You have 24 hours before you have to pack up and leave for ever. How do you spend them?
Well I know I would have a party. I could call in quite a few favors from the past five years or so and have rager, and I am certain it would be easy to get people motivated for THAT one. Before the horse-drawn jail-cell came to ride me across the George Washington Bridge, I would probably take one last “whiskey walk” from the Bunker (my home) to the Battery. I love taking goodbye-walks, love-walks, and whiskey-walks (although they are not mutually exclusive).
Blossom Cafe on 82nd-ish and Columbus. It is a vegan place and I have had the whole menu like twice. I used to go there with my beloved on every occasion, and still find reasons to go back now. The only place I have really EVER been a regular.
Favorite pizza place?
It WAS Amore right off the South exit of the W4 subway station. Me and my buddy Justin would eat there every time we were drunk in the area (once or twice), but since I became a card-carrying vegan, I really don’t eat much pizza. Two Boots, however, does a very nice veggie pizza called the Earth Mother, and a less amazing fake cheese vegan pizza called the V for Vegan…which, if you let your non-vegan friends try, they will feel VERY assured of their omnivorousness.
Every stupid thing I LOVE; I still like going to the Dinos at the American Museum of Natural History, I love to see the weird shit at the MoMA, I love to take the Staten Island booze cruise and see the Statue. And I couldn’t possibly love the Radio City Christmas Spectacular more. I watched the video of it I PURCHASED on Christmas Eve. Most of all, Central Park. I mentioned how much I love walks, and there are still new things to see. Last year I finally found Shakespeare Garden for the first time. SIIIIIGGGGH I was in so much love then…this questionnaire is now making me sad.
Ever had a run-in with a celebrity (A-D List)?
I have served a few celebrities in my bartending work throughout the past five years, but no one REALLY cool until Philip Seymour Hoffman sat at a table in my front section at Broome Street Bar in SoHo. He ordered a fatty sandwich and played Ski Safari the whole time and did not look up. Tipped 20%.
You totally saw something weird on the subway or street today (you may not have registered it was weird because you are jaded), what did you see?
Today. I saw a young black man giving change to a homeless man. The the homeless man asked for more, and the young black man looked really depressed about the situation and walked away.
Ghostbusters. I think it is a fair assessment of how New Yorkers actually are, it isn’t rude about it, or trying to be really funny about how they portray the vibe of the city. I am happy when I see that.
My favorite Future New York is The Fifth Element, and I still sort of want to paint orange circles on my wall and have a KEEP CLEAR zone. Also the idea that the Asian noodles guy would just pull his hovercart up to your window is BITCHEN.
Plug something! Be it something you are involved in, your significant other/roommate/cat is involved in, or just something you think is extra-special going on in NYC.
I would like to plug my friend’s blog, I love the writing style and how non-self-indulgent it is, and I laugh every time she writes anything. I would definitely buy a coffee table book from her. Check her out here – http://newyorkcliche.com/ – I am a big fan!
Thanks, Tyson for being part of my Other New York clichés feature! And for plugging my blog- you’re the sweetest! Next movie night we are watching The Fifth Element- you sold me (sorry I balked at the idea last time)!
What do you think of this series? Love it so much you want featured? Fabulous! Email NewYorkCliche@yahoo.com.
Awesome article. It’s always neat to see people I know talked about on here, but I think this is one of the first times you’ve used one of their real names.
He wins simply because he quote The Lion King!
Thank goodness you got so many pics I was so busy teinndg to the happy birthday boy I didn’t even get out my camera! Your pics are far better than mine could ever be anyway, I am lucky to have you thanks friend!!
Tys, welcome back to Florida.