Death of a Salesman, one of New York's best. Joe Ades.

Click to read obituary.
Joe Ades Obituary NY TIMES

I wrote the following article in November of this past year when I was fortunate to find Joe Ades preparing his craft of selling peelers outside my day job. I talked with him, learned a bit about him and am really happy I photographed and videotaped his entire pitch. He was a sales icon of the city streets for many years and he will be missed. I found out he passed on from an email that The New York Times sent me requesting a picture from my sight , however I didn't get the email until late last night and there were plenty of other photos on the net. This is a repost of my article in tribute to Mr. Ades who was what New York is all about. If you have not read it before, you will enjoy it, and if you have, enjoy it again. I'm glad I have a peeler from Joe, I will think of him often, just as I did the day before I found out he passed on while I peeled carrots with it. Life. Always playing tricks on us. My condolences to the Ades family.

From November 2008:

Joe Ades is an infamous moving landmark who traverses the city streets pitching his one product, a potato peeler. Yes, you heard me, a potato peeler. He refers to himself as a "grafter" and not a salesman, he pointed out to me that he learned his trade in impromptu markets over in England where people would be hawking their own items like shoelaces to cough medicine. There is a reason he sits down which is how all the grafters did it in England he says because you can have a crowd around you and by passers can't see what's going on and therefore will be so curious that they will join the audience and watch Joe's brilliant performance.

He is 74 years old and this is him set up on Wall St Monday morning when I got to my day job. I spoke to him briefly as he ate his early lunch preparing for a busy day he told me. I then saw him later on my own lunch break and video taped this New York legend. He is supercool and does what he does better than anyone I've ever seen pitch a product on the streets of New York. Joe lives on Park Avenue and frequents The Hotel Pierre bar where he is known to polish off bottles of Veuve Cliquot champagne along with the regulars who know him very well there as I learned later. Read on, check out his work and enjoy the videos I took of him on my lunch break.


As you can see he decided to turn around and face Trinity Church when I returned on my lunch.

This is the bucketful of the product he sells, Star peeler.

He also shows off on his cart all the notoriety he has gotten in the past from Vanity Fair, The Daily News and the New York Post and others. Surely my article will be on there as well if Joe wants to make even more money.
Definitely a slice of the action, he just sits there and creates a buzz. Wherever he goes.
Joe on the Post.
More media publicity.
The Perfect Pitch man begins his routine, no one around, he just starts talking and showing how the peeler works and slowly people stop and listen. Cool stuff.
Now he's getting them hooked.
Showing off his Iron Chef skills.
I wonder if he is a Guinness book candidate for most carrots peeled ever?
Hook....Line....and BUYER !!!! She looks quite happy with her purchase !!


In the following videos you can hear a guy trying to ask him about the books he sold ten years ago to which he ignores, stays professional and continues on, also in the second video which shows his full show. The bells of Trinity Church are ringing but Joe can drown them out with his passion for the peeler.






And yes indeed......The King had to buy a few too, thats my hand holding this AMAZING product that you know you want to have now.







So in closing, Joe Ades was a character that gave New York that special pulse and New York has certainly lost its pulse for a moment, but that's where new people like Mike Alaska The Drummer, Otis Houston The Black Cherokee, ALL my fellow NYC taxi bloggers, ALL my blog readers, New Yorkers, and I come in to bring the pulse back to a proper rhythm. Thanks for being a vein in the heart of the city pumping for so long Joe. It's the people who make up the arteries of this city to make it the great city it is, not greedy executives, unscrupulous politicians, billionaire socialites whose husband was pardoned by Clinton, lying brokers,crooked cops who shake down bars in Staten Island or the Mayor who pays them so little that they are driven to these acts of desperation and crime. Damn shame that it is.


Its us ....The People.

Joe worked hard, kept it simple and REAL.

Today Joe Ades, you are The King of New York, and one day I will help you peel some potatoes where you are in peace, as I will be one day too. Thanks for the memories Joe. Peace out peelers.

Grand Central, Beer Goggle Santa and Bloomingdales. Enjoy !!

Grand Central Station.....A Masterpiece

Click on the pics to enlarge and appreciate.



CORNELIUS VANDERBILT

“

If I had learned education, I would not have had time to learn anything else.

”

Born on Staten Island, Vanderbilt began working on ferries in and around New York as a young boy, quitting school at age 11. By age 16 he was operating his own business—after having borrowed money from his mother—ferrying freight and passengers between Staten Island and Manhattan. During the War of 1812, he received a government contract to supply the forts around New York City. He operated sailing schooners, which is where he gained his nickname of "Commodore."

On December 19, 1813, Cornelius Vanderbilt married his cousin and neighbor, Sophia Johnson (1795-1868), daughter of his aunt Elizabeth Hand Johnson. He and his wife had 13 children, 1 died in childhood.

You have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I will ruin you.
—-Cornelius Vanderbilt, 1853 (in a letter to former business associates Morgan & Garrison

Net worth ▲$167.4 billion, according to Wealthy historical figures 2008, based on information from Forbes - February 2008. Thanks Wikipedia.

In October 1871, Vanderbilt struck up a partnership with the New York and New Haven Railroad to join with the railroads he owned to consolidate operations at one terminal at East 42nd Street called Grand Central Depot, which was the original Grand Central Terminal, where his statue reigns today. The glass roof of the depot collapsed during a blizzard on the same day Vanderbilt died in 1877. The station was not replaced until 1903-1913.

Never knew that.


...and here he is Cornelius himself under a very large wreath. I once had his granddaughter Wendy in my taxi and as we took the same route I commented to her how I grew up in Staten Island and visited her ancestors mausoleum which is a work of art at Moravian Cemetery in Staten Island. She commented to me that she and her family were always proud that the city preserved what he built. She was a charming woman and I hope I get her in my taxi again.


Now , lets do a 360 and REALLY appreciate MY FIRST DRUNK SANTA ever in my taxi.

Thank you , thank you, please ...no please, everyone stop clapping and get back to the blog.

I got in line as 2 cabs pulled up to this Santa and as they pulled off leaving Santa Claus without a ride I felt the NEED to get Santa to his destination regardless of his state of mind.

ITS SANTA DAMMIT !!! .....so I was the lucky one to pick Santa up. Beer Goggles and all.

A Christmas classic indeed.



Before I let Santa in I locked the doors and asked if he was going to puke as he hiccuped where his destination was which was believe it or not Macy's at 34th St...His answer was "I did that already , don't worry about it" A Miracle to 34th St indeed was occurring in my cab tonight ...a drunk guy ....NOT going to throw up...and Kris Kringle heading towards the grandpooba of Santa gatherings round the world !!! He got in , asked me kindly to put some rock n roll on and BLAST it ...He gave me a station number , I cranked it up , he said "F*** yeah , thats what Santa needs" and then passed out. Tears flowed down my cheeks at the fact that Santa was sleeping in my Taxi....and here he is sleeping with his beer goggles up against the partition. It truly is Christmas.


....and he sinks lower and lower as I hold my breath that he doesn't puke...SANTA don't puke !!!
He awoke exactly at where I was gong to leave him at a red light across the street from Macy's , thanked me for stopping and cranking the music , wished me a Merry Christmas , tipped me $5 and exited the cab to a gaggle of people trying to get an empty taxi and coherently put his beer goggles on and walked into the night....my new customers asked " Was Santa drunk?". I replied , "no he was Shitcanned"....BUT he was Santa so let it go !! ...and they did.



The front of Bloomingdales.


The back of Bloomingdales.


Bloomindales has speakers set up which play Tony Bennett tracks off of his new CD, "A Swingin' Christmas featuring the Count Basie Big Band" as you walk by all the decorated windows. Tony was from where my father and mother grew up and I grew up a little in Astoria,Queens NYC. I saw him perform in Vegas at The Desert Inn for the Millennium with his daughter as the opening act and Mr.Warmth Don Rickles at a table right next to me. He actually sang a song without a microphone to show how the Desert Inn acoustics were so well built that he didn't need a microphone. He sounded great.

This is his first holiday album in 40 years.

You can hear other tracks at this site:

http://www.tonybennett.net/


...or just click on the video and listen as you scroll through Bloomie's with The King.....Soooooo what are ya gonna buy me?





Click on the photos to enlage and enjoy.




Jingle Bells.



Jingle Bells photo # 2.



Silver Bells.




I'll be home for Christmas.



The Christmas Waltz.



Christmastime is here.



Have yourself a merry little Christmas.


Santa Claus is coming to town ..why?? BECAUSE THE KING PICKED HIS DRUNK ASS UP !!!




Oh Christmas tree.


Well, thanks for visiting Bloomingdale's with me , I had a grand time and appreciate all the gift cards you'll be sending my way ....I may not work at Bloomie's but I am the King Of New York Hacks. Hope all your shopping is done and as my fellow brother Mad D.C. Cabbie always says, please don't forget the homeless. Peace out.



I really mean it ...the King was homeless once ...and it ain't no fucking picnic. Reach out my brothers and sisters, its the holidays and it is COLD here .



Nuff said....Thanks for stopping by everyone , next stop maybe Rockefeller Center...or who knows ?? Its a fun ride no matter !!!!

THE BLACK CHEROKEE OF NEW YORK OTIS HOUSTON JR ...NOW BEAT THAT !!!!!

The King loves to meet REAL New Yorkers that bring a substance and aura to this city that can not be created elsewhere in the world and can sneak up on you in a New York minute at anytime. Well as I got out of my office late again and could not get a taxi to work the night, the catering hall across the street had about a hundred paparazzi's waiting for Elton John, Trump,Whoopi and a host of other celebrities to walk the red carpet when all of a sudden you hear Whoooooooooooo !!!!!! Whoooooooooooooo!!! Yeahhhh!!!!! Whooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

Coming from down the street and the scream getting nearer as this man was jogging and appeared almost like a reinarnation of Apollo Creed from Rocky fame. He stopped where all the paparazzi were and started screaming to them that he don't drink, he don't smoke, and he's seen Trump before and said he'll whoop his ass because hes a bad man. He screamed that he don't drink,don't smoke and keeps it real for America and its children. He was rhyming like Bruce Lee + Muhammed Ali = ME !! YOU want to know me Google Me I'm The Black Cherokee !!!

This was great stuff.

So instead of me doing my paparazzi stuff, I went and followed him jogging where he started screaming from the steps on Federal Hall and then he proceeded to Trinity Church to stand on these blockades that prevent cars from driving down Wall St and I videotaped him and asked him his name. Hope you enjoy it. He's also an artist and musician.
Here's his CD http://cdbaby.com/cd/otishoustonjr , his myspace OtisHoustonJrTheBlackCherokee!! , and here is another story about him from NYCTheBlog.

If you google him there is more about how he sets up next to highways here in NYC and waves to people screaming his thoughts and objectives. I also heard he does a weird act with oranges. I'll try to get that for you one day. Hopefully I will be able to get Joe the peeler, Cat on the Head guy, and The Black Cherokee all together for a Charlie Rose meeting with The King Of Hacks and really entertain the blogworld.

I love this shot, middle of Wall St screaming his words at hundreds of paparazzi as if the city was his , and at that moment....IT WAS HIS ...The Black Cherokee Otis Houston Jr. Obama, look out!

"DONT YOU BE TELLIN' ME WHATS GOOD , I AM GOOD AND YOU BETTER START LISTENING !!!".......Damn straight Otis, The King sure did!!

IM DAMN GOOD FOR AMERICA , IM SAVIN' IT !!


Enjoy the videos, the lighting sucks but you can hear his voice quite well. The one below is on the street right outside Federal Hall.



This next vid I took as he jogged to Trinity and began his speech, you can hear the King ask "whats your name" and he provides it along with other thoughts.Its funny how most New Yorkers just walk by without even batting an eye. That's what makes this city so unique, had he been doing this in Bakersfield, Ohio he'd probably be in a mental institution.





So in the last two weeks I was fortunate enough to meet REAL people like Joe the peeler and Otis The Black Cherokee, I may not be as real as they are but I am The King Of New York Hacks. Now Beat That !!!

Joe Ades The Peeler Man, and The King does Paparazzi !

Joe Ades is an infamous moving landmark who traverses the city streets pitching his one product, a potato peeler. Yes, you heard me, a potato peeler. He refers to himself as a "grafter" and not a salesman, he pointed out to me that he learned his trade in impromptu markets over in England where people would be hawking their own items like shoelaces to cough medicine. There is a reason he sits down which is how all the grafters did it in England he says because you can have a crowd around you and by passers can't see what's going on and therefore will be so curious that they will join the audience and watch Joe's brilliant performance.

He is 74 years old and this is him set up on Wall St Monday morning when I got to my day job. I spoke to him briefly as he ate his early lunch preparing for a busy day he told me. I then saw him later on my own lunch break and video taped this New York legend. He is supercool and does what he does better than anyone I've ever seen pitch a product on the streets of New York. Joe lives on Park Avenue and frequents The Hotel Pierre bar where he is known to polish off bottles of Veuve Cliquot champagne along with the regulars who know him very well there as I learned later. Read on, check out his work and enjoy the videos I took of him on my lunch break.


As you can see he decided to turn around and face Trinity Church when I returned on my lunch.

This is the bucketful of the product he sells, Star peeler.

He also shows off on his cart all the notoriety he has gotten in the past from Vanity Fair, The Daily News and the New York Post and others. Surely my article will be on there as well if Joe wants to make even more money.
Definitely a slice of the action, he just sits there and creates a buzz. Wherever he goes.
Joe on the Post.
More media publicity.
The Perfect Pitch man begins his routine, no one around, he just starts talking and showing how the peeler works and slowly people stop and listen. Cool stuff.
Now he's getting them hooked.
Showing off his Iron Chef skills.
I wonder if he is a Guinness book candidate for most carrots peeled ever?
Hook....Line....and BUYER !!!! She looks quite happy with her purchase !!


In the following videos you can hear a guy trying to ask him about the books he sold ten years ago to which he ignores, stays professional and continues on, also in the second video which shows his full show the bells of Trinity Church are ringing but Joe can drown them out with his passion for the peeler.






And yes indeed......The King had to buy a few too, thats my hand holding this AMAZING product that you know you want to have now.





It was then when I got out of my office late so I couldn't get a taxi now and had time to kill before I got my bus home. There is a catering hall righ across the street from where I work that has celebrity functions all the time and in one of my prior posts I got pictures of Brett Favre and The New York Jets who were attending here as well.

There were only a few paparazzi waiting in front of a small red carpet with a banner for the World Wide Orphan foundation. I walked over with my camera in hand and asked this small Chinese paparazzi dude who was coming and he replied" The Weeds" are coming.

I had no clue what he was talking about so I asked the gentleman below who informed me he's just a tourist from France and he was just watching to see who was coming. His name is Eric and he came here to run the NYC marathon which he did successfully, so I congratulated him and as you can see he was wearing the medal that the finishers received for their well done achievement. I told him about my blog and would he mind if I took a pic of the medal and he was more than happy to do it . We give the French a lot of shit, but this guy was real gentleman with a sense of humor too joking with me that we were waiting to see someone we probably didn't know.
Here is a close up of the medal you get for running 26.2 miles in NYC.
As Borat would say...VERY NIIIIICE!!!!
I have no idea who these two women were and the paparazzi standing next to me didn't like me rubbing elbows with them as I snapped away and asked who are these people to which they wouldn't tell me.
Then the lady on the left heard me asking who they were and she asked where was I from and I jokingly replied "Fox News" to which she grunted something about how terrible and unprofessional they are. I told them as I was laughing I was kidding and the paparazzi people didn't find it funny at all. If you know who they are please tell me. I think the Asian woman is a newscaster. Not sure though.
So then my little Chinese paparazzi dude ran up to me and told me "WEEDS" was here, so I saw a tall bald guy in a tuxedo and asked my new friend " Is that the weeds? " He said" No No No ...The WOMAN !!" Oh ok..I recognize her thats Mary Mcdowell I said to a paparazzi next to me, to which she replied " No its not" ...hmmmm...ok waiting for a follow up from her to tell me who it is and she wouldn't tell me !!! Damn poopanazzis!!! I told her I know its Mary something and I'll find out on the internet anyway. And I did ...Mary Louise Parker from the Showtime series "WEEDS" which I've never seen. She is a good actress in the movies I saw her in and as you can see she looks pretty good at age 44.
Here she is looking into The Kings eyes and trying to seduce me....I'm not THAT easy !!

This is Mary Louise Parker and Dr. Jane Aronson who is an advocate and is on the Board of Directors for this foundation that helps orphans around the world.This is her website. http://www.orphandoctor.com/ Good stuff.


After that nice photo I screamed at the both of them which I was no further than 3 feet away " How about a funny face picture ?!?!?! " I do that all the time with my family, nieces, nephews etc..ITS FUN !!! However the pooparazzi started apologizing and put their cameras down telling Mary and Dr.Jane how unprofessional I am , but the Doctor MADE a funny face and I got the pic of it !!!

One paparazzi told me its people like me who are ruining the business, I told him " Go fuck yourself, this is show business and I got the money shot sucker!! "Even better I told them I have a blog with millions of readers who will get to view my photo which is funny !! And then the president of SBG communications Shanta Bryant Gyan who overheard all this nonsense, and who was running the event gave me a press packet and took my information and was laughing along with me as the poopanazzis were still trying to scold me.

Dr.Jane, you rock for making the funny face...Mary , lighten up, kids like funny faces and that's who you were there to help isn't it. As you can see she is still looking into my eyes trying to seduce The King.
The following is a video of what Dr. Aronson does to help children around the world .



So in closing, Joe Ades is a character that gives New York that special pulse along with actresses like Mary Louise Parker and dedicated professionals like Dr.Jane Aronson who achieve great things unselfishly for other people in need, and then there are pooparazzies who make our pulse a little weaker.....but that's where I come in and bring the pulse back to a proper rhythm and also why I'm The King Of New York Hacks. Peace Out Peeps.