Jamie McMurray makes New York media laugh.
Right across the street from NASCAR’s New York headquarters is the legendary Friars’ Club. Haven’t heard of it? Well, if you are younger than 80 years old you might be excused because the since dining club was established over one hundred years ago.
In the days before YouTube and television the comedy stars of their era needed a watering hole (read bar) to hang out with their brethren and tell scathing stories to one another.
Most of the faces in the photographs are unknown to me, but the wooden paneled dining areas resonate with the giants of comedy.
In comes Jamie McMurray, in casual clothes, fresh off his Daytona 500 win and Letterman experience; into a room where people in tuxedos, smoking cigars, played billiards for the honor of holding the title and name and photograph on the plaque.
Now comes the time to meet the winner. It’s a room full of, mostly, native New Yorkers who are used to navigating city streets which would make lunar craters look like speed bumps in a retirement community parking lot.
The pothole in turn two at Daytona is something New Yorkers can understand. Letterman, a transplant from Indianapolis quipped the other night that there’s a pothole on Eighth Avenue that so big it has its’ own gift shop.
One photographer asks “we need a shot of you with a real New York City pothole.” McMurray responds “they had one in Daytona?” Everyone laughs.
McMurray, originally from Joplin, Mo, is perplexed.
“It’s such a new York City thing because I don’t get any of your jokes at all," McMurray says. "Everyone I see tells a joke about a pothole and I’m like ‘I don’t get it’”
The room erupts in laughter and most journalists have a pothole joke to add to the kitty.
Moving on a NASCAR official wonders why Jamie wasn’t wearing a suit. That would be more appropriate for his media appearances.
McMurray is superstitious about preparing for the potential media blitz following a Daytona 500 win.
“It’s a sure jinx,” he laughs and adds “next year, no way, NASCAR should plan in the media trip; to a trip to buy a suit, it should be a tradition.”
It’s a down-to-earth humor he has for sure, but, Daytona 500 win or not he fits in, in the Friars Club.
Right across the street from NASCAR’s New York headquarters is the legendary Friars’ Club. Haven’t heard of it? Well, if you are younger than 80 years old you might be excused because the since dining club was established over one hundred years ago.
In the days before YouTube and television the comedy stars of their era needed a watering hole (read bar) to hang out with their brethren and tell scathing stories to one another.
Most of the faces in the photographs are unknown to me, but the wooden paneled dining areas resonate with the giants of comedy.
In comes Jamie McMurray, in casual clothes, fresh off his Daytona 500 win and Letterman experience; into a room where people in tuxedos, smoking cigars, played billiards for the honor of holding the title and name and photograph on the plaque.
Now comes the time to meet the winner. It’s a room full of, mostly, native New Yorkers who are used to navigating city streets which would make lunar craters look like speed bumps in a retirement community parking lot.
The pothole in turn two at Daytona is something New Yorkers can understand. Letterman, a transplant from Indianapolis quipped the other night that there’s a pothole on Eighth Avenue that so big it has its’ own gift shop.
One photographer asks “we need a shot of you with a real New York City pothole.” McMurray responds “they had one in Daytona?” Everyone laughs.
McMurray, originally from Joplin, Mo, is perplexed.
“It’s such a new York City thing because I don’t get any of your jokes at all," McMurray says. "Everyone I see tells a joke about a pothole and I’m like ‘I don’t get it’”
The room erupts in laughter and most journalists have a pothole joke to add to the kitty.
Moving on a NASCAR official wonders why Jamie wasn’t wearing a suit. That would be more appropriate for his media appearances.
McMurray is superstitious about preparing for the potential media blitz following a Daytona 500 win.
“It’s a sure jinx,” he laughs and adds “next year, no way, NASCAR should plan in the media trip; to a trip to buy a suit, it should be a tradition.”
It’s a down-to-earth humor he has for sure, but, Daytona 500 win or not he fits in, in the Friars Club.