WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:02.000 Time now is eight oh seven, which means it's time 2 00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:03.319 for Night Side with Dan Ray. 3 00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:06.759 I've been Kyle Bray WBZ, Boston's News Radio. Thanks for 4 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:08.720 joining us night Side, Dan Ray. 5 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:14.160 I'm don Yourazy Boston's News Radio. Kyle Brah, I love you. 6 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:16.480 Sign off. I've been Kyle Bray. Hey you are still 7 00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:19.359 Kyle Bray, no doubt about that. Thanks very much, Kyle. 8 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:21.839 Stay dry tomorrow with all the weather that's coming in 9 00:00:22.519 --> 00:00:25.399 hope all of you stay dry as well. It sounds 10 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:28.640 like they're talking about them monsoon tomorrow here in New England, 11 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:30.679 and that must be the weather the Red Sox are 12 00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:35.439 experiencing tonight out in Cleveland, Ohio. I often called the 13 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:37.679 Mistake by the Lake. My name's Dan Ray. There are 14 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:40.600 no mistakes on Nightside. No, we do everything intentionally here 15 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:43.600 myself and Rob Brooks. Rob is the producer of this program. 16 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:48.439 He is back in broadcast headquarters Central Location. Well, we 17 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:50.439 really shouldn't tell him where you are, Rob, but you 18 00:00:50.439 --> 00:00:58.079 know they probably know anyway. That's okay. Yeah, the best, Rob, Yeah, 19 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:01.240 the best. Anyway. Rob does a great for us, and 20 00:01:02.039 --> 00:01:04.120 he was telling me he's got to work tomorrow. Rob. 21 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:06.439 I hope you get in and out tomorrow nice and easily, 22 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:09.079 without all of the role that Ron and I help. 23 00:01:09.159 --> 00:01:12.040 All of you have something to do tomorrow that's indoors. 24 00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:14.000 It's as simple as that. But if you stick with 25 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:17.439 us all the way until midnight tonight, we will get you. 26 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:21.120 Tonight is April twenty fifth. It's eight months till Christmas. 27 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:24.239 I know you've got all your Christmas shopping done, no problem. 28 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:27.599 We have four interesting guests in our first hour, and 29 00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:30.239 then we will get on to some other topics at hand. 30 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:33.000 There's a movement up on Beacon Hill to try to 31 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:36.280 end life without parole. I guess at some point we're 32 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:38.599 going to get to the point where anyone gets convicted, 33 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:40.359 we'll just give them a time out in their room. 34 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.040 But we'll talk about that. At nine o'clock. We're going 35 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:45.760 to start off and we're going to learn a little 36 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:51.719 bit about Irish dancers. In Irish dancing. Irish dancers, and 37 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:54.680 I guess probably from dancers from all over the world 38 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:58.280 have just come back US. Irish dancers have just come 39 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:02.760 back from the World Irish Dance Championships in where else Dublin, 40 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:07.799 Ireland joining us now is a teacher and a student 41 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:11.199 who are participating, and I guess they call this event 42 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:16.240 the worlds. Molly Francis Lutwyn is a dancer, teacher and 43 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:21.560 owner of a dance studio, and Francesca Santorum is one 44 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:25.199 of the dancers. So let me start with Molly Francis 45 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:29.039 luck when Molly, how popular is Irish dancing? I know 46 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:33.240 you folks are located in New York State. I know 47 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:37.439 what it is. I wouldn't dare attempt it, but it 48 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:40.400 certainly looks like you have to be pretty athletic to 49 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:43.439 be a successful Irish dancer. And is it fair to 50 00:02:43.479 --> 00:02:46.840 call them Irish step dancers or is it just Irish dancer. 51 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:48.879 Let's let's clarify that first of. 52 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:53.199 All, so you can call them Irish step dancers or 53 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:54.039 Irish dancers. 54 00:02:56.199 --> 00:03:00.000 Yes, perfect, So I see these folks, and of course 55 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:04.439 all of us have experienced river dance, and which is 56 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:08.080 which is Irish dancing? You've got to be really in 57 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:11.560 good shape here athletically. These these people are more than 58 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:14.800 these They are more than dancers. They're athletes. Correct. 59 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:19.960 Yes, it's a very athletic sport. It's extremely hard and 60 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:23.960 it takes a lot of precision, precision in practice These 61 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:27.159 kids practice up to seven days a week prepping. You know, 62 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:31.039 their whole world revolves around it at that level of 63 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:33.919 going to the world, so it's really a high level 64 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:36.840 for it. Like you were saying, at what. 65 00:03:36.759 --> 00:03:40.080 Age do you introduce kids who really want to be competitive? 66 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:42.240 Obviously it can be taken up by anyone, but I'm 67 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:46.199 assuming if by time you're fifteen or sixteen that that 68 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:50.840 window has probably closed. What time hockey players have to 69 00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:53.680 start to start skating as early as three? Back? 70 00:03:53.719 --> 00:03:56.680 Go ahead, tell me, yes, we actually have a tiny 71 00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:59.080 top class and we take dancers at three years old, 72 00:03:59.560 --> 00:04:02.960 and actually we do. There's adult dancing is huge, and 73 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:06.599 Irish dancing you can be any age. The Irish dance 74 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:09.919 community spans all different ages and levels. 75 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:13.719 But in terms of the competitive dancers, I assume this 76 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:17.040 is something that someone like Francesca, who I'm going to 77 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:22.240 talk to now, probably started at a very early age. Francesca, 78 00:04:22.360 --> 00:04:26.160 you were one of the dancers on the trip with 79 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:32.800 your dance teacher and coach, Molly Francis Ludwin. When did 80 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.639 you start doing this activity? 81 00:04:35.720 --> 00:04:40.480 Seriously, I started our dancing when I was four years old, 82 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:42.959 so I've been doing I'll know. 83 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:48.319 No that's great, that's great. And as you got older 84 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:51.959 and you became more serious, what is it about the 85 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:56.160 sport that that that allowed you or compelled you to 86 00:04:56.360 --> 00:04:59.959 take it as seriously? I know kids start piano less 87 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:01.839 is when they're five or six, and by seven or 88 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:06.480 eight they're done and they're not concert pianists. What what 89 00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:11.160 drew you into this, uh, this competition or we I 90 00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:13.680 guess we could call it a sport, but what what 91 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:17.639 what is about it that that has that has drawn 92 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:20.240 you into this high level of competition? 93 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:26.600 So I would say as I got older, the more 94 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:30.519 dance competitions I did, and the better I got with 95 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:33.759 the result, I definitely was encouraging to keep going and 96 00:05:33.759 --> 00:05:37.519 then see like the best I could get, And my 97 00:05:37.639 --> 00:05:39.879 mother really pushed me to do the best I could. 98 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:43.600 It's okay, that's okay. Parents. Sometimes I'm sure she pushed 99 00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:46.800 you in a in a supportive way. Is that your 100 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:48.439 first trip to Ireland last weekend? 101 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:52.120 No, I've actually been there twice twice. 102 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:55.519 Okay, I've I've been there a few times myself. I 103 00:05:55.560 --> 00:06:00.800 actually have dual citizenship, so I I believe me, I'm 104 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:06.800 very very much aware of just the difficult this this sport. 105 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:10.800 I mean it's it's not an easy sport to uh, 106 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:14.480 you know, to to really accomplish. I mean you you're 107 00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:17.000 an accomplished dancer. What do you hope to do with this? 108 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.120 Is this something you're going to carry on and become 109 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:22.680 a teacher or a coach or how where will this 110 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:23.519 sport take you? 111 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:25.720 Yeah? For sure. 112 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:28.800 I mean I already help a little bit with Molly 113 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:32.600 teaching some of the younger girls team dances, and I 114 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:36.279 really enjoy it and hopefully one day maybe I could 115 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:38.720 be in river dance or like some sort of professional 116 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:40.800 dance company. 117 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:46.680 Very nice and last questions, Francesca, for you, has this 118 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:49.920 helped you? My understanding is you're still in high school. 119 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:51.160 Are you're a junior or a senior? 120 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:53.560 I'm a senior senior. 121 00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:56.319 Do you know at this point where you if you're 122 00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:57.839 going off to college next fall? 123 00:06:58.879 --> 00:06:59.120 Yes? 124 00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:01.319 I am where you're going? 125 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:03.720 If I could ask Junny Cortland. 126 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:07.439 Okay, now, do they have any sort of a program 127 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:13.399 there where you can continue to to compete and perfect 128 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:17.279 perfect your your your vocate your avocation here? 129 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:22.120 They don't have an IRSTS program, But the college is 130 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:25.759 only like forty minutes away from Francis Academy. So I 131 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:28.959 would hope to continue to try to get to Francis 132 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.079 Academy in practice. 133 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:33.040 All right, let me come back to your to your 134 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:37.079 teacher and your coach, Molly Francis. Letwin Molly, what what 135 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:40.720 advice would you give to a family that has a 136 00:07:40.759 --> 00:07:44.319 young girl or a young boy who might be interested 137 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:47.879 in the sport. Obviously we reach a pretty wide audience here. 138 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:51.639 We're heard in most of the eastern the US. How 139 00:07:51.800 --> 00:07:55.319 is there a website that parents can go to? You 140 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:58.399 know you're located, I know in Syracuse, we're in Boston, 141 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:00.319 but there's a lot of people in different places, is 142 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:03.519 here and in Canada and elsewhere who are listening. Is 143 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:06.600 there some sort of a national or an international website 144 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.079 that people can go to to get information as to 145 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:12.920 what Irish step dancing programs might be available in their 146 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:13.519 their area. 147 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:19.839 Yeah. So, Actually, if you go to the c l 148 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:23.800 r G website, c l RG is our organization, and 149 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:28.959 we also have the North American Irish Dance Teachers Association, 150 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.559 which you can look up your local like what dance 151 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:38.320 schools are near you. There's a registry there and if 152 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:42.600 you just google Irish step dancing clergy. It would bring 153 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:44.360 you to local schools. 154 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:46.960 But I think, what does what does c l r 155 00:08:47.080 --> 00:08:47.960 G stand for? 156 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:53.320 It's it's a it's a Gaelic word. I'm not going 157 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:56.159 to try to say it right now, but it stands for. 158 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:01.279 By the way, I'm picking up a little bit of 159 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:04.120 a Canadian accent with you. Are you Canadian? 160 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:07.279 Yes, we're actually close. We're close to the Canadian border. 161 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:08.799 I heard that two hours. 162 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:10.720 Yeah, did you grew up in Canada? 163 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:14.720 No, Syracuse my whole life. 164 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:17.840 Okay, well, we're with the word. When you pronounce the 165 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:23.120 word organization that is that's always a tip up. Well, 166 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:25.480 thank you both for joining us. This was an international 167 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:27.960 phone call. I wasn't sure if we had an Irish 168 00:09:27.960 --> 00:09:30.960 stepped an American Irish step dancer and an American Irish 169 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:34.879 step dancing coll coach with roots in Canada. But thank 170 00:09:34.919 --> 00:09:37.759 you both very much. Fringe Casca, best of luck as 171 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:40.399 you go off to college. Your parents must be very 172 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.960 proud of you and Mollie. Thanks very much for your 173 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:45.200 time tonight as well, and keep on dancing. 174 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:47.960 Thank you so much for having us. 175 00:09:48.200 --> 00:09:50.759 Okay, good night, folks. When we get back, we're going 176 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:53.240 to talk about something that I'm more comfortable with. I 177 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:55.159 don't think I could ever be an Irish step dancer, 178 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:58.360 but I can eat pizza. The largest pizza festival in 179 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:02.240 New England returns to Boston City Plaza in June, and 180 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:04.120 we're going to talk about it with the co director 181 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:07.679 of the Boston Pizza Festival, something we all can participate in. 182 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:10.039 Right after the break here on Nightside. You're listening to 183 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:15.120 WBC Boston's news radio right here on WBZ ten thirty 184 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:19.240 on your AM dial. Pull down our iHeart App, our 185 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.960 new and improved iHeart App. That way you can make 186 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:24.200 us your first preset, and you can. We will only 187 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:27.080 be a fingertip away wherever you travel around the world, 188 00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:30.240 or wherever you happen to be around the world, anywhere 189 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:32.919 in the world you can. You can literally you're a 190 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:35.240 fingertip away. If you get my drift, We'll be back 191 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:41.399 on Nightside Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's 192 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:46.200 news Radio. If there is the universal food of food 193 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:50.840 that everybody loves, I think it's pizza. And once again 194 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.279 we will have the largest pizza festival in New England 195 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:58.720 this year on Boston City Hall Plaza on Saturday, June 196 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:02.360 twenty first and Sunday, June twenty second, the first couple 197 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:05.559 of days of summer. Perfect timing with us as Gene 198 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:09.879 Carlo Natali. Gen Carlo, I've hoped I pronounced it tali correctly. 199 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:11.480 Is that be the correct pronunciation? 200 00:11:12.440 --> 00:11:14.240 Yes, yes, you said it perfectly. 201 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:17.080 All right? You were the co director of the Boston 202 00:11:17.159 --> 00:11:22.039 Pizza Festival. How long has the Boston Pizza Festival been 203 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:25.200 gracing our fine city? How many years? 204 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:31.480 We started in twenty sixteen, and obviously COVID stopped us 205 00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:33.720 for a little bit, but we're back in action. So 206 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:38.919 this is our fifth year back here at City Hall Plaza, 207 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:40.000 so we're so excited. 208 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:43.960 All right now, Look, even if it was COVID, I 209 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:49.080 would have been there for the Pizza festival. What's the 210 00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:51.639 genesis of it? I know you're at City Hall Plaza, 211 00:11:51.639 --> 00:11:54.519 which is very close to the Boston's North End, which 212 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:57.200 have the best pizza places in the world as far 213 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:00.679 as I'm concerned. How was it that someone at one 214 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:03.080 day woke up and said, you know what this city means, 215 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:06.279 we need a pizza festival, and a bunch of people said, yeah, 216 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:10.039 you're right. How did it start? What is the genesis 217 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:11.879 of the Boston Pizza Festival. 218 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:15.000 I'm so happy that you shouted out the North End. 219 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:17.399 I'm a North End kid. I'm born and raised in 220 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.120 the North End. So thank you for doing that. We 221 00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:26.639 we love kidding me. So the pizza. The pizza festival 222 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:30.559 originated so my family and I my father's from Naples, Italy, 223 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:33.159 and in Naples, Italy, they have the largest pizza festival 224 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:35.799 in the world. And as a family, we would always 225 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:38.559 go to Italy every summer and that was like our 226 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:41.279 family to do. Every year we would we would go 227 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:44.000 to the Naples Pizza Village, which is the biggest pizza 228 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:47.039 festival in the world. Later on in life, as I 229 00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:51.039 started getting into events and festivals and thinking of concepts, 230 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:53.919 my business partner and I were like, you know, let's 231 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:56.759 do a pizza festival. And my business partner Raft said, 232 00:12:57.080 --> 00:12:59.000 you know, they've got to be a pizza festival already, 233 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:01.320 And sure enough, we looked it up in Boston didn't 234 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:04.679 have one. Next thing, you know, we were at City 235 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:08.639 Hall booking the plaza and there it was. It was 236 00:13:08.679 --> 00:13:11.080 like the green light was from there and then we 237 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:11.919 never stopped. 238 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:14.120 So I cannot. 239 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:18.200 Believe with my great friend Tom Menino, having been the 240 00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:21.600 great mayor Tom Menino, I might say, God rest his soul, 241 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:25.120 that he was mayor for twenty years and one of 242 00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:27.399 us didn't say, Hey, let's have a pizza festival. What 243 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:30.720 an opportunity we missed. By the way Naples. I was 244 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:34.519 in Naples last summer with some nightside listeners. We did 245 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.679 roam and then went down to the Amalfi Coast. I 246 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:40.200 don't know if you ever been in the Naples airport. 247 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:42.879 I'm sure you've been there many times. We showed up 248 00:13:42.919 --> 00:13:45.879 there as bus load of us at four am in 249 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:48.960 the morning and we couldn't get into the terminal. It 250 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:52.559 was packed. It was I thought to myself, we're never 251 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:54.240 going to get out of Naples, which wouldn't have been 252 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:55.840 a bad thing after all, when you think about it. 253 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:58.600 I wouldn't have been there for the for the pizza festival, 254 00:13:58.840 --> 00:14:04.039 but it was fright as they didn't open up I 255 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:07.679 guess the employees didn't show up until four am in 256 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:10.480 the morning and they didn't open up the lines, and 257 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:12.440 it was like we were there for half an hour 258 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:15.240 and nothing was moving, and I'm thinking to myself, we're 259 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.200 going to be stuck here. So that's my memory of 260 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:18.840 Naples Airmployer and it was a. 261 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.679 Lovely definitely, it was lovely. 262 00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:27.000 Definitely controlled chaos at that airport for sure, oh man. 263 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:32.720 And well, anyway, so tell us about the specifics. It's 264 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:35.360 on the plaza so you can't miss it. What are 265 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:39.039 the hours during the day. I assume there's a cover 266 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:42.000 charge to get in. Tell us how it works. I 267 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:44.240 got a lot of pizza lovers, I'm sure listening and 268 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.440 are writing this all down. 269 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:50.960 Absolutely So we'll be there Saturday and Sunday, June twenty 270 00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:54.639 first and second from eleven am to six pm. And 271 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.360 this year we have a ten dollars cover but in 272 00:14:57.399 --> 00:15:02.279 that ten dollars comes two slices of pizza, any any toppings. 273 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:04.960 You can use those tickets to, you know, redeem those 274 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.360 tickets at any pizza EA. And it really is, you know, 275 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:11.480 a celebration of pizza. But it's it's an event that 276 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:14.240 you know from my eyes and you know my perspective. 277 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:18.639 You know, we bring everybody together. You know, everybody loves pizza. 278 00:15:18.679 --> 00:15:20.519 And honestly, if you don't love pizza, I don't know 279 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:23.519 if I can trust you. But for the most part, 280 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:27.440 everybody loves pizza. It's a really good family gathering. It's 281 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:29.480 become a staple in the city of Boston. 282 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:32.200 And yeah, I just can't wait we have these. 283 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.679 Put let me make sure I understand this, Okay, I 284 00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:38.440 want to make sure my audience gets it. So ten 285 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:42.759 dollars per person, adults or children. It's a ten dollar 286 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:44.480 charge per person? Correct? 287 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:45.519 Correct? 288 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:51.279 Okay? Like nobody kids under two? They I hope they're 289 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:53.440 not gonna eat a lot of pizza. Is there like 290 00:15:53.480 --> 00:15:55.799 one of those things where kids under a certain age 291 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:57.519 are free? Or is it? You know if you walk 292 00:15:57.559 --> 00:15:57.879 in with it? 293 00:15:57.960 --> 00:16:03.000 Yeah, children five and under don't won't pay it, won't 294 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:03.639 need a ticket. 295 00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:06.840 Yeah, well, don't bury the lead here, gian Kala, we 296 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:08.600 got it. You know, there's a lot of families out 297 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:11.360 there where they for twenty dollars a mom and a 298 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:13.639 dad and a couple of kids under five, they're golden. 299 00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:19.360 So how many pizza vendors? How many shops are going 300 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:20.679 to be set up on the plaza? 301 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:21.480 You know? 302 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:25.360 I mean, obviously you'll have I'm sure many, But what's 303 00:16:25.399 --> 00:16:27.200 the what do you think you'll have in terms of 304 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:29.320 vendors there? 305 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:33.080 We'll have thirty different pizza rias. Some coming all the 306 00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:38.320 way from Italy and fifty six vendors total, so you know, 307 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:40.879 we'll have dessert, we'll have gelato. We have so many 308 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:45.600 other additors other than pizza. But the cool part of 309 00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:49.240 this year is we have a pizza festival from Italy 310 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:54.440 joining us we're hosting. It's called Pizza Avico and they're 311 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:59.720 from the peninsula of Sorrento in Vico Quinca, Italy, and 312 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:04.119 they're a really world renowned pizza festival and we're so grateful. 313 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:07.079 They're bringing the top pizza makers in Italy and they're 314 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:09.240 going to be a part of our event this year. 315 00:17:09.640 --> 00:17:14.240 I've been in Sorrento. Beautiful city. I really hi, very 316 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:17.279 some very nice shops in Sorrento. By the way, have 317 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:18.519 you been in Sorrento. 318 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:22.160 Yes, I love it. There's nothing like those nights in Sorrento. 319 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:27.680 Yeah, really it really is. So look, I assume that 320 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:34.920 you'll be able to perhaps purchase a beer or two 321 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:39.640 if you want at the festal yes, absolutely, just want 322 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:41.880 to make sure in case. I don't want anyone to 323 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:45.000 suffer from dehydration. Okay, you know, I'm just I'm a 324 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:49.160 pretty thoughtful guy here and I want to make sure 325 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:55.480 everybody's happy. Well, this is great. Saturday June twenty first, 326 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.960 Sunday June twenty second. How big a crowd do you 327 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.240 think you're going to get? In all honesty, you're talking. 328 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:07.079 About you know, last year we did twenty five thousand 329 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:10.799 people over the weekend, and this year, you know we 330 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:14.119 we should be you know, right around those those numbers, 331 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:18.400 and you know, increasing our marketing efforts and partnerships and 332 00:18:18.440 --> 00:18:21.799 some really cool activations. It really is going to be 333 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:22.400 a great event. 334 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.480 I'm sure you and they were night side listeners right 335 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:29.000 now who are marking it on their calendar, on their calendar. 336 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:32.359 So I thank you so much for you amazing tonight. 337 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:36.240 I loved Italy, I love pizza, and you sound like 338 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:38.200 a great guy, and it's going to be a fabulous event. 339 00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.200 Thanks so much for joining us tonight and spending a 340 00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:41.039 few minutes. 341 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:45.519 And please be my guest, come eat some pizza with us. 342 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:48.160 You know, if I'm in town that weekend, you know 343 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:50.000 I'm going to stop by and I'll find you. I 344 00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:52.440 will find you no matter what. Okay, I will buy 345 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:55.519 my tickets, but I will find you nonetheless. Thanks Gincla. 346 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:58.039 I appreciate it. Thank you having wonderful evening. 347 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:05.279 Thank you you too, Bonaie. Thanks. We will take a 348 00:19:05.319 --> 00:19:08.880 break right after the eight thirty news. We're going to 349 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:15.079 talk about a very serious effort. It's called Hope for 350 00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:19.039 I got to get the precise name here. It's Haymakers 351 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:21.720 for Charity. It's a Haymaker's charity event. It's a boxing 352 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:27.160 program at Haymakers for Hope is what it's called, at 353 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:30.119 the MGM Music Hall right next to Fenway Park. We're 354 00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:32.079 going to talk with one of the boxers, Ben Heller, 355 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:37.039 who is boxing and is involved in this because of 356 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:40.599 some medical issues with his wife and his mom. It's 357 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:43.640 a great story and we'll talk with Ben Heller right 358 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:45.200 after the break, and then later on I'm going to 359 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:51.200 talk about a Massachusetts crisis in mathematics for our students. 360 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:55.440 It's not getting better in Massachusetts. We'll explain both right 361 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:57.319 after the news at the bottom of the hour. My 362 00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:02.039 name is Dan Wright. 363 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:04.240 With Dan Ray on Boston's News Radio. 364 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:09.480 All right, welcome back everyone. There is a an event 365 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:12.960 coming up that we want to make you aware of. 366 00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:18.400 It's been an event that has been around for some time, 367 00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:23.640 uh and the event is next we'll actually strike that 368 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:27.680 it's May eighth. Let me double check and make sure 369 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:32.599 that is not this Saturday, and it's not next It's 370 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:37.160 it's a Thursday night if I'm reading my calendar correctly. Here, Yeah, 371 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:41.119 Thursday night at the MGM Music Hall right by Fenway Park. 372 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:45.119 It's called Haymakers for Hope. It's also rock and Rumble 373 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:50.640 fourteen with us is one of the PIP participants. Ben Heller, Ben, 374 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:52.480 Welcome to night Side. How are you? 375 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:54.200 I'm great, how are you? 376 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:55.680 Thanks for having me good. 377 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:57.640 I've watched some of your video and I've have a 378 00:20:57.640 --> 00:21:01.279 bumping into the street. I'm not gonna want to fight you. You're 379 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:05.880 you're a you're a boxer. You have done this. You 380 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.160 have not done this your entire life. But you're taking 381 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.960 it very seriously and for a great cause. Your wife 382 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:18.000 is a warrior. You mentioned she was diagnosed with h 383 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:23.440 with breast cancer and has an aggressive form. First of all, 384 00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:26.039 how she doing today? 385 00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:29.440 She's doing pretty well today. She she is, like I said, 386 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:33.480 a warrior and battles real hard every day. We've got 387 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:36.559 three teenage kids and she makes it a priority. Uh, 388 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:38.240 she makes a priority that just to be in their 389 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:40.880 lives as normal as possible, and so she's she's a 390 00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:43.039 mom first and foremost and running around with the kids 391 00:21:43.079 --> 00:21:45.079 and she's doing she's doing really well. 392 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:48.640 Okay, now, when did you take up boxing? If you 393 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:52.359 don't mind, you're fifty years old. I looked at the video. Uh, 394 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:55.799 and and you look like you clearly can handle yourself 395 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:59.799 in the ring. I'm very impressed. Uh, this is uh 396 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:04.000 the this is a serious activity. You work in real estate, 397 00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:08.119 you're a real estate advisor. When yeah, I know why 398 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:09.880 you box, But how long have. 399 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:10.279 You done it? 400 00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:12.279 Because you look like you're pretty accomplished to me. 401 00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:16.880