Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

Marty Markowitz's Wife Hogs Swag at Murakami Gala


By

John Del Signore

Published Apr 7, 2008

Modified Apr 7, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

John Del Signore

Published Apr 7, 2008

Modified Apr 7, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

040708JamieSnow.jpgAtlantic Yards developer Bruce Ratner wasn’t the only one causing controversy at the Brooklyn Museum’s gala celebration for the Takashi Murakami retrospective last Thursday night. Some attendees say Jamie Snow, wife of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, was rather boorish in her accumulation of freebies at the event.

Each diner at the gala was entitled to one special edition technicolor fiberglass placemat designed by the trendy artist, but it seems Snow’s sense of entitlement was big enough to accommodate eight of the souvenirs, which she snatched from abandoned place settings and had autographed by Murakami after dinner. The mats have been sold for up to $1,000 on eBay by revelers who took them from previous events.

When some attendees at Thursday’s gala realized they missed out on the placemats, they went crying to Snow for one of her eight. According to Radar, she had little sympathy: "You guys really should have acted faster. This is Brooklyn!” Other placemat pleas reportedly elicited responses such as, “You snooze, you lose, buddy. Forget it.” And when her husband, the borough president, was asked to intervene, he responded with a shrug: “Just try being married to her.”

The Daily News confirmed the contretemps with Snow, who admitted it was “a little true.” So Marty Markowitz has vowed to sell the placemats to raise funds for Camp Brooklyn, a program that sends low-income kids to camp. "She didn't steal, she didn't thieve, she didn't take from anyone else," Markowitz told the News.

Photo of Jamie Snow and Marty Markowitz by Theatre for a New Audience

Tagged

brooklyn museum

Bruce Ratner

gala

Jamie Snow

marty markowitz

Murakami

opening

placemats

swag


John Del Signore

Twitter

Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE arts-entertainment

How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years

Spoiler alert: It's still 26.2 miles.

By

Hannah Frishberg

Published Oct 14, 2026


A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson

"Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," says the co-owner of Art of Play.

By

Sonia Rao

Arts & Entertainment

A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson

"Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," says the co-owner of Art of Play.

By

Sonia Rao


The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?

By

Lindsay Lee Wallace

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

By

James Ramsay

What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.

By

Jayson Greene


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .