Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Giuliani Calls Spitzer An Extortionist, Gotti A "Dumb Moron"
By
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 21, 2011
Modified Apr 21, 2011
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
Ben Yakas
Published Apr 21, 2011
Modified Apr 21, 2011
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
The best part of waking up is Rudy in your cup: Mayor of 9/11 Town Rudy Giuliani joined Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa on his radio show earlier this morning. Giuliani was there to chit-chat and lend support to Sliwa, who is taking a hiatus from his many jobs in order to undergo prostate surgery. Giuliani, who has been on a bit of a storytelling kick of late, ripped into two of his favorite targets during the visit: Eliot Spitzer and the Gambinos. "This is like having Hitler as a hero," he said of the upcoming Gotti movie.
When Sliwa asked whether he thought Spitzer might run for Mayor in 2013, Giuliani laughed out loud: “I can’t imagine that Eliot Spitzer wants to run for public office again after what he did while he was in the last two public offices as attorney general and as governor.” He claimed that Spitzer didn't just commit "personal misconduct", and mentioned that his case against former NYSE head Dick Grasso was thrown out of the court: “People forget the guy won his cases basically by extortion out of the courtroom.” As for his own possible presidential ambitions, Giuliani remained coy, though he did say, “Another four years of this president, and the damage will be irreparable to our economy and our national security.”
But he kept his fiercest criticism for the Gambino family, and in particular, John Gotti Jr.'s star-studded movie project, Gotti: Three Generations. The movie, which has already netted John Travolta to star as John Gotti Sr., was imagined by Gotti Jr. as a "father-son" story, rather than a straight-forward mafia movie. Recalling his days as a prosecutor, Giuliani called Gotti. Sr. “disgusting”, “horrible” and “a dumb moron,” and added that the idea of "glorifying this guy who enjoyed showing up at killings because he enjoyed watching them is sick.”
Sliwa, also no fan of the Gambinos since, you know, Junior allegedly kidnapped and shot him, is petitioning the city to deny film permits to the movie, saying, "To think that [Gotti Jr.] will now be able to profit from his lifetime worth of crimes is beyond the pale. To add insult to injury (literally in my case), to allow him to use the streets and locations of our fair city to line his blood laden pockets is absolutely unconscionable."
Tagged
curtis sliwa
eliot spitzer
gambino
john gotti
john gotti jr
mayor of 9/11 town
rudy giuliani
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
MTA train yards are in such bad shape plants are growing out of the roof, watchdog says
In some cases, the damage was “clearly not recent."
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 5:22 p.m. ET
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
Manhattan prosecutors say Ulrich’s predecessor at the buildings department will testify in the trial against him.
By
David Brand
News
High-ranking NYC officials to testify in ex-buildings boss Eric Ulrich's corruption trial
Manhattan prosecutors say Ulrich’s predecessor at the buildings department will testify in the trial against him.
By
David Brand
Mamdani launches new team to help NYers keep SNAP, Medicaid benefits
By
Caroline Lewis
Riders at 53rd St. station where man was fatally shot say they worry about gun violence
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
These are the NYC neighborhoods that will get free 2-K next fall
By
Karen Yi
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 .