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Curtis Sliwa Was Ex-Council Member Melinda Katz's Sperm Donor And Now They're Getting Married
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 15, 2012
Modified Apr 15, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 15, 2012
Modified Apr 15, 2012
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Four years ago, then-City Council Member Melinda Katz was on the cover of the NY Post for announcing that she was pregnant via in-vitro fertilization—making her a single mom. Katz, who was also running for City Comptroller at the time, kept the father's identity a secret, "I did this purely through modern technology. It was done in a doctor's office. It was done at my wish and my desire." Now, Katz has revealed the donor was Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa—and now the pair are getting married!
As one former Post reporter Tweeted, "The Katz/Sliwa story reads like nyc fan fiction"—FWIW, our fan fic version would have been Sliwa marrying Victoria Gotti—and it is rather incredible. According to the Post, Katz and Sliwa had dated nearly 20 years ago, after Sliwa divorced second wife Lisa and after Katz was elected to the State Assembly:
Sliwa trekked to Albany for a rally on rent regulation — a policy Katz supported and the conservative gadfly opposed. They bumped into each other in front of the state capital at the end of a hectic day.
“I was packing up and Melinda said, ‘Hey, do you want to come by the office before you go back to the city?’ ” he recalled. Strategically, he turned her down.
“I thought, why go to her office with all these rent-control advocates who hate me,” he said. “I figured I’d take advantage of the offer, take a rain check and ask her out on a date.”...
...The couple dated casually for about two years [their first date was in Manhattan]. But between Katz’s obligations in Albany and rising political prospects and Sliwa’s weekends on the road expanding the reach of the Guardian Angels, the relationship never got serious. “It was catch-can,” Sliwa said. “Melinda was very high-profile, and I wasn’t interested in another long-term, high-profile relationship.”
Yes, Sliwa's ex Lisa is Lisa Evers, who is on Fox 5.
Amid health concerns in 1998 (she had an ovary removed), Katz asked Sliwa, "Will you make a [sperm] donation for me? He said, ‘Sure.’ It was as simple as that.... I knew him and I trusted him. A lot of people do it anonymously, but I wanted to know [who the father of my children would be]." Then in 2000, Sliwa married his third wife Mary Galda, with whom he had a son, but he would discuss his testimony against John Gotti Jr. with Katz (Sliwa says Gotti's goons kidnapped and shot him in 1992).
In 2008, Katz finally became pregnant after "after years of failed in-vitro fertilizations." She told the Post, "I was brought up by a single dad... I felt like I could do the job alone," and gave birth to a boy, Carter. Two years later, Katz was pregnant once again by IVF using Sliwa's donated sperm, but with twins this time. She ran into complications nine weeks before her due date and lost one of the babies. Katz called Sliwa, who was now separated, and he went to the hospital to stay with the surviving child, Henry, while Katz stayed with Carter at home. After all the tumult, "Sliwa and Katz fell for each other all over again. Eight months ago, Sliwa moved in with Katz and their two sons (his ex has full-custody of his 7-year-old, Anthony)." Happy ending? Well, maybe, but Sliwa admits his leaving the toilet seat up is freaking out Katz, who yells, "I’ve never lived with anyone. I can’t get used to this!"
For LOLZ, watch Curtis Sliwa chug salt in defiance of Mayor Bloomberg's anti-salt stance and Sliwa portray King Cuomo II.
Tagged
curtis sliwa
ivf
Melinda Katz
pregnancy
sperm donor
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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