Donald Trump's Political Debut Michael (My Big Fat Greek Dad)
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S o C V st ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ W ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ E 101 ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald anniversa ry N www.thenationalherald.com A weekly Greek-AmericAN PublicATioN 1915-2016 VOL. 19, ISSUE 967 APRIL 23-29, 2016 c v $1.50 My Ringside Seat for Michael (My Big Fat Greek Dad) Constantine The “Other” Donald 88-Year-Old Icon Actor Discusses Trump’s Political Debut Illustrious Career By Constantinos E. Scaros Tower was subdued – hardly the By Penelope Karageorge atmosphere one would expect NEW YORK – On the evening nowadays at a Donald Trump From the moment Michael of April 19, the hottest news event – not to mention on the Constantine, 88, appears on story in America took place at most politically significant Pri - screen in My Big Fat Greek Wed - Trump Tower, the opulent Mid - mary Day in New York state’s ding we believe in him. He town Manhattan skyscraper recent history. seems eminently authentically owned by real estate tycoon, re - Once inside, I tried to secure Greek as wry, sentimental Gus, ality show celebrity, and Repub - a seat as close to Trump’s head of the Portokalos clan, in lican presidential frontrunner podium as I could, so I could the original as well as the se - Donald Trump. And I was there. have the best chance of asking quel. In a third-row ringside seat. him a question or two (I had Is he basking in the new Though Trump’s comments about a half dozen questions in film’s success? “Well, yes,” Con - were brief and he didn’t take mind). The first two rows were stantine says. “It’s so much nicer any questions from the press, taken by a lot of the media gi - to be in a successful film than a my takeaways from a close-up ants – CNN alone had about failure, isn’t it? None of us knew view gave me some valuable eight seats reserved. With the what to expect. Some of us perspective to share with our advantage of traveling light (no naively thought, it’s going to be readers. bulky cameras or tripods), I was as successful as the first one. I worked hard to be guaran - able to maneuver through the Well, that’s not likely. But it’s teed access, considering I live plodding media mass and score been successful enough to now, three hours away in Central PA. a seat that was every bit as and we’re delighted!” Once my access was confirmed, prime real estate for the press In a delightfully candid in - I got into my car and drove into conference as Trump Tower is terview about going from a New York. for Manhattan. Greek-American boyhood in The scene outside Trump The atmosphere inside was Reading, PA (he was born Con - calm as well – at least from a AP PHoTo/THANASSiS STAvrAkiS stantine Joanides to Greek im - political sense. It wasn’t just me - Flame for Rio Olympics is Lit at Birthplace of Ancient Games migrants) to a successful Holly - dia – there were Trump support - wood career, Constantine ers on hand too. But there were A dancer dressed as priestess lights the Olympic flame with a parabolic mirror during the ceremonial displays his dramatic, down-to- no theatrics. I spotted only one lighting of the Olympic flame in Ancient Olympia, Greece, Thursday. The flame will be transported “Make America Great Again” by torch relay to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, which will host the 2016 Olympic Games. Continued on page 6 hat, no signs, and absolutely no “in-your-face” fanaticism. Ab - sent, too, were any Trump dis - ruptors. No signs depicting Trump as a racist or a fascist, Princeton’s Hellenic Studies Director Archbishop no caricatures of Trump with a Hitler mustache. A little while before Trump By Aria Socratous and to establish links between association with the Institution. Ieronymos took the stage, I briefly met with Greek students, scholars and in - DG: As an undergraduate at George Gigicos, a Greek-Ameri - PRINCETON, NJ – Princeton stitutions and their counterparts Princeton, I majored in Physics, can who heads Trump’s public University is one of the oldest at Princeton and the United but I also signed up in as many Talks to TNH events, and is therefore om - and most prestigious in the en - States. literature and arts courses as I nipresent, but who unlike his tire world. It is particularly dis - Center Director Dr. Dimitri could, including student-initi - By Theodore Kalmoukos boss does not gravitate to the tinctive among research univer - H. Gondicas spoke with The Na - ated seminars in modern Greek limelight and manages to keep sities and to that end, the tional Herald. The interview fol - poetry taught by the eminent BOSTON, MA – His Beatitude a low, workmanlike profile. No Stanley J. Seeger ‘52 Center for lows: translator and scholar Edmund Archbishop of Athens and All sooner than were he and I talk - Hellenic studies was established TNH: Since 1980 you have Keeley. Later, while pursuing Greece in a TNH interview said ing that he looked at his phone in 1979. been at Princeton University graduate studies in Nuclear En - that “the refugee problem is and had to rush off. “Sorry,” he The Center’s mission is to where you are currently the Di - gineering at MIT, I took Modern huge and cannot be carried only TNH STAFF said, “this is my life.” I nodded, promote the interdisciplinary rector of the Seeger Center for Greek poetry classes with by Greece alone; the issue Donald Trump shows his understandingly, and he was study of Hellenic culture – Clas - Hellenic Studies and Lecturer in George Savvides who held the should be internationalized.” “other” side after his resound - hopeful he would grant The Na - sical, Byzantine and Modern – Modern Greek, Department of George Seferis Chair at Harvard. The archbishop invited the ing New York primary victory to stimulate creative expression Classics. Please tell us about United Nations, Europe and the on April 19. Continued on page 2 in and about Modern Greece, your experience and your long Continued on page 6 United States of America to as - sume initiatives and express support. He also praised the Greek- American community and ex - Five Pillars Evzones Bring Greece’s Warmth to Philly Parade pressed heartfelt thanks and gratitude for its substantial help and contribution. “It is this help Yoga: a Place By Constantinos E. Scaros [that enables] many people in Greece have a decent meal PHILADELPHIA, PA - It was the every day.” of Peace on first time in 22 years that the His Beatitude spoke very Evzones returned to Philadel - highly about the people of Les - phia for the Greek Indepen - bos, which he visited recently, Manhattan dence Parade, and what a tri - along with Ecumenical patriarch umphant return it was. The Bartholomew and Pope Francis. weather cooperated - as if they Ieronymos said that “the bur - By Constantine S. Sirigos brought balmy Greek climes den for Greece is double. On along with Hellenic pride to the one hand, we have so many NEW YORK –When the New event. needs due to economic crisis York Metropolitan Area feels It was a pleasantly warm af - and on the other hand we have like a cauldron of stress, Five ternoon, a welcome respite from the refugee problem. Greece Pillars Yoga, established a year the chilly, windy parades of the can’t lift this entire burden. The ago by friends Olga Palladino last two years. refugee issue should be dealt by and Karen Mehiel, is an anti - Temperatures exceeded 75 dote. The studio on Madison Av - degrees, which resulted not only Continued on page 11 enue near 92nd street, a warm in the regular steadfast atten - space with wood paneling and dees, but also attracted onlook - large windows and mirrors, is ers who were out for a stroll, or inviting, but many westerners on their way to the city’s historic have to be nudged into the prac - Museum of Art, whose majestic Photographer tice. entrance adorned the Parade’s “At one point my life reached finish line. a mental, physical and spiritual “Praise to Zeus, praise to Behrakis On bottom. I needed to do some - Athena, praise to Aristotle,” thing with my time, which I was yelled out one non-Greek to the not using wisely,” Palladino told marchers; he didn’t know there Pulitzer Win TNH. A friend who impressed was a parade taking place, but her with her easygoing attitude, he stopped to watch and mar - which contrasted with her being At his fourth Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia, four-year-old Michael Poulathas By Achilleas Kouremenos “wound tight” – again almost Continued on page 4 motors along as his proud and happy grandmother Fotine Michaelides looks on. the definition of a New Yorker – ATHENS – A major distinction for suggested Yoga. “The first time Greece was announced on Tues - I ever walked into a yoga class day at New York’s Columbia Uni - – I was working at a museum at versity, as the members of Reuters the time – I didn’t get it at first.” GIANY Event: 13th National Archon Lenten Retreat photography staff Yannis That is a typical first reaction Behrakis, Alkis Konstantinidis, of Greek-Americans, given they and Alexandros Avramidis were are used to and their unfamil - A Shelter for BY TNH Staff A. Zoulas Hellenic Center along awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the iarity with the notion that the with the first presentation on unique way their photographs spiritual can extend to experi - Architects SOUTHAMPTON, NY — The What is Liturgy? Insights from captured the country’s refugee cri - ences outside church.