Yale University Library Digital Repository Collection Name: Henry A. Kissinger papers, part II Series Title: Series III. Post-Government Career Box: 692 Folder: 15 Folder Title: Dr. Kissinger Testimonial Dinner, New York Friars Club Persistent URL: http://yul-fi-prd1.library.yale.internal/catalog/digcoll:559718 Repository: Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library Contact Information Phone: (203) 432-1735 Email: [email protected] Mail: Manuscripts and Archives Sterling Memorial Library Sterling Memorial Library P.O. Box 208240 New Haven, CT 06520 Your use of Yale University Library Digital Repository indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use http://guides.library.yale.edu/about/policies/copyright Find additional works at: http://yul-fi-prd1.library.yale.internal DR. HENRY KISSINGER 133 While two separate entities of riotous Roasts versus sophis- ticated Dinners continued to exist, the ever-closing gap between the two did not go unnoticed. Variety noted in an article cover- ing the Friars Testimonial Dinner in honor of Alan King in IERS 1989, "The line of demarcation between the formal Friars din- 'S ners and the raunchy stag luncheons is continuing to narrow. Some predict ultimate erosion." Then again, maybe Alan just brought out the worst in people. DR. HENRY KISSINGER 14ARTIN TESTIMONIAL DINNER - 1980 si BERLE UTTONS RA SINATRA (Accent on the testimony) KING KIRK Doucis, Toastmaster MATTHEW, MARIC, LUKE & JOHN WILLIAM F. BUCICLEY ROGER MOORE LEWIS JEAN CARROLL PETER NERO Lrrn..E BARRY DILLER GREGORY PECK Lus EPHRAIM EVRON Lou RAWLS ASHRAF A. GHORBAL BARBARA SINATRA BOB HOPE FRANK SINATRA :s ofyesteryear, BUDDY HOWE DAVID TEBET h nothing. LEO JAFFE ROBERT F. WAGNER wis Roast, 1986 JACOB JAVITS MIKE WALLACE NANCY KISSINGER BARBARA WALTERS wolves and JOHN W. KLUGE WILLIAM B. WIIIIAMS :tie Dinner, 1985 Apparently someone thought that perhaps the Friars weren't e uninspiring '70s taking themselves seriously enough, and when those thoughts irolet gave us the occur, visions of Dr. Henry Kissinger dance in people's heads. ix years old—and While it is true that the Dinners are resplendent in class and er the new kid on sophistication, perfect for honoring one of the nation's fore- biz kingdom with most politicos, the Friars will forever embody the spirit of the poised and ready phrase, You can dress them up, but you can't take them out. .e elite few whose Certainly not to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. "With all his indeed the perfect wondrous achievements," announced Toastmaster Kirk or. Douglas, "what I admire most about him is that he has been 134 / 1980s-DEVILISH DINNERS AND ROWDY ROASTS appointed to the Nobel Sperm Bank. The mind boggles to politician co think that in another generation any woman can go to any Peck and Ba sperm bank in America and order a Henry Kissinger with an and Peck to American accent." That's wrong on so many levels. Douglas motion up to had begun the evening with, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered short peoplc here tonight to honor a man who has flown more air miles Byron, the a than Jonathan Livingston Seagull; has tasted more ethnic sitcom, addr dishes than a New York politician; and who has awakened in um,"Your ro more Hilton Hotels than Zsa Zsa Gabor. A man who speaks thing we lu with an accent but never with forked tongue." Anyone Israel, it was remember Jonathan Livingston Seagull? Those Friars were William always so topical. lessons: "He If Kissinger, the man, was Toasted this particular evening, for the sena his haughty personality was Roasted. Here's what Barbara retire. He co Walters had to say this night: "Everything pompous that you which is mu could possibly want to say about him he says about himself Bob Ho' first. This past Tuesday I heard Shimon Perez, the leader of the isn't represe opposition party in Israel, toast Henry Kissinger at a small din- have a Dinn ner by recalling when he first met the then Secretary of State, ing on? It'll 'Shall we call you Mr. Secretary or do you prefer Dr. Kissinger?' in a politicc And with great modesty Henry Kissinger answered,'How about that? So ai simply, Your Excellency.' Toastmastel While in 1980 Kissinger was married to Nancy, Walters Barkley. Jus recalled a time when he was one of the sexiest single men alive. that Mr. Ba She had interviewed him for the Today show in 1970. "Our to come to producer said, 'Make sure you tell people who he is.' So I Allen, "whil spent fifteen out of the twenty-minute interview telling people the Friars, who Henry Kissinger was, and assuring them that in spite of have; Mons the accent he was our national security advisor. At the end of the sponsor, Ad interview, I said of this new bachelor around Washington who the clergy.] was beginning to stir some attention,`Dr. Kissinger, how do you Berle w; feel now when people are beginning to call you a swinger?' And opposite m he said,'I love it now, because when I bore people they think it's To which J their fault.' So when you read about Kissinger again at basically E Barbara Walters's Dinner in 1994 and start nodding off, it will Hope, for I be all your own fault. sons why t Ashraf Ghorbal was the ambassador from Egypt who prob- be so grea ably has his own sitcom over there now. The short-statured vinced me. t' a a HENRY KISSINGER / 135 )Y ROASTS DR. nd boggles to politician complained that he had to stand between Gregory can go to any Peck and Barbara Sinatra during the "Star Spangled Banner," ;inger with an and Peck told him to "stand up." He was going to bring a Douglas motion up to the UN,"When national anthems are played, I feel e are gathered short people should stand and tall people kneel." Ephraim nore air miles Evron, the ambassador to Israel, apparently has a competing I more ethnic sitcom, addressing the crowd thusly as he approached the podi- 4, s awakened in - um,"Your royal highness, ladies and gentlemen. If there was one tn who speaks thing we learned very quickly when Dr. Kissinger arrived in igue." Anyone Israel, it was his modesty"(I love that word "thusly," by the way) ;e Friars were William F. Buckley must have given the guest of honor ego •ES • lessons: "Henry Kissinger was toying with the idea of running icular evening, -7 • for the senate, always assuming that Jack Javits elected to h what Barbara • retire. He confided this rumination to me, soliciting my advice, )37:. apous that you "4.4 which is much more valuable than my support." about himself Bob Hope is one of those legends in his own time and he he leader of the isn't represented enough at these events, although the Friars did you feel a digression com- rat a small din- have a Dinner for him in 1953. Can :retary of State, ing on? It'll only take a minute, I swear, and I promise to throw 7 Dr. Kissinger?' in a politico so you won't lose the feel of Henry's bash—how's red,'How about that? So at Hope's Dinner in 1953, George Jessel was the Toastmaster and in attendance was Ifice President Alben W. Nancy, Walters Barkley. Just out of curiosity, how many of you Americans knew ingle men alive. that Mr. Barkley was the VP in 1953? "Jesse Block phoned me things," said Fred r in 1970. "Our to come to the Hope Dinner and say a few • Allen, "while Jessel's on the phone, there's Berle, the Abbot of ho he is.' So I 44. w telling people the Friars, on TV doing my jokes! Swell timing these Friars that in spite of have; Monsignor Fulton Sheen is doing so well on TV that his At the end of the sponsor, Admiral, is planning to put out a new set, specially for Vashington who , , the clergy It will have stained glass tubes." iger, how do you Berle was at Hope's Dinner, of course."I'm happy Hope's not a swinger?' And opposite me on TV I have enough trouble with Fulton Sheen." ale they think it's To which Jesse! responded, "You've now heard file No. 9." So singer again at rit basically Berle has always recycled jokes, is that the deal? dding off, it will Hope, for his part, had this to say—and this is one of the rea- sons why this little digression fits so perfectly: "No man could fellows said I was. But they finally con- Egypt who prob- 4.41 be so great as these le short-statured vinced me." Such modesty won't be seen again until, say, 1980. ,•- tea 1 36 / 19805—DEVILISH DINNERS AND ROWDY ROASTS 19 4'1.4 Hope also added about Bede,"He's great and I love him on tele- vision. •F;:?-1.e, He's Mr. TV. At least he was until Tallulah got on." Wasn't ef-k: that a nice look back? In 1980 Hope put the Kissinger evening in perspective by pointing out, "I haven't had a night like this since Howard '74 Cosell invited me to his reading of the Encyclopedia Britannica." It was the Friars Club meets Masterpiece Theater—with a Teutonic flair. He continued with a little celebrity gossip. ''Fred Astaire was at the Kentucky Derby today, and he's going to }0. a 1:4 marry jockey Robyn Smith. He's going for the long ride.