Dick Zigun's guest appearances

Dick Zigun

Hey BK – The Brooklyn Podcast with Ofer Cohen

Brooklyn Paper Radio

Brooklyn Magazine: The Podcast

Coney Island USA

Steve Hindy

Ophira Eisenberg

John Frizell

Brad Lander

Kathryn Garcia

Eric Adams

Jason Flom

Ryan Rzepecki

Mel Brooks

Isaac Mizrahi

Wyatt Cenac

Peter Kafka

Bill Harris

John Roberts

OwlTail

Dick Zigun is the co-founder and artistic director of Coney Island USA, the arts nonprofit behind the Mermaid Parade, the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, and the Coney Island Museum and Burlesque at the Beach. He is also the self-appointed, non-elected unofficial mayor for life. On this episode of the podcast, he traces his journey from Yale Drama School to the boardwalk in the late 1970s. He laments the impact the coronavirus has had on the performance community he’s so much a part of, and looks forward with a note of optimism to 2021. Brooklyn news and views you can use: bkmag.com Email: hello@bkmag.com Follow along on Facebook: Brooklyn Magazine Twitter: @brooklynmag Instagram: @brooklynmagazine  Follow Brian Braiker on Twitter: @slarkpope

Dick Zigun is the co-founder and artistic director of Coney Island USA, the arts nonprofit behind the Mermaid Parade, the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, and the Coney Island Museum and Burlesque at the Beach. He is also the self-appointed, non-elected unofficial mayor for life. On this episode of the podcast, he traces his journey from Yale Drama School to the boardwalk in the late 1970s. He laments the impact the coronavirus has had on the performance community he’s so much a part of, and looks forward with a note of optimism to 2021. Brooklyn news and views you can use: <a href="http://bkmag.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bkmag.com</a> Email: <a href="mailto:hello@bkmag.com">hello@bkmag.com</a> Follow along on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brooklynmagazine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brooklyn Magazine</a> Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/brooklynmag" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brooklynmag</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brooklynmagazine/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brooklynmagazine</a> Follow Brian Braiker on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/slarkpope" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@slarkpope</a>

Coney Island USA's Dick Zigun

On this episode of HeyBK, we journey to South Brooklyn to one of the most famous places in the world – Coney Island. Ofer Cohen speaks with Dick Zigun, the “unelected mayor” of Coney Island, a playwright, a circus fanatic, and the creator and leader of the annual Mermaid Parade. Dick tells us his story of growing up in a Connecticut town where PT Barnum was once the mayor, and how his love for the circus and the arts brought him to where he is today. Dick has spent decades advocating for this unique pocket of NYC and its great potential which has not come without its own course of challenges and interesting events.

On this episode of HeyBK, we journey to South Brooklyn to one of the most famous places in the world – Coney Island. Ofer Cohen speaks with Dick Zigun, the “unelected mayor” of Coney Island, a playwright, a circus fanatic, and the creator and leader of the annual Mermaid Parade. Dick tells us his story of growing up in a Connecticut town where PT Barnum was once the mayor, and how his love for the circus and the arts brought him to where he is today. Dick has spent decades advocating for this unique pocket of NYC and its great potential which has not come without its own course of challenges and interesting events.

Dick Zigun, Coney Island USA (S2E9)

Brooklyn Paper Radio host Vince DiMiceli insulted guest Dick Zigun when he mistakenly on purpose referred to the legendary Coney Island carny as “barker” — a term frowned upon by those in the trade of locating, and exhuming the money from, one of those people P.T. Barnum famously said were born every 60 seconds.“You don’t say ‘barker!’ It offends carnies. It’s a ‘talker.’ ” Zigun said when DiMiceli unsuccessfully tried to label the man who has for 40 years been the face of Sodom by the Sea. “A dog barks, or someone who is trying to attract you to a strip show saying ‘Check it out … check it out … check it out.’ ”Zigun pointed out that what he and his ilk do is more artistic — by using 15 words to describe something that can be described in three, you attract the attention of the passerby and get them interested in seeing the show.“It’s a flowery appreciation for vocabulary,” he said. “Great wonders and human curiosities! They’re here! They’re real! And they’re alive on the inside!”Talking or barking aside, Zigun touched on lots of news about Coney Island, including just-announced plans for new log-flume and zip-line rides (“It’s the talk of the amusement industry,” he said); the one-millionth visitor that recently purchased a ticket to Brooklyn’s beloved off-off-Broadway production, the Coney Island Sideshow (“They were from Germany! I could have made that happen, but I didn’t!”); and Council last month signing off on the Reigelmann Boardwalk’s designation as a city landmark. (“Fancy neighborhoods have their landmarks, why can’t we?”).And that’s not all: last week, officials revisited a scheme that may put the fate of the neighborhood’s Abe Stark Sports Center and its beloved ice rink in the hands of a private developer — a good thing, according to Zigun, who argued the facility has languished in its decades under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation. “Maybe it’s time someone else took a shot at it,” he said. He had plenty more to say, too, so take a listen right now on BrooklynPaper.com. And don’t forget to take our poll below to tell us where you would rather sit on the Cyclone — in the front or in the rear.For the record, Zigun is a front-car man.Brooklyn Paper Radio is recorded and podcast live on Tuesday afternoons — for your convenience — from our studio in America’s Downtown and can be found, as always, right here on BrooklynPaper.com, on iTunes, and of course, on Stitcher. And listen anytime to a live stream of our most-recent podcast at www.brooklynpaper.com/radio.

Brooklyn Paper Radio host Vince DiMiceli insulted guest Dick Zigun when he mistakenly on purpose referred to the legendary Coney Island carny as “barker” — a term frowned upon by those in the trade of locating, and exhuming the money from, one of those people P.T. Barnum famously said were born every 60 seconds.“You don’t say ‘barker!’ It offends carnies. It’s a ‘talker.’ ” Zigun said when DiMiceli unsuccessfully tried to label the man who has for 40 years been the face of Sodom by the Sea. “A dog barks, or someone who is trying to attract you to a strip show saying ‘Check it out … check it out … check it out.’ ”Zigun pointed out that what he and his ilk do is more artistic — by using 15 words to describe something that can be described in three, you attract the attention of the passerby and get them interested in seeing the show.“It’s a flowery appreciation for vocabulary,” he said. “Great wonders and human curiosities! They’re here! They’re real! And they’re alive on the inside!”Talking or barking aside, Zigun touched on lots of news about Coney Island, including just-announced plans for new <a href="https://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/41/35/bn-coney-island-water-park-2018-08-31-bk.html?utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=misclinks&amp;utm_source=newsbar&amp;utm_content=intra" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">log-flume and zip-line rides</a> (“It’s the talk of the amusement industry,” he said); <a href="https://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/41/34/all-sideshow-by-the-seashore-one-millionth-guest-2018-08-24-bk.html?utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=misclinks&amp;utm_source=article_body&amp;utm_content=intra" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">the one-millionth visitor</a> that recently purchased a ticket to Brooklyn’s beloved off-off-Broadway production, the Coney Island Sideshow (“They were from Germany! I could have made that happen, but I didn’t!”); and Council last month signing off on the Reigelmann Boardwalk’s designation <a href="https://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/41/33/bn-boardwalk-celebration-2018-08-17-bk.html?utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=misclinks&amp;utm_source=article_body&amp;utm_content=intra" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">as a city landmark</a>. (“Fancy neighborhoods have their landmarks, why can’t we?”).And that’s not all: last week, <a href="https://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/41/35/bn-abe-stark-demolition-2018-08-31-bk.html?utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=misclinks&amp;utm_source=article_body&amp;utm_content=intra" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">officials revisited a scheme</a> that may put the fate of the neighborhood’s Abe Stark Sports Center and its beloved ice rink in the hands of a private developer — a good thing, according to Zigun, who argued the facility has languished in its decades under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation. “Maybe it’s time someone else took a shot at it,” he said. He had plenty more to say, too, so take a listen right now on <a href="http://BrooklynPaper.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">BrooklynPaper.com</a>. And don’t forget to take our poll below to tell us where you would rather sit on the Cyclone — in the front or in the rear.For the record, Zigun is a front-car man.Brooklyn Paper Radio is recorded and podcast live on Tuesday afternoons — for your convenience — from our studio in America’s Downtown and can be found, as always, right here on <a href="http://BrooklynPaper.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">BrooklynPaper.com</a>, on iTunes, and of course, on Stitcher. And listen anytime to a live stream of our most-recent podcast at <a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/radio" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">www.brooklynpaper.com/radio.</a>

Dick Zigun on BPR: Yes, there is a big difference between a ‘talker’ and a ‘barker’