TRIBUTE

as Leon Panetta in Zero Dark Thirty

During the 10 years I lived in New York City, I crossed paths with actor James Gandolfini, and the second time was pretty awesome.

We were attending the same memorial service for film director Ted Demme, who coincidentally, also died from a heart attack. I was on crutches and working my way up a small stack of stairs when I started to lose my balance and fall backwards. Without out even stopping the conversation he was having, Gandolfini just put his arm up and stopped my fall, with his hand firmly on my back.

I turned with a slightly-embarrassed smile, thanked him, and he just smiled a little, nodded, and turned his head back towards the person he was speaking with.

So cool.

So long, James, you did good. Real good.