A CAST OF CHARACTERS By Molly Salas it explains what they do or and those who have come According to Randy in an interview with The why they do it. In essence, and gone. Credico, the only reason New York Times that the po- Nestled within Green- not only do the residents he’s not in prison is because lice are far too stringent wich Village, Gay Street’s shape Gay Street, but the he’s an upper-middle class about marijuana use on Gay 12 GAY STREET crooked pathway connects environment that Gay Street white man. Throughout his Street, when they should be Christopher Street to Wa- has fostered throughout the life and career, Credico has focusing on catching mur- verly Place, yet remains pri- last 180 years substantially made an effort to reform derers and solving more vate, secluded and serene. shapes its residents. In terms Rockefeller Drug laws and serious problems. Credico As Christopher and Waverly of a whole community, the a justice system he views as calls himself a “politically Place intersect on their own, whole is greater than the inherently racist. Accord- active comedian,” and fjnds Gay Street does not only sum of its parts, but that ing to him, “He’s dead and it ludicrous that the small- serve as a redundant inter- doesn’t mean the parts are mediary between these two entirely insubstantial. points of interest. BETTY COMPTON, Rather, its crookedness EVERYWHERE Actress adds character to the Vil- Notorious for being the lage, not only deviating from HORSES mistress of Mayor Jimmy the Manhattan grid but also Walker, Betty Compton was deviating from the notion of an English actress who per- perfectly straight city blocks: formed on Broadway. Con- the sudden wonky turn ob- venient to Jimmy Walker’s scures the northernmost apartment on St. Luke’s end of the street from view Place, the corner apartment almost entirely. he’s still destroying lives, Mr. est street in Manhattan, ac- at 12 Gay Street was well- As far as Gay Street is con- Rockefeller is.” cording to him, “nabs more known. After Jimmy Walker cerned, the importance of From his early beginnings people per capita than any fmed the country to Europe what goes unseen is tanta- as a stand-up comedian, block in the city. Right here after corruption charges mount to the overall charac- he originally began doing on Gay Street.” When Washington were brought against him, terization of Gay Street as a impressions of politicians, As Gay Street often seems Square opened in 1826, he and Betty Compton were whole: its characters, those and appeared on The Tonight empty and quiet, it makes New Yorkers began to traf- married in 1936, when they who have come and gone as Show with Johnny Carson . He sense that marijuana us- fjc Waverly Place much adopted a child together residents of Gay Street work can often be seen “wearing ers might use the block as a more heavily than ever and returned to New York, together to create a rich nar- cowboy boots (for height), place where it would not be before, making it soon ap- this time living on the Upper rative of daily life. jeans and a tired sport suspect to light up. “People parent that there would be East Side. They divorced in Whether real or fjctional, jacket above a rumpled tie come over here thinking a need for a place to store 1941, and Compton died of human or animal, the char- that, once he reaches his of- since it’s off the beaten path their horses while they were breast cancer in 1944. acters of Gay Street have, in fjce, will be dumped on the that it’s a place, it’s a haven out frolicking in the park or 13 GAY STREET one way or another, shaped fmoor,” (Finn). to smoke pot. It’s just the enjoying an afternoon in the the essence of the street and Recognized within the opposite,” Credico says. Village. RANDY CREDICO, contribute to the story of stand-up community, Ran- His outspokenness has got- In order to accommodate Politically Active Comedian Gay Street just as Gay Street dy has been featured in the ten him into trouble in re- this need, the passageway contributes to the character documentary “60 Spins cent years. In 2008, he tried that later became Gay Street of Manhattan as a whole. Around the Sun,” and two to interfere with policemen was originally created to be As varied as the newswor- articles in The New York arresting some young men used as stables. The horses thy residents of Gay Street Times . In the more recent of for using marijuana outside did not live there for long, are, from activists to notori- the two “Fending Off Pot his home. Although Credico however, as Gay Street was ous attorneys to authors to Smokers on Gay Street,” was arrested for this inter- offjcially widened for resi - mistresses, each time they Credico felt it was time to ference, it has not hindered dential use in 1833. Each are mentioned, despite their get vocal about drug use on his advocacy for these drug building on the street was achievements, specifjc refer - Gay Street. users since. built prior to 1833, and has Randy Credico as the opening act ence is made to the street A resident of 13 Gay Through comedy clubs on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson thus seen the entire residen- they called home, as though Street, Credico is adamant and working outreach to in- tial history of Gay Street
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