Mensch of the Month

Like I said - since I've went after so many jackasses, shit-heads, and just plain douche-ka-bobs in this blog I've decided I need to write about people that are actually contributing to New York and society in general in a positive manner!
So today begins the march of the mensches.
This month's mensch:  David Gratt
Who's that you ask?  Well I know you've all been down to the Coney Island Sideshow.
And you may know it's founder Dick Zigun.  You might have had a drink with Diamond Donny V. or Insectavora.  You might have had the Great Fredini embarrass you ass on stage at one of his "This or That" nights. 
Of course you've all been to the Mermaid Parade.
Well the Mermaid Parade, Sideshow's by the Seashore, Burlesque at the Beach. The Coney Island Museum, The Tattoo and Motorcycle Show, The Coney Island Film Festival and all the other awesome amazing things that happen by Coney Island don't just pop up by themselves.  They take work, and when I mean work I mean more than eating fire or shoving a sword down your pie-hole.  Somone's got to do the boring day to day shit that keeps things legit.
Welcome to the world of David Gratt.
David doesn't juggle, eat fire or flash his boobies during a fan dance.  He is not heavily tattooed or pierced and doesn't have lobster-claws or a wolf-boy's fur.  Nope, Dave's just a charmingly grumpy guy (when I took the photo above and asked him to smile like I was taking one for his momma, he gave me the smirk and said "I am smiling") from Connecticut that ran away and joined the sideshow.  He's got two degrees from Columbia University and is a staunch Yankee fan but we won't hold that last bit against him. 
I came to Coney on the supposed "last day of Astroland" and ran into Coney Island U.S.A.'s head honcho Dick Zigun first. Dick was bitching about how Creativetime and the Deitch galleries stole his idea for an art parade and ran it in Soho and how the press was comparing this group of preening poseurs to the Mermaid Parade.  I assured him that they were NO WHERE EVEN CLOSE to as AWESOME as our beloved yearly Mermaid Parade and did not represent the common folks as well as the artists.  Besides, Deitch galleries jumped the shark when Jeffrey Deitch hosted that retarted "Art Star" reality TV fiasco so his creds in the crapper.  We met David there and listened as local politico Dominic Rechia talked out of both sides of his mouth concerning what THOR Equities was going to do to Coney Island's Astroland Park next year.  I know Dom's been a friend to Coney but that day he seemed unsteady and too ready to defend THOR Equities stand on where things were going in 08.  A little boy looked up at his mom while listening to Rechia and said - "why mom, why are they closing the rides?"  to which his mom answered "I don't know honey.  I guess they just don't care about us no more.  Just want to build condo's all up in here"  Oof - that smarts.
None the less I was here for David.  A true friend of Coney Island.