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Manhattanite Innovates and Entertains During Pandemic

Piazzi. Matthew Piazzi.

If your mind was not in 007 mode when reading that moniker, read it again allowing yourself to be immersed in the persona of James Bond.

Now you are ready to join Mathew Piazzi in his quest to save the viewers from the tedium of virus-created lockdown and social isolation.

walter worch500Coming sometime in December, Piazzi’s new show titled, “Man About Town,” is aimed at helping guys “up their game without spending a fortune” with tips on everything from wardrobe to at-home cooking and intriguing menu options to mixing unique and everyday cocktails with flare plus interior design.

“My goal is to show guys how to own a room; how to have a presence there with immense social graces and how to be more of a gentleman,” said Piazzi. “The show is about character building and upping a guy’s style and lifestyle in an easy and affordable way.”

Without giving away too much of the pilot episode’s opening scene, Piazzi assumes a Bond-like motif. Certainly, he is taking out some bad guys just as Bond did, but the main focus of the beginning sequence is the Omega Seamaster – the watch worn by Bond actors Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig and also preferred by Piazzi. The opening scene is an intense Bond fantasy tribute featuring Piazzi and six professional stuntmen along with his director/producer, Deborah Twiss playing the villainess. Piazzi outwits them through a variety of underwater action and above ground fight scenes.

As one can read, the opening scene is chock full of nods to the original Bond, Sean Connery, who recently died at age 90, and to other Bond actors. The mystique of Bond’s watches – tricked out with lots of gadgets necessary for success as a spy – combined with Connery’s love of the Rolex made it an easy decision for Piazzi to use the hunt for “the ultimate” time piece as the theme for his first show.

mp quotePiazzi is a Rolex fan as well favoring the Omega Seamaster – first appearing on Pierce Brosnan’s wrist in 1995’s, “Goldeneye” and continued as 007’s watch of choice with Daniel Craig becoming Bond in 2006.

“Mine is the Daniel Craig one,” he said. “That is my go-to for a dressy watch.”

One reason is its average cost fits within Piazzi’s emphasis on getting the biggest bang for one’s buck. That is a major theme for the “Man About Town” series no matter what type of clothing or interior design Piazzi discusses. He believes that no matter what one’s price range is, one can acquire nice things and create a nice surrounding. He prefers pre-owned, refurbished and vintage items over new items.

piazzi 300“Its (the Omega Seamaster) price range is within the realm of affordability. Almost anyone can buy a refurbished one for a reasonable price,” he said noting that the Omega Seamaster’s pre-owned price of less than $1,000 is a much more reasonable price tag in his perspective. “Anyone can feel like Bond and have a watch that will last forever.”

That search for and acquisition of affordable is a big part of Piazzi’s goal for his show.

But he also loves nostalgia and having a signed copy of the classic Connery as Bond photo included in the filming of the first “Man About Town” only adds more style to a dream come true for Piazzi.

“My whole life I have wanted to be an action hero,” he said. “Now I got to train for two days with martial artists who threw me in the pool in a tuxedo. It was just a great, great fun experience.”

Piazzi has the professional chops or should we say background to pull off a Bond tribute. His more than 20 years of acting voiceover work includes stints as the voice of Jaguar and Barilla pasta, plus voice appearances on “The Late Show” with David Letterman and later Stephen Colbert. This experience combined with his upbringing in Manhattan listening to then rising stars such as Peter Allen, Lauren Bacall, Tyne Daily and Matthew Broderick work with his mother, Judith Farris in her vocal studio, provide a solid launching pad for his own web series.

“Being in the other room, listening to those people was a great inspiration for me,” said Piazzi, hinting that he hopes to team up with Broderick for an episode featuring a “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” nod.

As he awaits final editing of the pilot, Piazzi continues his weekend gig playing music and mixing cocktails on social media from his home.

When the bars and night clubs in New York were shuttered last spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Piazzi’s regular singing performances dedicated to the music of the 1950s and 60s were also put on hold.

That just was not acceptable to him.

“Right now, people need some entertainment to get through all of this,” he said. “So, a couple of friends join me and we perform from the comfort of my home and mix drinks and watch as viewers comment on the Facebook live feed.”

WALTER WORCHOf course, he prefers a live audience. But for now, Piazzi is making the most of a situation well beyond his control.

“It looks like we are going to be locked up more for the winter,” he said. “So why not make the most of it?”

And in Piazzi’s view, why not give back some to the community around him: A community that theoretically can stretch across the globe thanks to the Internet.

“I am very proud of where my life is at right now,” he said. “I want to show others that with a little bit of effort and imagination you can have an interesting and exciting life.”

Watch for the “Man About Town” launch on YouTube and other social media outlets in December 2020. Learn more about Matthew Piazzi at matthewpiazzi.com.

 

 

 

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