Joe Pesci’s impromptu interview was a highlight of my career

I interviewed Joe Pesci a little over a year ago. It was an amazing opportunity because Joe doesn’t like to do interviews.

I was at The Pro-Am Jam out at Eagle Oaks Country Club and my friend Denis Gallagher was running the whole charity event. Joe Pesci was there to lend support but he was doing it very quietly and Denis says to Joe, go over and talk to my friend Big Joe Henry. Joe says no I don’t want to talk with the “big guy”.

Denis explains who I’m and that I have a radio show, Joe says “I know who he is and I’m not talking to him.” Denis begs a little more and most of the participants are still out on the course so it’s only a few people around us. Joe looks around and says, “Okay, okay I’ll talk to him but he can’t say a word about my new movie.” He was talking about The Irishman which was scheduled for release in a couple of weeks.

So Denis comes over and says “don’t say a word about the new movie, I’m serious, not a word.” Of course I agree and Joe comes over. My mind is whirling for questions as to not act like a knucklehead and totally upset Joe who I know would shut down the interview in a New York minute.

While I was totally unprepared for my impromptu opportunity with Joe, I had no idea he’d be there, I remembered how he loves the races at Monmouth Park, how he has a house in Lavallette, NJ, how he’s into music, so I’m thinking I’m going to be okay.

We open with some banter about Monmouth Park and he lights up talking about a new horse that he has with great potential. Before our camera rolled, he said he was a little sore from golf and getting old was a b***h. We finished our small talk and the camera rolled and I kept it pretty generic as you see from my interview above but as we’re going to wrap it up he looks me square in the face and says “why didn’t you ask me about my new movie?” That was a good laugh. He was a great guy to talk with and would have loved to have more time.

He eluded in my interview last year that he was packing it in, leaving Jersey and heading to Florida. He wants to stay warm and enjoy year round horse racing. He put up his home in Lavallette for sale to the tune of $6,500,000! The price has been held steady. Make no mistake that this is Joe’s house; you can still see the movie posters and memorabilia from his blockbuster movies as part of the décor. Take a tour of his house down below. Jersey will miss Joe but if the entertainment rumors are true and Joe is leaving the movie business that will be a very big void. Thanks Joe!