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Volunteer Profile: Jim Caruso
By Andy Smith Host-with-the-most Jim Caruso never needs motivation to raise money for Broadway Cares, because he vividly remembers the early days of the AIDS Epidemic, when losing a friend was an almost weekly occurrence. For over 15 years, the producer, writer, actor, emcee, and always-in-demand cabaret headliner has used all these skills to raise money for BC/EFA, and for more than a decade, Jim’s been the man with the microphone on the third Sunday in September, emceeing the Celebrity Table at BC/EFA’s Annual Flea Market and Grand Auction. Last year, Jim’s Broadway at Birdland series presented “Chita Loves Broadway Cares,” one of the most talked-about events of BC/EFA’s season. My First Time… “She asked me to help because she said ‘I knew people,” Jim remembers. “So we did it, raised a lot of money and I got over my nerves.” These days, Caruso’s seldom anxious meeting celebrities for the first time at The Flea Market. “Maybe because it’s Sunday morning, it’s a casual atmosphere, and they’re in jeans,” he says, adding that he does get keyed up before encountering people he idolized during his childhood. “It’s always thrilling to meet your heros! I loved ‘Captain Kangaroo’ as a kid, so meeting Bob Keeshan when I was producing segments for TV was an out-of-body experience. Red Skelton, too,” he says, ticking off iconic names. “Oh, and Betsy Palmer did the celeb table at the Flea Market. I grew up watching her on ‘What’s My Line?’ You just don’t think you’re gonna run into her.” Steel Town Boy “Then I lived in Dallas for 15 years, which was when the AIDS epidemic really hit. Everybody I knew was disappearing.” That’s when the performer became politicized and committed to the cause. “I had always performed at fundraising events, but, let’s face it, when you’re in your twenties doing a benefit for The Heart Association, there’s a sense of detachment, and also a bit of self-aggrandizement if you’re singing,” he says. “But when AIDS hit, everything changed. All of a sudden I was singing for my friends.”
Big Moments Another big moment arrived in 1993, when Jim’s vocal trio, Wiseguys, performed at the White House. “Phyllis Newman called me. She was putting together a ‘Broadway Goes to Washington’ show for President Clinton’s inaugural and we ended up performing on the mall on the day of the inaugural.” Wiseguys’ run of luck continued. “So, apparently they liked us, because then Phyllis called again and said, ‘Can you do the first State Dinner at the White House?’” In an all-star evening hosted by Lauren Bacall, Wiseguys and their prominent BC/EFA red ribbons caught the attention of Texas Governor Ann Richards. “She put her hand on my heart, over the ribbon, and with tears in her eyes, said, ‘Thank you for that.’” “It was one of the most extraordinary moments of my life.” Currently, Jim is touring “the planet,” singing and dancing with his friend Liza Minnelli. “Its real show business, just like I’d dreamed about. We play the most beautiful theaters in the world, and are having a ball. To be onstage with someone as iconic as Liza is the ultimate energy boost,” Caruso says. “And the crowds go ballistic. It’s like being onstage with Elvis. But better.” Surreal Life “Wiseguys had just broken up and in a moment of high drama I decided to leave show business,” Caruso laughs. “Almost immediately, a friend in LA called up and offered me a job. He said, ‘I don’t know exactly what I’m offering you and I can’t pay you very much.’ Those often-heard words were music to my ears.” Jim said “yes” to the offer, moved to Los Angeles, rented a purple car, and took a job with no title. After hitting it off with Jim J. Bullock, Caruso was introduced to Tammy Faye, dressed for the day in a leopard jumpsuit, leopard accessories and leopard go-go boots. “When I complemented her, Tammy Faye said, ‘Leopard is my favorite color!”’ “She was the Real Thing—a crazy concoction, either insanely creative or creatively insane,” says Caruso, who developed a deep fondness and appreciation for the performer, who died in 2007. He offers one more anecdote: “Once I walked into Tammy Faye’s dressing room and she was putting on a puppet show…for herself.” Mondays with Jim Backed by Tedd Firth or Billy Stritch on piano and Steve Doyle on bass, each week features an unexpected mix of headliners and talented amateurs eager to try out new material. “Cast Party and the subsequent Broadway at Birdland concert series changed my life. I spent years being extremely self-promotional and nobody gave a s---,” he laughs. “But the second I focused the spotlight on other talent, there was a lot more interest in me and my projects. Why didn’t somebody tell me about that a few decades ago?” Caruso emphasizes that Cast Party is an all-access show. “What’s interesting is the wide spectrum of age and talent it draws. We’ve seen an 85-year old tap dancer, and the 12-year old girl who won ‘America’s Got Talent,’” he says. “Betty Comden made one of her last public appearances singing at Cast Party,” Caruso says. “Liza, Michael Feinstein, Tony Bennett and Bon Jovi have all graced us with appearances and performances.” “We’ve seen superstars and tone-deaf hopefuls, and I’m proud that it draws a diverse crowd and that the audience eats it up and cheers wildly for every single performer,” Caruso says, adding “I think its that joy – the faces of people who love to entertain – that keeps me invigorated and proud to be working in the community.”
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