16 The Courier sun • DECEMBER 18, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com DeSales Media Presents: A Christmas Variety Special Set your DVR for a can’t-be-missed holiday spectacular from yesteryear as DeSales Media brings classic songs, dances and comedy skits into your home this month. Growing up with his parents in New York, entertainer Anthony Mangano came to cherish memories of watching variety shows starring Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and other great performers of their time. “I have fond recollections of those shows, so I wanted to create a Christmas special reminiscent of that time period that families can enjoy together,” says Mangano. Hence, DeSales Media’s first-ever holiday show, A Christmas Variety Special, which will air on NET TV in late December, was born. “I combined the old-school feeling of Dean Martin’s performances, with family-friendly themes and Christian content to make this a special that people of all ages can watch and enjoy.” says Mangano. “Above all, I wanted it to be family friendly, and we achieved that.” This was a team effort and this wouldn’t have been possible without the help, determination and blessings from everyone at DeSales Media.. The air date is Dec 20, 8pm, 10pm and Dec 21 9pm , 11pm The show, which was filmed at Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School in Brooklyn, was over a year in the making. Mangano’s goal was to take skits and slapstick comedy routines that were popular in decades past and update them with a modern twist. To achieve this, he reworked classic routines with references to things happening in popular culture today. “What’s old is new again,” explains Mangano. “I want a whole new generation to appreciate this type of entertainment, so above all, we try to keep it clean and appropriate.” Further cementing the family values that Mangano so strongly believes in are two very special performances in the special dedicated to his own loved one. First, Mangano and his daughter, Nicole Mangano, sing a duet of Bing Crosby’s hit song “White Christmas.” Later in the special, Mangano performs a solo as a tribute to his father, who introduced him to the variety genre. “My dad was instrumental in fostering my love of this type of music,” explains Mangano. “Unfortunately he is in a wheelchair, so he could not participate in the show himself, but I wanted to honor him.” In addition to his daughter’s appearance, Mangano reached out to several prominent friends in show business to help make the variety act a success. “To really make this special, I brought together several friends of mine who are character actors,” notes Mangano. Special guest stars in the show include Lenny Venito from ABC’s Neighbors, Lou Martini, Jr. from HBO’s The Sopranos, Joe D’Onofrio from TBS’s Are We There Yet, Jimmy Palumbo from HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Mario Bosco from JImmy Kimmel Live, Joe Manno from CBS TV’s All In One, and Stephanie Hanvey from American Idol. So just how will Mangano celebrate when A Christmas Variety Special airs later this month? “I’m going to watch it at home with my family, of course,” he says. “It turned out so much better than I ever could have anticipated, so I can’t wait to share it with them. Tune into NET TV on Cablevision for information on when the show will air, or visit www. netny.tv to stream the special live.
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