The Daily Gyro (DCGreeks.com)

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04/23	New Event: Kellari Taverna's Monthly Greek Night on Friday, 5/10/24, in Washington, DC!
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The Daily Gyro
Updated Daily on Greek Time

March 28, 2005

Friday evening’s Embassy Party (“where dignitaries, students, young professionals and locals meet and eat”) was a pleasant surprise. We have to admit it hadn’t been years since we’d been to this event and were probably too young to appreciate it back then. Gone were the buffet table massacres of years past, replaced by passed hors d'oeuvres and desserts, which while leaving people not as stuffed, allowed for engaging conversation and the effects of the sweet, sweet Metaxa to take over. With a new parking garage alleviating one of the biggest issues with this event, and a greater emphasis on getting the GW and Georgetown students out, this may become the best all-inclusive Greek Independence Day free event in DC for years to come. A good group of young adults there also allowed for more buzz to be generated for the Greek Night later that night.

The teaming of Asteria and Breakdown Productions has produced a return to the successful Greek Nights we’re used to seeing in this town; their collaborative efforts have brought a good cross-section of the young-adult Greek community together. Diva continues to work for Greek Night, with an ample dance floor, a large bar and enough of a lounge area to satisfy most everyone’s tastes. As predicted the night had a substantial turnout before 11:30 and then got packed after 12:45. Unexpected was the number of Greek Leaguers who skipped watching the last set of games and actually got to Greek Night at a decent hour without monitoring the fate of their busted NCAA Tournament Brackets.

Have you ever noticed that more Greek Orthodox young adults show up to church on Western Easter than they do most other Sundays during Lent? There’s really no reason why that should be the case, but thankfully they do realize that it’s just another Sunday in Lent and aren’t breaking out the Cadbury Crème Eggs.

On Friday night, while everyone was either at Greek Night or watching NCAA Tournament games, USA Network premiered its revival of the Kojak series, starring Ving Rhames in the title role that Telly Savalas made famous (or made Telly Savalas famous). We’re scratching our bald heads as to such an odd casting choice, particularly for the character of Theo Kojak who was so inexorably tied to his Greekness, that not making him a Greek character is the real crime, not so much not casting a Greek-American actor. Regardless, the explanations from the creators of the show, and even its star, have bordered on the ridiculous. “If someone has an issue with a black man using a Greek name, they should confront their own racism.” Rhames told the Boston Globe. “Besides, when I looked up the origins of the word ‘Kojak,’ I found out it was Polish. Telly Savalas was Greek,” he continued. Actually, when you look up the name, you’re more likely to find the origin as “Ellis Island Chop Job” or “Made Up Hollywood Ethnic Sounding Last Name.” (See Bartokomous.) As for a Greek-American actor we could see in the role, besides Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”), who isn’t stylish enough to play the role anyway, we’re drawing a blank. (Then again it’s not too late for Billy Zane to hit the weight room or a buffet.)