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"New York shows that everyone can just coexist," says Gary Janetti, the famous TV writer behind hit shows like Family Guy and Will and Grace, among many others. "I've seen that New Yorkers will be there for strangers. I find them to be very accepting and kind people."
And yet, when pressed about what he can't stand about New York, a city he was born and raised in and still visits very often, Janetti is quick to note that New Yorkers tend to be a bit self-absorbed.
"They talk about New York too much," he says. "I get it! Basically, if we were to have dinner, we'd be dining with a third invisible person: New York would be at the table with us."
That sort of quick-witted, analytical perspective is what has earned Janetti attention on social media as well. On Instagram specifically, the 58-year-old is known for his takes on all sorts of topics, from the royal family to matters of etiquette and funny tales involving his longtime partner and now-husband Brad Goreski, a fashion stylist and TV personality.
Fans will also get to indulge in Janetti’s worldview when reading his new book, We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay, set to debut on July 9.
A collection of travel essays—including one involving his stint as a bellman at the Paramount Hotel in New York—the book will be Janetti's third, following 2019's Do You Mind If I Cancel? (Things That Still Annoy Me) and 2022's Start Without Me (I'll be There in a Minute).
Below, Janetti opens up about his favorite New York restaurants, the power of social media and, of course, his upcoming book.
Tell us about your new book, We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay.
“It’s a series of travel essays, [including] one about my time as a bellman at the Paramount Hotel in New York. It was in the ’90s and, at that time, it was quite the scene because it was one of the first boutique hotels.
The rooms were very tiny and, as a bellman, if I wasn't too careful, I would open the door too strongly to put the suitcases inside and knock over the nightstand. If anybody ever complained, the answer was always: 'This is New York!' As if New York is a force too strong for any of us. Any sort of complaint you ever had—my husband got mugged outside! My food service was gross!—the answer was always, 'This is New York!'"
What are your favorite restaurants in New York?
“Raoul’s in Soho is one of them. When I lived in New York, straight out of New York University, I lived in Nolita which, at the time, was a neighborhood that had no name. I had a friend who was a waiter at Raoul’s and we would go have a drink after it closed often. I would see it and always think of being able to afford eating there one day. To me, the restaurant was the height of sophistication, like stepping into Paris. It still tickles me to this day.
When I go to Queens to visit my parents, who still live in the same house I grew up in, we go to Il Nocello in Whitestone, a little neighborhood Italian restaurant.”
What about date night restaurants?
“I love Don Angie. It’s a good Italian date night restaurant that manages to feel very neighborhoody.
Also, Balthazar. It’s been around so long. It’s an institution and it feels like everybody comes through it at some point: tourists, family members, people who live in the neighborhood.”
What are your go-to bookstores in New York?
“I love the Strand and Three Lives & Company in the West Village.”
What is it about social media that excites you the most?
"I think we're all very familiar with the negative aspects of social media but I also think that there are a lot of positives surrounding the platforms. When I started posting, it was just a way for me to create something—a story, a joke I wanted to tell. Usually, I could be working on something for a year and have it go through many stages before and if it goes in front of an audience. Suddenly, on social media, nobody is giving me notes, there is no interim body of people between me and the audience. I can just have a thought and a point of view and instantly put it out there and have people respond to it."
You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter.
We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay debuts on July 9.