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I've been obsessed with the world of Santa Claus since 2018, when I was at an uptown dive bar and met Billy, a man who'd once lost everything - his job, wife, custody of his son. He'd gained weight and stopped shaving too. On a tip from a friend, he applied for a part-time gig working as a Macy's Santa. Suddenly, people were *happy* to see Billy. Every day, hundreds of smiling kids put him back together, piece by piece. The job saved his life.
I became obsessed with an idea: that in a world where Santa might be the last patriarchal figure we all agree to love, playing Kris Kringle is a way for broken middle-aged men to fix their lives.
Billy didn't want to be the subject of my story. And so I spent years casting about for the right profile subject.
All across America, the inestimable @therealmcgills and I found them: strip club DJs, Iraq War vets with PTSD, former addicts, grieving fathers. Men lost and now found in the red suit.
But all roads kept leading back to Macy's Santaland, which is the home of the One True Santa, as any fan of "Miracle on 34th Street" knows. On a sweltering summer day in 2023, I met a former Macy's executive named Bob Rutan for lunch at Balthazar. Perhaps he could help me find a Santa subject. As we ate, Bob revealed that he too had played Santa before his ill-fated corporate run.
The man's stories! They blew me away -- especially his 1991 visit with two little girls in ratty coats. For a few minutes half a lifetime ago, Bob *really was* Santa Claus. It became known in Macy's lore simply as The Story. I couldn't get it out of my head, or my heart.
Two years later, here's my latest: YES, BOB, THERE IS SANTA CLAUS.
Thanks to @aaronrichterstudio for Bob's incredible portrait, @michaeljsebastian for taking a chance on another DGH story for @esquire, and the former Macy's Santas and crew members who drew back the curtain and let me into their world.
Most of all, thank you to @iambobrutan for sharing your life story, warts and all. You're a very special person.
Oh, and you'll have to read to the end of the piece to hear The Story.
https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a69597294/santaland-bob-rutan/
I've been obsessed with the world of Santa Claus since 2018, when I was at an uptown dive bar and met Billy, a man who'd once lost everything - his job, wife, custody of his son. He'd gained weight and stopped shaving too. On a tip from a friend, he applied for a part-time gig working as a Macy's Santa. Suddenly, people were *happy* to see Billy. Every day, hundreds of smiling kids put him back together, piece by piece. The job saved his life.
I became obsessed with an idea: that in a world where Santa might be the last patriarchal figure we all agree to love, playing Kris Kringle is a way for broken middle-aged men to fix their lives.
Billy didn't want to be the subject of my story. And so I spent years casting about for the right profile subject.
All across America, the inestimable @therealmcgills and I found them: strip club DJs, Iraq War vets with PTSD, former addicts, grieving fathers. Men lost and now found in the red suit.
But all roads kept leading back to Macy's Santaland, which is the home of the One True Santa, as any fan of "Miracle on 34th Street" knows. On a sweltering summer day in 2023, I met a former Macy's executive named Bob Rutan for lunch at Balthazar. Perhaps he could help me find a Santa subject. As we ate, Bob revealed that he too had played Santa before his ill-fated corporate run.
The man's stories! They blew me away -- especially his 1991 visit with two little girls in ratty coats. For a few minutes half a lifetime ago, Bob *really was* Santa Claus. It became known in Macy's lore simply as The Story. I couldn't get it out of my head, or my heart.
Two years later, here's my latest: YES, BOB, THERE IS SANTA CLAUS.
Thanks to @aaronrichterstudio for Bob's incredible portrait, @michaeljsebastian for taking a chance on another DGH story for @esquire, and the former Macy's Santas and crew members who drew back the curtain and let me into their world.
Most of all, thank you to @iambobrutan for sharing your life story, warts and all. You're a very special person.
Oh, and you'll have to read to the end of the piece to hear The Story.
https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a69597294/santaland-bob-rutan/
I've been obsessed with the world of Santa Claus since 2018, when I was at an uptown dive bar and met Billy, a man who'd once lost everything - his job, wife, custody of his son. He'd gained weight and stopped shaving too. On a tip from a friend, he applied for a part-time gig working as a Macy's Santa. Suddenly, people were *happy* to see Billy. Every day, hundreds of smiling kids put him back together, piece by piece. The job saved his life.
I became obsessed with an idea: that in a world where Santa might be the last patriarchal figure we all agree to love, playing Kris Kringle is a way for broken middle-aged men to fix their lives.
Billy didn't want to be the subject of my story. And so I spent years casting about for the right profile subject.
All across America, the inestimable @therealmcgills and I found them: strip club DJs, Iraq War vets with PTSD, former addicts, grieving fathers. Men lost and now found in the red suit.
But all roads kept leading back to Macy's Santaland, which is the home of the One True Santa, as any fan of "Miracle on 34th Street" knows. On a sweltering summer day in 2023, I met a former Macy's executive named Bob Rutan for lunch at Balthazar. Perhaps he could help me find a Santa subject. As we ate, Bob revealed that he too had played Santa before his ill-fated corporate run.
The man's stories! They blew me away -- especially his 1991 visit with two little girls in ratty coats. For a few minutes half a lifetime ago, Bob *really was* Santa Claus. It became known in Macy's lore simply as The Story. I couldn't get it out of my head, or my heart.
Two years later, here's my latest: YES, BOB, THERE IS SANTA CLAUS.
Thanks to @aaronrichterstudio for Bob's incredible portrait, @michaeljsebastian for taking a chance on another DGH story for @esquire, and the former Macy's Santas and crew members who drew back the curtain and let me into their world.
Most of all, thank you to @iambobrutan for sharing your life story, warts and all. You're a very special person.
Oh, and you'll have to read to the end of the piece to hear The Story.
https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a69597294/santaland-bob-rutan/
I've been obsessed with the world of Santa Claus since 2018, when I was at an uptown dive bar and met Billy, a man who'd once lost everything - his job, wife, custody of his son. He'd gained weight and stopped shaving too. On a tip from a friend, he applied for a part-time gig working as a Macy's Santa. Suddenly, people were *happy* to see Billy. Every day, hundreds of smiling kids put him back together, piece by piece. The job saved his life.
I became obsessed with an idea: that in a world where Santa might be the last patriarchal figure we all agree to love, playing Kris Kringle is a way for broken middle-aged men to fix their lives.
Billy didn't want to be the subject of my story. And so I spent years casting about for the right profile subject.
All across America, the inestimable @therealmcgills and I found them: strip club DJs, Iraq War vets with PTSD, former addicts, grieving fathers. Men lost and now found in the red suit.
But all roads kept leading back to Macy's Santaland, which is the home of the One True Santa, as any fan of "Miracle on 34th Street" knows. On a sweltering summer day in 2023, I met a former Macy's executive named Bob Rutan for lunch at Balthazar. Perhaps he could help me find a Santa subject. As we ate, Bob revealed that he too had played Santa before his ill-fated corporate run.
The man's stories! They blew me away -- especially his 1991 visit with two little girls in ratty coats. For a few minutes half a lifetime ago, Bob *really was* Santa Claus. It became known in Macy's lore simply as The Story. I couldn't get it out of my head, or my heart.
Two years later, here's my latest: YES, BOB, THERE IS SANTA CLAUS.
Thanks to @aaronrichterstudio for Bob's incredible portrait, @michaeljsebastian for taking a chance on another DGH story for @esquire, and the former Macy's Santas and crew members who drew back the curtain and let me into their world.
Most of all, thank you to @iambobrutan for sharing your life story, warts and all. You're a very special person.
Oh, and you'll have to read to the end of the piece to hear The Story.
https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a69597294/santaland-bob-rutan/
My latest for @nytmag
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/02/magazine/marybeth-lewis-13-children-felony-charges.html
At 99 years old, Frank Lucianna is America's oldest practicing attorney. He's preparing for his final trial.
Frank
Dir. David Gauvey Herbert
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio
"With short film Frank, director David Gauvey Herbert follows this remarkable man as he gets closer to the end of his incredibly long career. Perfectly blending nostalgia and humor, this portrait documentary is a charming and delightful watch." - S/W Curator, @iceln
CREDITS:
Director: @gauveyherbert
Editor:@dustinwaldman
DP: @natehurtsellers
Score: @sister_act_2 + @zaddyzoo
Steadicam: @best_franz_forever
Sound Design: @summer_cauldron
Consulting Editor: @mpallman
#ShortFilm #ShortoftheWeek #Documentary #SXSW
At 99 years old, Frank Lucianna is America's oldest practicing attorney. He's preparing for his final trial.
Frank
Dir. David Gauvey Herbert
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio
"With short film Frank, director David Gauvey Herbert follows this remarkable man as he gets closer to the end of his incredibly long career. Perfectly blending nostalgia and humor, this portrait documentary is a charming and delightful watch." - S/W Curator, @iceln
CREDITS:
Director: @gauveyherbert
Editor:@dustinwaldman
DP: @natehurtsellers
Score: @sister_act_2 + @zaddyzoo
Steadicam: @best_franz_forever
Sound Design: @summer_cauldron
Consulting Editor: @mpallman
#ShortFilm #ShortoftheWeek #Documentary #SXSW
At 99 years old, Frank Lucianna is America's oldest practicing attorney. He's preparing for his final trial.
Frank
Dir. David Gauvey Herbert
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio
"With short film Frank, director David Gauvey Herbert follows this remarkable man as he gets closer to the end of his incredibly long career. Perfectly blending nostalgia and humor, this portrait documentary is a charming and delightful watch." - S/W Curator, @iceln
CREDITS:
Director: @gauveyherbert
Editor:@dustinwaldman
DP: @natehurtsellers
Score: @sister_act_2 + @zaddyzoo
Steadicam: @best_franz_forever
Sound Design: @summer_cauldron
Consulting Editor: @mpallman
#ShortFilm #ShortoftheWeek #Documentary #SXSW
At 99 years old, Frank Lucianna is America's oldest practicing attorney. He's preparing for his final trial.
Frank
Dir. David Gauvey Herbert
▶️ Watch Now 🔗 Link in Bio
"With short film Frank, director David Gauvey Herbert follows this remarkable man as he gets closer to the end of his incredibly long career. Perfectly blending nostalgia and humor, this portrait documentary is a charming and delightful watch." - S/W Curator, @iceln
CREDITS:
Director: @gauveyherbert
Editor:@dustinwaldman
DP: @natehurtsellers
Score: @sister_act_2 + @zaddyzoo
Steadicam: @best_franz_forever
Sound Design: @summer_cauldron
Consulting Editor: @mpallman
#ShortFilm #ShortoftheWeek #Documentary #SXSW
INT. NEW JERSEY EXPO CENTER — DAY
Grown men destroy each other on sparring mats. I meekly shuffle out of their way.
Me (trying to impress): I’ve been taking classes at the Carroll Gardens school.
Tiger: Good for you. How’s it going?
Me: Those roundhouse kicks really hurt my shins. When do you stop feeling the pain?
Tiger: You don’t. You just stop caring.
Me: [gulp]
My latest for @esquire. Special thanks to @scoutstout and @brianokeefe for their expert edits, @aaronrichterstudio for the great photos, and Daniel “Tiger” Schulmann for his time, candor, and life advice. Among his gems: “You’re responsible for your own life. You’re responsible for what happens to you. Stop blaming other people. Stop being a wimp. Stop being a wuss about it.”
INT. NEW JERSEY EXPO CENTER — DAY
Grown men destroy each other on sparring mats. I meekly shuffle out of their way.
Me (trying to impress): I’ve been taking classes at the Carroll Gardens school.
Tiger: Good for you. How’s it going?
Me: Those roundhouse kicks really hurt my shins. When do you stop feeling the pain?
Tiger: You don’t. You just stop caring.
Me: [gulp]
My latest for @esquire. Special thanks to @scoutstout and @brianokeefe for their expert edits, @aaronrichterstudio for the great photos, and Daniel “Tiger” Schulmann for his time, candor, and life advice. Among his gems: “You’re responsible for your own life. You’re responsible for what happens to you. Stop blaming other people. Stop being a wimp. Stop being a wuss about it.”
INT. NEW JERSEY EXPO CENTER — DAY
Grown men destroy each other on sparring mats. I meekly shuffle out of their way.
Me (trying to impress): I’ve been taking classes at the Carroll Gardens school.
Tiger: Good for you. How’s it going?
Me: Those roundhouse kicks really hurt my shins. When do you stop feeling the pain?
Tiger: You don’t. You just stop caring.
Me: [gulp]
My latest for @esquire. Special thanks to @scoutstout and @brianokeefe for their expert edits, @aaronrichterstudio for the great photos, and Daniel “Tiger” Schulmann for his time, candor, and life advice. Among his gems: “You’re responsible for your own life. You’re responsible for what happens to you. Stop blaming other people. Stop being a wimp. Stop being a wuss about it.”
INT. NEW JERSEY EXPO CENTER — DAY
Grown men destroy each other on sparring mats. I meekly shuffle out of their way.
Me (trying to impress): I’ve been taking classes at the Carroll Gardens school.
Tiger: Good for you. How’s it going?
Me: Those roundhouse kicks really hurt my shins. When do you stop feeling the pain?
Tiger: You don’t. You just stop caring.
Me: [gulp]
My latest for @esquire. Special thanks to @scoutstout and @brianokeefe for their expert edits, @aaronrichterstudio for the great photos, and Daniel “Tiger” Schulmann for his time, candor, and life advice. Among his gems: “You’re responsible for your own life. You’re responsible for what happens to you. Stop blaming other people. Stop being a wimp. Stop being a wuss about it.”
INT. NEW JERSEY EXPO CENTER — DAY
Grown men destroy each other on sparring mats. I meekly shuffle out of their way.
Me (trying to impress): I’ve been taking classes at the Carroll Gardens school.
Tiger: Good for you. How’s it going?
Me: Those roundhouse kicks really hurt my shins. When do you stop feeling the pain?
Tiger: You don’t. You just stop caring.
Me: [gulp]
My latest for @esquire. Special thanks to @scoutstout and @brianokeefe for their expert edits, @aaronrichterstudio for the great photos, and Daniel “Tiger” Schulmann for his time, candor, and life advice. Among his gems: “You’re responsible for your own life. You’re responsible for what happens to you. Stop blaming other people. Stop being a wimp. Stop being a wuss about it.”
I get pitched lots of story ideas from enthusiastic friends, relatives and strangers — they rarely pan out.
So it was that in January 2019, I was interviewing a longtime resident of Far Rockaway for a story about porta potties when I received a new tip.
“You know what you should really write about?” he said. “The lifeguard mafia.”
The wheels of justice move slowly, but six years later, the boss of the beach finally hangs up his whistle.
Thanks to @nymag and @genevievevail for supporting this story all those years ago.
I get pitched lots of story ideas from enthusiastic friends, relatives and strangers — they rarely pan out.
So it was that in January 2019, I was interviewing a longtime resident of Far Rockaway for a story about porta potties when I received a new tip.
“You know what you should really write about?” he said. “The lifeguard mafia.”
The wheels of justice move slowly, but six years later, the boss of the beach finally hangs up his whistle.
Thanks to @nymag and @genevievevail for supporting this story all those years ago.
We’re excited to announce the Oscars edition of The Night Editor on Wednesday, Feb. 5! Our guest Gabriel Sherman is the screenwriter of the Oscar nominated The Apprentice, which The Times’ Manohla Dargis described as an “energetic, queasily funny if finally very bleak portrait” of Donald J. Trump in her NYT Critic’s Pick review.
Catch Gabe before he heads to L.A. to support The Apprentice stars Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong at the Academy Awards.
Ticket link in bio!
Sound Mind Center Loft, 202b Plymouth St, DUMBO, 7PM
Wine is included with afterparty to follow. Tickets are limited!
See you there!
Mitch & Dave
"He was a protector of this flame that is very hard to find these days, of people who fully believe in redemption, and he didn’t want to give up on that belief.”
My interview with journalist and filmmaker David Gauvey Herbert is live at the link in my bio.
His first film, Frank, is wholesome and heartwarming. It reminds us of the good in the world, and I cannot recommend it enough.
-
#frank #newyorker #renfaire
"He was a protector of this flame that is very hard to find these days, of people who fully believe in redemption, and he didn’t want to give up on that belief.”
My interview with journalist and filmmaker David Gauvey Herbert is live at the link in my bio.
His first film, Frank, is wholesome and heartwarming. It reminds us of the good in the world, and I cannot recommend it enough.
-
#frank #newyorker #renfaire
@lanceopp @gauveyherbert @porsche_9_11 @sister_act_2 @aribalouzian @elarapictures
and special thanks to all the behind the camera people making me look good @mpallman @ghostboats @damienvdc @lukedyra @jpmsteadi @best_franz_forever @steadical @emmettkp @marni.z @panavisionofficial 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
@lanceopp @gauveyherbert @porsche_9_11 @sister_act_2 @aribalouzian @elarapictures
and special thanks to all the behind the camera people making me look good @mpallman @ghostboats @damienvdc @lukedyra @jpmsteadi @best_franz_forever @steadical @emmettkp @marni.z @panavisionofficial 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
INT. FRANK'S OFFICE - MAY 2022
FRANK: You're gonna get this picture into The New Yorker, young man.
ME: I hope so!
FRANK: And you're gonna win all the awards.
ME: Maybe!
FRANK: And you're gonna make a million dollars.
ME: I... I don't think...
Frank's eyes burn with anger at my pathetic lack of confidence.
FRANK (steely): A million dollars, I said.
Story Save - Best free tool for saving Stories, Reels, Photos, Videos, Highlights, IGTV to your phone.
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