The Dark Side of NYC’s East Village

[@robertafierro5592]

Here's a Dark Side Story. At 17 yrs old I rented my very first apartment. My Landlord was a charming elderly little Orthodox Jewish man. I was delighted with the place even though there was a live tree branch reaching through the kitchen window. He said he'd repair it. This was 1977 and the asking price for rent was 90 bux a month. 2 months into my tenancy I observed him emptying out his basement office. He was hurrying in and out of the office carrying boxes of papers and receipts. I thought nothing of it. That night our building mysteriously caught fire and burnt down completely. My German Shepard saved my life and got me out of the building. I lost everything. When I told my friends what happened, you know what they said? They said I was a victim of Jewish Lightening. That's my story.

[@OUTNABOUTwithYoursTrulyLIZZOC]

Fuming DickHeads 🤣 Swedish Meatball 🤪 Tom you are hilarious!!!! You should be a history teacher, you will be great at it! Students wouldn't quit school if you were a teacher as you would make history funny and interesting! Great to see the dark side of East Village through your eyes!

[@juliacook6124]

hey tom, can you talk about why u stopped practicing law and your experience as a lawyer in nyc i would love to know :))

[@EphemeralProductions]

Something tells me he’d prefer not to talk about it; i think out of all the videos of his I’ve watched I’ve never heard him explain it. Who knows i could be wrong.

[@Gl6619]

I took a tour with him last year and he said basically he was just burned out with it, nothing dramatic or anything like that

[@spikedodson3194]

Just watch The Firm, assume it's based on his life story, ignoring any time line difference's. 🤙😎

[@bigvito69]

He was disbarred

[@EphemeralProductions]

@@bigvito69 😆

[@vaughnamir.6457]

Watching this channel grow is awesome.

[@guardianangel.Onnjel]

Hey Tom, Love ya stuff as always. Down to earth guy, with a sense of humour.

[@andeytubeyshamon]

He is. Met him when we went to NYC with his gf Luci Pohl who is super funny too - he’s doing a live stream event on Feb 5th if you want to be entertained. 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@guardianangel.Onnjel]

@@andeytubeyshamon that’s great, will definitely watch it.

[@andeytubeyshamon]

@@guardianangel.Onnjel you can thank me later 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@rayramos8435]

Wow! The Cube is back on Astor Pl and the Hells Angels HQ is closed. I guess I shouldn't be surprised...RIP St Marks Bar, Kims Video, Continental, Downtown Beirut, and Leshko's.

[@tc66]

I loved the jukebox at Downtown Beirut.

[@mredible475]

Hope you and Lucy stay healthy. Always high quality entertainment and knowledge. Glad you checked-in, I was about to request a safety check. 😎👍

[@EphemeralProductions]

Is Lucy his GF?

[@arjuna4849]

Think she's a fellow comedian

[@lyndamcnally6263]

I get it. It’s a trick. The hair is attached to your hat! Great video Tom.

[@alanharrison694]

So many memories! I used to frequent the Lower East Side back in the late sixties, and attended several famous concerts at the Fillmore East. Just around the corner on St Marks Place was the Electric Circus, a then great party spot. The Hells Angels were very prevalent in the neighborhood.

[@jamesstark8316]

Worked in a head shop on St Marks in the mid-60's. Good times.

[@emintey]

@@jamesstark8316 The Underground Uplift?

[@jamesstark8316]

@@emintey can't remember (like the rest of the 60's).....

[@emintey]

@@jamesstark8316 Well...it was a long time ago, a lot of water under the bridge since then. You had to go down 3 or 4 steps to get to store level.

[@jamesstark8316]

@@emintey Yup, that's probably the one. Cheers.

[@lauralemire6071]

Wow I lived in the East Village for 2 years and never heard any of this stuff. I even walked by the Hell’s Angel’s place everyday when I lived on East 3rd. The 2nd Avenue Deli was considered one of the best in the city. Ate there many times. Such horrors!

[@wcarn]

You're the best Tom. I'm trying to spread the word on your channel. Keep it up and maybe consider changing your provider for the live streams.

[@Mrbeahz1]

No problem. That "Steamboat Willies" comment was just a Mickey Mouse mistake.

[@dixxebell]

NOoooooo omg bad soup. I have to look see if you've done Coney Island...I lived there after moving out of the Alphabets, all sorts of weird things there!

[@staytuned.263]

Just realized how crazy that is for the 2ND AVE DELI case. Litterally put a bank right on his deli. After he was killed bc of a bank heist.

[@momslasaumure8959]

Much love from France Tom, thanks for your videos, love it 🙂👍

[@DirtyDingles]

Second ave Deli would roll prices back to opening day prices in 1954. Lines would form stretching around the block. Great Sandwich and fries for about $5. Great restaurant.

[@daveybecks0879]

I always crack up, when the creepy music and sound effect come on 🤣

[@sfellows68]

So happy you're back. I was starting to worry.

[@michaelcraig9449]

Way is it with all these "dark side of" videos? Life is hard enough! I want to hear about the light side of everything. Didnt your parents ever tell you to think positive? Do it!

[@JAtra3la]

Dużo zwierząt w tym filmie i największy zwierz Tom - Wiewiórka .😄Miło się oglądało i słuchało . Greetings NY👋

[@JulianSteve]

Seeing the people passing by while Tom is talking makes the video more realistic. Thanks for the content Tom and congratulations on the rapid growth😁‼️

[@Ivehadenuff]

Thanks! I lived in the East Village during the 80’s.

[@HeWhoMakesMovies]

Eric and Tom, you both are hilarious! Thanks for all the awesome content! I love learning from Tom the shooting/editing really punches it up another level. Keeping doing these!

[@cindywilliams3542]

Excellent informative and entertaining, CW Colorado

[@davidanderson7382]

You could do a whole video on Tompkins Park. Lots of stories up in there lol.

[@Ivehadenuff]

Today is June 15th. Serendipity.

[@chrishobbs3548]

Hi Tom, Love your videos! You should have talked about Bobby Driscoll, the Disney child actor that was found dead in an East Village tenement and is buried on Hart Island.

[@JulianSteve]

Wow, I did not know. Thank you for bringing this up💯

[@randomjrr1422]

I was just thinking today I haven't seen a new video from you in a while. Glad you got over the covid.

[@geoffreyselvage1673]

Glad that you're out of quarantine and are @ home Tom.

[@TaylorJohnson1]

I’m buying my friend some new shoes when I get to NYC. #NotJoking

[@jeremyepstein7977]

There he is! Great stuff as always

[@evancortez2]

what a tragedy that was, to survive the horrors of the holocaust only to get shot to death on the streets of New York city

[@jhardy0786]

Tom I went to laSalle academy when Vinny threw his girlfriend off the roof he then came down and pick up one of the giant Metal garbage cans and threw it on her it was my freshman year of highschool 1978

[@whackamolechamp]

I remember that too. Big Vinnie. I grew up on Ave A and 4th.

[@philluck1956]

Good one!!! i lived in that neighborhood in the 90's... never a dull moment. I would love to see a full episode on 14 west 10th st. You touched on it in an earlier video, but i think there is so much more to learn about that address.

[@done1675]

I haven't watched the video but I'm guessing that Daniel Rakowitz makes an appearance..................

[@southernhippie9058]

I lived on East 1st Street back in the 70s. I remember the Angels being around back then. Did not have a lot of problems in our area.

[@aaronx8006]

I bet white person

[@JNYC212]

Bro what size you wear... LOL! Get u a fresh pair of Tims 😁🥾 My whole childhood was St Marks and The Vill... still love it!

[@CarolineBockPresenter]

I just posted a video on London’s East Village - see if it’s as dark as yours!! X

[@rafaeashraf605]

man some of these stories are straight creepy

[@user-dh5yi9hz7p]

This dark side tour reminded me of the case of 24 year old Vernon Kent Jones who went missing from a NYE party in the EV in 1993. Mysterious circumstances and he was never found. His brother is still trying to find out what happened.

[@EphemeralProductions]

I like how you put animals into your b-roll, as an animal lover. That pigeon, she seemed very happy she found her lunch! Lol. Pigeons can be gross, the things they eat, but they are cute in their own way. :) the two shots of the dogs i liked, as well as that pudgy squirrel! Been eating a lot of nuts to feed that big tummy! Lol

[@LotharRadscheid]

You have no idea , how much i love your content. Awesome Dude love you , love NYC

[@1474JOHN]

How could you not mention a few of the crazy history of the church on 2nd Avenue and 10th street and by the way you were standing right there when you were talking about the 2nd Avenue deli

[@ThatBoyBent]

Good day sir !

[@julianrabbit]

Tom, wondering if you have ever covered the story of Linda Fitzpatrick, the girl from a wealthy family in Greenwich, CT who attended private school but was slumming in the EV, unbeknownst to her parents. She was found in the basement of Profeta & Sons, @ East 11th St. & Avenue B along w/ James 'Groovy' Hutchinson, each w/ their heads bashed in, in October of 1967.

[@philipthomas4339]

Great video as ever, nice work gents. The General Slocum disaster was (fictionally) dramatised in an early New York gangster movie called Regeneration, a silent film directed by Raul Walsh (who went on to be a big name filmmaker of the 1920s and 1930s - and gave John Wayne his stage name). A very vivid recreation of a terrible tragedy. Regeneration (1915) is available on KZbin if anyone’s interested (or was last year). Very dated of course but still fascinating if you’re into that kind of thing. After the tragedy a lot of Germans moved out of the area and settled in Yorkville, on the Upper East Side. Love the East Village / Lower East Side neighbourhoods, so much history.

[@DanDan-fu6sd]

Recently found you Tom. Excellent work. Going to watch all your vids. Keep it up and thanks. Signed: Mr. Homesick Florida.

[@tjtampa214]

Rackowitz better than the General's. (Squirrely at the end makes a cute snowman.) Show us your new kicks next time. ⌛

[@scubadiva666]

"The East Village is, face it New Yorkers, The Lower East Side." -Gail Parent, Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York, 1973

[@gibranward6945]

Great information 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿

[@jerryakbar6147]

It’s a motorcycle club, I used to go H.A. Benefit shows at the palladium featuring mr Jerome Garcia aka jerry Garcia. Sandy Alexander was the president back then and some say secretly put the building title in his families name. There is a pretty kool movie called hells angels for ever, there are lots of shots around the clubhouse, including big Vinny ( Vietnam vet by the way ) those guys didn’t have a chance when they got back. Thanks for the videos, I haven’t been back to nyc in over 20 years, I was born on 23 street. Everything I related with is gone. I live in Los Angeles now. It’s like Detroit with better weather…

[@susanhammack1910]

Yay! Welcome back :)

[@messagekl]

Happy and healthy new year!!

[@roberttarasfilmy]

Twój film jest super i jest fajny właśnie go oglądam i mam nadzieję że Pan zrobi nowszy film o nowym Jorku i mam pytanie ile kosztuje Taka wycieczka do nowego Jorku i ile trzeba mieć pieniędzy żeby tam Się dostać wpisowe dodał Robert taras olkusz skalska on street miłośnik dinozaurów i malowania obrazów i piosenek karaoke

[@bpellage4549]

I am officially addicted to your channel!

[@stewartmckinley7639]

It's a club not a gang.

[@annchambers5739]

Those eyes,,,,,,. Mercy

[@EphemeralProductions]

They are quite nice ain’t they? 😁😁😁

[@hamzamoustati3019]

Hii man!!! I know you from actionkids vidéo. I loved your last video with him that was cool... so am I here again!! 😎and this time in your own channel.. Big up bro keep going wish you a best

[@andrenewcomb3708]

I had a teacher named Cheryl Slocum (Food Service) . . . she was a nice, blond girl.

[@oscararagon6648]

Love me some tomdnyc

[@markwisniewski2227]

Love your videos.

[@barbgot]

Great job Tom. For more on the crazy 60s, 70s, and 80s take a look at "Manhattan's East Village- Three Decades of Madness" by Wes Gottlock.

[@BlueGoat682]

I just recently found this channel and the more I watch it the more i like it. Hopefully the channel will continue to grow. Nicely done videos!

[@christopherm5958]

I lived in NYC in 86. Loved the East Village and 7B bar or Vayzaks ( unsure of spelling) a great bar. I hung with Rockets. Redglare. I lived C & 8th. I have stories. Really enjoy your stuff.

[@snicksabea]

What’s up with the dark side of your hair? Frizz product is a good investment. Trust me I know.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

it's either gonna be a bank or a Pinky Nails. If you do another EV dark side be sure to include the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire on East 11 St. and the murder of Lee Morgan at Slug's. An excellent film has been made of it---I Called Him Morgan.

[@milenabianca9787]

How the hell does he know so much about the city and with no prompts or script!! I don’t think I know this much about myself!!! Lol

[@MasGood]

Robert Durst passed Fun Fact: I only know of him because of the cool knowledge bestowed upon me on this channel

[@txsphere]

LIke, comment subscribe. All hail the algorithm.

[@mariecolette9066]

Why just blame the Captain? He tried to dock at a pier and was turned away right? He was employed by a larger company who didn't make the Slocum safe in the 1st place! That boat never should have sailed!

[@DuanTorruellas]

1021 people died from the paddle boat fire. I wonder how many died in the triangle waistcoat fire on 23rd st.

[@Revengex19999]

Surprised you didn't include the hippy murder of 1967

[@sonicmagnus5312]

i just stay out of Punk Hazard, The New World

[@photosfromaroundnewyork]

Good video!

[@Woods_Hiker]

thanks for another Video Tom & Eric. Liked, subbed, & shared to twitter. One question I have is I went looking for the defunct hells angel apartment house a couple years ago and was looking in Alphabet City. Found something with a fascade that resembled the old pics but wasn't sure. Was I looking in the wrong place? ***edit*** I see now its a block and a 1/4 to the West of Alphabet City. Anyway, thanks again for another informative video.

[@brianwinters5434]

My wife's family came from Germany in 1957 and went to a German Baptist church and a few of the old timers had been around at the time of the disaster.

[@m_christine1070]

I don't know how I got here, but I love your personality and videos.

[@SI-nu9vd]

Tom !! Do Harlem next :)

[@highcardace]

Heyyy 16k in 2 days 💪🏽💪🏽 let’s keep it going guys

[@jessedylan6162]

The worst part of the video were the focus on pigeons...all else was Supreme..Great storytelling and history lessons ..Keep up your labor of love, Tom.

[@rodserling6955]

One night on 1976 we spun that thing around so fast..we were drunk out of our minds!

[@fitwithvic5300]

realy like this guy,, if you like the guy subscribe dammit dont be a haterr that doesnt give

[@madebyme7075]

To be honest, when you are talking about a real dark story and I’m like “damn that’s fucked up”, you’re dark jokes make me laugh lol I’m sure you’ll be at this dark stories series going for a long time

[@jmonk5588]

9:35

[@hinaakhtar115]

Love this channel. I know more about NY than I do London. 🤪 can’t wait for my next visit to one of the best cities in the world 😁

[@Harry_16710]

Another winner - thanks Tom!👍🏼

[@TMAItalia]

Tom, I'm glad you are back in NYC!

[@bobski7032]

No apostrophe on the Hells Angels banner but the Pagan’s have one where it’s not needed

[@dcmedia6791]

Aren't comedians supposed to be funny?

[@saragrizzle140]

Tom you are so cute! Great video

[@carriehenry6721]

Amen..and funny as hell...❤

[@blastradius7193]

If covid came and you ran away your not one of us. I dub thee disserter!😮

[@dalesamuels8667]

Love the dark side videos!

[@larryfine88]

It looks like you spend a lot of time grooming your beard.

[@imagineaworldlikethat4081]

You’re back in New York! Hell yeah! I love your videos and I cannot wait to move there and see these places in real life. Love the history.

[@whostaddymason2916]

Do not move here!!!

[@vondelpark8141]

Geweldig!

[@richdemetrops4200]

remember Groovy Hutchenson sp, ?

[@bisratezra8247]

Monika Beerle was Swiss, not Swedish.

[@marmtzMX]

Omg, this is why I love NYC so much. The amount of history per m2 is just mind-blowing. You definitively know something crazy and life-changing is happening not too far away from you.

[@MikeP2055]

KZbin should refurbish those boots.

[@jacktomala4561]

Hey Tom new fan here. Love his channel