Alec Baldwin isn’t the only A-lister who won’t be at tonight’s Friars Club Roast of Billy Crystal.
Jimmy Fallon is also out of the mix. Fallon was in LA last night to win a People’s Choice Award. He flew back immediately and tapes the “Tonight” show this afternoon. After that, he goes home to his wife and kids.
Fallon and Baldwin will each miss the honoring of Crystal. They’ll all miss meeting Ronnie “Shoes” aka Ronnie “Copa” Nistico, who’s been with the Friars for less than a year.
Nistico, as I wrote on Friday, has quite a colorful history. He has two convictions for weapons charges, and for assault that was eventually settled. He’s part of the “new” Friars membership which has fewer showbiz people and many more who no one’s ever heard of– except maybe the police.
The Friars Club is still part of an open investigation from the US Attorney’s Office. They also settled a sexual harassment lawsuit last year for seven figures with a former receptionist thanks to named defendant Bruce Charet. Guests tonight will be looking to see if Charet shows up at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, ushering around the likes of Robert DeNiro, Brett Ratner, or Tony Bennett.
