Isaac Mizrahi: A Brief History

Victoria L. Dammer
August 31, 2024
54 Below, Isaac Mizrahi, New York Night Life, Victoria L. Dammer

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NEW YORK – Isaac Mizrahi: A Brief History

Isaac Mizrahi

There’s talent. Then there’s something else that only decades as an actor, TV host, writer, designer, producer, and singer can bring you. That one-of-a-kind phenomenon I’ve described, Isaac Mizrahi, currently appears at 54 Below for a limited engagement, and if there is one seat available, grab it fast.

Mizrahi had an uncanny ability to engage the sold-out crowd as he told personal stories, sang several tunes with his band, and brought the multiple-aged crowd almost to tears of laughter with his intellectually stimulating humor.

Leslie Berkman, from New York, commented, “He’s fantastic. From beginning to end, non-stop entertainment.” She follows him on Instagram and first saw him in person in Mamaroneck. Berkman was treating her soon-to-be-married daughter to a special night out, and that’s a testament to how appealing Mizrahi is to younger and older audiences.

Mizrahi bounded onto the stage in a black tux-style suit and white shirt with a bow over a foot wide, and the audience greeted him with loud applause. He’s a man with a sexy, animated voice who’s often in the spotlight. Yet he was gracious to acknowledge his band right away. Mizrahi said, “I got a note and objectified my band.” He also toasted the audience for coming out on a sultry night in New York City. The show got hotter from here.

Come Live with Me

Mizrahi opened with the song Come Live with Me, from Valley of the Dolls, written by Dory and André Previn. It’s a song with an invitation to be with someone, if only for a day, and Mizrahi’s use of its message was heartwarming.

The Laziest Girl in Town

His second tune, Cole Porter’s The Laziest Girl in Town, was what Mizrahi called his autobiographical song. It featured a heavy trumpet solo by James Sarna. Part of the song reads: “Nothing ever worries me, No one hurries me, I take pleasure leisurely, Even when I kiss.” Admittedly, Mizrahi gave the audience insight into his identity with those four lines. That is stunning.

Alyssa Milano

Mizrahi’s surprise guest star was actor, producer, and singer Alyssa Milano. The two met while working on Project Runway. Mizrahi jokingly commented on her wardrobe, “That is literally the ugliest dress I’ve ever seen.” Milano will make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on September 16^th. She and Mizrahi sang the Chicago hit “Nowadays.”

Cole Porter and Billie Eilish

Mizrahi claimed he was guilty of cultural whiplash, performing an additional Cole Porter song, You’re the Top, then moving on to Billie Eilish’s hit from the movie Barbie, What Was I Made For? The audience didn’t care as Ben Walter treated them to a resounding piano solo in What Was I Made For?

The encore was a powerful version of You and Me, and anyone in the audience could be sure that when experiencing Mizrahi’s fantastic performance, this is how he looks at all his supporters.