Friars Clubhouse New York, 1950 – 2024

The New York home of the Friars Club, at 57 East 55th Street, is going on the auction block, after years of laying financial eggs (the exterior of the 1908 building is landmarked, but not the interior). The Friars themselves will probably struggle on, but not at their grand old clubhouse. The private show-biz club was founded in 1904 by the Press Agents' Association, and they moved to this latest location in 1950. I was taken to lunch there in the 1980s by a friend (oh, I get around) and while we were waiting for our food, an ancient comedian (he could have been anyone; once you pass 90 . . .) tottered up to our table and exclaimed, “I just got back from a bulimic bachelor party—I saw a cake pop out of a girl!”