HBO’s ‘The Bronx, USA’ Doc Celebrates the Diversity of New York City
The Bronx, USA follows producer George Shapiro as he returns to his hometown of the Bronx. Revisiting the streets, stores and memories of his childhood, Shapiro reflects on the singularity of the borough he grew up in and the close friendships he made there that have stood the test of time.
The documentary, which premieres Wednesday, October 30 on HBO, also focuses on and celebrates the shared values which connects generations of the borough.
A love letter to a special part of New York City and its distinctive residents, the documentary also introduces the next generation of Bronx-ites — the 2017 graduating class of DeWitt Clinton High School, who may come from different backgrounds from Shapiro’s class of 1949, but whose passion, drive and emphasis on the power of friendship connects them with the seniors who came nearly seventy years before them.
Directed by Danny Gold, the film features notable Bronx-ites like Alan and Arlene Alda, Charles Fox, Robert Klein, Hal Linden, Melissa Manchester, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Chazz Palminteri, General Colin Powell, Carl Reiner and Rob Reiner, who share their experiences in the Bronx and discuss what the area means to them.
Colin Powell credits his first boss, a Jewish toy shop owner, with encouraging him to get an education, while Alan Alda and Arlene Alda recall the borough serving as the backdrop for their courtship.
The birthplace of Doo-wop and salsa, the Bronx birthed hip hop in the ’80s and with it, a whole new culture. Home to the world-famous Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo, New York’s northernmost borough has long been both culturally diverse and racially tolerant.
The Bronx, USA, Documentary Premiere, Wednesday, October 30, 9/8c, HBO