Former Gov. David Paterson brought the house down during his otherwise poignant remarks at a Le Cirque lunch last week.
At an event supporting Princess Katherine of Serbia’s charity, Lifeline, which helps blind kids in her country, Paterson recalled his own experiences and cracked that, during his time in office, “ ‘Saturday Night Live’ made so much fun of me for being blind, I forgot I was black!”
Said a spy at the lunch hosted by Cheri Kaufman, David Hryck and Susan Gutfreund, “He made moving remarks that also had the crowd roaring with laughter.”
Guests included Prince Alexander of Serbia, Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Margo Catsimatidis, Kerry Kennedy, Bonnie Lautenberg, Dr. Ruth, Sharon Bush, Hilary Geary Ross and Madame Ban Soon-taek.
Paterson knew the line would land: He used it on “SNL” in 2010, when he interrupted one of cast member Fred Armisen’s merciless impersonations of him. Armisen mocked Paterson’s driving in the sketch.
“When the honks get loud enough, I know it’s time to swerve,” he said as the governor.