The Untold Truth Of Tony Danza

Making the media rounds to promote your work is part of the job when you’re a well-known actor. Nevertheless, Tony Danza seems to barely tolerate the process. In 1998, Jacksonville TV station WJXX arranged for a live interview with Danza via satellite. In the pre-interview, an anchor kept asking Danza if he could hear her. He could not, because he went on a tirade. 

“You end up on those news shows so often, you know? And those news shows are terrible,” Danza said. “I don’t want to do this. I’m gonna be part of the local news, how exciting.” As the anchor kept trying to get through to Danza, he kept going. “I’m having second thoughts about this. ‘Right after murder and mayhem and the rescue in California, Tony Danza!’ I’m so excited.” Finally, Danza could hear the anchor, who teased, “No murder and mayhem, just the interview about your movie.” “Oh, you heard me, huh?” he replied, and then continued to decry the sensationalism of TV news.

In April 2023, Danza was interviewed before the Broadway debut of “New York, New York” by theater reporter Rye Myers. “Relax a little. You’re more excited than we are. Take it easy,” Danza told the excited Myers (via Deadline). When Myers asked Danza if his preferred New York food was a pizza or hot dog, Danza answered, “You know what you gotta do, buddy? You gotta come up with better questions.”