ANOTHER ICON RETIRES FROM NY DAILY NEWS

Gypsy Impalla With Rita Cosby And Vinny Parco

Charlie Ruppman With Rita Cosby And Gypsy Impalla

Once again I have to say goodbye to my old friends. Everything in this business is changing so much. Gypsy Impalla, an icon at the New York Daily for 47 years. He's leaving. He's gone. Gypsy who started as a proof boy almost 50 years ago and who I met many years ago on my adventures with the Daily News, is moving on. I used to bring him and photo editors Charlie Ruppman and Mike Lipack donuts when I went up to their old 42nd street offices,and they used to be so happy to see me. I really loved going there and seeing them all including Editor Jo Barefoot. I guess I felt important. A guy from little Glen Cove Long Island in the news room of New York's hometown newspaper. I remember being at some party and getting wasted and meeting some drag queen, and I said ,"Hey want to come to the Daily News With Me?. I walked into their 42nd street newsroom and Charlie Ruppman was at the photo desk. Charlie yelled, OK, what you got for me. Meanwhile the whole newsroom stopped. Here I was with some drag queen holding some designer purse and all the newsroom stopped. Quiet. But Charlie just wanted to know the facts. What do I got? I look back on this with Charlie and Gypsy and we laugh. How stupid was I ? But these guys have become my lifelong friends. They are icons in this business. These guys have the biggest heart you could ever see. Another nice guy Keith Kelly from the competition The New York Post even wrote about Gypsy leaving. This is how much this guy is loved. I am going to miss so much calling the City Desk and telling Gypsy I have a hot story. Let me talk to someone. I am going to miss someone who knows the business like Gypsy does. Anyway, the farewell party was great. It's was like the third party we had and the last. It was at Hogs And Heffers on Washington and 13th street. Wild fun place. Vinny Parco showed up to say goodbye. Emmy winner Rita Cosby stopped by to say goodbye to the famous Gypsy. Everyone from the Daily News was there. Old friend George Rush from the famous Gossip page Rush And Molloy was there. I now know what George has to go through to do his column everyday. I realize the fact checking and the photo composition George and Joanna have do every day. I never appreciated that before. Now I do. I appreciate you all my old friends. I want you to know that. And Gypsy we all love you !

Parco PI Star Vinny Parco With George Rush
Photos By: James Edstrom