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Curtis Sliwa (born March 26, 1954 in Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York) founded the Guardian Angels in 1979, a volunteer anti-crime organization with which he has remained closely identified.
Sliwa originally created the organization to combat widespread violence and crime on the New York City subways. At the time, New York City was suffering a double burden as the crime capital of the nation and broad cutbacks in municipal services to reduce huge debt. The Guardian Angels's perceived vigilatism drew strong reactions, both positive and negative, from the public and the media. Sliwa later admitted that, in order to attract favorable media attention the Guardian Angels, he had fabricated a series of criminal incidents "that clearly had not taken place" in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Throughout the early 1980’s the group's distinctive uniform, a red beret and white logo t-shirt, became instantly recognizable as the group grew rapidly.
Sliwa later became a populist conservative radio talk show host, although his political views are less noticeable than his "gift of gab" rapid-fire speaking style. In the early 1990's, Sliwa was co-host with his then-wife Lisa Evers on WABC-AM in New York City.
On June 19, 1992 Sliwa was ambushed by two gunmen as he hailed a taxi in New York. Sliwa underwent surgery for internal injuries and leg wounds. John A. "Junior" Gotti, son of the late crime boss John Gotti and two members of the Gambino crime family were charged with conspiring to murder Sliwa. On September 20, 2005, the case against Gotti was declared a mistrial after the jury announced it was hopelessly deadlocked. A retrial on the same charges was declared a mistrial on March 10, 2006, again due to a deadlocked jury. Prosecutors, alleging that the hit was arranged in retaliation for comments about the elder Gotti that Sliwa made during his radio program, stated their intention to try the case a third time.
After his attempted murder, his WABC program was cancelled. Through his friendship with Mayor Rudy Giuliani he was given a radio program on the then city-owned and operated WNYC.
Sliwa is now the co-host, with Ron Kuby, of the popular "Curtis and Kuby in the Morning" program which is aired on weekdays from 5 A.M. to 10 A.M.on WABC. In 2005, its ratings exceeded that of the all-news station WCBS-AM. Sliwa and Kuby also co-hosted a television version of "Curtis & Kuby" on MSNBC in the afternoons for a time in 2002-2003.
Sliwa married for a third time and became a father in 2004.
Sliwa is known for his connection to the New York City local community and frequently participates in local events. He is the New York City Stickball Commissioner and a former competitive eater who has often participated and hosted International Federation of Competitive Eating events.
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