The impulse is understandable. To grow up in New Jersey at that time was to grow up in a sort of limbo. Sandwiched as it is between New York and Philadelphia, at times the state feels like one enormous bedroom community and this was before skyrocketing Manhattan real estate pushed hip urbanites (and the vibe which accompanies them) over the Hudson and East Rivers.
"In those days, the word 'condo' wasn't mentioned in mixed company over here," observes a childhood friend of Chow's who would only give his name as "Tony."
"Now, they're everywhere - and people here realize they're not a birth control method - but in those days, New York could have been a million miles away. Not for Angelo, though. Practically from the time he could walk, he was trying to get me to jump the PATH trains with him into Manhattan. He would always say, 'I don't care what I have to do, I'm getting out of here someday.'"
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| A lifelong addiction to gambling played a major role in the downward spiral that was Chow's life. |
He would end up leaving Elizabeth - and sooner than he expected - but the further he got, the deeper his roots there grew.
By his junior year in high school, Angelo had morphed from a gangly, acne-plagued adolescent into a darkly handsome ladykiller. Frequent gym workouts had filled out his physique, and he modeled himself after rock star Bryan Ferry, himself the debonair son of a Welsh coal miner. "Women fell all over him," his friend recalls. "He'd go to the city on a Saturday night - he got into all the clubs - and he'd come home with a wad of Manhattan phone numbers. These women didn't even care that he was Bridge-and-Tunnel."
It's questionable whether they even knew; by this time, Angelo was known to his Manhattan friends as "Clark" and the foundation for a life based on deception and lies was established.
Why the lying? At the same time "Clark" was cutting a social and sexual swath across the upper echelons of New York cafe society, Angelo was amassing gambling debts - serious ones.
"He'd gamble on anything," his friend reports. "Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, Atlantic City, you couldn't keep him away."
And Manhattan socialites weren't the only ones who had noticed Carmine Serafini's handsome son; Carmine's bosses had also noticed and were patiently waiting for the opportunity to exploit not only Angelo's smoldering good looks, polish and access, but also his impending desperation over his debts.
"He was in a bad way," Tony reports. "Always asking to borrow money. I didn't have any and I had learned by that point not to loan what little I did have because I'd never see it. He told me people were starting to lean on him."
There were cryptic, anonymous phone messages. People waiting for him when he got home from a night of clubbing. Mysterious envelopes arriving with pictures from the previous night's activities.
While "Clark" was living a glamorous life, Angelo was in serious trouble, and he knew it.
"I didn't know it at the time, but now that he's gone, it all falls into place," says Madison Brill, a former designer and club promoter who knew Angelo as Clark. "He was always a bit guarded, edgy even, but at a certain point, he chilled out - bigtime - but became a lot more distant."
Though there's no proof, it's fairly certain that at this point, the man who would become David Chow had joined the mob payroll as a Contract Killer. "He was perfect," observes Josina Gallo, who grew up in a mob family herself and has made a career of explaining the quirks and vicissitudes of those who live the life of La Cosa Nostra which loosely-translated from Italian means "this thing of ours."
"He was handsome, and certainly more polished than most of the goombahs who would do that kind of work," she explains. "A guy like Angelo - or "Clark" or "David" if you will - could get into places and at people the average mob hit man couldn't get to if he was packing a bazooka."
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| With wife Nikki Newman at the Colonnade Room. Within an hour, she'd be inebriated and he would be dead. |
"And, he had a fatal flaw - his gambling addiction - that was easy to exploit. It's not a new gambit for the mob," she notes. "Let a guy get so in over his head that the only way for him to get out is to sell his soul to you - assuming he has one."
Angelo/Clark/David, she observes, had the looks and polish that meant he was going places. "You figure it this way. Just because certain people are in the highest echelons of respectable society doesn't mean some of them didn't step on people to get there. I mean, who was it that said 'behind every great fortune is a great crime?' Whatever. All I'm saying is if you want to knock off say, a Jack Abbott or a Victor Newman, you're not going to send a guy with a name like Little Pussy Galante to do it."
A handsome guy named David Chow, on the other hand could travel up as easily as he travels down. Arriving in Genoa City, with a string of mysteriously-deceased ex-wives and an equally deceased girlfriend far behind him, David Chow set himself to the task of traveling up posthaste. He immersed himself in Genoa City politics where he demonstrated enormous talent for operating the slime machine that has become a de-rigeur accessory in any American campaign for public office.
What proceeded - Chow's meteoric rise in Genoa City political and then business and social circles is a matter of tabloid record. What took longer to surface was the string of dead ex-wives, Chow's murky past and a hellacious addiction to gambling which would have most likely cost him his marriage to Nikki Newman.
Chow has already cost his widow plenty. How the latest power grab at Jabot sits with COO Bradley Carlton remains to be seen, but insiders say it's unlikely he's pleased. In fact, several accuse Carlton of helping to undermine Chow's efforts to stay away from the track and the casinos by constantly tempting him with bad "tips."
"No question," says one Jabot employee "Brad definitely had it in for David and basically sabotaged him at every opportunity. It was like he was waving a bag of crystal meth and a glass pipe in front of an addict."
If, in fact, Chow's gambling relapse is the result of careful efforts on Carlton's part, his plan has exceeded his wildest dreams.
He declined to speak to Restless Style.
Comments
I loved the David Chow character; I felt he added some much need excitement to the show, and I am sorry they killed him off just like that. I also liked Sabrina, and I liked her and Victor togeter. I was very upset when she was killed off. I only hope the writers are smart enough to figure out a way to bring her back and keep her! Get rid of Adam, cannot stand him, and Chloe too.
How is it possible that people simply walk through the fronts doors of both the Abbott "mansion" and the Chancellor house? Any time of day visitors simply walk through their front doors unannounced!!!!
I also think that killing off Sabrina was lame--she was a great character and had so much potential. DO SOMETHING ABOUT SHARON'S HAIR!! The only redeeming thing she has EVER done on the show was today: telling Brad to get lost!
I've watched Y&R for many, many years, since my children were young and the oldest is now 51. So, I hate the way things are now, Gloria needs a comeuppence, Chloe, Billy, Jack, Sharon and Gloria's husband all need to be torn away from the rotten way they conduct their lives. We all know that Chloe's baby is Billy's. He needs a swift kick as well as his mother Jill. The whole scene is at a place where I don't really care if I watch or not anymore. I know this makes the writer's think that characters that make the public hate them are doing their job but bah, humbug, I hate Y&R right now.
From what I remember Chloe had already found out that she was pregnant before she set Cane up. Remember right before she had gotten a pregnancy test. Then she went out found Cane celebrating and pretended to get drunk.
Oh, how I wish Sabrina would come back. She was the right one for Victor. There has been no one like her for him. Please dig her up, bring her back somehow.
OH PLEASE SOMEONE EMAIL ME WHEN THE CHLOE BABY DADDY STORY LINE IS OVER I CANT WATCH ANY MORE. I WAS A Y&R FAN FOR LIKE 35 YEARS. WHEN Y&R COMES ON NOW I TURN TO DIVORCE COURT.
WRITERS PLEASE BRING US BACK. WE HAVE A SOAP GROUP OF 100 MILITARY WIVES THAT MEETS TO WATCH BUT WE HAVE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO TURN THE CHANNEL...SORRY IT IS OUR ONE HOUR A DAY TO GET AWAY FROM BOREDOM FOR EXCITEMENT BUT THIS STORY LINE IS BORING. WE DID LOVE THE NIKKI TAKE CHARGE ROLE.
This is my 1st time writing. Love Lily and Cane. Chloe's secret needs to be found out by cane, Lily, Jill or Katherine before the baby is born. Hurry and take Victor out of the depressing state he is in. I loved Sabrina very good character, personality, simple and has a beautiful smile, friendly face. Congratulations to Neil and Victoria for running the company together. Amber needs a man to settle down with. Daniel needs to loyal girl to settle with.
I agree about Lily. How can they be so stupid? Mail order DNA??? Really!?!?! Cane better take Chloe to an actual clinic to get tested.. especially after he found out she was lying to him about her past all this time. And of course Billy is the baby daddy. I hope Lily and Cane get back together.
Phyllis should get canned by Nick. She is vindictive and will never change. Sharon needs to leave the lying snake of her husband.
I hope Y&R changes the story line SOON!!
Am I the only person in the universe that thinks that Lily has been hit upside the head with a "stupid stick?" She is getting exactly what she deserves. And Cane is no better. How could you have an accurate DNA test without amniotic fluid?
And Nick, Victoria and Nikki remind me of the 3 stooges.
I love Y&R, but sometimes I get annoyed at how stupid they must think their loyal followers are. I'm having a hard time right now liking any of the characters except Katherine.
Maybe all of this has an air of Mr. Anthony to it. Let's find Jazz Jackson and find out if there is any connection?
Y&R needs to move to this century. Cane was brought into the show as a man of the world; do you really think he would fall for that kind of trickery? Think of all the multimillionaires, CEOs, Presidents etc. who women claimed to be carrying their child. Do they marry them?
You see the way Cane & Lilly look at each other, don't trifle with that since it doesnt happen too often. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease stop the baby storylines.
Also its about time Gloria get punished. Her storyline is way too long.
I agree Sabrinna was just to young to be with Victor, i didn't like it from the get go, i'm glad she's gone.I think him and Nikki should be toghter, but if not she should be with Paul, he might be alot better for her anyway, then Victor, since he's acting son so wierd, toward her and his kids...Yes it's about time for Cane to find out about the witches baby!!..She makes me sick, and if Daniel and Amber not getting back toghter, send someone beside's Billy for her...
Thanks,
Gloria
I have watched Y&R for over 30 years but it wasn't until Nick and Phyllis hooked up that I became a huge fan of the show. Nick & Phyllis have the type of chemistry that makes me forget that I'm a soap couple. They are that HOT and real!
And what about Eden's mother- What if it was SKY?? She's not really dead anyway- cause Adam only Identified the class ring-hmmm River-Sky-Eden- I'm just saying...
I Love Sharon and Nick, Lily and Cane, Amber and Daniel.
Could Billy Abbott be the real father to Chloe's Baby??? She had those supposed "late night booty calls" and he's such a player.
Well I try to faithfully watch this show everyday. It is not right that Cane and Lily are not together. He is definately no tthe father of chloe's baby and hope he finds out sooner than later. I would love it if Nick and Sharon found there way back together and maybe more children between the,. She is too young to be married to a guy like Jack. I loved the David Chow story line I was just sorry to see it end so badly for NIkki. .............Victor and Sbrina should ahve had a long ahppy romantic life togehter.
I think the best line Catherine Chancellor was ever given was on today's show when she told Jill that she's been a pain for years and that she's getting what's coming to her.
I would like to see Jack, Jeffery and Gloria get their comeupance. Hope Victor stays gone for a long, long time and also hope he finds out something awful about his Sabrina. How dare he be so holier than thou when he kept his first wife locked in a cage in the basement? Did he forget that? Nikki can do better than him and David Chow was a joke!! I'm already tired of looking at Adam. Begone before a house falls on you!!!!
David Chow the storylines where great and amazing!
I don't think that Lily and Cane should have broken up. Just because Chloe says she has a baby doesn't mean Cane has to break up with Lily. He could just take care of the child and care for it. Also another thing why is it that everyone is cheating with someone else. That is so wrong. What happened to committed relationships?
I watch Y&R everyday and it's the only soap I've ever followed but they need to step things up a bit and makes some changes. It's getting silly. I would like to see Phyllis and Jack reunite. I know that Summer is Jack's kid because he never took the paternity test; only Nick did but no one saw the results. I'd also like to see Lilly & Daniel back together. Also, I really liked Sabrina and thought it was a BAD move to write her off. She was great. I'm hoping that Jack gets Jabot back again too. Looks like Kay Chancellor may be getting the starts of Alzheimers. That's sad. I was glad David Chow is off the show. A lot of the characters and story line is getting boring. Oh and it was stupid how they made Lilly force Cane to marry Chloe. The tests did not say he WAS the father. So corny..
I agree about the Cane/Lily/Chloe story line. I absolutely hate it! Cane and Lily need to be together. The fact that Cane "wasn't excluded" according to the DNA test doesn't mean that he's the father. I thought DNA tests were more conclusive than that! He shouldn't have stopped there. Never assume. The fact that someone mentioned Billy makes it very interesting and made me think. He's been Mr. Playboy this past year and could have very well been one of Chloe's "men of the evening" that she was making money off of. He IS Cane's half brother after all. Very interesting, you make a good point!
GREAT STORY LINES. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR THE TRUE STUFF TO COME OUT ON GLORIA. SHE SHOULD PAY FOR HER SIN'S. I AM SURE DAVID CHOW IS NOT DEAD. YOU NEED TO PUT ASHLEY & VICTOR BACK TOGETHER. THEY MADE A GREAT COUPLE. AND CHLOE NEEDS TO PAY FOR TRICKING CANE & LILY. WAS A TERRIFFIC STORY MAKING CHLOE BE KATE. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING IT WAS A GREAT REVEAL THE WAY IT WAS DONE.
Cane really needs to know this is not his baby...For Adam being Hope's son, he sure is not anything like her, she would be so disappointed in him.........What happen to the tough guy Victor? He sure isn't acting like the old Victor always in control, Please let him and Nikki reunite.......Gloria & Jeff what a couple, someone needs to get Jeffrey off his smart alec high horse...I could go on & on.Amber needs to get a nice guy and finally have a good life.
I am a true Sharon and Nick fan and I would love to see them back together. However, if they can be together can you at least have Sharon be with someone we can be happy to see her with so she can have another child and enjoy Noah along with her new husband if Nick is still unavailable.
Cane and Lily will reunite. WHEN??? Cane is not the father of Chloes' baby, Cane's little brother Bill is, that's why the DNA was a match.
Kane and Lily belong together!!!!! Chloe needs to be found out NOW!!!!!!
Great going Restless Style!!
This Clohee Cane thing is almost sickening; can't wait for them to split. I do hope Jill and or Catherine catch Clohee in her little scheme.
I miss Victor; I hope he is back soon, with a different outlook
okay--I a don't understand why Victor got so mad when he was the one who brought David Chow to town. He knew that if Nicki and David got together that something might happen. I really don't like the story line of Jack and Adam trying to get revenge on Victor. I really hope that someone puts dates, times and a pregnancy down on paper and see that they just don't add up. I hope Brad gets what is coming to him! Amber, becareful....you don't know what really lies around the corner!
Nice to have this magzine on the internet. Please make Cane realize that Cloes baby is not really his and get him back with Lily they are such a beautifull couple or you could even have Lily find out the truth about Chloes baby. Also you have to have Victor come back, why not bring Ashlee back to get him out of his depression and get a story started.
Keep up the good work on your magazine. Agree we don't think Chow is dead either.
I'm confused... what happened to the story that pretty much blames Jill for everything?
I am a new comer to this soap...it is the best one I've ever watched but the thing that really bothers me is the Cane/Chloe/Lilly storyline .....I figured that Cane is a smart man and would have had more "testing" done to make sure it's his baby. Otherwise....I love this soap...makes all the rest just "soaps"!
I liked Sabrina and Victor and I was upset that they killed her off.She brought a new look to the story and I liked when she and Victor spoke romantic words to each other. please stop using the pregnant story line in all the story its old, "whose baby is this" and all the tricks played. Please put Cane and Lilly back together. when you show Cane and Chloe now I fast forward my tape because I am sick of all the lies.i hope she loses the baby for playing games.
I'm glad ya'll finally mentioned that David was also Clark what or who tipped you all off was it Paul? Very good story and Brad poor Brad for trying to protect Nikki ended up in trouble himself. I hope he don't think that Nikki spilled the beans on him cause it was all Jills doing keep on diggin and you'll fine Jill at that bottom where she belongs. good luck Brad. Bring Victor back, from morning the dead, cause he is too old to be alone.Be Blessed ya'll Be Blessed
Dear Y and R,
I have been a loyal viewer since the very beginning of Y and R. Please know that the additions of Sabrina and David Chow were bad additions. They offered nothing to the show and I am very happy they are gone. The story line with Kane marrying Chloe at the expense of his relationshi with Lily was very poor. For the most part, in real life, a man even like Kane would NOT have married Chloe because he doesn't love her and he can be a good father without marrying a sorry woman like Chloe when he has a good woman like Lily. Please stop this story line. Kane and Lily belong together. Send Chloe away.
Thanks.
Mary
PPPPlllleeassee Put Cane and Lily back together. They are such an Awesome Couple. It really is NOT a Match with Chloe...ugg..anyway, that was such a blow when we saw that Cane married that witch Chloe. And ..oh my goodness..don't get me started on Victor ..man..he's such a weird man..how long is this going to go on...he needs to get over that golddigger Sabrina!!..
Thank U..for your time
Mrs.Johnson & daughter
way to go who ever print this did a good job and keep up the good job on the magazine.
You never know if those bad guys will really "stay dead". Maybe he will come back as a good guy, the nice twin to an evil genius. I do hope they bring Sabrina back. She was an awesome character. Still hanging on the edge of my seat to see Billy come back and stir up the Chloe/Cane/Lily situation.
Ok what was Nikki thinking by cheating on victor with this guy victor and Nikki should be together we all know it and we need the writers to know it there a match made in heaven PLEASE get them back together I cant stand it the way it is now
i think the David chow story too murky at times, a gambler with three ex wife's mysterious ways have been bad enough but a hit man was decided later i like they way they killed him but that sabrina was in the car, she should have lasted more with victor that was awful
I've always heard, You should'nt talk bad about the dead, well. He's dead, Good! LOL!
wow- good info on Chow.. But I dont think he's really dead..