Eric Adams
Eric Adams

Only six top PR executives were among the more than 200 business, labor and civic leaders to sign an open letter in support of New York mayor Eric Adams’ efforts to “make New York a safer and more just city.”

They are Donna Imperato, BCW CEO; Peter Finn, Finn Partners CEO; Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of Interpublic; Kathy Bloomgarden, Ruder Finn; Matthew Hiltzik, CEO of Hiltzik Strategies, and Steven Rubenstein, CEO of Rubenstein Communications.

Released Jan. 31, the letter follows a spate of high-profile violent crime cases including the shooting of police officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora, and the murder of Michelle Go, who was pushed onto the tracks at the Times Square subway station.

The perception that crime is out of control does not face the reality of life in New York.

There were 28 killings in January, which is one less than the January of a decade ago when Mayor Mike Bloomberg declared the Big Apple “the safest big city in America.”

The COVID-19 lockdown, transit woes, upswing in graffiti and the general shabbiness of the city adds to the image that the place that is on the brink.

A good PR campaign could go a long way in righting the current negative image of New York. Perhaps one of the half dozen letter signers should take up that task.

Just two guys from Queens: Adams and Trump. Adams, who promised to restore “swagger” to the city certainly had his hands full during his first month in office.

Things are so bad for Mayor Eric, he’s resorted to channeling Donald Trump.

Asked Jan. 31 about his lack of emphasis on the COVID-19 pandemic, he said:

“What we’re not going to do is to stay in this state of terror terror terror teror terror terror all the time. We’re doing the right things, moving in the right direction… This is a real W for us. You know, you can be so used to getting the Ls that you must wake up every day and hope that you get the L. No, New York—Eric is your mayor! We get Ws now. We’re gonna win.”

Trump also boasted about winning. In 2016, he said:—

"We’re going to win so much that you’re going to be sick and tired. You’re going to say, ‘Please, please, Mr. President, we’re sick and tired of winning. Please let us have at least one loss. It’s no longer exciting to win.’ And I’m going to say, ‘No way, we’re going to keep winning, and I don’t care if you like it or not.’”

Trump wound up losing his 2020 race. Good luck to Adams.

WWBD? Does anybody care whether Barry Manilow pulls his music from Spotify? Probably not.

The crooner felt it necessary to shoot down a dose of buzz that he was joining Neil Young and Joni Mitchell in their protest against the streamer.

Good news for Barry fans. They can still join “Mandy,” “Copacabana,” “I Write the Songs,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “Weekend in New England” and “Can’t Smile Without You” because Manilow said those songs are going nowhere.

Capitalizing on the Spotify news was a nice PR play by Barry, who injected himself into the high stakes tussle.

Manilow will be revving up his PR machine when his “Harmony: A New Musical” at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene at the Museum of Jewish Heritage goes into previews on March 23.

Manilow and co-writer Bruce Sussman will talk about the show at the 92nd Street Y on March 12.

Barry says tickets are selling like hotcakes.

Redemption for Frank Luntz. Pollster Luntz, whose work for Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani and Pat Buchanan, helped toxify America’s political culture now says he’s mellowed after being hospitalized for a week for dangerously high blood pressure.

He told British journalists not to let politics become as polarized and debased as the American system, according to the Jan. 28 Guardian.

“You still like each other, you still respect each other, you still value public debate; your democracy is still functioning… Be thankful that you don’t have our poison… I’m very afraid of the American system being hopelessly damaged.”

Thanks, Frank.