Sunday, June 24, 2012

Stu Bykofsky: A One-Of-A-Kind Philly Character


Stu Bykofsky is a Philadelphia treasure.
Stu Bykofsky has been a columnist with the Philadelphia Daily News since 1987. 
Prior to the column, his assignments included theater critic, TV critic, copy editor and general assignment features reporter. 
Stu is a native of New York City but you'd never know it. His love of Philadelphia is so true and so relentless that you could swear he was born and raised on one of Philly's neighborhood street corners.
As a journalist, Stu's writing is in the tradition of Damon Runyon and H. L. Mencken. He can be outraged, funny, fearless, irascible, profane, compassionate or provocative at any given moment -- and sometimes all of these things at once. To be sure, he does not mince words.
It should come as no surprise that Stu has won numerous public service and journalism awards. His professional affiliations include the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and Philadelphia's Pen and Pencil Club. And he supports civil-rights, human-rights and animal causes.
He's been at the Daily News for 40 years now* and on Friday evening at the behest of Daily News columnist Dan Gross and Steve Esack of the Allentown Morning Call (both Bykofsky proteges) a group of Stu's friends gathered at Philly's Pen & Pencil Club to salute him. 
It was a wonderful evening -- full of funny stories, warm memories and keen observations on the state of journalism in general and the newspaper business (such as it is) in particular.
Since Stu is an animal lover also on hand were some traveling treasures from the Philadelphia Zoo including a snake, a lizard and a wise old owl.
We hope you enjoy these photos from a unique evening -- a happy collection of animals (human and otherwise) who are part of the legion of Stu's avid admirers. 
*BTW: Stu assures us that he'll keep on writing just as long as the Daily News keeps on publishing. Buy the paper!

Stu Bykofsky (left) Steve Esack and Dan Gross (right).



Stu with a mock Daily News front page saluting his 40 years.

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