Susan Sarandon loves Ping Pong. But you already knew that.
Last year the New York Times featured the sexty-three-year-old actress as an avid table tennis player and fan. On December 7, the best-known American ambassador of table tennis went on Jay Leno's floundering prime time show and, well, played ping pong.
She told Jay that she was a ping pong propagandist, but now I realize that the title must be shared with Jonathan Bricklin, the owner of SPiN New York (48 East 23rd Street).
It was during a recent episode of my own real life series "Prof in the City" that I met Jonathan at his club. I sought out SPiN after seeing it featured on "CBS Sunday Morning," where both Bricklin and Sarandon gushed about their love of the sport. Sarandon is also an investor in the club.
Now it seems ever since the pre-Christmas Day public announcement of the Sarandon-Robbins split, the media is feasting on a story about their love for each other. Mixing business with pleasure -- I think I've heard about that before.
The evening was quite a memory. I announced to the front desk staff at SPiN that I was a "Syracuse University professor who is a ping pong nutcase." I went on to explain my near legendary status for ping pong playing in Beijing, China.
Truth is, I held my own during a sabbatical stay at Tsinghua University two years ago. Every Chinese person I challenged was pleasantly surprised to see this American represent in the land where ping pong is a national sport.
After my boastful outbursts, I was introduced to Jonathan, who promptly invited me to stay for eats and drinks. Over a plate of Creole Ketchup & Blue Cheese Mousse Sliders and red wine, we talked about our love of a nerd sport that's gone sexy. Jonathan couldn't resist asking me about George Saunders, the Syracuse University writing professor who is his favorite author. I had my brush with celebrity when Susan called Jonathan while we were eating together.
I shared marketing tips with Jonathan, including expanding the club membership to persons like myself who live just outside the 200-mile radius of NYC. We want a piece of the pong, even if we can't hang out regularly. In the United Nations' shadow, I encouraged him to develop the Ping Pong Diplomacy that began between the US and China in the 70s. I also thought P3 or Ping Pong Propagandist should be part of the whole merchandising scheme in a city that invented commercial persuasion (Madison Avenue meets Madison Square Garden).
What most impressed me with SPiN New York wasn't that it was the first table tennis club slash bar slash bistro in the country. Nor was the charismatic, friendly, and very good-looking Jonathan the most impressive, though he is a close second. SPiN New York is promoting a very healthy and active sport for all ages. I was taken by the atmosphere of young children playing the sport side-by-side much older adults. The music was pumping like a nightclub, but the feel of the place was come as you are, stay as long as you like, grab a drink with friends, watch the play or challenge a pro.
Of course the side story -- "Are they or aren't they?" will continue to play out in the press. Perhaps Jonathan Bricklin and Susan Sarandon are connecting beyond their sport passion. The May-December aspect certainly intrigues, and their denials are not convincing to many. But for this ping pong professor, I don't concern myself with what two consenting adults with an age gap wish to do in their private lives. I'm just thankful that my longtime love is gaining some respectability.
Now who's serving?