Mayor Bloomberg last night vowed to keep arts funding at a high level, despite the economic chaos.
“Culture is as vital to the quality of life of this city as the economy is,” he told a packed Apollo Theater in Harlem, at the annual Mayor’s Awards for Arts and Culture.
The promise was welcome news to the crowd, which had gathered especially to honor legendary Bronx-born playwright Neil Simon.
Simon, 81, was given the Handel Medallion, the city’s highest honor for artistic achievement.
“Ugly Betty” star Vanessa Williams hosted the event, which also drew actors Matthew Broderick, Tony Roberts and Christine Baranski.
Galt MacDermot, composer of the Broadway musical “Hair,” picked up an award, too.
Also in attendance were two characters from “The Muppet Show” – cantankerous geezers Statler and Waldorf – whose job it was to heckle performers from balcony seats.
At one point, Bloomberg shouted up to the Muppet duo, “Maybe it’s time for you to get going.”
To which one of them responded, “Hey, pal, if you can have three terms, we can have two seats.”