Opening her oceanfront East Hampton home each year to help raise money for Body Positive's Annual HIV/Aids benefit is something that touches Full Frontal Fashion host Judy Licht in a very personal way.
Begun by Newsday columnist James Revson 15-years ago, this year's garden gala will take place on Saturday, June 8, at the home of Licht and her husband Jerry Della Femina and it will likely take place there for years to come.
"Hopefully we can have it there forever. We'll do it until they find a cure," said Licht, who became friends with Revson while working on a news story. "We just hit it off," said Licht, who said she was "devastated" when she learned that he was sick.
Her connection with Body Positive began when Revson asked her to be one of the hosts of the annual benefit while he was still holding it. The event abruptly moved to the Della Femina/Licht home the year Revson passed away.
"I love the work they do. This is in honor of Jim," said Licht, who got to see first hand the effectiveness of Body Positive's services when one of her husband's assistants, Greg Boekeloo, became ill with the disease.
It was Boekeloo who helped organize the party at their home and three or four years into it he became ill. "He wanted to spend the last days on the East End. They were wonderful with him," she said, adding, "It has very personal memories
for us."
Since Licht and Della Femina started hosting the event they only missed one but it was still held at their home with WABC meteorologist Sam Champion acting as host. "He's come ever since. He's a great guy," said Licht, chuckling because the year he hosted the gala was the only year it rained.
Opening her East Hampton home is something that Licht does with great pleasure especially since the location is very dear to her and her family. ÒIt's really where we emotionally live. It's really home for us with a capital ÔH.' I like to think of it as an extension of what we do, where we live and give. It gives us so much pleasure, we hope it gives joy and pleasure to other people," she said.
Body Positive began its commitment to the HIV/AIDS community in 1987 by providing services designed to help people make informed choices about living with HIV and AIDS.
Among the services are support groups, educational workshops, social activities and a Helpline that offers peer counseling, referrals and information sharing. Body Positive also publishes a number of magazines that provide information about living with HIV and AIDS. The publications are in both English and Spanish.
Although Licht spends a great deal of time on the East End, she and her family work and go to school in New York City where they have their primary residence.
The Full Frontal Fashion host gets great pleasure from her work at Cablevision's Metro Channel and from caring for her children including her teen designer daughter Jessie Della Femina.
"I'm trying to juggle six balls in the air," said Licht from a hotel room in New Orleans where she was attending a trunk show with her 16-year old daughter and talking about the Body Positive benefit and her exciting ventures at the Metro Channel.
Jessie's career as a fashion designer happened by accident with the high school student creating some handkerchief tops for herself. Her older sister, Jodi, borrowed a few and showed them to her friends and they wanted some of their own.
Today her designs are sold in well over 100 stores around the country and Licht is right there ready to help in every way she can. Being a mother after all, is highest on the list of her priorities.
The experience of working with Jessie has been exhausting but fun. "It's really bonded us," Licht said.
In addition to her being what her daughter calls, "the vice president in charge of schlepping," Licht has a career that she considers to be at a very exciting point.
It was Licht who brought the idea of covering the"7th on 6th" fashion show from beginning to end with Full Frontal Fashion being the first live open-to-close coverage from the nine day event at Bryant Park.
The idea was a great success with Full Frontal Fashion enjoying the "greatest reviews and ratings in Metro's history."
Licht served as managing editor, on-air host, interviewer and commentator. She conducted designer and celebrity interviews throughout the week and has continued to do so on Full Frontal Fashion Weekly as well as on what is evolving into Full Frontal Fashion Daily.
"We agreed to put this thing on as a marathon. It went really well. This was a real breakout success. We've gotten a huge amount of respect," she said, explaining the concept of using "Olympic model" coverage of the fashion event by providing the story behind the people.
Her bubbly personality, lively commentary and deadpan ad libs gained her notoriety early on in her career while she was a general assignment reporter. She has also gained the respect of major designers.
Licht considers her most exciting interview to be one that she did fairly recently with Bill Blass. It was after he became ill and was not granting interviews that he agreed to talk to her. "It was the only interview he's done and it was very, very good," Licht said, adding that she got a note from Blass after the half hour special aired early this year saying, "You've got it kid." "I consider him the ultimate pro. It meant so much to me," Licht said.
The talented television host has gained the respect of the fashion industry and she enjoys working with them."I got to know these people and liked them," she said.
After years in the news business, Licht prefers the work she is currently doing, finding it more creative and fun."I still have newsy instincts and read 24 papers a day," she confided.
Her career began at New York City's WNYE Channel 25, where she produced and hosted several series including a nationally syndicated news program for children. She moved on to ABC TV's Kansas City affiliate, where she co-hosted a daily live talk show. It was there that she had one of her career's most trying moments.
It happened when a guest on the live show canceled and producers had to scramble for a replacement. Her guest ended up being a member of the circus which happened to be in town.
"I had to do the interview with the dancing bear," she said, recalling an uncooperative bear who ate Frito Lays. "If I could get out of that I could get out of anything," Licht said.
Upon her return to New York, Licht briefly co-hosted "Midday Live," on Channel 5 then moved to "The Ten O'Clock News" as a general assignment reporter. Her commentary got the attention of some Yale University students who founded "The Judy Licht Fan Club," and her popularity led to a promotion to co-anchor with John Roland.
She later joined WABC-TV's Channel 7 as host of "Good Morning New York." After two years she changed positions becoming one of the original members of the Channel 7 "Five O'Clock News," where she delivered humorous essays, entertainment news and conducted live celebrity interviews. She later returned to Channel 5 to co-anchor a noontime news broadcast with Jim Ryan before moving to Cablevision's Metro Channel.
Licht finds her current position very appealing since she feels she can weave in another love of her life, history. A history major in college, Licht believes it's fitting to connect the subject to her fashion coverage. "I like the history of visual culture. I'm excited about what can be done to create a sense of history. I love the business, I love the people. I want to be responsible for more half hour programs," she said.
Another part of Licht's juggling has involved being active in the community. She has served on the board of trustees of the Children's Museum of Manhattan, the Riverside Park and the Hampton International Film Festival.
Licht was also named "Outstanding Mother of the Year" by the National Mother's Day Committee. Raising her children is something she does with great care and she believes it's very difficult to have it all; meaning having a full time career while being a full time mother. In fact, she scaled back greatly when her children were younger. Her son, J.T. is 13 and she said he's a "major cute guy."
"You can't be working full time and be a successful parent," said Licht, who said she was out of the "fast track for the better part of 15 years."
Licht was born and raised in New York City. She received a bachelor of arts degree in Asian history from Connecticut College, spending her junior year abroad in Florence, Italy. She earned a master of science degree in broadcast communications from the Newhouse Communications Center at Syracuse University, and also studied at the New York School of Interior Design.
She also has some experience in the restaurant business since she helped her husband launch two new restaurants, a resort and a shopping center in East Hampton. In her spare time, Licht enjoys playing tennis, spending time with friends and reading. Her all time favorite novel is "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
