the many faces of bobby d

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actor-director Robert DeNiro announced a partnership yesterday between the Tribeca Film Festival and the inaugural Rome Film Fest, which begins next month. The City Hall press conference, typically attended by New York's print, radio and television reporters, was instead mobbed with dozens of extra photographers and the mayor of Rome's sizeable, well-dressed entourage.

Here's a few shots of Bobby D I managed to catch while steadying a tape recorder. I must say, he was rather smug throughout the 45-minute presser, aside from cracking a grin after Bloomberg plugged his new restaurant. DeNiro didn't like talking before the entire gaggle, either, he was terse and took every chance to step back from the podium.

Still, he was nice enough to shake my hand when I approached him and said, "Oh counselor!"