Michael Caputo
Michael Caputo | |
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| Born | July 18, 1957 |
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Michael Caputo (born: July 18th, 1957) is an Italian American author, a producer, and a licensed massage therapist, and a licensed esthetician. He is the biological son of the late legendary comedian and actor, Pat Cooper.
Caputo is currently retired but has remained a dedicated advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, and stands behind the civil rights and the civil liberties for all humanity. He is a staunch supporter for the First Amendment rights, including the freedom of religion, but is strongly vocal about the separation of church and state and believes that should remain intact. Caputo identifies as spiritual but not religious, (SBNR).[1][2]
Early life and education
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Caputo was born to Pasquale Caputo (aka: Pat Cooper) and Dolores Nola on July 18th, 1957.
Caputo was educated in two parochial grammar schools (St. Francis Xavier and St. Rose of Lima) from 1963 to 1971. Caputo also attended another Catholic School (Nazareth Regional High School) in 1971 and graduated in 1975. From there he studied acting, voice, and dance in various schools in Manhattan.
Caputo also enrolled in a program at the Center for Media Arts school to become a radio-show host. In his thirties, Caputo attended the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences to become a licensed massage therapist (LMT). After obtaining his massage license in 1992, Caputo went to Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics and obtained his license for that profession in 2001. Caputo was the first male to attend that school for skin care.[2]
Career
Caputo's love for writing began in grammar school, where he enjoyed writing book reports, biographies, and prose about current events. Caputo also wrote and produced a short video interview, A Mother's Story, featuring his paternal grandmother about her relationship or lack thereof concerning her famous son, Pat Cooper. This candid interview, recorded in 1986, became the foundation for his first memoir, (Dear Pat Cooper, What happened to my father Pasquale Caputo?), published in 2009.[3][4]
Caputo also worked as a promotions producer for the Geraldo Rivera Show and the Joan Rivers Show at CBS in New York City.[5][2]
As a Licensed Massage Therapist & Esthetician
Caputo worked as a licensed massage therapist and an esthetician for sixteen years at the 5-Star, Peninsula Hotel/Spa on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. His services helped him gain significant recognition, including mentions in Allure Magazine (twice), Gotham Magazine, and a full-page bio in Skin Inc. Magazine. After a successful sixteen year tenure at the Peninsula Hotel, he started his own LLC for massage therapy and manscaping for men that lasted for seven years.[6][7]
Media appearances
In 1989, Caputo shared his family's story on the Howard Stern Radio Show in an episode called, The Family Feud, that made radio-ratings history and was a precursor to reality entertainment. He also appeared on one of Geraldo Rivera’s shows in 1990 (Can Fatherhood Be Forced?) with his father, Pat Cooper, who was a call-in guest. That two-part segment has already exceeded over one hundred thousand views on YouTube.[8]
In 2012, Caputo gained further notoriety after an exclusive interview with the Daily News (that landed him on the front page) about the numerous sex scandals involving American actor John Travolta and his noted inappropriate behavior at the Peninsula Spa in Manhattan where Caputo once worked. That sparked worldwide attention to Caputo whose story was also written up in People Magazine and the National Enquirer. For months Caputo was the most famous massage therapist on the planet and bombarded with phone calls to do numerous television interviews.[9][6][7][10]
On July 24th, 2024, Caputo, along with his stepmother, Emily Conner Cooper, was interviewed by American entertainer, Stuttering John Melendez on his podcast.[11]
He was also interviewed a second time on August 4th, 2024, by Stuttering John about his new book, Never Forget What They’ve Done To Us: Counterfeit Christians 101.[12]
In July 2024, an event “Celebration of Life” was hosted in honor of Pat Cooper’s 95th birthday at the Italian American Museum on 151 Mulberry Street in Little Italy, New York City by Caputo, Emily Conner Cooper, Joe Piscopo, Laura Savini Webb, and Dr.Joseph V. Scelsa, the founder & president of the museum.[13]
Advocacy
Caputo is a vocal supporter of civil rights, liberties, and equality for all people. He stresses diversity, equity, and inclusion in all his published books. His key mantra and theme affirmed in all of his writing is that silence is compliance, consent, and complicity.[1]
Published works
- Dear Pat Cooper, What Happened to My Father Pasquale Caputo? (2009)[3]
- CHAMELEON: A Memoir (2021)[14][2]
- Never Forget What They’ve Done To Us: Counterfeit Christians 101 (2024)[15]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "About Michael Caputo".
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 devgroup (2024-03-15). "Massage Therapist Career Training | Swedish Institute". Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Dear Pat Cooper: What happened to my father Pasquale Ca…". Goodreads. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ↑ MICHAEL CAPUTO AUTHOR: A MOTHER'S STORY. 2023-11-19. Retrieved 2025-04-22 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Herbert, Dominic (2012-05-12). "Another masseur comes forward to make claim against John Travolta - said he was barred from having massages because of inappropriate behaviour". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Daily (2012-05-12). "John Travolta was BANNED from top New York hotel spa for 'inappropriate' behaviour, claims masseur". Mail Online. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Macaluso, Beth Anne (2012-05-12). "John Travolta Once Banned From Peninsula Hotel Spa: Report". Us Weekly. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ↑ "Radio and Television History". Dear Pat Cooper. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ↑ "John Travolta's 'inappropriate behavior' got him tossed from Peninsula Hotel's massage spa: staff". New York Daily News. 2012-05-12. Retrieved 2025-04-22.
- ↑ "New Memoir Provides Unflinching Look at the Gay Lifestyle and One Man's Evolution".
- ↑ MICHAEL CAPUTO & EMILY CONNER ON THE STUTTERING JOHN PODCAST - July 24th, 2024. 2024-07-25. Retrieved 2025-04-22 – via YouTube.
- ↑ MICHAEL CAPUTO AUTHOR - INTERVIEWED ON THE STUTTERING JOHN PODCAST - AUGUST 4, 2024. 2024-08-05. Retrieved 2025-04-22 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Michael Caputo Author - Pat Cooper "Celebration of Life" at the Italian American Museum - 7/31/2024. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2025-04-22 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "CHAMELEON: A Memoir".
- ↑ "Never Forget What They've Done to Us: Counterfeit Christians 101".