The Impressionistic Cigar Lover is Gone, by Tommy Zman
One of the most prolific artists of the second half of the 20th century as passed away, an ardent cigar lover whose impressionistic style made him a commercial success and a notable figure to the sports world.
Back in 1998 I launched my own cigar Magazine, called the Back Room and was looking for some good original content to make my pub different than the 100 cigar rags that were popping up left and right during the cigar boom of the 90’s. I was attending a private party at The Manor in South Orange, New Jersey and amongst all of the well-dressed guests, sitting at the bar was a man in a gray sweatsuit listening to two cackling hens who were vying for his attention. Only a LeRoy Neiman with his trademark mustache could get away with such attire at an affair like this, and as a longtime fan of his work, I wanted to grab his attention away. I stood there thinking that the guy looked almost naked sitting there without a cigar sticking out from under that stash, so I did what any purveyor of the burning leaf world do.
As I approached he glanced upward, while I gently removed a Cuban Montecristo #2 from my fancy-shmancy leather case. Without a word I held out my hand, gracing his presence with the magnificent dark brown torpedo. His eyes widened like a kid on Christmas morning as he gladly removed the Cuban treasure from my mitts.
“For me?!”, he asked quite innocently, while ignoring the babbling yentas.
“Of course it’s for you,” I said with a chuckle, “Who else is in need of a fine smoke as much as you?” And at that 
moment, I had made myself a new best friend.
We spoke for a while as LeRoy seemed to take curious interest in The Back Room. He really liked the idea of a cigar lifestyle magazine that the New York are could call its own. And why shouldn’t he have? The artist had spent 37 years of his life in the same studio location on Manhattan’s upper west side. He was a true New Yorker who had made cigars a part of his life since he was 16 years of age. But the best part of all came when he asked if I wanted to spend a day in his Central Park studio for an interview for the Back Room. Wow, when serendipity knocks it’s a wonderful thing, indeed.
When I arrived at Neiman’s studio, I was blown away as he walked me in – a cover painting for the Goodwill games was in an easel to the right… on the table before me lied six Gibson Les Paul guitars with fresh paintings of BB King on them… and as we walked into his office, unopened cigar boxes were lined from floor to ceiling, gifts from everyone who had entered his way-cool abode. And of course, I graciously added several fine sticks to his collection.
I got to spend three occasions with LeRoy, and better yet, smoked cigars with him all three times. In our last meeting he told me one of the coolest reasons I have ever heard on why he loved cigars. He said, “Because a cigar is honest.” Wow… a cigar is honest. I had never viewed a premium hand-rolled stick that way before. “There’s nothing remotely pretentious about a cigar, Tommy. You cut it, light it, smoke it, and then it is gone forever. The person smoking it could be pretentious, but the cigar just does the job it was born to do.”
Again… wow.
LeRoy Neiman, the world was graced with your amazing style, both personally and on canvas. I will never forget the generosity you displayed to me and the experience of being a part of your world for just a short time. Rest well, my friend, and I hope you brought a enough smokes for Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Picasso.
