By: Bridget Mulroy
In his new memoir “Hairman of the Board: Joseph Paris Recalls His Years with Frank Sinatra,” Paris offers an intimate glimpse into his decades-long friendship with one of entertainment’s most iconic figures. Known affectionately as the “Hairman of the Board,” Paris served not just as Sinatra’s personal hairstylist but as a trusted confidant who witnessed the legend’s private moments and true character. Joseph recently held a book signing at the famed Grotta Azzura in Little Italy in New York City. Steve Buscemi, amongst other notable guests, came to show Joseph support for his much-anticipated memoir.
Joseph Paris shares that growing up in Brooklyn, where “all we knew were the Statue of Liberty, Coca-Cola, and Frank Sinatra,” Paris would eventually become part of Sinatra’s most trusted inner circle. Their first encounter came when Paris was 27, marking the beginning of a friendship built on mutual respect and trust that would span years.
Their professional relationship played out in exclusive settings: the prestigious Waldorf Hotel in New York City or Sinatra’s private barbershop housed in a caboose train car behind his Palm Springs residence. But it was the after-hours moments that revealed Sinatra’s true character. “At nighttime, he became a nine-year-old,” Paris remembers fondly. Impromptu gatherings would find them in penthouse apartments until 4 AM or at private listening sessions where Sinatra would preview soon-to-be classics like “New York, New York.”
Within the Chairman’s Inner Circle, Paris served an unexpected role. “Sinatra named me psychiatrist,” he recalls with a laugh, “because I would calm things down when Frank was ready to throw people out windows.” This inner circle operated with its own vocabulary, complete with nicknames and code words known only to insiders.
The memoir has already garnered significant attention from heavyweights in the entertainment industry. On December 12, 2024, book signing at Grotta Azzurra in Little Italy, Paris was joined by “Boardwalk Empire” star Steve Buscemi. Terence Winter, Executive Producer and Writer known for “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Sopranos,” “Wolf of Wall Street,” and “Tulsa King,” praised the work: “Calling all Sinatra fans! Hairman of the Board isn’t just another bio of everyone’s favorite crooner, it’s an intimate, poignant peek behind the curtain at a global superstar brought to us by an insider whose own story could be a movie itself! Joseph Paris has written a gem.”
Paris’s narrative reveals Sinatra’s lesser-known charitable side. “I wanted people to know what a generous, kind human being Frank Sinatra was,” Paris explains. He witnessed countless acts of anonymous charity—from rebuilding basketball courts for priests to other unpublicized acts of kindness that never made headlines.
Unlike many in Sinatra’s orbit, Paris showed remarkable restraint when it came to documenting their friendship. “I never wanted to bother Sinatra with photos,” he notes, understanding it wasn’t one of the Chairman’s preferred activities. This respect for boundaries characterized their relationship, which Paris describes as one built on honesty and good character.
The book stands as a testament to the American dream, told through the eyes of someone who lived it. As Paris puts it, it’s “a great American, feel-good story about hope, inspiration, and dreams coming true.” Get your copy today at https://hairmanoftheboard.com/ or on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/41anhWp in Hard Copy and Paperback versions.
Published by Nicholas A.
