22 May, 2016

FridayPiday: Richard Gabai (USC 1986)

Richard Gabai (USC 1986)
22 May, 2016

You may already be familiar with this week’s #FridayPiDay feature if you’re lucky enough to have seen the classic film Assault of the Party Nerds. And, if you’ve seen that film, you’re also familiar with the old AEPi house at the University of Southern California because Brother Richard Gabai (USC 1986) wrote, directed and starred in that 1989 film.

“When I was going to USC I was playing in a band and acting a little bit. I was booking some jobs but I realized that I wasn’t the kind of guy who wanted to sit around and wait for the phone to ring so I decided to make my own movie.”

Thus, Assault of the Party Nerds was created and a career was born. “Since then, the only thing I’ve ever done for a living is act, make movies and play guitar.”

A series of movies soon followed that haven’t slowed down. “I’ve made six movies in the last five years for A&E. I just finished shooting a western in New Mexico and I’m working on another film this July for Lifetime. According to his IMDB page, Brother Gabai currently has 52 acting credits and 24 directing credits.

Gabai began his college career at San Diego State University where he was the founding master of the AEPi colony there. He then transferred to USC where he helped refound the Upsilon chapter. “I am so proud to be a member of AEPi. It’s been a big part of my life since a group of my friends and I decided to start the chapter at SDSU. We did that basically just to meet girls. I never imagined AEPi would have the impact on me and the Jewish community that it does.”

“When we started the Sigma Delta chapter, I met with Andy Borans and I can tell you that everything he told me about AEPi has come true. The people I am still in touch with from college are my fraternity brothers. AEPi brothers have been in my movies. One of my chapter brothers scored some of my first films and even catered the sets.”

“AEPi is a bond that is forever and stronger than you can ever imagine as an undergraduate.”

Brother Gabai came into AEPi naturally. Both his father and (biological) brothers were AEPi men. (His brother was one of the founding fathers of our chapter at California State University – Northridge).

With two daughters and a son of his own now, Gabai is looking forward to the day that he can initiate his own son into AEPi.

“I am so proud to be affiliated with AEPi and everything it is doing for the Jewish people and Israel. I’ll do anything I can to help brothers. Anyone that wants to talk to me can reach me through my website (www.richardgabai.net) or Facebook.”

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