Brooklyn’s biggest star on Victoria’s Stars

Borough President Marty Markowitz reflects on the dramatic changes that have occurred in Brooklyn during the nearly 12 years he has been the borough’s top pol during an episode of Victoria Schneps’ engrossing TV show “Victoria’s Stars,” which highlights some of the people who make Brooklyn so unique and so special.

Markowitz and wife Jamie talk about politics and power – as well as the power of love — with Schneps, on Friday, July 12 at 5 p.m. when the show airs on BCAT.

Markowitz will shortly wrap up 12 years at the borough’s helm, the crowning jewel of his extensive political career that included 23 years in the State Senate.

“He is Brooklyn’s biggest star,” noted Schneps. “He put it on the map. He made Brooklyn sexy, and the real estate values reflect that.”

As Markowitz’s final term comes to a close, he chats with Schneps about the victories of his time serving as borough president.

“I made a promise that Brooklyn will never be in the shadows of anywhere else in the world,” Markowitz said. “How Brooklyn is today, America is tomorrow.”

During the show, Markowitz shares his qualms about term limits, as well as the diminution of power experienced by borough presidents in recent years thanks to changes in the city’s political structure.

Markowitz – who promised when running for borough president to bring major league sports back to the borough — also recalls the battle he faced during his quest to build Barclays Center. This included nearly daily phone calls to developer Bruce Ratner, till he got him on board.

Markowitz also muses about what it now means to have “Brooklyn” adorning the jersey of a major league sports team, decades after the beep’s beloved Dodgers abandoned Brooklyn for LA.

“With the Brooklyn Nets, I hope to renew the Brooklyn spirit the Dodgers ignited,” Markowitz said, regarding his motivation for campaigning so strongly for the arena.

And, Brooklyn’s ultimate power couple talks about how they first met – unexpectedly but romantically – on a beach where the then-state senator was handing out campaign literature.

“I don’t know if there is such a thing as love at first sight, but this came pretty close,” said Markowitz, about seeing his future wife at Kingsborough Beach for the first time.

The dynamic duo was engaged just three short weeks after their first date.

“I was thrilled to find out that you could find love walking on a beach,” remarked Schneps. “Who would believe a walk on a beach could change Marty Markowitz’s life forever?”

Schneps, who is the co-publisher of The Home Reporter and Brooklyn SpectatorThe show, produced by Gregori Romenski, will air on BCAT, which can be found on Time Warner channel 79, Cablevision channel 68, RCN channel 83 and Verizon channel 43.