Posted By: Just Lou
Re: Season 5, Episode 9: "Unidentified Black Males" - 05/03/04 11:08 PM
Originally posted by J Geoff:
It doesn't bother me -- I think it's pretty damn funny. I'm surprised his site hasn't been updated, though. Sure changes the meaning of his "I Did Jackie Jr" t-shirt... 
I found this on his site:
TV wisegay
'Sopranos' fella hits the other way
By MICHELE McPHEE
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU CHIEF
Joseph Gannascoli, aka Vito Spatafore on 'The Sopranos,' talks about new plot twist.
It's a first for "The Sopranos" - a gay mobster.
On last night's episode, capo Vito Spatafore was caught in a compromising position with a male security guard - definitely not the kind of behavior that would go over well with the oglers at the Bada-Bing.
"It adds a lot of depth to the character," actor Joseph Gannascoli, who plays the newly outed mobster, told the Daily News.
In the real mob, being gay can add real depth - about 6 feet underground.
Vincent (Vinny Ocean) Palermo, former boss of New Jersey's DeCalvacante family, said to be the model for "The Sopranos," testified last week there is one way to handle gay gangsters: Kill them.
"What's the rule ... about this?" federal prosecutor John Hillebrecht asked the mob turncoat on Wednesday.
"You die," Palermo replied.
That was the punishment meted out to DeCalvacante wiseguy John D'Amato in 1992, whom Palermo ordered whacked after being told his underling had rendezvoused with another man at a swingers club.
Over lunch at a Brooklyn restaurant, Gannascoli took pains to point out he is not gay - adding just as quickly, "Not that there is anything wrong with it."
"My problem is, I love women," he said.
Gannascoli did say he relished the challenge of playing a homosexual. "It was my idea many years ago to have my character be gay, having read and known about gay wiseguys," he said. "I want to be effeminate but knockaround."
Still, Tony Sirico, who plays Paulie Walnuts on the show, grabbed Gannascoli by the arm last week and asked: "You okay with this? You want me to have a talk with [the show's creator] David Chase?"
Gannascoli knows he's in for a little ribbing or worse.
"I'm going to have to deal with a lot of grief in the neighborhood. I'm a little worried about how my family is going to react," Gannascoli said, just as his elderly father walked by a window of Paneantico, a bistro on Bay Ridge's bustling Third Ave.
"But I wanted to really act," he added. "I don't want to just play mob guys for the rest of my career."
Gannascoli refused to reveal whether Vito will face repercussions, saying only, "In the mob, it's about money."
Originally published on May 3, 2004
Posted By: ChrisY2J
Re: Season 5, Episode 9: "Unidentified Black Males" - 05/04/04 02:56 AM
This episode opens with Tony and his cousin Tony Blundetto catching a Mets game on TV in the back yard of Livia's house. It's a sweltering day. Tony B tells a funny story about his time in prison: some Rasta guy used to make grilled cheese sandwiches on his cell's radiator. Tony notices that Tony B is favoring his one foot. He asks what happened, and Tony B spins a tale about being jumped by a couple black guys outside a bar in Irvington. In reality, his foot was run over by a car as he was executing Sacrimoni lieutenant Joey Peeps on behalf of the Lupertazzi faction in the New York turf war.
That evening, Tony has dinner in a Manhattan steakhouse with AJ, Meadow, and Meadow's boyfriend Finn DeTrolio. Finn discusses his plans, and AJ contemplates summer school and "maximum security at Casa Carmela." Finn sneaks off and pays the bill. He wanted to pay Tony back for his past generosity when taking them out to eat. Tony gets mad at Finn and tells him, "You eat. I pay. When you have your own family, YOU pay." Later, outside the restaurant, Tony apologizes to Finn for blowing up at him.
At the Soprano house, Carmela is discussing last week's "swimming pool interlude" with Silvio Dante's wife, Gabriella. Carmela says it was nice, and Tony sent flowers the next day, but otherwise she hasn't heard from him since then. Gabriella wonders if this means Tony wants to get back together. At that moment, Tony pulls up in his new white Escalade, dropping off AJ. Carm seems disappointed that Tony doesn't come in to talk with her, merely dropping off their son, waving, and leaving. AJ gives his mother the envelope of money (her weekly allowance) from Tony.
The next day, Tony is playing a round of golf with Johnny Sack. Johnny speaks of the murdered Joey Peeps, and how tough it will be for him and his wife to get through Joey's funeral. When Tony says, "It's sad when they go so young," Johnny gets angry. He says that he knows it was Little Carmine behind it, payback for the murder of Lorraine Calluzzo. Johnny knows they picked Joey to be the victim of the retaliatory hit because Joey was close to Johnny. He was schooling Joey, much like how Tony is schooling Christopher to eventually run the Family.
Tony asks Johnny if the cops on his payroll know anything. Apparently, all they have to go by is the word of a homeless man, who says he saw the shooter running off with a distinctive limp. Tony freezes, knowing his cousin Tony Blundetto is the killer of Joey Peeps, but he says nothing to Johnny. Tony then has a panic attack. Johnny and two nearby golfers assist Tony into a seat.
Next, we see a meeting of the other New York faction: Little Carmine Lupertazzi, Angelo Garepe, Rusty Millio, and another capo. Little Carmine is speaking, and once again provides a fascinating look at that dim mind of his. He says, “Historically, historical changes have come out of war.” Angelo is dubious, and has misgivings over the hit on Joey Peeps. He thinks they could have solved the disagreements with Johnny Sack through negotiation, not violence, and now he is worried about the repercussions. “We pissed on a bees’ nest.”
Rusty speaks up: “It’s a new day. All old treaties are null and void. The only thing Johnny understands is force.” Rusty also provides support for Little Carmine, saying, “God forgive me, but you may be a stronger man than your dad was.”
Little Carmine, trying to sound like a leader as well as an intellectual (which he’s not) has another gem: “The fundamental question is, will I be as effective as a boss as my dad was. And I will be. Even more so. But until I am, it’s gonna be hard to verify that I think I’ll be more effective.”
My “fundamental question” is, what the HELL is Little Carmine babbling about? He’s obviously an idiot and has power only because of who his father was. And it’s more obvious than ever that Rusty Millio is the real threat to Johnny Sack, not Little Carmine. And it’s obvious that Rusty is using Little Carmine to further his own ends. Millio appears to be a sharp individual, every bit as cold and calculating as Johnny is. It’s apparent that he doesn’t really hold Little Carmine in such high regard. I’d be willing to bet he wants Little Carmine and Johnny to duke it out and eliminate each other, and he picks up the pieces.
Finn and Meadow talk in their hot and stuffy Manhattan apartment. They go over their post-graduate options. Finn doesn’t want to go back to live with his parents, since he graduated college. He wants to find a job until he goes to dental school.
A divorce lawyer, Lee Nieman, calls up Carmela. She contacted him, wanting to hire him to carry out the divorce proceedings with Tony. He informs her that he cannot have Carmela as a client, since Tony met with him a year ago. Due to the conflict of interest, it would be unethical for him to have Carm as a client. The lawyer tells Carmela that this was a deliberate move by Tony to deny her access to the best divorce lawyers in the Tri-State area. Obviously, Tony took to heart the advice given to him by the slimy attorney Alan Sapinsly (we saw him in the Season Four finale). Nieman offers to recommend a colleague Tony hasn’t “contaminated”.
While this phone conversation between Carmela and Nieman takes place, the black bear that was invading their property trots across the Soprano back yard.
At the office of the Bada Bing, Silvio Dante is discussing the killing of Joey Peeps with the Soprano crew. Among them are Peter “Paulie Walnuts” Gualtieri, Little Paulie Germani, Tony B, and a cugine named Jason Molinaro, all playing cards. Silvio says that Joey’s brains were splattered in the inside of the car. Paulie remarks that this wouldn’t be much of a cleanup job. He also yells at Little Paulie for upstaging his joke. Silvio decides that they should chip in some cash to pay for the headstone. He assigns the task to Jason.
At that moment, Tony walks in with his new driver, the massive Frankie Cortese. He tells Tony B he wants to speak with him outside. Tony confronts his cousin, accusing him of killing Joey Peeps. Tony grates, “I am bending over backwards, trying to stay neutral, and you’re acting like a free agent!”
Tony B denies it, but the boss raves on, “Stop relying on being my cousin and that bad hijack, just ‘cause you went away and I didn’t.”
His cousin replies, “You keep bringing it up. I’m fine with it.”
Tony B wants to do more and earn more. Tony acknowledges that Tony B is capable. “You got brains, balls. If you’d be straight with me, I could use all that!”
Tony B’s reply is simple: “Put me in, coach.”
Tony thinks it over for a moment, then makes a decision. Tony decides to make Tony B in charge of the Family’s underground casino on Bloomfield Avenue (we’ve seen this casino in the past; this is where Ralph Cifaretto turned down the drink with Tony). A member of capo Carlo Gervasi’s crew was running it, but has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s. A replacement for him is needed, and Tony B is the man for the job. He immensely happy to hear this, and is even more pleased when Tony promises to have him made.
In a session at Dr Melfi’s office, Tony talks of his cousin’s smarts, and how he thinks it was a good move to promote him. He also speaks of last week, how he and Carmela slept together for the first time since their separation. Tony says, smiling, “Poor thing was starved for it, honestly. I’m the only man she’s ever been with.” If he only knew…
He also says he has stayed away from Carmela since then, not wanting to send mixed signals. Dr Melfi clearly thinks that was a bad idea.
Carmela meets with another divorce lawyer, Todd Herman. She also distorts the truth, saying that her and Tony’s split was “amicable”. It was anything but. She tells Herman that she not only wants to go after the Soprano family assets, but Tony’s unreported income as well. She lies again, saying that this income is “not from an illegal stream.” The lawyer is optimistic.
Finn now has a job working construction at one of Tony’s work sites, thanks to Meadow. The usual mobsters sitting around and collecting money from their “no work” jobs are there: capo Vito Spatafore, Patsy Parisi, Benny Fazio, Eugene Pontecorvo, Little Paulie Germani, and others. Finn talks baseball with the gangsters. Paulie drives up. Thinking he is addressing some young nobody worker, Paulie threateningly instructs Finn to clean off dogshit from his car’s tires. He finds out that Finn is Meadow’s boyfriend, and changes his attitude immediately. Paulie tells Little Paulie to clean the tires instead, and gives Finn some money to take Meadow out with. “Tell her this is from her Uncle Paulie.”
Tony meets Carmela at Vesuvio for lunch. She tells him she is filing for divorce, and that last week didn’t change anything. The mood immediately gets nasty, and poor Artie gets caught in the middle for a moment. Despite Tony’s best efforts, Carmela found “an aggressive attorney to pursue custody of AJ and an equitable distribution of our assets.”
Tony is incredulous. “OUR assets?”
He confronts her about the 40 grand she stole from him the previous year. Carmela replies, “Do you want this to get ugly? Because these lawyers live for that.”
Tony starts to stalk out of Vesuvio, but turns around and spells it all out for her, saying that if it weren’t him and his work, she would have nothing, and she knew every step of the way how it all worked. She says, “I want what I am entitled to.”
“You’re entitled to shit,” he snarls, and walks out.
Back at the construction site, Finn is talking with the secretary, a lovely Puerto Rican named Felicia Galan. He discusses his relationship with Meadow, life, and marriage. Finn also notices the thong that Felicia is wearing. Vito walks by and interrupts their conversation to talk some baseball. He tells them that Finn “looks like that guy from Aerosmith, Joe Perry.”
Carmela and Meadow do some shopping. Carm breaks the news about the divorce, and how Tony has stopped paying her bills. Meadow notes how they were “getting chummy” in the pool, but Carmela lies, saying that Tony didn’t stay the night. Meadow says, “Haven’t you ever thought beyond being dependent on some man?”
Carmela sourly says, “You have options. I have a lawyer.”
The Leotardos, Phil and Bill, arrive at the construction site for New York’s cut of the profits. Eugene, Little Paulie, Vito, Benny, and Patsy talk about and playfully insult each others’ girlfriends as Finn and Felicia talk. The insults get a little too personal for Eugene, who takes offense at something Little Paulie said. Eugene ends up smashing his Snapple bottle in Little Paulie’s face, then kicking him repeatedly. The other mobsters hold Eugene back. Little Paulie is a horribly bloody mess, possibly with glass in his eye. They decide to blame Paulie’s condition “on a couple black guys.” Finn, witnessing all of this, is sickened.
That night, in their apartment, a freaked-out Finn tells Meadow about the incident. She says, disbelieving, “Eugene Pontecorvo? He’s so sweet!” Finn talks about “these people” she grew up with. She insists, “I have never seen violence”. With her head firmly in her ass, she spews some crap about Italians growing up in poverty, where higher authority was always corrupt.
The next day is Joey Peeps’ funeral, and many New York and North Jersey mobsters are present to pay their respects. Tony quietly notes to Silvio that Joey’s family name is “Peparelli”, not “Peeps”, which is on the headstone. Silvio, mortified, tries to blame it on Jason Molinaro’s dyslexia, but an exasperated Tony says, “What’s that got to do with it?” Silvio promises to fix the headstone.
After the funeral ends, the tension is palpable between Johnny and Little Carmine, and then between Johnny and Tony. Johnny is barely containing his rage when he tells Tony that he’s received new information on Joey’s killer. An Irish dockworker on the New York Family’s payroll (who lives near the scene of Joey’s shooting) saw Tony B three blocks away on the night of the murder. Johnny calls Tony a “two-faced fuck,” and says about Little Carmine, “I should kill him, his wife, and your cousin next!”
Tony leads Johnny away from the gravesite and into the back of a limo. He looks at Little Carmine through the window, and grates, “The fucking GALL on him!” Tony advises him to shake Carmine’s hand, let it go, and be done with it. Johnny, full of grief and rage over his protégé’s death, promises to kill Tony B as well as Carmine. Tony says, “You’re gonna believe some drunk Irish prick over me?” He also rebukes Johnny for sinking Little Carmine’s boat and killing Lorraine Calluzzo.
While the two bosses talk, the New York and North Jersey factions stand in the rain outside the limo, tensions mounting.
Inside the limo, Tony spins a tall tale about the whereabouts of Tony B on the night of Joey’s murder. He was with me, Tony argues, therefore it was impossible that he carried out the hit. Johnny decided to believe Tony, but says, “If I find out you’re lying…”
He stops, and his threat is implicit. Johnny steps out of the limo, pauses to glare at Tony B, and leaves the cemetery. Tony also exits the limo and looks at his cousin, knowing what a huge risk he’s taking covering up for him.
Back at the construction site, Finn is working hard while the mobsters talk boxing. Vito tells him to relax and take a seat. Vito spoke with the construction boss, Louie Ramos, and now Finn can kick his feet up and get paid for it.
Christopher and Adriana are in their apartment, and Chris is in a foul mood. He’s pissed over Tony B taking charge of the Bloomfield casino, a post he feels he should have gotten. He bitches at length about Tony, “Side deals, secret promises. He’s always got an agenda. I used to be the number one cousin (of Tony’s), now I’m being eased aside.” After Chris leaves, Adriana immediately calls up her FBI handler, Agent Robyn Sanseverino. Ostensibly, she calls to provide the FBI with the latest info, but what is her motive? Does she think that by letting them know about Tony Blundetto’s new job, she’ll be helping Christopher in some way?
Meadow, Finn, and friends are having a beach party late one night, enjoying some drinks and pot. Finn excuses himself and leaves early, since he has to get to work at the construction site in a few hours.
Finn drives into the lot and makes a gruesome discovery. It’s something he shouldn’t have seen: Vito Spatafore is blowing a security guard in the front seat of his SUV! Finn, aghast, turns and runs into the job site to get to work.
Later in the day, Finn is taking a leak in a Port-O-John. Vito is waiting for him outside. Finn is understandably nervous, knowing something about Vito no one else knows. Vito is all smiles. The capo invites Finn to attend a Yankees/Padres game with him, and threatens him into going. Finn is scared to death.
He later tells Meadow about the baseball tickets, but refuses to meet Vito at the game. Meadow mistakes Finn’s reluctance as elitism: “Dr DeTrolio can’t hang with the common folk?”
Finally, Finn tells the whole story: Vito’s blowing of the security guard and the veiled threats. “He came onto me! Either that, or he wants to kill me. Maybe he wants to fuck me, THEN kill me!” Finn wants to leave and go back to the West Coast. Meadow cries, and they argue for hours. Meanwhile, outside Yankee Stadium, a stood-up Vito goes into the game by himself.
After hours of arguing, an exhausted, stressed-out Finn comes up with a solution. His idea will protect him from 375-pound gay homicidal mobsters without having to split up with Meadow and split. He proposes marriage, and Meadow joyfully accepts. (You know Finn’s idea: Vito wouldn’t dare harm his boss’s future son-in-law!)
The next day, Carmela’s lawyer calls her with bad news. He can find no forensic accountant willing to investigate Tony Soprano’s finances, so he drops her as a client. Carmela is frustrated, feeling defeated.
Tony has another session with Dr Melfi, and it is an INTENSE session. Tony is having panic attacks again, and through Melfi’s eliciting, he admits that his guilt over his cousin’s prison stay is the cause of it. And the real reason that Tony missed that hijacking gone wrong over 15 years ago is NOT because he was “jumped by two black guys.” In reality, he had an argument with his mother, had a panic attack, fell, and cut his head open.
Tony B went to prison for over 15 years, and lost everything, his wife, his kids, while Tony flourished. Melfi observes, “No wonder you’re having panic attacks,” and she suggests he come clean with his cousin. Tony begins to have labored breathing, and comes close to passing out. Melfi is concerned, and starts to go for her medical bag. Tony, in the midst of a panic attack in the middle of therapy, says he can’t tell anyone that the real reason is that he fainted after arguing with his mother. He recovers, and Melfi says, “That’s a lot to get off your chest.”
Tony, now calm again, questions his reasons for promoting his cousin. He likens therapy to “taking a shit.” Melfi, unruffled, says she prefers to think of it as childbirth.
“No,” Tony says, “It’s taking a shit.”
Carmela arrives home and finds Tony in the pool. She is frustrated at her situation, and the sight of Tony only underscores it. Meadow calls with the news that she is engaged. Carmela starts crying, both from happiness with Meadow, and from the misery of knowing she’ll never be able to get away from Tony.
Absolute sizzling episode last night. There's simply something about watching a "live" episode of this show which you've never seen before; it's like electricity running through you for an hour and a quarter (as with season four, the episodes are getting longer and longer as the season unfolds).
What an amazing episode (yet again!). I was disappointed when it became apparent much of the episode was to be revolving around Finn, but that was possibly the most exciting part, and a pleasant surprise for that too! I thought the chemistry between Finn and Meadow was top-notch--the acting on both parts was great. Finn's definitely a character with whom I sympathise. As nice as Meadow is, you could see last night how spoilt she really is; brought me back to her early season four tantrums with her father. But nevertheless, I'm very happy for the two of them, and hope Finn doesn't go take that wrong path down which Meadow's other bastard boyfriends have ventured...
Vito's twist had me in stitches. Totally didn't expect that (who
would!?), and as soon as it happened I burst into a fit of laughter. Eugene's an arsehole; sincerely hope Paulie Walnuts sorts him out.
Speaking of Gualtieri, how many times does he want to make me laugh in one episode? "You always try and top my fucking lines!" at the card table was side-splitting, but didn't come anywhere near his calling Finn "Shaggy." His face when he heard Meadow's name mentioned was priceless--nearly as much as when Carmine Lupertazzi asked him who he was back in season four.
I find it bewildering why people complain about the Melfi scenes. Last night's was the most compelling ever, and an interesting thing to have Tony close to a panic attack while Melfi was there. Each week now I can see Melfi becoming more and more personally concerned about Tony--excellent acting on Bracco's part.
The directing in that scene was awesome, going from the static, unmoving shots to the almost handheld filming when Tony was getting close to admitting his panic attack on the night of the hijacking.
Tony's character is becoming more and more complex each week, and I am utterly fascinated by his character: he's a tortured soul, who, due to an almost Oedipus-like Complex, cannot vent his anger to the right people (he does jack shit to Johnny, but doesn't hesitate to talk intimidatingly to best fried Artie).
Johnny Sac and Tony's scene was excellent. Sack was almost crying when he said "If I ever find out you're lying, Tony," (again, phenomenal acting). Little Carmine has the most annoying face in the whole world!
Janice's temper gets her (and Tony?) in trouble next week. Tony B and Chris are up to no good. Chris is crying seemingly, and things are being thrown into water....again. Can't wait.
Fantastic episode, the best yet. Don't know how they can top this one, but I don't doubt that they can and will.
Season five is the BEST season so far!Mick
