That whole slippers and robe crazy act of Gigante probably brought more attention onto him than it took away. Nobody in law enforcement was fooled. The guy walks around Sullivan Street muttering to himself, then goes into the Triangle Social Club and meets with a bunch of Genovese capos all day.
It gave his whole claim of being insane credibility. Law enforcement wasn't fooled but what mattered was what the courts believed. His crazy act was a big reason why he spent relatively little time in prison, especially when you consider he became a NY boss in 1981. It wasn't until 16 years later that he saw the inside of a prison cell.
