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Interesting article on Soprano controversy.

Click Here

Nice artical Thanks!

What a joke! :rolleyes:

"We didn't ask [the mayor] to bring any [Soprano stars as] guests ... and it's bad manners for them to bring individuals that are not acceptable to us..." --- ummmm, they're @$%&ing actors, not the characters themselves!!!

"William Fugazy, president of the Coalition of Italo-American Associations: [the mayor is] insulting the Italo-American community" -- nice name - he's a fugazi!

This crap really pisses me off. Some people aren't happy unless they're protesting against something, anything.

JG

I know what you mean JG. Its only TV for christ sakes.

[img]http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:fPux9lBCXlEC:cuisung.unige.ch/gif/crown.gif[/img] "Fugazi"! I hadn't caught that!

Its not TV, its HBO. :p

Its not TV, its HBO. :p [/b][/quote]Ya know I new somebody was going to say that

Giuliani Defends HBO's 'Sopranos'
Oct 10, 4:04 PM (ET)

By KATHERINE ROTH

NEW YORK (AP) - Repeat after Rudy: It's just a television show. It's just a television show ...

Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani weighed in Thursday on whether cast members of HBO's "The Sopranos" should march in the Columbus Day Parade - and the ex-prosecutor's on the side of the television mob.

"I'm a big 'Sopranos' fan," Giuliani told reporters. "The show is a terrific show, and I would urge some Italian-Americans to be less sensitive. You could spend your whole life wanting to be insulted. ... Why? Why do you want to be insulted?"

His comments came a day after Mayor Michael Bloomberg drew criticism from parade organizers for inviting Dominic Chianese, who plays Tony Soprano's Uncle Junior on the show, and Lorraine Bracco, who plays psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi, to march in the city's annual celebration of Italian pride.

"I think we all get beyond it when we just relax more about it," Giuliani said. "It's just a show."

Parade organizers dislike "The Sopranos" because they say it's little more than a negative caricature of Italian-American life. The Columbus Citizens Foundation, which plans the event, previously has turned down requests for "Sopranos" actors to participate.

"I didn't invite them as members of 'The Sopranos.' I didn't invite any other member of 'The Sopranos' cast," Bloomberg said Wednesday. "These are two nice people who have gone out of their way to help the city."

"I apologize if anybody's offended," the mayor added. "If you are offended, don't wave back when they wave to you."

Larry Auriana, president of the foundation, said the show perpetuates negative stereotypes.

"Besides the whole crime element, it shows Italo-Americans as uneducated, low-life brutes," Auriana said.

Giuliani disagreed.

"I don't think we should feel sorry for ourselves," he said. "Italian-Americans have this thing they have to deal with, where people maybe have some prejudices because of the Mafia, which they shouldn't have."

But Giuliani said he can't march in the parade because he'll be in California, signing copies of his new book, "Leadership," and campaigning for Bill Simon, a Republican candidate for governor.

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On the Net:

Columbus Citizens Foundation

You tell em Giuliani! That guy is awesome and his book is great! have any of you guys read it?

Would they have refused Brando or Paccino 28-30 years ago?? Those PC dorks are just idiots.

some people really need to get alife, go figure huh

Hi,
That is a laugh. Both Dominic and Lorraine are actors who play a role. It isn't like Gotti is leading the parade. Even if he was so what. Many people don't realize that Al Capone ran most of the SOUP KITCHENS in Chicago to feed the hungry

I could never understand the thinking of these Italian Americans. As an Italian American, I have never thought of the Sopranos or any other Italian/Sicilian mafia move to be a reflection on all Italians. Although stories like the GF may be fiction in themselves, the mafia is part of the Siclian history, and I see no problem with dramatizing it on film. It makes for a very interesting story be it fact or fiction. I have never assumed and never felt that most people feel Italians and mafia go hand and hand. People who do feel that way are so shallow that their opinion wouldn't make any difference to me anyway.

They have made many movies of true life crimes and people that all of us would agree the people/crimes themselves are awful, but a movie of it can be very enlightening and yes, entertaining. These people who protest such trivial matters really need to put their efforts toward something that really matters. IMHO!
TIS

[img]http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:fPux9lBCXlEC:cuisung.unige.ch/gif/crown.gif[/img] If there were a Cuban parade in Miami, and Pacino was invited ( because in ethnic parades other famous people not of that ethnicity are often invited) I may be wrong, but I believe he would be welcomed in spite of his portrayal of "Scarface".

If there were a Puerto Rican parade in NY, and Pacino was invited I may be wrong but I believe he would be welcomed in spite of his part in "Carlito's Way".

If there were an African-American parade and Sammy Davis Jr. (yeah,I know he passed, rest in peace, it's an illustration) I may be wrong but I believe he would be welcomed in spite of his part in "Tap" which portrayed an old tap dancer or Redd Foxx for that matter who portrayed "Sandford" a heavy drinking junkman.

And I believe that if either DeNiro, Pesce, or Pacino were invited to this NY parade they'd probably make any of 'em the Grand Marshall.

"Go figure".

Per Melfi's Dad in one of The Sopranos' episodes: "You don't hear the Scotch-Irish whine about being depicted as drunken gunslingers in the Westerns" (or something to that effect). It's stories like that which make me yearn for the good ol' days, when "politically correct" meant you voted for the right Party.

I feel compelled to add just a little more. I would like to point out that this is a small group of people protesting and doesn't reflect, the Itlalian/Sicilian people as a whole. I do hope that everyone understands that point.

I also can understand, as far as celebrating Columbus Day, that the Italian Americans do have a point (as in the Sopranos). Coming from a state where Black History Month and Cinco De Mayo are honored by many people, and feeling kind of lonely, as Italians in California are quite the minority, I can see the desire to give the Italians "something" such as Columbus Day. Just as I would be for any other heritage wanting their day of celebration. Even tho we are all Americans really, each of us has the right to have pride and celebrate our heritage.

TIS

I agree completely, TIS. At least with y'all it's not an in-your-face you-owe-us kind of heritage celebration. I got no problem at all with ethnic pride, or even geographical pride (I'm proud to be a Southerner), as long as all that takes a backseat to the one common ground we all share: humanity.

I guess what kind of bothers me as the term indicating that Italians are "Whiners". Although with this small group it may be true.

I think of my grandparents and ancestors who did come to American and made an honest living, without help from the government, that is so readily available today. Not to mention the language barrier they had then, and the did NOT complain or whine, made a good honest living, lived by the laws and got help from no one. I don't look at Italians as a "whole" as whiners at all. When I see all the whinning and complaining today by other people it pisses me off.

Thanks for letting me have my say.

TIS

[img]http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:fPux9lBCXlEC:cuisung.unige.ch/gif/crown.gif[/img] Even Ex-Mayor Giuliani thinks it is ridiculous (click here for details) , TIS, so I wouldn't lose too much too much sleep over what people think about the Italian-American people when it comes to this incident.

Right now, millions of Italians in the Tri-state area who love The Sopranos are saying "AAAH Gimmee a break"! Thousands will cheer the Soprano actors float on Columbus Day.

BTW, the Italian-Americans were not just given a little "something", but the Columbus Day parade has been a euphemism for "The Italian-American Parade" for decades. And it is one of the grandest parades of them all.

PS Now they want to sue...click here

Thank for the interesting links BK and the support. No, I won't lose sleep over it. As a matter of fact, I If I were closer I'd go show my support to both Columbus and support the Soprano cast as well!!!

TIS

Mayor Quits Parade Over 'Sopranos'

Oct 11, 4:16 PM (ET)

By LARRY McSHANE

NEW YORK (AP) - It was an offer he had to refuse. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, told by organizers that he couldn't march in the annual Columbus Day Parade if accompanied by two cast members from "The Sopranos," said Friday he would simply skip the event.

The mayor even slipped in a little mob-speak about the tempest in a cappuccino cup caused by his invitations to Monday's event.

"I'm sort of walking along, invite two Italian-Americans, want to say thank you on behalf of the city," Bloomberg said a la Sonny Corleone. "And bada-bing, bada-boom - all of a sudden they're down my throat. OK?"

Bloomberg spoke on his weekly radio show as the Columbus Citizens Foundation, which runs the parade, sought a federal court order banning him from bringing Dominic Chianese and Lorraine Bracco to the annual celebration of Italian pride.

Chianese plays New Jersey mob boss Junior Soprano, while Bracco plays a psychiatrist treating mobster Tony Soprano.

Parade organizers have complained that the hit HBO show is little more than a negative caricature of Italian-American life. "It denigrates Italian culture," said Frank Fusaro, vice president of the Columbus Citizens Convention.

Fusaro said his group still wanted Bloomberg to march - but as a solo act. Bloomberg said he would only attend if his guests were re-invited.

"I'm sorry if anyone's annoyed, but if my friends can't march ... they don't have to have the mayor," Bloomberg said.

A lawyer for the city, Michael Cardozo, in the hearing before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, agreed that the organizers had the right to invite or disinvite anyone to their parade.

Rakoff, after admitting he was "one of the two or three people in the universe who have never seen 'The Sopranos,'" said he had nothing to rule on since both sides agreed on the issue.

Much like "The Godfather," this was the third installment of the flap regarding the mayor and the fictional mob.

On Wednesday, parade organizers complained about the inclusion of the actors in Bloomberg's group. A day later, ex-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said people were overreacting and supported "The Sopranos."

Bloomberg said he invited the pair because of the work they do for the city - Bracco as a spokeswoman on environmental issues, and Chianese for making a public service announcement on behalf of tourism.

Both performers issued statements thanking Bloomberg for his support, and the three will share lunch Monday at an Italian restaurant in the Bronx.

"It's my honor to celebrate Columbus Day there with the mayor and Lorraine," said Chianese, a former Bronx resident. "Where you celebrate the holiday is not important - who you celebrate it with is what counts."

Bloomberg added that he planned to march in a pair of more mayoral friendly events this weekend.

"There's another parade in the Bronx, the Italian Columbus Day parade," he said. "There's one on Fifth Avenue on Sunday, the Hispanic parade, and I can march in those two."

###

You go Bloomberg!

JG

Good for Mayor Bloomberg!!

I cannot believe what a big deal they are making of this, but I think the fact that the mayor is not going shows a lot about him. Too bad we can't all go down there and bring our fedora's and Soprano posters and join in the fun hu???

btw, where are all the Italians that support the Sopranos?

TIS

are you italian?

[img]http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:fPux9lBCXlEC:cuisung.unige.ch/gif/crown.gif[/img] They're all preparing to vote for Hizzonah Da Mayah next election day for being a standup guy. :p

Thank for your article, Boss. Here's a nice article from the NY Daily News Online.