[quote=pizzaboy][quote=DiMaggio68]


I'm not trying to instigate you. It's just that I hate stereotypes, especially the stereotype of the Italian-American cafone. It drives me up a wall.


YOU DON'T LIKE PEOPLE STEREOTYPING ITALIANS AS BEING MOBSTERS YET YOU'RE ON A MAFIA FORUM?


Like many Italians, my brother and I have what I guess you'd call a traditional "olive" complexion. But in the summer, my brother gets so dark he could easily pass for Middle Eastern. When we were kids, my aunt (who is a self loathing piece of shit) took us to her husband's country club up in Westchester. It was a gorgeous summer day and we were having a great time. Two Bronx kids up in "the country." Then my aunt's husband starts yelling at me to get my brother out of the sun; that people were going to think we belonged to the Mexican laborers who worked the grounds. It was mortifying for me (I was 12, my brother was 8 at the time). Now when my father found out, he beat my aunt's husband to a fucking pulp. Cops were involved, the whole nine yards. Now that sounds pretty cool, right? But it's not. Not when you're 12 years old and you just found out that you'll never be considered fully "white" in the eyes of the wasp masses. Not when your 8 year old brother thinks he's responsible for your father spending the weekend in the tombs. At that age, it's a fucking nightmare. So please, forgive me if I get a little testy on the subject of Italian stereotypes. Our saving grace is that today, Italian-Americans are the single most upwardly mobile group of all European immigrants. So with all due respect, tattoo that on your back.

THE STRANGE THING ABOUT THAT IS THERE'S FULL SICILIANS WHO HAVE REDISH HAIR AND LOOK JUST AS WHITE AS AN IRISH OR GERMAN PERSON. I HAVE AN AUNT THAT HAS REALLY BLONDISH HAIR. PEOPLE TEND TO THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE DARK SKIN. THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT SICILIANS ARE MIXED WITH ALMOST EVERYTHING. THE ONES THAT ARE DARK HAVE MORE OF THE GREEK, ARAB, FRENCH AND SPANISH BLOOD IN THEM. THE LIGHT COMPLECTED ONES HAVE MORE OF THE GERMAN AND NORDIC BLOOD. BUT IT SEEMS PEOPLE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY THINK ITALIANS ALL HAVE TO LOOK, SMELL AND WALK THE SAME. I'M TALKING ABOUT THOSE HINES 57 (AMERICANS MIXED WITH MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES) IGNORANT FOOLS. THEY USUALLY ARE THE ONES WHO STEREOTYPE EVERYBODY. BUT THEY AREN'T THE ONLY ONES, THOUGH. EVEN SOME ITALIAN-AMERICANS STEREOTYPE OTHER ITALIAN-AMERICANS. I HATE THAT MUCH WORSE THEN THE JEFF FOXWORTHY TYPES DOING IT.

I guess that seems strange, but I'm not really talking about the Italian-American stereotyped as a gangster because, let's face it, the Mafia is comprised of Italians. There are no two ways around that. It's a very small percentage of Italians, but overwhelmingly Italian, nonetheless.

What I'm referring to is the Italian-American dimwit as portrayed on television. In my opinion, Vinnie Barbarino or Joey Trebbiani, do more to make Italians look inferior in a 30 minute sitcom, than David Chase did in 86 hours on "The Sopranos." And that's not to say I don't like reruns or "Kotter" or "Friends," because I do. For 60 years of American television, we've been given the token Italian sitcom character as the dimwit with the heart of gold. But just once I'd like to see an Italian-American portrayed as an educated person with a heart of gold. That's all.

You're right about the masses thinking of all Italians as dark skinned with black hair (although in my case, it's true). It's just plain ignorance. A thousand years ago, virtually all Italians were blond haired and blue eyed, far more Nordic than African or Arabic. But hey, Southern Italy is a bigger melting pot than Queens, New York .

You and I fundamentally agree on most of these issues, Dimaggio. I guess we just need to explain ourselves to each other a little better. By the way, welcome to the boards.

DiM, one of your initial posts refered to Italians as "dagos". As you have been admonsihed already, that's a no-no on this Board and your use of that term prompted an alert about you as a new Board member. You criticized PB as an "instigator". Well, many Board members' posts can be interpreted as instigation. It's part of the nature of this Board to disagree with each other. Except for those of a few Board members, there's nothing intentionally sinister about the posts here.

PB,

It is, I guess, a little hard to explain to those who aren't fans, as to being Italian (and then Sicilian at that) and loving mafia movies. I have a brother who totally hates anything mafia-related to the point where he is obsessed with it in a way. He drives me nuts. I don't even talk anything about it with him.

BUT, like you say, the mafia IS Italian/Sicilian (well nowadays I realize there are many other ethnicities they dub "mafia") and does have a history. Finding the history of it thru film/books interesting, or enjoying a fictional movie is something I don't consider odd at all. I love murder mysteries, but of course don't condone murder (perhaps because I'm a fan of that genre). Doesn't mean I in anyway support any of their criminal and loathsome activities.

Besides, anyone who can possibly think that because one is of Italian descent he/she is connected to the mafia is really a total moron anyway and probably of a bigoted mindset.

TIS

You and I fundamentally agree on most of these issues, Dimaggio. I guess we just need to explain ourselves to each other a little better. By the way, welcome to the boards. [/quote]


I agree and thanks........

YOU ARE A LITTLE LATE PAL........IT ALREADY PAST...........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgTUF_7vRMI

Time out for an intervention.

That was great. Did you notest the Fratello of the wannabe said the G-word and he's a fellow paisano himself. I loved it.

Thanks!!!!!

Another show that stereotyped Italians was the tv show "Happy Days" with a Jewish guy named Henry Winkler playing the role of Fonzie. They should have at least got an Italian to play the part. But I loved Scott Baio's part in it.

Michael Imperioli.

Fonzie may very well have been half-Jewish. Remember his Grandma Nussbaum? Nussbaum is an old Jewish surname.

Jews played Italians for years prior to the mid '60s when Italian-Americans started to make inroads to Hollywood. The cultures are very similar (steeped in family, food and guilt), and they quite often have the same physical features (dark hair, olive skin, prominent noses, etc.).

It's not a stretch for a Jew to play an Italian by any means (Sonny Corleone, anyone?), or for that matter, an Italian to play a Jew (DeNiro as Noodles in "Once upon A Time In America").

I have no problem with it.

I think it's a pride thing. You know, if you're Italian, it's nice to see Italians playing Italians. But you're right, there is really no reason why others can't play Italian. Fonzie surely could pass for Italian and there is no other Sonny than James Caan. Jewish and Italian are very similar.

When I was younger, I would many times be asked if I am Jewish, and sometimes Syrian, Greek and a few others. My dad said I must look like a "league of nations."

Now, in California, I can't tell you how many times people come up to me and speak Spanish, assuming I am Mexican. My last name has a double "L" and when people say it they tend to drop the LL sound (like a Mexican name). Again, the pride thing makes me politely correct them. Once or twice only, here in California, if I gave my name, I'd be asked, "Are you Italian?" That was kind of neat for a change.

TIS

I'm wondering what comes first in terms of nationality: what if someone has italian blood, from both parents, and that someone grew up in the states. An italian-american person, proud of both. So far so good, right? but what happens if the world cup final will be Italy Vs. USA. Then what? who "should" that person cheer for?

Neither: they should lament the sad fact that England once again will be without silverware, and promptly switch the channel.

Jon Turturro has played more Jews than most Jewish actors.

My favorite Actor Are


Joe Pantalioni

DeNiro

Paul Sorvino