As you watch mob movies or tv shows (Soprano's) you notice a difference when it comes to charisma and flash when compared with gangsters in real life. Sure you had guys like John Gotti, Tommy Pitera, and Anthony Casso, which all three could have starred in their own Hollywood gangster films and been stars. But overall , the mafioso in real life are very different than the characters in Hollywood.

Discuss.

I once heard that a real life wiseguy commented that the Sopranos was pretty true to form when it came to depicting mob life. WIth a few inaccuracies here and there.

As for movies, I think most are definitely a stretch

Yeah I heard that as well.

But when it comes to charisma and flash, I don't really look at guys like The Chin as being someone that I go "Wow, look at that cool SOB."

Now Tony Soprano on the other hand is someone that I wouldn't mind having a beer with and hangin out at the Bing. Know what I mean?

What's not cool about a bathrobe and slippers

Yeah, nothing like going to a bar to shoot the shit with a murderer extortionist....

Not to mention a sociopath with mother issues...

Haha I have to say, hanging with Paulie Walnuts for a day would be very entertaining. I always thought the Sopranos did a good job of depicting the life of a wiseguy, but not necessarily glorifying it the way hollywood does.

Funny you mention Paulie Walnuts, played by Tony Sirico who as a young man was a thug with affiliation to the Colombo crime family who spend some time in jail.

They even referenced that in the show. Paulie explains to Christopher that he was hanging on "by the skin of his balls in the seventies during the Colombo thing". Sirico knew that life. It's why he played a wiseguy so well in the show.

Furio was seen at 1of the Colombo trials.andy mushs I think.and a few years back a couple of the guys from sopranos were seen going to a Colombo family xmas party

sirico was no wiseguy. he is a 'playground gangster' lol. he cant 'hang' with the big dogs. between him getting bitched out by joe waverly or him getting slapped by a kid who was 'around' joe d, he aint got many 'wiseguy' friends left.he doesnt really mix well with guys that know the score.

long story short, wiseguys in person are just boring,fat, lazy,ugly italians. if yous find that exciting lol, your nuts.

Maye I ask did you happen to work at a strip club in the 70's as a dancer since you want peoplet o sit on your face are your a retired hooker?

You really believe that shit?

I believe it. I know he was a low level associate. He shook down clubs and discos back in the day. He's even been looked at recently for a murder out in L.A. I saw him in Prospect Park wearing a cape! Fashionable Guinea. People love, that's for sure. He's close to Jimmy Clemenza.

@ Madbull - He was close to Jimmy Clemenza as a moneymaker but wasn't apart of his "CREW" but more like a business friend.

@ Wilson - Many people in that life have been interviewed and have remarked that they did do a good impression even in 1972, Marlon Brando did an amazing impression of them all. The Media was just learning about La Cosa Nostra after Joe Valachi became a "RAT" and so that I have heard, ever informant or FBI agent have said that Brando did a good performance same as Sonny Corleone (James Caan). I really didn't know before that Persico became a friend with Caan and Caan established small crime operations for the Colombo family. Tom Hagen also said that he used to go to Persico's court trials and would watch how he walked and stood ETC.. Anthony Quinn also went to court cases including John Gotti's famous trial and learnt so much.

I think it was mentioned a few times that Carmine Persico represented himself - and pretty well - at trial. Does anyone know of any footage or pictures of him at trial?

I'm pretty sure there's no footage of the trial. I heard different i think i read somewhere Carmine did a terrible job of defending himself .

in the 70s i was just a small boy runing around smoking weed and keying cars...the 80s though...you may be right.lol.

So you got involved in crack. I am sorry to hear that.

madbull is right. tony was around jimmy brown.yea he busted a few heads. but he is not a 'real' wiseguy. he doesnt need to be. hes had his head busted himself. more than once. he was in the war but he was/is never a hitter.

so was your mother. she used to lick the lint from it back when we were young and in love.lol.

@ Sit on face guy - Italian's arent lazy, If you find the good history about Italians then you'll be shocked. Many politicans are of Italian like Rudy Giuliani and all of that. Italian's who founded La Cosa Nostra is a very rare foundation. Millions or even Billions which is made through life long loyalty.

Smoking weed, Nah.

my mother was napolitan.my father came over from palermo as a boy. we come from the same village as carlo gambino. my grandfather was compares with one of the inzerillos. he lived in sicily until his death. ive lived in bensonhurst my entire life. ive married an italian woman. ive had italian kids. trust me friend, i know italians.lol. but to clarify i was refering to wiseguys. and the guys around them. if they were to be reincarnated, they would come back as a leech.lol.

Sit - my family history is the same... maternal side from Naples and paternal from Palermo. Makes a great combination if I say so myself!

Mark, I'm pretty sure that's sitonmyface to you.

I stand corrected...

Sorry, no disrespect!

sit.lol. if i knew i would be on this forum so much iwould have chosen a different name.lol.

yes my grandfather lived in palermo his entire life. all but one of his children left for america. my mothers side is from montiforte. it is very close to avellino [made famous by the sopranos] and about 10 min from mount vesuvius. beautiful landscape, but it has really taken a turn for the worse as of lately.

Sit @ - You said that you lived in Jersey smoking weed and stealing cars? I don't know any Italian American that did that.

i never said i was from jersey. and i didnt steal cars.