I laugh every time I see that episode. The way he and Chrissy laugh at each other and then Tony throws him the fuck out.

Kind of like when Moltasanti says "Lucas Brazzy sleeps with the fishes."

I think the "Godfather" outtakes went something like this:

Moe Greene: Do you know who I am?
Michael Corleone: Mulgreen?
Moe Greene: You goddamn Ginny's really make me laugh. I was going to Walgreens when you were going out with cheerleaders.

You'd think for a movie expert, Christopher could get the names straight.

Then again, the only time Christopher set foot on the grounds of academia was to rob a benefit concert.

But if he had to get grammar tips from Aidrianna, we know he wasn't the brightest bulb.

The scene where he said "I use positive visualization" made me laugh when Ade said "yeah, but you're usually pretty negative and yelling."

Come to think of it, Christopher tried the positive visual excuse just before Tony tossed Brendan across Satriale's. Tony was, um, rather non-plussed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R2vceT7oYg

Chris says "Louis Brazzy", and Pussy corrects him.

I don't think AJ was dumb, dumbness implies some cognitive disability. AJ wasn't stupid, he was just ignorant. Like most kids the age he was portraying. If anything he just came off as totally ambivalent about everything and as he grew up the ambivalence lent itself to a life of lacking an identity and academic skills, which hampered his work prospects as an adult; that identity crisis was further aggravated by his perceptions of being incapable of living up to his father's legacy - Being neither physically imposing nor mentally imposing - I don't think this was ever outright said, but I think it was strongly implied; especially in the season where they wanted to send AJ to that military reform school. if anything AJ was the epitome of mediocrity in a family of people that excelled at their respective paths. AJ excelled at... Not excelling, but that was the role he carved out for himself in his family because his parents did not know how to raise a child that was not independent early on in life. Despite her college education Carmella was not what I would call a forward thinking mother who tried to engage her children on any intellectual level, only at their archetypal roles.


the problem is Tony loves his children, he was a caring father but he wasn't a good father, he couldn't teach or direct his children, what wisdom did he really have to impart? His life was one of taking the road of least resistance (for the Soprano family). Tony always looked for his father in himself and in turn, looked for himself in AJ. Ironically, Tony always seemed to think of himself as being inadequate next to Johnny Boy, and with Tony's hamfisted fathering, AJ seemed to have similar feelings of inadequacy when he measures himself up against Tony.

Paulie and Chrissy are both kind of idiots. Chrissy you can more easily explain away given what we know of his childhood and how he was raised steeped in mafia ethos and the mythology of Dickie Moltisanti. being a junky most of his life probably didn't help much either. Paulie may actually just be mildly retarded. remember when Tony suggested he get tested for autism?

Great synopsis. I don't necessarily think AJ was dumb, either. True he's spoiled and coddled, and I don't think Tony ever wanted the organized crime for AJ (much like how he and Jackie, Sr. didn't want it for Jackie, Jr.). AJ's more a result of his circumstances -- a mama's boy in an exceptionally comfortable home life.

When he applied himself, AJ did show an entrepreneurial and leadership acumen -- being the ringleader on several scams at Verbum Dei, to organizing house parties in high school, to even making some side cash selling displays at Blockbuster. However, AJ tended to be lazy because he never had to work for anything, and there really weren't any consequences for poor performance, because Tony and Carmela were atrocious in that area.

That lack of a work ethic seemed to be an issue for the whole family:

- Carmela tried to put on airs of education, but she dropped out of Montclair State for the easy street mob housewife life. Toward the end of Season 4, she was completely out of her league on discussing "Billy Budd" with Meadow's peers. In Season 5, she was clueless to "Madame Bovary" and Flaubert. Aside from being a pious Catholic and the spec house, she would start and drop a number of hobbies, be it stock trading or real estate.
- Meadow probably was more academically inclined, but after Jackie, Jr.'s death, milked it for what it was worth, from sleeping and sunbathing all day, ditching her summer internship, bailing on part time job(s), and refusing to go interview for others.
- Tony dropped out of Seton Hall after a semester and a half for the lure of the criminal life. For all the times he mentioned selling patio furniture on Route 22, one wonders how long he'd truly last in that type of job (at least without moving the inventory out the side door, or sleeping with the salesgirls in the stockroom).

I see it as there are those who lack street smarts and in the world of the Sopranos and a lack of street smarts can get you hurt or worse. Matt, Sean, Jackie Jr. and his glorified crew, AJ, and even Chrissy at times expected to have things handed to them with minimal effort.

Matt, Sean, and Jackie Jr. had the aptitude to make it to college and even graduate (implied by Matt and Sean having Stock Broker's Licenses). However, they didn't have the street smarts or honestly patience to work their way up in the criminal world . They seemed to earn decently under Ralphie/Chrissy, but their impatience and ambition was their ultimate undoing, not necessarily a cognitive shortcoming.

This is reiterated in season 6 with AJ wanting to be the owner of a night club without any practical experience, but once he got sage advice from Tony, then he mellowed out and appreciated starting out small and working his way up. (Though I wish I could work my way up driving a measly BMW as an intern)

Some individuals are simply intelligent and resourceful, school or no school, Ralphie didn't even finish grade school, but he sure as hell was better than 9/10 of most Accountants. If it weren't for the thrill of crime, he could have been a legit business owner

Those who lacked significantly in both departments of street smarts and basic common sense:

- Some of Tony's mistresses, as according to his own words, "They don't have many thoughts" lol. You could say Irina, but I chalk that up to her being a "poor confused kid from an underdeveloped country"

- Georgie, just didn't know when to stop when talking to Tony or any of the guys. The fact that he was in the same cognitive league as Mama Soprano when it came to the telephone speaks volumes.

- Noah, Colombia or not, books don't save you from the potential wrath of an angry Dad who runs all crime in North Jersey, he was lucky he still had his kneecaps. Didn't he have any common sense not to get involved with a Crime Princess?

Ultimately, I'd have to say Jackie Jr., he consistently antagonized Tony by getting involved in the "business", hurt Meadow (via cheating), failed out of Rutgers, and seriously underestimated the ramifications of taking down a card game of a Made Guy, then attempting to clip two of them to boot. It is almost a suicide by cop stunt Jackie pulled in the street world and civilian world to get the prize of being "Made". Also....he almost drowned in the Penguin Exhibition....

That fucking Noah asshole. No, you're lucky you didn't punch his lights out.

That would have been great, though. Noah opens his dorm room door, and it's Furio standing there like when Tony sent him to collect the Frenchman's money.