It makes me uncomfortable to admit it, Gets. Because, well, you're Black and I'm White. But it was realistic dialogue for the time frame that the movie was set in. You hope with each generation that we become more tolerant, but it's not realistic to think that things will ever completely change. That said, I think we've come a long way since 1965.

And I'm not even talking about equal rights. I'm talking about living with each other. My father's almost 85. He didn't have any Black friends when he was growing up. I'm 54, and to be honest, I didn't have more than two or three myself (although one of my very best friends is Black). I grew up in a very segregated neighborhood. That's just how things were. But my kids (19, 24 and 27) probably have as many Black friends as they do White. I think that's progress, where some so called White liberals will tell you that it's not enough.

re Jews and Italians and "Goodfellas." Jews and Italians, here in New York City anyway, are very much alike. As for what goes on in Tel Aviv and Rome, you'd have to ask them. But here in New York, Jews and Italians always seem to find each other .