Sopranos' star James Gandolfini guzzled at least eight drinks during his final meal: source

NY Post ^ | 6/21/13 | REBECCA ROSENBERG

[CaptainK]

“Sopranos” star James Gandolfini, who struggled with booze addiction in his final weeks, scarfed down a decadent final meal that included at least eight alcoholic drinks, The Post has learned.

Gandolfini guzzled four shots of rum, two pina coladas, and two beers at dinner with his son — while he chowed down on two orders of fried king prawns and a “large portion” of foie gras, a hotel source in Rome said.

The Emmy Award winner had attended several Alcoholics Anonymous meetings on Perry Street in the West Village, but people who saw him there “didn’t think that he was serious about getting sober,” said a source familiar with the matter.

[dennisw]

Gandolfini looked far heftier than usual. This plus the booze brought on the heart attack....and not just the booze at this meal but at many others is my guess

“Man’s gotta know his limitations” Clint Eastwoood

[dennisw]

Vince Flynn dies and gets less attention than this guy? Sopranos? Who cares (not about him dying, but about the pop culture crap we rail against)...sorry, had to vent. Flame on.

Vince Flynn's books were as entraining as The Sopranos. As far as deaths I am more pissed at Vince Flynn dieing young than I am James Gandolfini. But look at Vince, he did not abuse his health but still died young

[CaptainK]

I tried watching The Sopranos twice but was unable to get through an episode. Six Feet Under and Mad Men are tied for my best shows ever made.

[USS Johnston]

Does anything good come from Sicily?

For clarification:

You did realize James Gandolfini was an American, right?

Secondly, the cuisine and desserts of Sicily are arguably second to none.

Thirdly, the biggest group of thugs and gangsters come NOT from Sicily but from DC.

[Exit148]

I read somewhere that the two piña coladas were alcohol-less, and were for his son. Don’t know if it is true. Attributed to his family.

[visualops]

I’m pretty sure my Dad did too.

[USS Johnston]

we would have called a guy like Gandolfini who consumed food and drink like a pig....a 'GAVONE!' (spelled Caffone)

The guy was a definite "CAVONE"! and glutton. Too many of these ego-maniacal Hollywood types adopt their alter-ego characters.

[Vaquero]

Too many of these ego-maniacal Hollywood types adopt their alter-ego characters.

Aaaaa Fugetaboutit!!!

[dupree]

I would give it another try. I liked Season 1, but it wasn’t my favorite. Unlike most TV series that have their best seasons early on, the Sopranos got better as it went along. The acting, the writing, the new characters, the locations (New York, Las Vegas, Paris, Italy, L.A.—they really traveled to these places, unlike a lot of series that shoot every scene in a studio)—everything got better. Season 6 Part II (the final) was one of the best, unlike a lot of shows that run out of steam and are canceled. My only complaint is that a couple episodes had dream sequences, which I found difficult to get into.

[CaptainK]

Six feet Under had my all time favorite dream sequence ever. You can’t be sure whose dream it is (or perhaps it’s a shared dream)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP1V8Imb3DE

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

Cocaine really f**ks-up your heart. Big time.

[POWERSBOOTHEFAN]

Wow! He is so far gone here.

[wardaddy]

Oh please

Typical freeper concern troll

You on the other hand

Above reproach

He’s dead

His family is shocked....wife and kids will never really get over it

That little boy will still have misty moments remembering his daddy dying many decades from now..

They loved him...he’s gone

Go be a prick about live people

There’s always Paula Dean right.

Why are there so many self righteous aholes nowadays here

Is it just me or does it seem worse than 13 years ago..

[wardaddy]

You do not die from food you just ate unless poison or you choke on it

That is celeb doctor ASA bullshite.....not even a real doc

I am pals with a Cleveland Clinic fellow from MS who is also very conservative and has posted here when he has time

And he hunts.....goes to gun shows..... church.....loves Sarah Palin

And he can fight...MMA

Not Oprah doc

And he saved my life....no small feat...least to me anyhkw

He is arguably Vandys top cardiac path lab doc and professor

He told me he bout fell out when he heard Asa on national TV over and over claim Gandolfinis last meal was so fatty it killed him

Patently absurd.

According to my pal....Gandolfini likely had typical atherosclerosis and straining on the potty a clot came loose and lodged in a narrowing likely in the lower anterior descending resulting in prompt irrevocable cardiac death

Bad genetic...bad fitness and bad luck

Not what he just ate

Wine ....alcohol in general thins blood

Unlikely to have much to do with it

ASA....kook doc

[wardaddy]

When my own heart was giving out from congenital failure

I was pallid.....yellowy and splotchy

Its unmistakable

Looking in the mirror I knew something was amiss....at 2am....after fun time with my rib

I felt darkness closing in on my periphery

And I heard Gods voice

It was my choice basically.....die if you’re ready or go get help and you’ll live for now

Gandolfini had no such choice

I know..... skeptics will laugh ...go ahead

Got in my old land rover and drove to St Thomas in snow

With Wifey on cell phone

24 hkurs later they sawed me open....

[Theophilus]

Crushing the seeds could kill you. They contain cyanide or a precursor to it. Maybe one apples worth might not be ebough, but still.

[onyx]

Praise God you had the good sense to know you were in trouble and that you had sufficient warning and enough time to get yourself to the hospital even in the snow.

Until now, I didn’t know you heard God’s voice! You are truly God blessed!

Poor Mr. Gandolfini had no warning. I feel so sorry for his young son(s) and wife. Sudden deaths are always so sad for the family.

God bless and keep you and your precious family, wardaddy.

[Ditter]

My husbands uncle died back in the mid 70’s. He had a heart attack and died several days later in the hospital. I don't know if they were even doing open heart surgery or stents then. I just always felt bad because I never said anything, voiced a warning but surely I wasn't the only one to notice how he looked.

My husband had a double bypass 5 years ago but it was before he had any symptoms other than a little difficulty breathing. He came through it just fine with no previous damage. I hope you are doing well.

[wardaddy]

I had a congenital issue called intraseptal bridge of the LAD coronary artery....the widowmaker as they call it

It is basically that the artery is within the heart muscle and pumping chamber dangling and being squeezed with beats

Very prone to occlusion and poor patentcy from birth

Mine had essentially given out at 46 although I had felt compromised since late teens

My other coronary arteries were fine enough

I didn’t have a heart attack per se but my symptoms were profound and I doubt I would have lasted another 48 hours

Hence hearing a distinct repeated command not to take a pain pill and return to bed but rather to go get help 15 minutes away at 2am

They did not know my precise issue till surgery and I woke up 15 hours later knowing this somehow in twilight

It took 2 surgeries in 11 months to correct this....the first covered here....courtesy of Matt

Since then I feel fairly well though not 100 percent suffering a lifetime from birth of slow ventricular damage

Worse though is the lung scar tissue from two pop opens and subsequent healing of lung cavity

Inevitable

Symbicort or Advair help

In any event...still kicking and we had another baby a couple years later so I do cop to a vigor uptick at 50

I do well enough.....busy and work all the time and just spent 2 weeks in rockies and cascades at altitude

No complaints

Thanks to both of you and a special tulips hat tip again to Onyx

God bless

[Cementjungle]

i'm guessing the rum was in the pina coladas...

Then it would be only four drinks instead of eight drinks.