Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

TV wisegay ('Sopranos' fella hits the other way)
NY Daily News ^ | May 3, 2004 | MICHELE McPHEE

Posted on 05/03/2004 7:40:46 AM PDT by presidio9

It's a first for "The Sopranos" - a gay mobster. On last night's episode, capo Vito Spatafore was caught in a compromising position with a male security guard - definitely not the kind of behavior that would go over well with the oglers at the Bada-Bing.

"It adds a lot of depth to the character," actor Joseph Gannascoli, who plays the newly outed mobster, told the Daily News.

In the real mob, being gay can add real depth - about 6 feet underground.

Vincent (Vinny Ocean) Palermo, former boss of New Jersey's DeCalvacante family, said to be the model for "The Sopranos," testified last week there is one way to handle gay gangsters: Kill them.

"What's the rule ... about this?" federal prosecutor John Hillebrecht asked the mob turncoat on Wednesday.

"You die," Palermo replied.

That was the punishment meted out to DeCalvacante wiseguy John D'Amato in 1992, whom Palermo ordered whacked after being told his underling had rendezvoused with another man at a swingers club.

Over lunch at a Brooklyn restaurant, Gannascoli took pains to point out he is not gay - adding just as quickly, "Not that there is anything wrong with it."

"My problem is, I love women," he said.

Gannascoli did say he relished the challenge of playing a homosexual. "It was my idea many years ago to have my character be gay, having read and known about gay wiseguys," he said. "I want to be effeminate but knockaround."

Still, Tony Sirico, who plays Paulie Walnuts on the show, grabbed Gannascoli by the arm last week and asked: "You okay with this? You want me to have a talk with [the show's creator] David Chase?"

Gannascoli knows he's in for a little ribbing or worse.

"I'm going to have to deal with a lot of grief in the neighborhood. I'm a little worried about how my family is going to react," Gannascoli said, just as his elderly father walked by a window of Paneantico, a bistro on Bay Ridge's bustling Third Ave.

"But I wanted to really act," he added. "I don't want to just play mob guys for the rest of my career."

Gannascoli refused to reveal whether Vito will face repercussions, saying only, "In the mob, it's about money."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: gaymobsters; homosexualagenda; johndamato; jumpedtheshark; mafia; paneantico; roadhead; sopranos; vitospatafore
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160161-169 last
To: dead
I always liked the scenes at the end of "CHiPs" where they'd freeze on Ponch and his big, whiter than white teeth. :)
161 posted on 05/10/2004 12:31:05 PM PDT by Mr. Buzzcut
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 160 | View Replies]

To: dead
To be exact, it was a slow-mo, freeze, then a sideways wipe to the next scene. Reminded me of the way they would end a scene on "Emergency" when Nurse Dixie McCall would get off a supposedly witty zinger at Randolph Mantooth’s expense.

I didn't see Emergency that I recall, but, yes, it recalls the corny TV editing like on Love, American Style or Charlie's Angels to be a sort of laugh track for a zinger.

Very bizarre but obviously intentional.

Tarantino-esque, like his corny titles in Kill Bill -------- California Mountain Snake over a freeze of Daryl Hannah.

Perhaps they meant to highlight it as a very important and life-changing event for Carmella.

It was a sort of light moment that Carmella would goose him that way, but also a defining moment for her that she is past the insecure stage of being on the rebound. She will no longer fall for the tricks that weak men play.

162 posted on 05/10/2004 12:43:39 PM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 160 | View Replies]

To: NutCrackerBoy
That "slow-mo and freeze" didn't belong in the episode. Another thing I noticed that seemed different from all other episodes (but I may be mistaken) - the end credits rolled while Tony was still walking away from Janice's house. Haven't all other episodes ended with a black screen behind the credits? Maybe the director of last night's episode wanted to try some new things.
163 posted on 05/10/2004 12:50:38 PM PDT by LanPB01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 159 | View Replies]

To: LanPB01
The end credits rolled while Tony was still walking away from Janice's house.

You're right. But that really worked. Tony was very satisfied with himself (just as much as when he toasted to a job well done with Tony B. and Christopher). He has that set to his shoulders while his figure gradually shrinks into the distance as the credits roll.

Maybe the director of last night's episode wanted to try some new things.

Maybe they don't want to identify as high-brow or arty, but would prefer to have the trappings of a plain old TV show.

164 posted on 05/10/2004 1:00:47 PM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 163 | View Replies]

To: NutCrackerBoy
Very Scorcese-esque. Yes, I don't think it fit well with the show. It was a stylized technique that was never used before. It took away from the usual realism of the show.
165 posted on 05/10/2004 1:19:04 PM PDT by Conservomax (shill: One who poses as a satisfied customer or an enthusiastic gambler to dupe bystanders into part)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 159 | View Replies]

To: LanPB01; NutCrackerBoy
I loved the final scene, where the credits rolled as Tony walked away into the distance.

I think it was a direct homage to the closing credits of Silence of the Lambs, where Hannibal Lecter does exactly the same thing.

Very foreboding symbolism too, if that's what the director was going for. Like Lecter, evil Tony is out of the box, turning his repressed anger outward, destroying everybody around him and feeling very very good about it.

166 posted on 05/10/2004 2:04:13 PM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 163 | View Replies]

To: dead
Evil Tony is out of the box, turning his repressed anger outward, destroying everybody around him and feeling very very good about it.

I guess Dr. Melfi cured T. She told him Depression is Rage turned inward, and tried to see if he would consider Anger Management therapy. Tony has a better idea: much stronger endorphins to be had by directing the Rage outward.

167 posted on 05/10/2004 2:14:06 PM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 166 | View Replies]

To: NutCrackerBoy
I think that was exactly the point. First Christopher gets verbally abused, then that sap in the Bing gets beaten (yet again), then Janet gets the business.

There won't be many panic attacks in the coming episodes, which is great news.

168 posted on 05/10/2004 2:29:07 PM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 167 | View Replies]

To: dead; LanPB01; Conservomax; Mr. Buzzcut; CollegeRepublican
There won't be many panic attacks in the coming episodes, which is great news.

You were right, no panic attacks. Like clockwork, we get the dream sequences - Coach Molinaro saying "You're not prepared". It would be too pat for the dreams to pay-off only that Tony Blundetto got to go. Or that talkin' Adrianna La Cerva got to go the way of Big Pussy Bonpensiero. Or even that Carmella got to go.

What will the dreams tell Tony?

169 posted on 05/17/2004 7:24:39 PM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 168 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160161-169 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson