Posted on 12/05/2004 12:07:00 PM PST by sully777
A classic never goes out of style!
By the way, Wendy Wasserstein had a wonderful nonstereotypical Italian character (no stereotypes positive OR negative) in one of her plays about 20 years ago. He was blond, handsome, a young doctor. I wrote her a letter thanking her and got an answer, which is somewhere.
When we moved to Texas that was the most frequently asked question.
GRrrrrrrrrrr.....
I must admit to my Italian stereotype: Italians are the only people from which you can buy decent produce.
I can remember as a little boy (in Chicago) the Italian man that would drive up in the alley in his step van and sell "fresh fruits and-a veg-e-ta-bles" to all the housewives. I can still remember the smell of that van.
Don't get me wrong, in all seriousness I think that the negative sterotypes aren't a good thing, on balance, I just don't think that in 2004 they are really that big a problem.
And like I said in earlier posts in this thread, I take advantage of them when I can!
A little sense of humor goes a long way. The truth is, a program like the Sopranos does have its racist elements in it, as does a film like The Godfather (though that's like comparing generic ice cream to fine gelado, I admit). I'm just not that sensitive to it.
Life tends to go better for me if I am not too quickly offended. And as I said, I genuinely don't think most people in 2004 really think that all or most Italians are criminals.
Then again, there were never any Italians on the old 'Star Trek.' Well, maybe the one when they visisted the '1920s Gangster Chicago Planet.' Well, I better go get something to eat so I have the energy to be 'offended.' ;-)
true hehe!
Yes, it's more uncomfortable to be offended, and life does not go as well, but sometimes getting offended and putting that feeling to good use can help matters or keep them from getting worse.
Plus, a lot of Americans of Italian descent see complaining about stereotypes as whining and victim mentality on the level of Al Sharpton whining. No one wants to be lumped in together as just another whining minority group, even if the complaints are justified.
I see what you are saying, but I'm also saying that in my I genuinely don't feel the offense.
Isn't 'What do I care?' a fairly common Italian cultural reaction to many things? ;-)
I agree with that - in any endeavor, appearing as whining doesn't help. Like I said earlier, I take advantage of the best of the stereotype, and sample a bit of the worse when I can. I made it work for me.
When God sends you lemons, make lemon ices, you know? Hahaha!
agreed! LOL
Yes, that is one of the reasons, especially among conservative Italians. They don't want to be yet another whiney group, so they let the ugliest images of their people continue--caricatures that would be horrifying if they were done of people who have stood up for themselves and made such nonsense verboten.
Anyway, it was Vittorio DiSica's 1966 comedy 'After the Fox.' It's an Italian film that got a decent international release at the time, though sadly it wasn't a huge hit in the states. It stars, of all people, Peter Sellers as an Italian would-be master criminal, Swedish export - and Mrs Sellers at the time - Britt Ekland as his young Italian sister, as well as Victor Mature as an aging American movie star.
Anyway, Sellers - who is ALWAYS awesome even if the movie stinks - delivers one heck of a performance as the Italian lead, with accent, mannerisms, temper, etc. Ekland does a good job as his sister, too. In fact, if I didn't know any better I would think he was an Italian actor playing the part.
So is any of that really 'racist' or 'offensive?' Neil Simon wrote the script, not a guy with any reputation for bigotry. Sellers DOES play a criminal, after all, with a daring plan to sneak hundreds of pounds of stolen gold into Italy! In fact, much of the supporting cast are Italian stereotypes.
So part of what I am saying is, being too sensitive would keep people from enjoying a film like this.
By the way, I so enjoyed watching the film again that I was inspired to give it some added publicity and added this photo collage on my website! Enjoy!
I don't take offense to that small comment. Are you Italian, firebrand? I fully admit my family is loud at gatherings, it's just the way we talk, kwim? It's still a good family.
Actually, I meant not appreciating opera, and likening it to a room full of screaming relatives.
I grew up in Brooklyn where most of the people were either Italian or Jewish. You couldn't get out of anyone's house without them filling your face... MANGIA!!!! LOL
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