No, We're Not That Family (Italian-Americans mad at Olive Garden)

Opnionjournal ^ | July 26, 2002 | Victorino Matus

[stands2reason]

Italian-Americans have a problem, and it's not "The Sopranos."

Italian-Americans are speaking out. They are complaining about a stereotype they just can't stand. One that they find inaccurate and misleading. One that is constantly shown on television, much to their disgust. They are unhappy. They are at their wit's end. They are fed up.

[RepoGirl]

I was wondering when this was going to happen. People take offense to the most silly things. I agree with the comment from the Irish-German Freeper. I too am German with a goodly bit of Brit Isles Party Mix thrown in--do I get to take issue with Arthur Treachers, Mr. Dunderbox (in all fine malls near you!) and even EPCOT for their innacurate portrayals of my indiginous peoples?

Still, as far as cultural stereo types go, I thought the best portrayal of German's was in National Lampoon's European Vacation. I hate Chevy Chase, but his Octoberfest dance in leiderhosen makes me apoplectic.

At the risk of sounding hopelessly crass, I hate Olive Garden--but I've enjoyed Carraba's (as far as chains go.) For tasty Italian food in Orlando, head to Antonio's in Maitland. Hoooo bubba, that's good stuff.

[CatoRenasci]

I live in Greenwich, Connecticut, and we don't have Restaraunts like Olive Garden here. There are a number of decent Italian restaraunts in Stamford and, of course, the Bronx and Manhattan are only an hour away. My Norwegian wife cooks far better Italian food (via Marcella Hazan) than I can get in all but the very best Italian restaraunts, mostly the alta cucina of Lombardia, Piemonte and Venezia rather than the heavy southern Italian food one gets commercially.

[stands2reason]

Now, remember, just because a thread doesn't have many posts to it doesn't mean nobody reads it. I certainly don't comment on every thread I read. I am kinda surprised, though, this is the longest thread I've ever posted. Everyone has an opinion on eating out, and PC.

[Tired of Taxes]

I am German, French, Irish, Dutch, English, Scottish, Cherokee, and Black

Wow! My kids are Italian-American, African-American, and "native" American (I think Cherokee, but I'm not sure) with alittle (very little) French, Spanish, and Austrian thrown into the mix. I just tell them they're American... lol. Funny, but I remember growing up that the Italians in our neighborhood didn't identify themselves as "Italians" to each other - we were either Marcagiana, Montellese, and so on (excuse the misspellings - I can pronounce the words but don't know how to spell them). Yes, I do think we live in the great melting pot.

[CatoRenasci]

German with a goodly bit of Brit Isles Party Mix thrown in

Well, you know the old sayings:

Hell is a place where the politicians are French, the police German and the cooks English. and

Heaven is a place where the politicans are German, the police English and the cooks French.

[stands2reason]

Hospitals are clean and the staff is friendly. That doesn't mean that the food is any good.

Good one! :-D

[My Favorite Headache]

Oh they have these really gay things called "Alley Rallies",totally pointless drool. The songs they sing are usually for the birthdays. I never particiapted in either event.Thank the Lord.

[Don Carlos]

BTW, wife and I were stationed in Italy for two glorious years, and made many friends and loved the country and food. Wife got an excellent spaghetti sauce recipe from a Sicilian friend which we still use today.

Have been to Olive Garden twice. First time was mediocre at best. Second was and will probably always be my worst restaurant dining experience. Flat beer, surly wait staff, disgustingly poor food, etc. Told the manager midway through the meal and he just shrugged it off as if to say "so what do you expect me to do about it?"

[dead]

The funniest thing was when Joe Columbo, the mob boss, tried to start a movement protesting the portraits in the media of Italians as mobsters. How freakin' ironic, how freakin' Italian.

LOL! What was the name of that limousine service mogul who started some association for the same thing? He called it “Italian Americans against Defamation” or something, until he went to jail for fraud. Fugazi?

I grew up in North Jersey and so much of the Sopranos rings true to everything I saw growing up (I don't mean the violence, I mean the family interactions and the characters.) In high school, my four best friends were Italian-Americans, and three of them had fathers in prison for organized crime related activities.

But my school was chock full of beautiful Italian girls.

[ArrogantBustard]

I don't like it, so I don't go there. No big deal. I cook my own. Slowly. It's more fun that way.

You want good sauce, come to my house. I still cook it the way GrandPapa taught me, and it takes 3 days.

I can smell that through the monitor.

[Dane]

Hospitals are clean and the staff is friendly. That doesn't mean that the food is any good.

Huh, I don't see Hospital cafeteria food popping up all around the country, although( and this will piss off Southerner's), Morrison's does a pretty good clone of Hospital cafeteria food.

[Tall_Texan]

If we can have ridiculous Italian stereotypes in commercials, any ethnicity should be fair game. I'd love to see a Taco Bell commercial depicting 30 Mexicans pulling up in a rusted-out pickup truck, or 300-pound white-trash at a McDonald's. Of course larda$$es and Mexicans are much more politically correct, so that would never happen..

LOL!!Maybe this explains why there are no chain restaurants featuring soul food. Can you imagine the ads???

[hellinahandcart]

I heard that one a bit differently.

In heaven, the French are the cooks, the Italians are the lovers, the British are the police, the Germans are the engineers and the Swiss run the trains.

In hell, the British are the cooks, the Swiss are the lovers, the Germans are the police, the French are the engineers, and the Italians run the trains...

[Ipberg]

My idea of great Italian dining is the Pizza Hut all-you-can-eat lunch buffet!

[SoothingDave]

When we were feeling real adventurous for Italian cuisine, we'd pour tomato paste over some English muffins and bake them in an oven with strips of American cheese.

You had tomato paste? We used ketchup.

SD

[ivanhoe116]

Ilvagabondo 351 E. 62 NY,NY...downstairs, so sign, pipes exposed, for real.

[JoeSixPack1]

.......:-)

[CatoRenasci]

Your version works, too. The version I mentioned dates reliably to the 1860's. It was contemporaneous with the famous comment of Bismarck when asked in 1864 what he would do if the British landed an army on the Helgoland coast to support the Danes (with whom the Germans were going to war): Why, I'd send the police to arrest them!

[hellinahandcart]

Is that the place with bocci ball in the back? I've always wanted to go and never got around to it.