Frederico “Fredo” Corleone is the second son of Vito Corleone (Marlin Brando in Godfather I and Robert De Niro in Godfather II) in Mario Puzo’s novel Godfather, and Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation. “Fredo” was played by the highly acclaimed character actor John Cazale.
Fredo is not as strong and not as intelligent as his brothers Sonny (James Caan) and Michael (Al Pacini), or as the family’s adopted son Tom Hagan (Robert Duvall). Because of his weakness, “Fredo” is relegated to nominal positions in his family’s gangster organization. Because of his jealousy of his brothers, he is doomed to failure.
The term “Fredo” refers, then, to a member of a powerful family or other social unit that isn’t as strong or as bright or in some other ways not up to the level of the other members of the family.
But is the term racist?
According to Chris Cuomo, the not so bright member of the Cuomo family, calling him “Fredo” is racist. Chris Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo, born of immigrants to this country from Italy, was Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994. Prior to that, he was a U.S. Congressman representing a district in Brooklyn. I was back then one of his constituents. Chris Cuomo’s older brother, Andrew Cuomo, is the current Governor of New York. As for Chris Cuomo, he’s some kind of a jerk at the laughing stock of a news network CNN. You figure it out.
Until Chris Cuomo got tagged with being “Fredo”, calling other people (meaning calling Republicans) “Fredo” wasn’t racist. It was just good fun. Remember, it’s never racist to call other people (who are Republicans) names. That is just good fun.
As to whom among the Republicans got tagged with “Fredo”? Check it out (all of the following items are from prior to the current “Fredo” controversy, some of the links may be scrubbed in the next few days). Remember, none of the following is racist. It’s just good fun.
Is Donald Trump Jr. Really the Fredo of His Family?
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/07/donald-trump-jr-fredo-godfather
Why people are comparing Donald Trump Jr. to The Godfather’s Fredo Corleone
https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/7/11/15952652/donald-trump-jr-fredo-corleone-godfather
Comparing Donald Trump Jr. to Fredo Corleone Is Grossly Unfair. To Fredo.
https://slate.com/culture/2017/07/everyone-s-comparing-donald-trump-jr-to-fredo-corleone-quit-it.html
Donald Trump Jr. Is Not Fredo
The frequent comparisons between Donald Trump Jr. and the ‘Godfather’ character are both funny and deeply cathartic. But not even poor, hapless Fredo can fully explain the Trump saga
https://www.theringer.com/2017/7/12/16077766/donald-trump-jr-fredo-godfather-a7eb639711b6
Russia Flap Proves Don Jr. Is the ‘Fredo’ of the First Family
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-aides-russia-flap-proves-don-jr-is-the-fredo-of-the-first-family
Scarborough Twice Refers to Don Jr. as ‘Fredo’
Who is Donald Trump Jr and why is he compared to Fredo Corleone in The Godfather?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/donald-trump-jr-compared-fredo-corleone-godfather/
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“I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart.” Michael Corleone to Fredo, after catching Fredo in a plot with another crime syndicate, before giving him the kiss of death
I'd be more than happy to kick Fredo's teeth out for him...