Sicilian Culture: The News & Views: AIDA's Statement Regarding Its Lawsuite Against the Sopranos

Sicilian Culture

The People, The History, The Culture

The News & Views
AIDA's Statement Regarding Its Lawsuit Against the Sopranos
Important Comments printed in Important Publications, plus one
Local Newspaper by one of our own, John DeMatteo.
Newsweek
April 2,2001
Steve Antonuccio forwards and comments:
I am very encouraged by the words of 14 year old Jennifer Greilich. What wisdom and common sense this kid has. Although the Sopranos is an insult to Italian Americans, we forget it is also an insult to humanity. God Bless Jennifer Greilich for pointing that out. Also, Kenneth Castellano makes some great points as well. Unfortunately Newsweek didn't publish one word in their original article about how every major Italian American organization has come out against the series. They couldn't ignore the letters to the editor though.
A Show With Hits and Misses
Many readers responding to our April 2 cover story on "The Sopranos" told us they find the show offensive, primarily because of its violent themes. Others objected to its profanity and depiction of Italian-Americans as criminals. "Most of the cruel, shallow characters are difficult to like," one reader wrote. "If this show is revolutionizing television, it is not doing it in a good way." Said another: "Give me `The West Wing' any day, where you can cheer for the heroes. In our already violent society, `empathizing with a murderer' is the last thing we should want to do."
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Combine the tired format of a prime-time soap opera with the cliched genre of a Mafia melodrama and you have "The Sopranos," a series that's about as fresh as bottled sauce poured over yesterday's macaroni. Like all Godfathers, Goodfellas and Wise Guys, the Sopranos are presented as the most Italian of all Italian-Americans. Each episode links exaggerated ethnicity with criminality. The humor is smug and mean-spirited; we viewers are in on the joke, but the characters are not. Maybe someday Hollywood will create a groundbreaking series based on a family of felons with a last name that ends in a consonant.
Kenneth Castellano — San Francisco, Calif.

As a 14-year old, I think it's awful that a show about a mob family is supposed to change the face of television. In the dictionary, entertainment is defined as something diverting, engaging or amusing. Since when is seeing someone get killed amusing? Viewers empathize with Tony Soprano, but do they acknowledge that he's a murderer? Instead of wondering why children are so violent, maybe we should go to the root of the problem and discover why television and all forms of entertainment are so violent.
Jennifer Greilich — San Antonio, Texas

Whatsamadda, NEWSWEEK; did ya owe Tony big time? Whadya promise him—ta knock off da competition wid one little article, badda boo, badda bing, and make sure he don't get overlooked again come Emmy time? Your article was about as strong-armed as Tony's dead mom (may she rest). So ya love Tony and da family—dat's OK—just keep dose mitts off my West Wing.
Elaine Yanow — Williamstown, Mass.

NEWSDAY Letters/ Viewpoints 04/18/2001
WHY ARE ITALIAN AMERICANS 'FAIR' GAME?
Robert P. Firriolo; Diana Anzalone Bier
How hypocritical of Sheryl McCarthy to dismiss the concerns of Italian Americans when she regularly bleats about alleged unfair treatment of other groups ["The 'Sopranos' Will Sing On Despite Futile Lawsuit," Viewpoints, April 9]. While Hollywood long ago abandoned routine stereotyping of other groups, Americans of Italian descent (along, it seems, with white Southerners) are still fair game.
Italian Americans are typically depicted as mobsters, hoods or lovable morons like Tony Banta of "Taxi" or Joey Tribbiani of "Friends." While McCarthy acknowledges real-life Italian - American governors, chief executives and Supreme Court justices, where are the corresponding depictions in television programs and cinema? Where are the Italian - American scientists, engineers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, elected officials, journalists, businessmen, artists, musicians, authors and educators?
I am not sure that a lawsuit, such as the one against Time Warner as producers of "The Sopranos," is the best way to deal with the obvious and pervasive media bias against Italian Americans. But it is somewhat refreshing to see the issue discussed publicly, and the offending parties revealed.
Robert P. Firriolo
North Massapequa

* * *
Sheryl McCarthy defends "The Sopranos" by citing its quality acting, directing, etc. and suggests that it is OK to ridicule and defame a culture as long as its people are wealthy and influential As a third generation Italian - American , I say that it is most emphatically not OK, no matter who the group of people is.
How does she think that Italians have managed to succeed so well in American society in such a short period of time? Our success is incredible considering the prejudice and hatred we endured in the early part of the 20th century when masses of Italians immigrated here.
Many Italian immigrants worked hard and didn't complain. They were savvy enough, however, to understand how to succeed in America: to work hard and try to fit in without making waves. It is the grandchildren of these downtrodden immigrants who are now governors, car company presidents and Supreme Court Justices. They succeeded without bilingual education, affirmative action or the American Civil Liberties Union despite overwhelming prejudice and ridicule. Now we are told that the ridicule should continue and we should "get over it."
Diana Anzalone Bier
Rockville Centre
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April 17, 2001
DAILY INTELLIGENCER
Bucks County of Pa.
Calkins Publishing Corp.
Letter to the Editor:
I offer some comments regarding Lou Sessinger’s Commentary of April 12th entitled, “Sopranos miffs some Italian lawyers.”
Mr. Sessinger writes about a group of Chicago Italian American lawyers who have filed a complaint against HBO, producers of “Sopranos,” because the show defames Italian Americans. This complaint is filed under Illinois law which condemns “communications that portray criminality, depravity or lack of virtue” in racial, religious or ethnic groups.
Mr. Sessinger questions the intent of these lawyers and goes on to answer his own question. “What else? They're lawyers for crying out loud!” The answer might satisfy some people used to stereotypic thinking but I am not one of them.
These lawyers are not acting on some self-serving whim, as Mr. Sessinger implies, but rather they reflect the thinking of a significant portion of the Italian American community. This is evidenced by the support received from major Italian American and Italian Canadian organizations. Though the complaint is against HBO and the Sopranos it is really the Italian American community saying, “enough is enough” to the endless stream of Hollywood films, which denigrate Italian Americans like no other group. (Based on an ongoing study by the ItalicStudies Institute seventy percent of films with Italian American characters denigrate the very same characters.) This denigration is not confined to Hollywood. A study by Drs. Linda and Charles Lichter of George Washington University presents an even greater proportion of negative image by the television industry.
Mr. Sessinger suggests that shows like Sopranos do not affect the public’s perception Italian Americans. Studies of Italian Americans by the Princeton Analysis Review Corporation, Calandra Institute, etc. show exactly the opposite. Studies, involving the general population, show that films and television do affect public perception; the obvious example being TV violence on our children.
I suggest that TV shows with their pervasive, pernicious message affects public perception more so than the billions of dollars spent on ads.
These lawyers do not seek censorship, do not want the show cancelled, and seek no damages. They want a jury to declare, consistent with Illinois law, that the show demeans Italian Americans. What is Mr.Sessinger reaction?
“Lot’s of luck with that reputation thing. They're lawyers, for crying out loud.”
I suggest that ‘pro bono’ lawyers represent the best of that profession.
What would have Mr. Sessinger reaction have been if they wanted censorship or were suing? This sounds like a case of, ‘damn if you do, damn if you don’t.”
Trust me, Mr. Sessinger it is all aboutreputation. It is about no one hearing the voices of Italian Americans. Thatvoice has been ignored for decades by the media. These lawyers managed to get media attention. It is really that simple.
John DeMatteo

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