Sicilian Culture: The News & Views: La Salle School Calls off Cadets Sopranos Appearance

Sicilian Culture

The People, The History, The Culture

The News & Views
(February 24, 2001)
Newsday
www.newsday.com/coverage/current/news/saturday/nd8391.htm
LA SALLE: FUGEEABOUDIT!
SCHOOL CALLS OFF CADETS 'SOPRANOS' APPEARANCE!
by Joie Tyrrell, Staff Writer

"The Sopranos" have made an offer that La Salle Military Academy could refuse.
Citing the content of the HBO mob-themed drama series, academy officials have canceled an appearance by 30 male cadets slated to appear as extras in an upcoming episode.
"It's not as if it's a show that is going to be on the Disney Channel," Brother Dennis Cronin, headmaster of La Salle, said Friday. "It is a show that has adult content and deals with issues that are morally questionable." The episode was supposed to be filmed next week and, initially, the academy founded by the De La Salle Christian Brothers had agreed to lend HBO a few good men. But school leaders had second thoughts as they further examined the series about a New Jersey-based mob family. And bada-bing, bada-boom, the deal was called off.
"I think the show, while it has some merit I'm sure, it also portrays ethnic groups that are somewhat stereotypical and speaks in negative terms of other groups," Cronin said.
HBO officials did not return calls seeking comment Friday, but students had said the episode involved lead character Tony Soprano's son, Anthony Jr., being sent to military school. The show was not going to be taped at the Oakdale campus or on Long Island, but in Staten Island, the students had said.
At least one of the five female cadets had criticized the cable network's choice to only use male students in the show. An HBO spokeswoman said earlier this month the episode called only for male cadets.
La Salle students learned last week, before a weeklong winter recess, that their appearance had been canceled. Cronin said the school informed HBO, too.
The decision was based almost entirely on the show's content, he added. "It was disappointing that we couldn't be on TV," said Julio Isidor, 17, of Jamaica Estates. "[But] the school can say which way they want to represent themselves." Kristen Swensson, 17, of Lake Grove, had questioned the show's decision to exclude females, but said Friday she sympathized with the male cadets who lost out. The students had yet to be chosen to appear, and La Salle is closing its doors on June 30.
"I feel really bad for the male cadets," she said. "The male cadets were happy they were in it, and it was going to make their year. A lot of cadets are worried about changing schools and we were all surprised when [school officials] told us that they canceled it." La Salle, a 118-year-old educational institution, was once an all-boys military academy that later expanded into a coed K-12 school with a military academy and college preparatory school. The school is closing due to declining enrollment.
"The brothers didn't want to leave the school with any negatives, they wanted to leave the school proud and I understand where they are coming from," said Leah Gillman, 14, of Blue Point. "But personally I am kind of sad. First, our school closes and now for a lot of people, this is the thing they were looking forward to, but they could not do it."
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