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Gandolfini and me

In spite of all his fame and fortune, James Gandolfini is as down to earth as one could get. He brings a blue collar work ethic to a job designed for prima donnas. He has been awarded once again with an emmy for his hard work and great talent. Yet, he does not promote himself on the publicity circuits.

Gandolfini's attitude about going to work is no different than if he was driving a truck. His craft is acting, he loves what he does, the fame is something that happened to him, not something he sought after. Off camera he is far from being the tough guys he plays in the movies and on TV. His family and friends are what he values most.

Gandolfini and I went to different schools together. We met because he was a roommate of my best friend Vito Bellino at Rutgers. I spent most of my weekends and summers carousing with Jim, Vito, and their two other roommates, Tom Richardson and Marc Ohlstein. After graduation Gandolfini managed the hottest nightclub in New York called Private Eyes. He asked if I wanted to work and so for two years we worked through the night at the club and by day I was starting a graphic design studio and he was taking acting lessons.

Twenty years later, and through all his unimaginable success, Gandolfini is still grounded by the simple things in life. When Vito asked him to wear my campaign button on one of his episodes of the Sopranos, Jim said "I'll do you one better and wear it to the Emmys." Low and behold he did it.

I am running for Freeholder in Union County, NJ as an Independent. I'm operating on a shoe string budget. My wife, Tina, is making buttons on the dining room table and my daughters are writing campaign slogans in chalk on the side walks. I also post my message on internet forums and on my website, joerenna.com. This is quite the contrast to the million dollars the incumbents are spending. I have friends passing out my card in a grassroots effort to get some recognition but nothing compares to the 20 million people who saw Gandolfini wearing my button. The exposure that is resonating throughout the media is priceless.

The result of all the hype is that my message is now meeting a tremendous amount of people. The message is simple. It calls for a more open and honest government; two things that Union County is struggling with.

Union County Government is controlled by one party and the autocratic system is effecting the quality of people's lives. Instead of complaining I'm doing the only thing that can actually effect a change. Gandolfini's gesture proves he's a regular stand up guy and a truly good friend.

New York Post Article:
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/3204.htm

When James Gandolfini won his first best actor Emmy in 2000 this year for he had his long time friends Marc Ohlstien, Joe Renna and Tom Richardson with him in LA.