Do You Relate To The Sopranos?

Do You Relate To The Sopranos?

By Joe Renna

Criticizing the HBO show "The Sopranos" reveals more about the character of the critic than it does about the characters in the movie. Whenever something popular hits the screen the regular complainers drag their soapboxes out to knock it. These self proclaimed "spokes-people " for the community start trumpeting the charge that the show is offensive, insulting and degrading. The hypocrisy of their actions is much more offensive than any TV show can be.

Do these representatives think we are so stupid that we believe what's on TV is true? What insults me even more is the use of nationality to get cheap publicity. Do we think every Chinese person knows karate because we saw a Bruce Lee movie? The concept is absurd.

I wonder what the motives are. Is it to gain prestige, bring in more money for an organization or just to seize an opportunity to be in the papers? Maybe it's a self-esteem problem they are working out. I would have much more respect for the citrullo if he or she produced an alternative show exalting their own virtues. The problem with that is they don't have the talent to do so.

Maybe we should wait for a list of what we could watch or read. I would assume "The Little Mermaid" would be suspect. And I wonder if this newspaper would be on the list? As a writer, I don't want someone censuring me, thank you.

"The Sopranos" is popular because people want to watch it. It's dramatic, it's exciting. It's interesting because it's bigger than life. A movie takes regular life and exaggerates it, makes it spectacular. Or does it? The characters in "The Sopranos" are acting like real mobsters who stole from "The Godfather", which depicted earlier wise guys who in turn imitated Edward G. Robinson and George Raft. It's art imitating life imitating art.

I don't identify with any character in the show, but I do like the slice of culture it depicts regardless of the story line. Get off your high horses and relax. If we satisfied every interest group request for respect we would be watching Mr. Rogers all day. And I wouldn't be able to call anyone a "citrullo" in a newspaper.

Not for Nothing But...
"Should I be upset and boycott the Flintstones because Fred wasn't in a union and Mr. Slate made him work without boots?"