Through my job I've gotten to meet a good number of celebrities and an even greater number of people who thought they were celebrities when they really weren't.
Here's how you tell the good ones from the bad ones:
When you meet a celebrity extend your hand and offer your name. If they reply with their own name as if you'd never heard of them before, that's good. Sure you know their name and they know you know their name, but if they just say hi, they're probably an arrogant pompous jerk.
This morning I met Steve Schirripa aka Bobby Bacala. I stood up and as I was being introduced to him I said "I'm Paul, pleased to meet you.". He said "Steve. Nice to meet you too."
He's one of the good ones.
During this time our teleprompter also wanted to meet him too but she was prompting. I said "Michelle wants to meet you too but you can't distract her while she's prompting."
So Steve proceeds to tickle her.
He did other friendly and courteous things during the five minutes I saw him including posing for pictures.
Note: I considered asking him to take a picture with me but I always think that's cheesy and unprofessional and maybe a little gay when you're talking about two dudes.
It's nice when you see someone on TV and develop a theory about them (in this case I thought he was a struggling actor who never got jobs because he was too fat until his big break after which he got a lot of success but never became spoiled by it) and he turns out to be just as nice and funny as you expected. Or more.
Showing posts with label sopranos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sopranos. Show all posts
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
He Was Just an Alarmist Turd...
Who knew that tree-hugging ex-politicians loved “The Sopranos”? It turns out that Al Gore is a die-hard fan, but when the series finale loomed in early June, he and his wife, Tipper, had to be on a plane for an appearance in Istanbul.
So Gore called Brad Grey, the chairman of Paramount, for a favor. Mr. Grey is also an executive producer of “The Sopranos.” Could Gore get an advance copy of the final episode?
No way, said Mr. Grey. “I’ve turned down everyone who’s asked,” he told Gore. That episode was the holy grail, and he couldn’t risk it being leaked.
But after a night of tossing and turning, Grey had a change of heart. On the Sunday of the finale, he had a Halliburton-made steel case, containing a copy of the episode, delivered to the tarmac where Gore’s plane sat in Chicago. The case was locked with a code. Gore could not open it until the plane was in the air, when he was instructed to call Grey’s office for the numeric code. Gore sent Grey a photo of himself trying to pry open the case, which Grey now keeps on his desk.
So Gore called Brad Grey, the chairman of Paramount, for a favor. Mr. Grey is also an executive producer of “The Sopranos.” Could Gore get an advance copy of the final episode?
No way, said Mr. Grey. “I’ve turned down everyone who’s asked,” he told Gore. That episode was the holy grail, and he couldn’t risk it being leaked.
But after a night of tossing and turning, Grey had a change of heart. On the Sunday of the finale, he had a Halliburton-made steel case, containing a copy of the episode, delivered to the tarmac where Gore’s plane sat in Chicago. The case was locked with a code. Gore could not open it until the plane was in the air, when he was instructed to call Grey’s office for the numeric code. Gore sent Grey a photo of himself trying to pry open the case, which Grey now keeps on his desk.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Surprise! A False Rumor Sent Via E-Mail
In the course of two days the e-mail saying that Nikki Leotardo was in the diner and he killed the Sopranos and the boy scouts and a bunch of other people, spread like a rash.
Everyone believed it blindly. Only it wasn't true. The strange man who went to the bathroom was played by Paolo Colandrea, not an actor, he's a pizza parlor owner. He's never been in the Sopranos before.
While this one was a lot more believable than Bill Gates will pay you $240 to forward this e-mail, it has as much truth to it as all the rest of those e-mail forwards you get from Greco or Mama Poop.
Sorry, but I'll say it again. There is no secret ending to the Sopranos. It ends with Meadow walking through the door. There is nothing more. These are not real people, their lives do not go on once the TV show ends.
Everyone believed it blindly. Only it wasn't true. The strange man who went to the bathroom was played by Paolo Colandrea, not an actor, he's a pizza parlor owner. He's never been in the Sopranos before.
While this one was a lot more believable than Bill Gates will pay you $240 to forward this e-mail, it has as much truth to it as all the rest of those e-mail forwards you get from Greco or Mama Poop.
Sorry, but I'll say it again. There is no secret ending to the Sopranos. It ends with Meadow walking through the door. There is nothing more. These are not real people, their lives do not go on once the TV show ends.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
What Were You Watching?
About 12 million people thought their cable went out Sunday night. That's how many people watched the Sopranos finale on HBO. It was the fourth best rated show in HBO history, the top 3 are all Sopranos episodes, Season 4 premiere, Season 4 finale and Season 5 premiere, in that order.
Game 2 of the NBA Finals was watched by about 7.7 million people.
TV ratings are so confusing, even I don't understand the difference between ratings, share, and all that shit. I just want to know how many people were watching.
The Nielsen ratings system is also obsolete, I have to believe that closer to 20 million people actually watched The Sopranos, when you count the massive amounts of people who DVRed the sucker, and the groups of people who watched it together.
To prove my point, 13 million people watched America's Got Talent. I don't believe for a second that more people watched that than the Sopranos. I understand the cable vs. network thing, but I don't hear anyone talking about the premiere of AGT.
Game 2 of the NBA Finals was watched by about 7.7 million people.
TV ratings are so confusing, even I don't understand the difference between ratings, share, and all that shit. I just want to know how many people were watching.
The Nielsen ratings system is also obsolete, I have to believe that closer to 20 million people actually watched The Sopranos, when you count the massive amounts of people who DVRed the sucker, and the groups of people who watched it together.
To prove my point, 13 million people watched America's Got Talent. I don't believe for a second that more people watched that than the Sopranos. I understand the cable vs. network thing, but I don't hear anyone talking about the premiere of AGT.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Let It Go
Even though I told you all not to, everyone is obsessed with figuring out what happened at the end of the Sopranos Finale. Let me repeat, nothing happened, there is no ending, therefore there is no answer. And all the theories that people are passing around the internet, they're all possible because David Chase dropped a ton of clues, all of which could be put together to come up with different conclusions. And all the same clues are each proof of each different ending.
For instance, a popular theory is that Nikki Leotardo, Phil's nephew was the man at the bar in the diner. And the trucker was robbed by Christopher in season 2. And the two black men were sent to kill Tony earlier in the series, but shot him in the ear instead. And those Boy Scouts were the same ones who saw Bobby get killed.
Let's say all that is true, even though it isn't, does that mean one of them was going to kill Tony? Or does it mean that life goes on, but you can never escape your past, reminders are all around you?
And Bobby told Tony on the boat in the first episode of the season that at the end it all goes black. Does that mean Tony got whacked when the screen went to black? Or did we get whacked? Or was Bobby foreshadowing the ending, that the series would end with black, not Tony's life.
This is why the ending was so genius. Everything is possible. It was a commentary on life, whether it ended right there, or changed forever, or kept on going the way it was going.
For all of you who hated the ending, let's say that guy in the Members Only jacket shot Tony, and it ended right there, would you have liked that better? No ambiguity, no thought, just a gunshot wound to the head. That would have sucked. David Chase gave us a beautiful elegant ending to a beautiful elegant series. I guess the 24 fans who need shit to blow up to be entertained can't allow themselves to enjoy something so simple, but let me ask you this. Has your heart ever beaten as fast, have you ever been as nervous during an episode of 24 as you were during that last scene of the Sopranos? No, because in 24 Jack Bauer always kills the bad guy, in The Sopranos you never know what is going to happen, and that's what makes the show, and the way it ended, so great.
For more on this episode check out this interview with David Chase written by the preeminent Sopranos writer for the Star-Ledger. It's long, so if you don't want to read the whole thing skip to page 4 and read the last paragraph.
For instance, a popular theory is that Nikki Leotardo, Phil's nephew was the man at the bar in the diner. And the trucker was robbed by Christopher in season 2. And the two black men were sent to kill Tony earlier in the series, but shot him in the ear instead. And those Boy Scouts were the same ones who saw Bobby get killed.
Let's say all that is true, even though it isn't, does that mean one of them was going to kill Tony? Or does it mean that life goes on, but you can never escape your past, reminders are all around you?
And Bobby told Tony on the boat in the first episode of the season that at the end it all goes black. Does that mean Tony got whacked when the screen went to black? Or did we get whacked? Or was Bobby foreshadowing the ending, that the series would end with black, not Tony's life.
This is why the ending was so genius. Everything is possible. It was a commentary on life, whether it ended right there, or changed forever, or kept on going the way it was going.
For all of you who hated the ending, let's say that guy in the Members Only jacket shot Tony, and it ended right there, would you have liked that better? No ambiguity, no thought, just a gunshot wound to the head. That would have sucked. David Chase gave us a beautiful elegant ending to a beautiful elegant series. I guess the 24 fans who need shit to blow up to be entertained can't allow themselves to enjoy something so simple, but let me ask you this. Has your heart ever beaten as fast, have you ever been as nervous during an episode of 24 as you were during that last scene of the Sopranos? No, because in 24 Jack Bauer always kills the bad guy, in The Sopranos you never know what is going to happen, and that's what makes the show, and the way it ended, so great.
For more on this episode check out this interview with David Chase written by the preeminent Sopranos writer for the Star-Ledger. It's long, so if you don't want to read the whole thing skip to page 4 and read the last paragraph.
Goodbye Friend
The saddest part of the Sopranos finale is that I have to say goodbye to an old friend. I first fell in love with Meadow during my senior year at Syracuse after the show's first season. She came to visit a friend of hers who was going to Syracuse and I was the only one in the crowded bar with enough guts to go talk to her. She was so sweet and so nice and every time I called her Meadow she said "it's Jamie." But I had just started dating Mrs. Poop back then so things were not to be for Meadow, I mean Jamie, and me. But we remained friends, I even renamed the Meadowlands the PaulsFriendLands in her honor. Through her eating disorder and her divorce, I was always there for her. I will always love Meadow Soprano, even though I have to say goodbye.
We Got Whacked
My favorite Sopranos theory: we got whacked.
We were paranoid and nervous, looking at every person in the diner as if he could be the one. Then we didn't even see it coming, everything went black.
Thankfully, Meadow was the last thing we got to see before we died.
We were paranoid and nervous, looking at every person in the diner as if he could be the one. Then we didn't even see it coming, everything went black.
Thankfully, Meadow was the last thing we got to see before we died.
What An Ending!
Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
I'm furious, my TV went black for a few seconds at the very end of the episode. I missed the ending, it came back just in time for the credits.
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere
During that last scene when everyone is meeting at the diner, my heart was beating so damn fast. I don't know if I was nervous that someone was going to get killed or because Meadow was having trouble parallel parking. I hate parallel parking.
A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
I think a lot of people correctly predicted that Agent Harris would help Tony find Phil, but other than me, I can't remember anyone who so accurately (and so correctly) predicted that the series would end with the four Sopranos eating dinner.
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
Phil's death was an awesome scene. I wish they would have shown his head smushing like in Braveheart.
Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
I was pissed at AJ for being so irresponsible with his yellow Xterra. A yellow Xterra should be cherished. It's not for banging underage high school girls. Very disappointed in AJ.
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
But why am I bothering with this? All anyone wants to talk about is the ending right? I realize people are upset and think it sucked, but I actually liked it. I think it was a little bit of a "fuck you" from David Chase to the people who are constantly guessing, and trying to figure out the show. But I thought it was nice that there was no ending, just the family together, remembering the good times, like AJ said.
Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Sopranos fans are going to drive themselves crazy trying to figure out how it ended. Did Tony flip and they were in or about to enter the witness protection program and that's why they were meeting a diner? A diner? Or did Tony get whacked and that's why the music stopped? There is no answer. There is no ending. As often happens with this show they drop a bunch of hints and never do anything with them. So if you are going to sit and try to construct the pieces of the episode to figure out what happened you're missing the point. And you are going to drive yourself crazy, because it's an unanswerable question.
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
I thank the Sopranos for giving me 8 great years of enjoyable television. I don't think the fact that there was no ending means the show is coming back at some point, or that there will be a Sopranos movie. The ending shows that life goes on for the Sopranos, even if we don't get to see it.
Dont stop believin
Hold on to the feelin
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
I'm furious, my TV went black for a few seconds at the very end of the episode. I missed the ending, it came back just in time for the credits.
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere
During that last scene when everyone is meeting at the diner, my heart was beating so damn fast. I don't know if I was nervous that someone was going to get killed or because Meadow was having trouble parallel parking. I hate parallel parking.
A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
I think a lot of people correctly predicted that Agent Harris would help Tony find Phil, but other than me, I can't remember anyone who so accurately (and so correctly) predicted that the series would end with the four Sopranos eating dinner.
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
Phil's death was an awesome scene. I wish they would have shown his head smushing like in Braveheart.
Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
I was pissed at AJ for being so irresponsible with his yellow Xterra. A yellow Xterra should be cherished. It's not for banging underage high school girls. Very disappointed in AJ.
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
But why am I bothering with this? All anyone wants to talk about is the ending right? I realize people are upset and think it sucked, but I actually liked it. I think it was a little bit of a "fuck you" from David Chase to the people who are constantly guessing, and trying to figure out the show. But I thought it was nice that there was no ending, just the family together, remembering the good times, like AJ said.
Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Sopranos fans are going to drive themselves crazy trying to figure out how it ended. Did Tony flip and they were in or about to enter the witness protection program and that's why they were meeting a diner? A diner? Or did Tony get whacked and that's why the music stopped? There is no answer. There is no ending. As often happens with this show they drop a bunch of hints and never do anything with them. So if you are going to sit and try to construct the pieces of the episode to figure out what happened you're missing the point. And you are going to drive yourself crazy, because it's an unanswerable question.
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
I thank the Sopranos for giving me 8 great years of enjoyable television. I don't think the fact that there was no ending means the show is coming back at some point, or that there will be a Sopranos movie. The ending shows that life goes on for the Sopranos, even if we don't get to see it.
Dont stop believin
Hold on to the feelin
Friday, June 08, 2007
Don't Bet on My Meadow at the Bing Idea
From Washington Post:
Online gambling sites Bodog.com and Betus.com are taking bets on whether the head of HBO's New Jersey crime family makes it out alive from Sunday night's series finale. So far, the smart money is on Tony living.
The gambling sites are also taking action on the fates of the drama's other characters: Silvio Dante (in a coma), Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri (fuhgeddaboudit!) and rival Mafia boss Phil Leotardo ( so has it coming). Bodog's lines changed throughout yesterday, moving strongly toward the scenario that Tony survives, as more bets were placed and the odds moved in his favor.
Note: the Bodog odds seem to be taken down and the Betus ones are hard to find and can't be link. Tony is -300 to surive and +200 to die. Phil Leotardo is +175 to survive and -250 to die.
Online gambling sites Bodog.com and Betus.com are taking bets on whether the head of HBO's New Jersey crime family makes it out alive from Sunday night's series finale. So far, the smart money is on Tony living.
The gambling sites are also taking action on the fates of the drama's other characters: Silvio Dante (in a coma), Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri (fuhgeddaboudit!) and rival Mafia boss Phil Leotardo ( so has it coming). Bodog's lines changed throughout yesterday, moving strongly toward the scenario that Tony survives, as more bets were placed and the odds moved in his favor.
Note: the Bodog odds seem to be taken down and the Betus ones are hard to find and can't be link. Tony is -300 to surive and +200 to die. Phil Leotardo is +175 to survive and -250 to die.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Italian Therpists Are Doubly Pissed
Therapist fans of Sopranos are angry that Dr. Kupfenberg revealed that Dr. Melfi was treating Tony Soprano.
What a major breach of ettiquette. Real therapists would never do that.
What a major breach of ettiquette. Real therapists would never do that.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Possible Sopranos Endings
Tony gets killed and AJ rises up and takes out Phil Leotardo. The show ends with a flash forward 20 - 30 years with AJ running the family.
Pauli gets scared that he is next on Phil's list and gives up Tony's location. This works because he wasn't one of the guys named by Phil to be killed, he's an old school guy like Phil and he mentioned something about surviving a similar war in the 70s.
Eric Mangini whacks Tony and buries him under the Meadowlands.
Meadow becomes a dancer at the Bing, Tony has a panic attack, falls off his stool and dies, ruining my erection.
A war breaks out taking down many more members of both families, but Tony gets Phil first and the show ends with him, Carm, Meadow and AJ. This is the one I've been predicting for weeks.
Tony gets killed by a shadowy figure...but we never find out who.
Agent Harris finally makes a case against him and Tony goes to prison.
Pauli gets scared that he is next on Phil's list and gives up Tony's location. This works because he wasn't one of the guys named by Phil to be killed, he's an old school guy like Phil and he mentioned something about surviving a similar war in the 70s.
Eric Mangini whacks Tony and buries him under the Meadowlands.
Meadow becomes a dancer at the Bing, Tony has a panic attack, falls off his stool and dies, ruining my erection.
A war breaks out taking down many more members of both families, but Tony gets Phil first and the show ends with him, Carm, Meadow and AJ. This is the one I've been predicting for weeks.
Tony gets killed by a shadowy figure...but we never find out who.
Agent Harris finally makes a case against him and Tony goes to prison.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Penultimate Sopranos
The best Sopranos episode in years, though I think the whole season has been very consistent at a high level.
A few weeks ago, I wrote that I thought some of the ancillary characters would get killed, leaving Tony with his family. Since then, Christophuh, Bacala and Sil all died (Sil's as good as dead).
I'm sorry the Bobby Bacala era is over. I guess it's the first part of letting go of a show I have enjoyed for so long. I knew they were going to kill him, and I'm not sad that they did, I just miss him already. He really broke onto the scene in the Pine Barrens episode, but then Steven Schirripa became the real life incarnation of Bacala. He made appearances promoting "The Goomba's Guide to Dating," saying things like "Do steal a kiss; don't steal her purse" and "Do open the car door for your date; don't open the car trunk for your date." He became a force of nature. And his popularity actually led to his increased role on the show, marrying Janice and punching Tony in this season's opener.
As far as I was concerned I never really enjoyed Sil. I didn't mind him, his jaw, his hair, his suits, but he was never funny like Pauli and he never drove the action of the show like Chrissy.
Frank Vincent is an all-time great villain. This storyline wouldn't have worked nearly as well if Johnny Sac (played by Vincent Curatolo) were still around.
AJ is such a pathetic piece of shit.
Great cameo by Jets Coach Eric Mangini.
I can't wait for the final episode, but I never want it to come. I want to see how it ends, but I never want it to finish.
A few weeks ago, I wrote that I thought some of the ancillary characters would get killed, leaving Tony with his family. Since then, Christophuh, Bacala and Sil all died (Sil's as good as dead).
I'm sorry the Bobby Bacala era is over. I guess it's the first part of letting go of a show I have enjoyed for so long. I knew they were going to kill him, and I'm not sad that they did, I just miss him already. He really broke onto the scene in the Pine Barrens episode, but then Steven Schirripa became the real life incarnation of Bacala. He made appearances promoting "The Goomba's Guide to Dating," saying things like "Do steal a kiss; don't steal her purse" and "Do open the car door for your date; don't open the car trunk for your date." He became a force of nature. And his popularity actually led to his increased role on the show, marrying Janice and punching Tony in this season's opener.
As far as I was concerned I never really enjoyed Sil. I didn't mind him, his jaw, his hair, his suits, but he was never funny like Pauli and he never drove the action of the show like Chrissy.
Frank Vincent is an all-time great villain. This storyline wouldn't have worked nearly as well if Johnny Sac (played by Vincent Curatolo) were still around.
AJ is such a pathetic piece of shit.
Great cameo by Jets Coach Eric Mangini.
I can't wait for the final episode, but I never want it to come. I want to see how it ends, but I never want it to finish.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Meadow's Back
Sopranos Spoilers (don't read if you haven't seen the episode):
Glad they finally gave Meadow a big part. That cream on the chin remark was hilarious.
The restaurant where Tony avenged those remarks was John's Restaurant on the Lower East Side. Kate's cousin's wedding reception was there in January.
AJ is the most pathetic character in the history of television. I was hoping they would let him drown because I'm so sick of his whining. I did like the reminiscing back to the very first season and one of my favorite lines "what kind of animal smokes marijuana at his own confirmation?"
I'm surprised they continued discussing Tony's vision in the desert and that he was bragging about using peyote. I just don't get the connection. And I thought the explanation about the mother and the bus was very weak.
The show takes a week of then returns with two, hopefully very memorable episodes.
Glad they finally gave Meadow a big part. That cream on the chin remark was hilarious.
The restaurant where Tony avenged those remarks was John's Restaurant on the Lower East Side. Kate's cousin's wedding reception was there in January.
AJ is the most pathetic character in the history of television. I was hoping they would let him drown because I'm so sick of his whining. I did like the reminiscing back to the very first season and one of my favorite lines "what kind of animal smokes marijuana at his own confirmation?"
I'm surprised they continued discussing Tony's vision in the desert and that he was bragging about using peyote. I just don't get the connection. And I thought the explanation about the mother and the bus was very weak.
The show takes a week of then returns with two, hopefully very memorable episodes.
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