Despite Robert DeNiro's trifecta of clumsy and embarrassing actions in Venice, Milan, and Rome, DeNiro is forced to "share" the IAOV Pasta-Tute Award with fellow cast members of "Shark's Tale", Michael Imperioli, Vincent Pastore, and Martin Scorsese.

This seemed to result more from a desire to "castigate" ALL the Italian American cast members of "Shark Tale", rather than let DeNiro "off the hook". :)

The 'Pasta-Tute' of the Year Award is named annually to those who "prostitute" their Italian Culture and Heritage in pursuit of the dollar.

It was not announced when the Awards ceremony would take place, and whether any of the "awardees" would appear in person to accept their award.:)

SHARK TALE CAST NAMED 'PASTA-TUTES' OF THE YEAR

Italian American thespians derided for their work in children's animated cartoon

(October 18, 2004) Bloomfield, NJ-- In a Internet poll taken exclusively from interested Italian Americans across the United States, actors Robert DeNiro, Michael Imperioli and Vincent Pastore, along with filmmaker Martin Scorsese have been voted the collective winners of the 2004 "Pasta-Tute" award.

Due to his recent anti social behavior here and in Italy, DeNiro was the early odds on favorite; however, the vote for the entire cast of Italian Americans in Shark Tale voice-overs prevailed by a wide margin.

Given annually by the Italian American One Voice Coalition, based in Bloomfield, New Jersey, the award confers the dubious honor on Italian American celebrities who have significantly contributed to perpetuating the myth of synonymy between Italianita and criminality.

"This is truly unprecedented," saaid the Executive Director of One Voice. "Usually, only one person receives the award. However, what Robert De Niro and his cronies have done with “Shark Tale” is truly deplorable. These men have willingly introduced crude ethnic stereotypes into the innocent world of children's entertainment; they have descended to a new low in their careers.”

Says IAOV, "As child psychologists such as Dr. Joseph Giordano, and Elizabeth Messina have pointed out, kids, unlike adults, cannot differentiate between reality and fiction, consequently they believe what they see.  The evil, vicious killer shark characters named Don Lino, Luca and Giuseppe using Italian language phrases and mannerisms in the children’s animated film, Shark Tale, have the potential of embedding negative images in young fertile minds which can later be manifested in discriminatory practices.”

In a report dated October 9, 04, commissioned by the American Italian Defense Association (AIDA), the Zogby researchers found that Americans continue to
generally believe that Italian Americans are associated with organized crime and serve in low level occupations while factual data points to the contrary.

Concludes IAOV: "The advent of 'Shark Tale' is alarming in that it will reinforce this entrenched prejudice against Americans of Italian descent.

Hollywood, (particularly Steven Spielberg, the king of hypocrisy), continues the
media “perversion” of depicting Italian Americans prejudicially.

We call on all film makers especially De Niro, Imperioli, Pastore and Scorsese to reject these 'Stepin Fetchit' type roles and start honoring the beautiful culture which has nurtured their talents--if not for themselves, then for the children, decency demands this.

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For more information on the Italian American One Voice Coalition, contact
Tom DeGenaro, Dir. Communications at: 908 580-1959 - italicsentry@yahoo.com or Dr. Emanuele Alfano, Executive Director at: 973 429-2818- eaa097@aol.com
Bloomfield, NJ