The Current Line Up: "The Sopranos", "Growing Up Gotti", "Family Bonds"
"Shark Tale". Now add "A Goomba's Guide to Life."  :( :(

Jews continually portrayed as "rats" in Nazi Germany!!!
But Italians continually portrayed as "low lifes" in a Democracy????

Hollywood Reporter-Reuters 
By Nellie Andreeva
Friday, Oct 22, 2004

LOS ANGELES - Another "Sopranos" co-star is headed to primetime comedy.

Steve R. Schirripa, who plays Bobby "Bacala" Bacallieri, Uncle Junior's right-hand man and husband of Janice Soprano on the HBO series, has inked a talent deal with Disney's Touchstone TV studio.

Under the pact, Schirripa, who is regularly typecast as a goomba -- a stereotypical Italian American -- is set to star as one in a comedy based on his book "A Goomba's Guide to Life."

A search is under way for a writer to adapt the book -- a humorous look at the cliches about Italian Americans -- for the small screen.

Another "Sopranos" cast member, Drea de Matteo, made the transition to comedy series with NBC's freshman hit "Joey," following the demise of Adriana, her character on the mob drama.

Schirripa was an aspiring actor with a day job as entertainment director for the Riviera casino in Las Vegas before he landed the gig on "The Sopranos" in 2000.

His credits also include the feature "See Spot Run" and the telefilms "Colombo Likes the Nightlife" and "Monday Night Mayhem."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Television Article | Reuters.com
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type
=televisionNews&storyID=6579876