The London Guardian takes 'Note' of AIDA Suit vs 'Sopranos'
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SOPRANOS HIT FALSE NOTE SAY ITALIANS 

The London Guardian 
Duncan Campbell in Los Angeles
Wednesday August 29, 2001
MediaGuardian.co.uk 

It is the kind of problem that Tony Soprano, the fictional mafia boss in the 
acclaimed television series, would probably deal with in his own special way. 
But the latest dispute concerning the dysfunctional New Jersey crime family 
is being left to the lawyers.
 
The Sopranos, one of the most successful shows on Channel 4, is being taken 
to court in Chicago by the American Italian Defence Association, which is 
claiming that it portrays Italian Americans in a racist and derogatory way in 
that it subscribes to the old stereotype of Italians as amoral mafia dons. 

A Chicago judge is expected to rule today on whether or not the case should 
go ahead. 

Aida is using a law in Illinois to try to persuade a judge that the show 
breaches the "individual dignity" of Italian-Americans. The action has been 
accompanied by a running battle on the opinion pages of US newspapers, in 
which Aida and its supporters declare that if the characters were black or 
Jewish the show would not be allowed, while other Italian Americans say they 
are making a mountain out of a bowl of fettucine and, in the immortal Mafia 
words, they should "fuggeddaboutit". 

HBO, the makers of the programme, will argue that the case has no merit. They 
will say that, under the first amendment that guarantees free speech, they 
are entitled to portray the Sopranos as they like. They deny the series is 
derogatory of Italian Americans. 

The show's creator, David Chase, is an Italian American whose grandfather 
changed the family name from de Cesare. He says audiences understand the show 
is meant as a satire on a criminal sub-culture, not as a comment on Italian 
Americans. 

Aida argues that the law allows the courts to condemn "communications that 
portray criminality, depravity or lack of virtue in a group of persons by 
reason of or by reference to religious, racial, ethnic, national or religious 
affiliation". 

Theodore Grippo, chairman of Aida, said: "We realise we can't stop the free 
speech rights of Time Warner. We're not looking for money. We want a moral 
victory, we want to balance things." 

The group has had some successes. The organisers of last year's Columbus Day 
parade in New York City refused to allow floats promoting the show. 

The show has run to three series, and a fourth and fifth are in preparation. 
It has received many nominations for next month's Emmy awards. But, as Tony 
Soprano knows better than most, the show is not over until Aida has sung.