Monday, July 23, 2007

Italian American Activists Slam New "Mob Candy" Magazine

The ANNOTICO Report

 

The publisher, Frank DiMatteo, says "Mob Candy" not only focuses on Italian gangsters but also on Jewish and Irish mobsters.

 

Yet the Articles appearing on the Cover of the first Issue is:

 

1, Gambino Crime Family Issue

2, King of South Beach..The Chris Paciello Story

3. Joey The Hitman: Autobiography of a Mafia Killer

4.  Vendetta: FBI vs Italian Americans

5. Free John Gotti Poster Inside

 

"Mob Candy" is Sub Titled "The Underworld Magazine of Mafia Politics, Pleasure and Power"

 

That's Mob as in Mafia, and Candy as in what's sweet to them: cocktails, cigars, clothing, scores (as in the spoils of robbery), and women.

Furthermore, according to Wikipedia, the idea for the magazine came from a meeting between Tyrone Christopher, an African American from Milwaukee with a background in graphic design, and Frank DiMatteo, an Italian American from Red Hook, Brooklyn, and former magazine publisher and distributor of "Screw" magazine. The two developed the idea of a glossy magazine about Italian American Mafia culture. The name of the magazine comes from a line of Mafia-inspired clothing owned by Christopher.

There are Liars, and Damn Liars. and you  Mr Matteo, are  a Dammed Liar!!!!!!

Be you Damned for "selling out" your heritage.

There are two brief articles below.

 

Italian-American Group Slams New 'Mob' Mag

Daily News 

By Frank Lombardi  

Saturday, July 21st 2007, 

 

A new magazine called Mob Candy got a sour review yesterday from some Italian-American civic activists.

They said it is trying to cash in on leftover buzz from "The Sopranos" and perpetuating a negative stereotype of Italian-Americans as gangsters.

"This is an outrage," said James Lisa of the Italian- American Political Action Committee. "What signal are we sending to our children?"

Councilman Tony Avella (D-Queens) called on New Yorkers not to buy the magazine, which makes its debut next week.

"Yes, there's freedom of speech," he said at a press conference on the steps of City Hall. "But New Yorkers should exercise their freedom not to buy this."

The magazine's coming attractions, as touted on its Web site, include rehashed articles about mobsters such as Carlo Gambino and photos of scantily clad women. Its publisher, Frank DiMatteo, 52, is an Italian-American born in Brooklyn whose credits include having been a distributor of Screw magazine.

He denied the magazine - which he intends to publish quarterly with a sales price of $4.99 - will smear Italian-Americans or encourage criminality.

"For very educated people [to complain], they're pretty stupid," DiMatteo said. "I think that news is news. It's always been out there. All we're doing is putting it in an entertainment magazine."

flombardi@nydailynews.com

 

 

Mobbed Up' Magazine Draws Criticism

NYSun 

By Grace Rauh 
July 20, 2007

The chairman of the City Council's Italian-American caucus, Tony Avella of Queens, is raising a ruckus over a new magazine scheduled to hit newsstands later this month, Mob Candy.

The magazine, which, judging by its Web site, appears to be a Maxim-style publication with a "Godfather" twist, puts Italian-Americans in a negative light, Mr. Avella said, and reinforces stereotypes about their involvement in organized crime. He is planning to denounce the publication on the steps of City Hall Friday.

"This publisher is going to come out with a magazine dedicated to organized crime and, once again from what I've seen, reinforce an old stereotype that all Italians are connected with organized crime," he said. The Bayside Democrat said he is particularly galled that the magazine is "glorifying criminals."

The publisher of Mob Candy, Frank DiMatteo, said the Manhattan-based magazine not only focuses on Italian gangsters but also on Jewish and Irish mobsters. He said it features book reviews, a food section, and information about liquor, wine, nightclubs, cigars, and clothing.

Mr. DiMatteo, who grew up in Brooklyn and once published pornographic magazines, said he did not understand why there would be an objection.

"I'm Italian," he said. "It's strictly meant as an entertainment magazine."

http://www.nysun.com/article/58825

 

The ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed (and are Archived) on:

Italia USA: http://www.ItaliaUSA.com [Formerly Italy at St Louis] (7 years)

Italia Mia: http://www.ItaliaMia.com (3 years)

Annotico Email: annotico@earthlink.net