The responses to the “Sopranos” survey have been tabulated, and the results 
can now be revealed. A total of 321 readers filled out the survey forms and 
mailed or faxed them in. And though it’s tempting to pontificate about the 
results, I’ve decided to let them speak for themselves and see where the 
conversation goes.

Here’s the bottom line: 77 percent of the respondents have seen the show at 
least once, and 37 percent watch it regularly; 41 percent say they enjoy the 
show, 56 percent say that most of their friends enjoy the show and 46 percent 
feel that the show is well done; 59 percent feel the show is offensive to 
Italian Americans and 55 percent feel that it is offensive for other reasons; 
47 percent want to see the show taken off the air, 57 percent support the 
AIDA lawsuit and 38 percent support other forms of protest.

Those who find the show offensive for ethnic reasons outnumber those who 
don’t by a 6-to-4 margin, with support for the AIDA lawsuit showing similar 
numbers. Those who find the show offensive for other reasons typically cited 
excessive vulgarity and violence, and the degradation of women, children and 
families. One respondent finds it “offensive to the human heart and spirit” 
and another considers it “an affront to the morals and culture of our 
society.”

Those who enjoy the show argue that it’s only entertainment, and that it’s 
not meant to be a reflection of the Italian-American community as a whole. 
Comments like “Lighten up,” “It’s only a TV show,” “Stop embarrassing us” 
and “If you don’t like it, don’t watch it” dominate their written 
responses. 

Some of the show’s supporters accuse the AIDA lawyers of grandstanding, and 
others worry about the First-Amendment implications of the lawsuit. 

The responses to the last question (Do you think that other forms of protest 
are more suitable?) ran the gamut, with some urging the community to use 
“whatever means necessary” to get the show off the air, and others opining 
that “all protests are stupid.”

Those who supported other means of protest called for letter-writing 
campaigns, canceling HBO subscriptions, educating Italian-American actors and 
the general public, picketing HBO headquarters, running public service 
announcements denouncing negative portrayals of Italian Americans, 
negotiating with producers for shows that spotlight our positive 
achievements, and running a disclaimer at the beginning of the show.

Cross-tabulating the results reveals few major surprises but several 
interesting gray areas.

Needless to say, most of the respondents who enjoy the show feel that it is 
well done, do not find it offensive, do not want to see it taken off the air, 
and do not support the AIDA lawsuit, nor any other form of protest. Most, 
that is, but not all. Oddly enough, 18 percent of those who enjoy the show 
find it offensive to Italian Americans, a full 30 percent find it offensive 
for other reasons, 14 percent support the lawsuit and 23 percent support 
other forms of protest. For some, evidently, “The Sopranos” is a guilty 
pleasure.

Most of the respondents who find the show offensive for ethnic reasons also 
find it offensive for other reasons (72 percent), though 16 percent 
grudgingly admitted that the show is well done. Those who find it offensive 
for ethnic reasons overwhelmingly support the AIDA lawsuit (90 percent) but 
only half-heartedly supported other forms of protest (50 percent). Though 
most of the ethnically offended want to see the show taken off the air (76 
percent), a surprisingly large minority (24 percent) feel uncomfortable going 
that far, citing First-Amendment concerns.

An overwhelming majority of those who enjoy the show say that most of their 
friends also enjoy it (98 percent). Not surprisingly, a sizable minority of 
those who are ethnically offended say the same thing (33 percent). The fact 
that a majority of the respondents indicate that most of their friends enjoy 
the show (57 percent) confirms the show’s popularity among the public at 
large. That shouldn’t overshadow the fact that a full 77 percent of those who 
are ethnically offended move in circles that, in the main, feel the same way, 
indicating that battle lines have been drawn over the issue, and that 
supporters on both sides are deeply entrenched.

And that, to me, is where the work needs to begin. 

I suppose that both sides can claim a victory in the results of the survey: 
opponents of the show will trumpet the solid majority they possess and 
supporters of the show will point to the strong minority they own. The one 
thing that emerges from the written responses, however, is the level of 
rancor that has infected the debate, with readers regularly straying from the 
issues and descending into accusation and invective.

Rather than fanning the flames, I want to step back and invite the readers of 
Fra Noi to join in and advance the debate, while elevating the level of the 
dialogue. After you absorb the statistics in this article and read the 
written responses on pages 10, 11 and 12, draw your own conclusions and send 
them to Fra Noi. Do your best to focus on the issues, and please refrain from 
personal attacks. Do you feel you’re being misunderstood? Do you think your 
opponents are missing the point? Then set the record straight and marshal 
your best arguments in an effort to bring the other side around to your point 
of view. I look forward to hearing from you.