(1) WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
(2) LEAVING A BAD TASTE
(3) TOW ZONE?
(4) RADIO WATCH
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(1) WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

One of my favorite radio shows is Roe Conn and Garry Meier’s talker on WLS-AM 
in Chicago. The two guys are funny, witty and smart; not especially political 
and not shock jocks. They have, at times, used Italian-American character 
voices on the air, but they poke fun in some way at every sort of ethnic and 
racial group, and they often make fun of themselves, as well. Besides, unlike 
other radio personalities, I’ve never felt that their Italian-flavored bits 
were ever malevolent. 

Because there have recently been some news stories regarding the defamation 
of some other groups (see below) Roe and Garry were talking about the subject 
one afternoon recently. I caught the tail end of a caller who evidently had 
mentioned the negative media portrayals of Italian Americans, and our 
reaction to them, but I heard all of what the show’s hosts had to say.

In essence, their opinion was that Italians have somehow managed to do quite 
well in American society in spite of the fact that so many believe us to be 
“connected” or dull-witted or dishonest in some way, and thus we shouldn’t 
complain about any parodies that pop up in the media, whether they are “The 
Sopranos” or a radio commercial that uses a caricature of an Italian-American 
to sell sandwiches. 

The good news that was almost lost in their on-air wondering of why we 
complain so much, was that they acknowledged our anti-defamation efforts. The 
duo said that our anti-defamation groups, at least in Chicago, are very 
active and very vocal. “They have an anti-defamation group that is very, very 
hostile toward the media,” was one comment the hosts made. Really? Are we 
hostile toward CBS for putting shows like “That’s Life,” “Everybody Loves 
Raymond” and “First Monday” on the air? Are we hostile toward companies like 
the Olive Garden for the commercials they air? Are we hostile toward 
companies that produce and distribute films like “Big Night” and “Life is 
Beautiful?” I think not. 

While I did not jot down which of the show’s hosts was making what comments, 
the two of them concurred on every comment that the other made, especially “I 
find it kinda funny that one of the most prosperous groups in America (makes 
such a big deal out of the incessant attacks on our character). The Italian 
experience in America is one of great success, as are the Jews. Groups that 
are very prosperous who want to defend themselves … I FIND THAT A WASTE OF 
TIME.” 

Prosperous? Oh great, so if we’re not being stereotyped as lazy, criminal and 
stupid, we’re thought to be among the richest people in the country! How did 
they conduct this poll? If we’re so prosperous, why isn’t Fra Noi printed on 
glossy paper? If we’re so prosperous, why do so many Italian-American couples 
I know work two and three jobs between them to provide for their children and 
try to secure a future for their family? If we’re so prosperous, why aren’t 
we all driving Cadillac Escalades? Yeah, I know some Italian Americans who 
are doing pretty well — and the reason why they’re making decent money is 
BECAUSE THEY HAVE BUSTED THEIR ASSES IN MEDICAL SCHOOL AND LAW SCHOOL AND 
NIGHT SCHOOL AND WALKING THROUGH THE SEWERS OF CITIES ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY 
AND CRAWLING UNDER SINKS FOR A LIVING AND RUNNING INTO BURNING BUILDINGS AND 
BUSTING DRUG DEALERS so everyone, Italian or not, could live in comfort and 
safety. 

OK, besides the fact that that’s a ridiculous stereotype, that we’re all 
“prosperous,” let’s play devil’s advocate here. Let’s say that we were 
covered with a blanket of prosperity. So that means we shouldn’t raise our 
voices when someone attacks us? We wouldn’t hold on to our prosperity for 
long, then, would we? And, do they mean to imply that because the Jews are 
also “prosperous” (sounds like an argument that’s been used quite a bit by 
those who’d wish the Jews ill), that they shouldn’t complain either? At the 
risk of using a term that I swore I would not utter this year, I’m not even 
going to go there. 

“It really is, in the long run, harmless,” is what Roe and Garry said about 
the caricatures and parodies and defamatory characterizations of Italian 
Americans that we have to wade through each day. I would argue otherwise, 
especially since it seems that every time we turn around, we are bombarded by 
another one of these attacks. 

I’m not going to stop listening to Roe and Garry’s show because I disagree 
with the opinions that were expressed one afternoon in April. They’re funny 
and informative and because I’m not one of those “prosperous” Italians, I 
need to work for “the man” and their show does keep me awake in the 
afternoons. Nor will I call for a massive letter-writing or e-mail campaign 
into their station. They expressed their opinions, and I am certain they were 
not being malicious, just ill-informed. The solution is not to yell or to 
march in protest, but to educate. We need to explain to them in a friendly 
tone how these things affect us and how they just wear us down over time and 
how we’d really like it to stop.
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(2) LEAVING A BAD TASTE

Sometimes I just feel like throwing my hands up in the air, like I just don’t 
care, and saying, “That’s it, I’ve had it, it’s no use.” True, there are a 
handful of dedicated, vigilant activists across the country who are making 
inroads in our never-ending battle against defamation. Then I hear about 
things such as the following. Quizno’s, the quasi-Italian-esque subway 
sandwich chain has a new radio commercial that features a spelling contest 
between a college professor and a crude, vulgar Italian-American character 
named Carducci, who couldn’t even spell his own name. (And this is meant to 
sell sandwiches how?) Carducci then becomes frustrated and starts shouting 
out a string of obscenities (bleeped out). From what I’ve heard, Quiznos has 
so far refused to return calls from Italian-American activists or address the 
commercial at all. If you would like to express your opinion to the people at 
Quizno’s, drop them an e-mail, at www.quiznos.com/contactus.asp.
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(3) TOW ZONE?

A reader from Florida, Dr. Salvatore Nuzzarello, sent us a photo of a sign in 
a church parking lot near his home. The sign read “MAFIA CHAPLAIN PARKING 
ONLY — FINE 2 BROKEN LEGS.” The “2” was in a fish, one of the symbols of 
Christianity, which conveys the message of peace. Dr. Nuzzarello contacted 
the pastor of the church, and found out that the pastor, an Italian American 
himself, was the one who had the sign put up, and apparently, this man of God 
thinks this sign is funny. Funny how? According to Dr. Nuzzarello, the word 
“Mafia” in the sign is supposed to stand for an organization called the 
Mother’s and Father’s Italian Association, but he adds that there is no such 
organization, it’s just a stupid reason to use the word “Mafia” in a 
supposedly “funny” way. 

The sign, while insignificant to those who don’t see this stuff all around 
and while apparently funny to those who are amused by it, offends me on so 
many levels. It offends me as a Catholic because it implies that the power of 
God is secondary to the “power” of some criminal organization, even if, in 
this case, “MAFIA” stands for some non-existent organization. There is an 
implied message that is none too subtle, especially when you throw in the 
“fine” of “(two) broken legs.” It offends me as an Italian American because 
it only reinforces the widely held belief that all of us are in some way 
“connected,” and we can’t get anything or achieve anything without the 
assistance of the mob. It offends me as someone with good taste, because, 
well, it just looks stupid and makes the person behind it (much like those 
people who once thought they’d look cool by slapping a “Mafia Staff Car” 
bumper sticker on their autos) look stupid. 

Dr. Nuzzarello sent a letter to Bishop John Nevins of Venice, Fla. voicing 
his dismay, and asking for a response, but there’s no word yet of hearing 
back from the bishop on this matter.
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(4) RADIO WATCH

The next item doesn’t involve Italian Americans directly, but it does bear 
watching by all of us. I have in the past written about Mike North, a radio 
host at WSCR-AM in Chicago, a sports talk station. Basically he likes to 
perpetuate the whole wiseguy myth, as in a simulcast this past winter with a 
radio station in Philadelphia, in which he made comments such as “I don’t 
wanna mess with you,” when he heard the Italian surname of one of the 
Philadelphia radio hosts.

Well, this time North has dared to pick on someone other than Italian 
Americans. In late March, North commented on a new television news anchor in 
town, former network newsman Antonio Mora. North said, on the air, that Mora 
didn’t “look Spanish enough” and suggested that he “wear a sombrero” on the 
air to identify himself. It didn’t take long at all for the Latino Council on 
the Media to threaten a phone and letter-writing campaign against the 
station. “You can’t allow people to go on the air and say things like that,” 
said Mary Gonzalez Koenig, president of the Latino Council on the Media. “We 
can’t just let it go,” she said in a Chicago Sun-Times story. According to 
the story, “Koenig said North’s comments were racist and unfairly portrayed 
Hispanics in a negative light.” Hmm … sound familiar?

“They keep telling us to mainstream, but they keep putting labels on us and 
branding us,” Koenig said in the Sun-Times story. “They wouldn’t do that to 
a non-Latino.” Well, they would; they do it to Italians all the time.

A spokeswoman for WBBM-TV in Chicago, the station Mora works at, said of 
North, “We wouldn’t even validate his statement with a comment.” “North 
defended his remarks as typical of his on-air style,” the Sun-Times story 
said, “and suggested that people ‘lighten up’ and not take his comments so 
seriously.” Does any of this sound familiar? North also compared himself to 
Don Rickles. I don’t think so.

Anyway, while this doesn’t directly involve us, we may want to pay some 
attention to how the Hispanic community handles this matter. It could be 
interesting.

http://www.franoi.com/
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Distributed with permission.
(Copyright 2002, Fra Noi News Service, a division of Fra Noi Inc.)