The NYC Parade involved a potential terrible INSULT, whereas I was fearful of PHYSICAL INJURY to some of our Denver Marchers.

Our friend Steve Antonuccio, from Denver has just come from their Denver Columbus Day Parade, and is eager to give us an update. 

Steve also has some choice comments about, The Soprano Columbus Day episode, that attempted to make a "mockery" of a Newark Columbus Day Parade, fashioned after the Denver Parade. 

In that same episode, the seemingly intentional weak "defense" of Columbus personally, was either Chase again thumbing his nose at the I-A Activists, or  Chase's utter DISTAIN for his Italian Heritage! 
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Report from Steve Antonuccio at anton1492@adelphia.net 

I would like to begin this essay by saying I just got back from a very successful Columbus Day parade in Denver, and although 7 demonstrators were arrested for trying to stop the parade, the parade took place without a hitch or any episodes of violence. 

>From time to time, I will watch an episode of The Sopranos in order to be fair in my criticism of the show.  I do agree with David Chase when he complains that people shouldn't judge his program without seeing it first.  I have probably seen five episodes, usually when I'm out of town and staying in a hotel with HBO.  

Two weeks ago I was out of town with my family to participate in my nephews wedding, and I saw the "Columbus Day" episode at our hotel. As someone who has been involved in the Denver Columbus Day parade for the past three years, I know the issues related to the conflict pretty intimately.  Whatever they were trying to say in the Sopranos "Columbus Day" episode they got the conflict completely wrong, if they were alluding to what has happened in Denver. In The Sopranos "Columbus Day" episodes the Italian Americans act like idiots and pick a fight with the protesting Native Americans.  Tony's gang shouts obscenities at the Native Americans and they get into a bloody fist fight.  They threaten the Native American community with violence and intimidation.  

In the real Denver "Columbus Day" parade I have never heard one obscenity from the mouths of the Italian Americans, nor have I seen any threats of violence from the I.A. community.  Despite being jeered and harassed during the parade by the Native American groups, I am pleased to report that Italian Americans have only responded with smiles and positive chants promoting our heritage and our first amendment rights.   There has not been one fist fight or physical conflict between an Italian American and Native American during the parade.  You would be very proud to be a part of this parade.  The Italian American community represents themselves with dignity and incredible self-control. 

In the "Columbus Day" episode the message is that all groups are too sensitive to their racial pride and that we shouldn't be so worried about our ethnic makeup.  It is obviously directed at those Italian Americans who object to the negative stereotypes that are part of The Sopranos. The episode was so preachy and self-serving that it was like listening to a lecture from David Chase.  Written by Michael Imperioli, I happen to agree with the USA Today critic who blasted this episode any episode written by Michael.  The same idiot who brought us "Summer of Sam" continues to slander the Italian American community, as long as he can make lots of money doing it. 

The Sopranos is a male soap opera.  It is the story of Joey and Mary Jo Buttifucco, if they were part of a mob family.  There is nothing original here.  Edie Falco is doing her Mary Jo impression, they even look like each other.  When the soap opera gets boring they throw in a little strip club sex or beat up a woman to satisfy the misogynist feelings of their primarily male viewers.  

There is no magic to this program.  The only interesting character, the Mother, died after the second season and took what artistic qualities the show might have had with her.  All that is left is stupid Italian American men beating their women, killing each other, pimping, using and selling drugs, and generally behaving as if they have no control on their appetites.  The Sopranos fulfills the Superman fantasy for weak and disenfranchised men who watch the show.  Anyone that has stood in line, or has to suffer from life's daily indignities, lives vicariously through Tony Sopranos because he can go to the golf club and beat up the doctor that has been keeping him waiting in his office.  That is the appeal of the show.  

There are no stories left to tell...unless they involve humiliating women and murder and rape.  What a pathetic excuse for storytelling and entertainment.  Its like a blue comedian who can't tell a funny joke without taking us into the toilet with them.  

A pathetic show that needs to prop itself up with a former Italian American mayor, who happens to owe his personal wealth to his agent Brad Grey, a man who coincidentally is the producer of The Sopranos.  Why does no one in the media bring up this obvious conflict of interest every time Rudy opens his mouth to praise the show? 

Perhaps the New York City Columbus Day parade is where we turn the corner on this type of garbage and defamation.  As my Father-in-law always says....Enough is too much...and the Sopranos has been too much since its first episode. 

Steve Antonuccio