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2 Responses to “Ba-Da-Bling Commericals Pulled in New York”

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1. Great post Giulia, and I appreciate the link to my blog.

   Two things struck me as particularly “funny” about this whole bada-thing. First, the lottery people said they didn’t get many complaints. If that’s true, why did they yank the spot? Commercials cost a lot of money to make. They don’t just get trashed because one person dashed off an angry email.

   But what really got me was the lottery’s position that they didn’t mean to insult anyone. Well, of course they didn’t. Even the most cynical person (e.g. me) doesn’t think they sat around a conference room table and said, “Now, what can we come up with that will really piss off the guineas and the blacks.” But the fact that they didn’t REALIZE people would be offended is the real issue here. This kind of ignorance/prejudice is rampant in the industry. I have told agents point-blank that I don’t want to go out for mobster/mafioso roles, and they truly cannot understand why I have a problem with them. I was even told by one agent that because of my “look,” I was severely limiting my marketability by refusing goombah parts. If that’s true, so be it. The Bada-Blingy commercials of the world will just have to soldier on without me. I have a feeling they won’t be hurt too much.

   Anthony DeVito February 5, 2008 | 12:55 am EST

2. “It don’t mean a thing, if it aint Ba-da Bling!” Yes that’s the tune that’s been constantly playing on the TV and radio to promote the new “Ba-da Bling” New York lotto scratch-off ticket, accompanied by a radio voice over by Vincent “Big Pussy” Pastore of “The Sopranos.” Pastore doesn’t appear in the TV spot where gaggles of Sopano-be look-a-likes dance and strut their stuff while showing off their jewelry, but the TV commercial also features Black rappers hip-hopping around and doing the same stuff too. It’s pretty nutty but honestly, even though these characters are goofy and campy, and yes the Italian-American actors have that “Soprano” look, that doesn’t mean they are posing as mobsters. I am sick to death of people in these Italian activist groups automatically jumping to the judgement that a Soprano look-a-like is gangster impersonator.

   Are all Black men, “gangster wannabes,” and are all Italian-Americans “mafia wannabes?” Or, is there a subculture (primarily New York/New Jersey based) who actually do dress and sport the jewels, clothes and other accessories of the “gangster rap” GENRE and “Soprano” STYLE? Notice that I capsized GENRE and STYLE to emphasize that these certain superficial (yet harmless) looks are just that—looks—which actually started within these northeastern subcultures and are showcased and modeled on TV, movies and in music videos. It’s really not the other way around where individuals from these cities and suburbs are emulating entertainers (although some of the younger ones might be), the fact is, the majority of these stereotypes have been established years and years ago amongst the real people who chose to express themselves in these manners. Many folk still do today, in 2008.

   Is this bad and wrong and harming the scholars and holier-than-thou activists of these nationalities who protest the “boorishness” and “low-class” look? How can anyone say that someone’s look is harming another if the two happen to be from the same ancestral roots but happen to dress and act a little differently? When I was published in George DeStefano’s book “An Offer We Can’t Refuse,” (pages 342, 343, 382, 385) which examined these very real subcultures, I spoke of how they compare to America’s overall fascination with the media’s portrayal of mafia characters since the beginning of time. In that book I used those pages to distinguish between the differences in the portrayals and the realities—but not in the differences between the entertainment industry’s mafia portrayals and the real life mafia—what I got into is the basic stereotypes of the looks and styles of these Hollywood created characters and real people like myself.

   I used the term “goomba” to describe the ethnic Italian-American East Coast guy who—being one myself I can speak first hand—is a guy who practices the old stylings and ways of dress which are a throwback to the old time days that first got emulated by characters like “The Fonz” and “Vinnie Barbarino” and later in all of Tony Danza’s “Tony” characters from his various sitcoms. Granted these were not rocket scientist portrayals so I could understand how an Italian-American doctor may feel like they are inferior portrayals, however let me repeat I still think that although it may be hard, that doctor should still look at his own roots and still respect those who may not be on his IQ level. While he may not necessarily have to befriend the goomba, he should at least not put them down as many of these activists today choose to do. Because again, let me reiterate, while these may not be the most flattering portrayals of fellow Italian-Americans, they are still based on many real and true individuals. To me, the flaws and imperfections make them all the more likable.

   For every rocket scientist who strives to cure diseases, there is still that Brooklyn plumber who is content with his life and just strives to perpetuate his neighborhood pizzeria to help keep a fellow paisan in business. And while the scientist may be able to afford the best in sparkling jewelry but doesn’t wear any so as not to dare be associated with “the guy from the neighborhood,” that hard-working neighborhood goomba will sport the best bling that he can afford with pride.

   Somewhere along the line, these goomba characters morphed into gangsters and gangster wannabes on TV and in the movies, but as I stated in DeStefano’s book, it is the goomba side of the man who wears the gold necklaces and matching jogging suits and uses hair gel and doesn’t hide his accent no matter where he is. The goomba loves and cares about his neighborhood and his family and, yes also his car and pinky ring other things that may seem silly to others. The line is only crossed when that man robs, cheats, kills or does anything else associated with organized crime. As Steven Schrripa spoke in detail in his three goomba (best-selling) guidebooks, not every goomba is a gangster and not every Italian-American is a goomba. Just as not every African-American is a gangster because the way he looks might resemble a gangster rapper. These are all styles that copy each other and even if the popularity of the media portrayals change or die down, there still will be that very real Brooklyn plumber who refuses to die. And if that guy can find similarities between himself and a “Soprano” character, I don’t see that as harmful. Let me repeat, when I say this I speak of the styles, speech patterns, and passion for homemade Italian food and other aspects of the goomba subculture and the Italian-American culture in general and NOT anything having to do with the way of making a living that is organized crime!

   Each generation and each neighborhood subculture will always alter a little bit and new things will get started while old things will get new again, and we as a whole should not be judgmental or critical if our opinions and ideas differ. The only time anyone should look down or try to correct a stereotype is if it is harming the culture as a whole in that it is reinforcing hate or crime. So to get back to the whole Ba-da Bling scratch-off ticket, I’d have to say that while those ads may be a little silly and do indeed show rap and goomba stereotypes, I did not find them to be offensive in that no guns or typical gangster paraphernalia was shown or implied. So to me, these jolly bling-wearing Blacks and Italian-Americans were just doing their thing and loving their bling.

   Many books, TV shows, movies and other venues have displayed the goomba subculture that I am apart of. It’s been documented in various books like Schrripa’s, various other publications, prints and the internet, but none are as accurate as what goes on in the real and true Little Italy neighborhoods that I frequent throughout New York and New Jersey. I love these areas and the simplicities of a group of guys rolling bocce balls at the park or puffing DiNobilis while sipping espresso at the corner social club. And when I see this sort of thing captured on screen, it makes me even happier and it gives me something to relate to—because as I’ve said before, it is these basic passions that are more appealing to me than seeing someone get “whacked” or a crime being committed.

   I can truly relate to many of the little “You know you are Italian-American if…” lists that frequent my e-mail box. Some from my nationality are indeed interested in more “cultured” practices but that’s just what makes us all unique—where one Italian may love art, opera and politics, another may be impressed by the art of an Iroc-Z and enjoy the endless discussions about whether they call what goes on the Sunday macaroni “sauce” or “gravy” over an old Dean Martin song. Yes my grandfather had a fig tree in the yard (and a tomato and basil garden), yes we made homemade vino every fall, yes my relatives had the plastic covering the sofas and the religious statues in the yard, and I grow a beard very quickly and love Sylvester Stallone and yearn to own a Cadillac.

   It’s very clever and funny if stereotypes are done right and the piece is written by and acted by those who may know them first-hand, as the authentic nature of the work comes through. There are many Italian-American wedding movies like “Moonstruck,” “Love Is All There Is” and “Tony & Tina’s Wedding,” not all spectacular but all had their funny moments, and all had at least a few Italian-Americans involved in the process. Like “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” was written by and starring many Greek-Americans, the film was based on many of the writer and actresses own background—and a refreshing thing about the Greek culture is that there is never a backdrop of a Greek-American mafia involved in any projects like that. It’s quite frankly annoying to me to have to constantly explain that I have no interest in being a Mafioso even if I like “Goodfellas” and may even look like one. But to me, I’ve always preferred the comedies and that’s why I got such a chuckle out of the “Ba-da Bling” commercials and many of the movies that examine these goomba characteristics as compared to those of other subcultures.

   One of my favorite comedies is “My Cousin Vinny” where the Brooklynese is prominent and the leather-jacketed attire clashes with the strict Southerners. There’s “Kiss Me Guido,” where all the goomba stereotypes of a Bronx-bred family are accentuated and compared to the Manhattan gay lifestyle and “Chooch,” about a Queens crop of paisans and their adventures in Mexico. “Homie Spumoni” is a very interesting examination on the cross cultures of African-Americans and Italian-Americans. It’s amazing how many little things hip-hop has taken from the goomba world. (Like, bling!) Then there is just the simple fish-in-water premise of “Saturday Night Fever,” highlighting the tales of a Brooklyn Italian comfortable in his element of just hanging out and dancing. You just have to know where to look to find these movies because it’s not just all about the mafia when it comes to showcasing an Italian-American themed story. Even if “Ba-da Bling” has that subtle reference to the “Bada Bing” strip club on “The Sopranos,” I still believe the ads just want to concentrate on the many Italian-Americans fascination and love of gold.

   Johnny DeCarlo February 12, 2008 | 3:35 pm EST

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