The Sopranos

For some reason, I like watching this show. Man, I've been hangin' around my mom and stepdad way too long, they both watch this. They had this exact same picture down in their basement, but they stopped watching the show because they said they "outgrew" it, and now, it's hanging in my room, weird.

The Sopranos

-1999-2007
-American TV drama that premiered in 1999
-Revolves around the New Jersey-based fictional Italian American mobster Tony Soprano(James Gandolfini) and the problems he faces as he tries to balance the life of the Mafia and homelife.
-The show also features his Mafia associates in roles and storylines, most noted his wife Carmela(Edie Falco), cousin and protege Christopher Moltisanti(Michael Imperioli). Tony talks about these problems to a shrink named Dr. Jennifer Melfi(Lorraine Bracco)
-Premiered on Jan. 10, 1999

-This show is considered a staple of 2000s American pop culture, and has spawned a video game, been the topic of parodies, controversy and merchandise.

-Many of the actors on the show were virtual unknowns but have gone on to successful careers because of this show, such as Michael Imperioli, who has appeared on Law and Order as Det. Nick Falco and most recently, as Det. Len Fenerman in The Lovely Bones.
-This show is partly inspired by the DeCavalcante Family, who rose to prominence in the New Jersey area where Chase grew up. Apparenty Chase was inspired by gangster flicks like The Untouchables, and was inspired by the Mafia and organized crime from a very early age.

Casting
-Many of the actors on the show are Italian American just like their characters. Many of them had appeared together in films and TV before joining the cast. The show shares a total of 27 actors with the 1990 Martin Scorsese movie Goodfellas, including main cast Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico. 8 of the Sopranos actors have also appeared in the 1999 comedy Mickey Blue Eyes.

-Michael Imperioli, according to TV producer David Chase, who is also Italian American because his family name is DeCesare, said that Imperioli beat out other actors who auditioned. James Gandolfini auditioned after someone seen the performance he gave in True Romance. Lorraine Bracco was asked to play Carmela Soprano after being seen playing Karen Hill in Goodfellas. So she got the role of highly educated psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi, she said it would be a challenge for her. Tony Sirico, who does actually have a criminal background, signed on to play Paulie Walnuts, as long as his character was not a "rat". Springsteen guitarist "Little Steven" Van Zandt(known as part of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band) got to audition for the role of mob consigliere Silvio Dante. He was asked to audition after being seen performing at the 1997 Rocka and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. Van Zandt had never acted before, and his real life spouse Maureen was cast as Silvio's wife, Gabriella.

-Several well known actors also appeared in a few episodes, like Charles S. Dutton, Ken Leung, Lauren Bacall, Tim Kang, Burt Young, Annette Bening.

Music
-The show is known for it's use of previously recorded songs. Steven Van Zandt also helped out with music too, considering he's a musician.
-The show's opening theme, "Woke Up This Morning" was written by, remixed and performed by British band Alabama 3. And throughout episodes, songs may be played multiple times, such as "Living on a Thin Line" by The Kinks, is season 3, episode "University", "Glad Tidings" by Van Morrison in season 5 finale "All Due Respect".

Sets, Locations
-The majority of the filming takes place in New Jersey. The other places, like the Soprano residence, alot of interior shots, the back room of the strip club The Bada Bing! and Dr. Melfi's office- are all filmed at Silvercup Studios in New York City
-The Italian deli, a frequent hangout of the mobsters, was in the pilot, known as Centanni's Meat Market, was an actual butcher shop in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The studio leased a building with a store front in Kearny, New Jersey and this served as the deli store, Satriale's. The building was demolished after the series ended.
-The Bada Bing!, a fictional strip club owned and operated by Silvo Dante, is an actual strip club on Route 17, in Lodi, New Jersey. Exteriors and interiors, except for the back room, were shot on location. The club is really called Satin Dolls. The owner of the real club, Mark Kamine, said that they could film on location as long as shooting did not "conflict with his business time."
-The Italian restaurant Vesuvio's, was filmed at a restaurant called Manolo's in Elizabeth.
-In the title sequence, Tony Soprano is seen leaving the Lincoln Tunnel and entering the New Jersey Turnpike. The show features numerous New Jersey landmarks

Characters
James Gandolfini- Tony Soprano

Lorraine Bracco- Carmela Soprano

Michael Imperioli- Christopher Moltisanti

[Insert little hearts, lmao]

Dominic Chianese- Corrado Soprano Jr. aka Uncle Junior

Vincent Pastore- Sal "Big Pusy" Bonpensiero

Steven Van Zant- Silvio Dante

Tony Sirico- Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri

Robert Iler- Anthony Soprano Jr.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler- Meadow Soprano

Drea de Matteo- Adriana La Cerva

Aida Turturro- Janice Soprano

Steven R. Schirripa- Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri
Nancy Marchand- Livia Soprano
Federico Castelluccio- Furio Giunta

HOTTIE! HOTTIE! HOTTIE!! What a hot hunk of Italian man!!!

Joseph R. Gannascoli- Vito Spatafore

Episodes

Controversy
-The show has been attacked numerous times for showing negative stereotypes about Italian Americans being associated with the Mafia

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Why the Hell Is This Still Happening?

Racism. People are still racist, no matter what people say. It still exists, people out there hatin' cuz of someone's skin color, religion, race, ethnicity, etc. Here's my opinion: I HATE F--- RACISM!!

All Martin Luther King Jr. was trying to do was believe in a world united, a world where everyone lived happily together, coexisted peacefully. But then someone had to go and kill, him, WTF? WTF?

Now, I can name some famous faces that are black, Asian, Latino, Italian, etc. Just to prove that it does not matter with race, skin color, etc. That no matter who you are, you can accomplish anything.

Yao Ming. Now retired Chinese-born basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He's probably one of the taller guys on that team at 7'6''. See? Asians can be athletes. They don't all run laundromats(stereotype of Asians)

Dorothy Dandridge. the first black actress to win an Academy Award. Go her. See? Not all black people are going to be pimps or drug dealers.(Stereotype of blacks)

Esai Morales. Latin American actor. Not all Latinos are going to be lazy gardeners or lanscapers(stereotype of Latinos)

Raoul Bova. Italian born actor. Not all Italians are going to be associated with organized crime(stereotype of Italians). I know one thing good about Italians: Italy sure has a way of making some really hot, sexy guys!!!!!

Kate Winslet. Very well known British actress. One of my favorite actresses too. Not all Brits are going to be stuck up, rude, or have bad teeth, God only knows how that teeth stereotype ever got started? God only knows how half of these stupid British stereotypes got started?

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Abuse

Abuse

-This is the improper usage or treatment for a bad reason to gain benefit usually unfairly.
-This can come in many forms such as: physical, verbal, sexual assault, injury, rape, unjust practices, wrongful practice or custom, crime, verbal aggression.

Here are some of the many types.
Abuse of authority
-Comes in the form of political corruption for the illegitimate private gain
-Police brutality is one example

Abuse of corpse
-AKA necrophilia, which is a sexual attraction to dead bodies

Abuse of animals
-Inflicting harm to non person animals

Anti social behavior
-Public behavior that lacks judgement
-I.e. vandalism, graffiti

Bullying
-Repeated acts of violence, such as verbal bullying(starting rumors), physical(punching, hitting), emotional(playing with someone's emotions)

Child abuse
-Comes in many forms, verbal, sexual, physical, emotional, psychological, neglect

Child on child sexual abuse
-When prepubescent child is sexually abused by one or more children or teen youths. This is different than "playing doctor"

Child sexual abuse
-Form of abuse concerning an adult or older person abusing a child for sexual stimulation.
-Includes asking a child to engage in sex, indecent exposure of genitals to a child, showing pornography to a child, actual sexual intercourse with a child, viewing the child's genitals with out physical contact, using a child to make child pornography

Clandestine abuse
-Sexual, psychological or physical abuse that is kept secret and is committed by one family member to another.

Clerical abuse
-Members of the church committing sex acts

Discrimination
-Hating against basically.
-Comes in many forms. Such as by age/clothing/appearance, ethnicity, race, sexuality, religion, gender, language, lifestyle

Gay bashing
-Perceived verbal or physical threats and abuse against someone who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender(LGBT)

Hate crimes
-Crimes committed against someone because of religion, skin color, race, ethnicity, social group, sexual orientation, class, social status, age, gender, etc
-Ex: painting swastikas on synagogues, writing the N word on the house or property of a black person

Hazing
-English term for various ritual activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group
-Seen mostly in college by frat houses or sororities, also seen in the military, gangs, clubs, sports teams, work places

Prison abuse
-Mistreatment of prisoners under arrest or incarceration
-Includes:

1. Physical: needlees beating, hitting
2. Psychological: taunting, sleep deprivation
3. Sexual: forced rape, genital mutilation
4. Torture: any act that causes severe pain

Racism

-Attitudes towards others because of race, gender, skin color, religious beliefs, social status, etc

-Ex: Hitler's treatment of the Jews

Rape

-Forcing someone to have sex without their consent

-One rare form of it is male rape in prisons

Sexual abuse

-AKA molestation, forcing someone, usually a person who might be a virgin, to have sex. Sexual abuse is when the constant raping goes on repeatedly. If the victim is under age of consent, it's called child sexual abuse.

-There are many examples:

1. Non consensual: forced physical behavior
2. Unwanted touching: fondling, exposure of genitals, voyeurism(spying on) exhibitionism, up to sexual assault
3. Exposing a child to porno
4. Saying sexually explicit things, child molestation
5. Incest: family members raping other family members

Characteristics/Styles

-Some characteristics and styles of abuse include

1. Overt abuse
2. covert(controlling) abuse
3. Unpredictability
4. Disproportional reactions
5. Dehumanization
6. Abuse of info
7. Control by proxy

Telltale signs

1. Isolation
2. Irrational jealousy
3. Subtle presence of physical violence
4. Criticizing
5. Blaming
6. Withholding

Effects

-This kind of stuff can have all kinds of effects, usually more negative than positive

1. Chronic depression
2. Anxiety
3. Posttraumatic stress disorder
4. Dissociation
5. Anger

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Body Issues: Is the Media to Blame?

Eating Disorders

-Refers to a group of conditions that are defined by eating habits that involve either insufficient or excessive food.
-The most common ones are Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa, binge eating. They primarily affect women, approximately 5-10 million in the US. They also affect males, only about 1 million in the US.
-The cause of eating disorders is not really known, but there is medical evidence of it being linked to other stuff. One case study showed that girls with ADHD were at a higher risk for eating disorders than girls without ADHD. Another one shows that girls in foster care are more likely to develop an eating disorder, such as bulimia nervosa.
-And it's also thought that peer pressure and the media are to blame for the high number of eating disorders because the media places high importance on being skinny, being beautiful, being tall, tan and gorgeous. This can send all the wrong signals.
-The consequences of these can be fatal, with death being the likely end to it, or from comorbid(more than 1 disorder present) conditions, such as suicidal thinking.

Clasification
Anorexia Nervosa(AN):
-Characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, an obsessive fear of gaining weight, and a VERY unrealistic perception of body weight. Anorexia can cause menstrual cycles to stop, and leads to bone loss, loss of skin integrity. It puts great stress on the heart, increasing the risk of heart attacks, and other heart problems. The risk of death is severely increased in people with this disease.


Now tell me: Is this beautiful? Because I think it's hideous!

 Bulimia Nervosa(BN):
-Characterized by recurrent binge eating following by behaviors like self induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives/diuretics, excessive exercise.


This kind of stuff can wear down your teeth's enamel, causing cavities

 Binge Eating Disorder(BED):
-Aka compulsive overeating(COE).


This can cause all kinds of health problems, and increased stress on the heart

 Purging Disorder:
-Characterized by repeated vomiting to maintain weight

Rumination
-Characterized by involving the repeatedly painless vomiting of food following a meal which is either chewed or discarded

Diabulimia
-Characterized by intentional control of insulin levels by diabetics in an effort to control weight.

Eating disorders not otherwise specified(EDNOS)
-Refers to a number of disorders. In females, it can refer to a woman who suffers from anorexia but still has her period, someone who may be at a healthy weight, but who ahs anorexic thoughts and behaviors.

Pica
-Characterized by compulsive craving for eating, chewing or licking non-food items containing no nutrition. These can include things like chalk, paper, plaster, paint chips, baking soda, starch, glue, rust, ice, coffee grounds, cigarette ashes. The people suffering from this can't distinguish between food and non food items.

Night Eating Syndrome
-Characterized by morning anorexia, evening polyphagia(abnormally increased appetite for food)

Orthorexia nervosa
-Characterized by a person with an obsession with a pure diet to the point where it interferes with everyday activities.

Causes

Biological
Genetic: numerous cases have stated that there is a possible genetic reasoning for eating disorders
Biochemical: eating behavior is a complex process controlled by the hypothalmus-pituary gland in the brain.
-Serotonin: a chemical in the brain that has an inhibitory effect on eating, also involved in depression
-Norepinephrine: hormone and chemical, if it is in high amounts, it can affect eating behavior
-Dopamine: regulates the rewarding feeling of food

Models
See, this is the reason that so many girls have eating disorders. They look up to these models hoping to be as beautiful as them one day, but if they see these women obsessing with skinniness, these girls are going to be under the impression that in order to be liked, you gotta be skinny. BAD IDEA!

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