Scorsese was being ironic. And at the same time, showing the hypocrisy that most people are capable of (especially in the xenophobic world of the New York mob back then). I'm certain it was deliberate. Scorsese can subtly teach you something without preaching about it. That's a gift that can't be taught.

Scorsese was being ironic. And at the same time, showing the hypocrisy that most people are capable of (especially in the xenophobic world of the New York mob back then). I'm certain it was deliberate. Scorsese can subtly teach you something without preaching about it. That's a gift that can't be taught.

Pizza,
Not only did I like Paulie's character, I thought he was the most imposing opponent Rocky had in the whole series.Forget Drago , drunk angry Paulie with the baseball bat in the first film would have F'ed Rocky up.

Best line "I don't sweat you"

Chazz has said that the movie is based on his life. He said that he dated an African American girl when he as a teenager and that he was befriended by a local monster. Whether that's true or not I have no idea. Does anybody have any idea who this mobster is though?

Burt Young. Tough guy in real life. He was close to Vinny DiNapoli. They had the restaurant together on Gun Hill. Il Boschetto. He came to Vinny's funeral when a lot of Hollywood phonies would have stayed away. He's still tight with Stevie, too.

Excellent character actor. I give him lots of credit for sticking it out with the acting career. He easily could have said fuck it and hit the street during the lean years. Good guy.

Where in the Bronx was IL Boschetto PB?

Towards the east end of Gun Hill Road, by I95. Not too far from Co-Op City.

Yes,just googled it,thanks PB.Was it any good.The rewievs say it was the best italian food in the Bronx?

years ago I would go to Gino's Cafe on Allerton Avenue and Chazz was always there.

I used to like Gino's. Too bad they closed

It was very good, but I wouldn't call it the best.

Typed on google top 10 italian rest in NYC,and they only mention rest downtown,no outher borough spots or older than 5 years.Could that be or is it some kind of yuppi shit goin on?

Il Boschetto has been gone for longer than that, Alex. It was a Jamaican place for awhile. That neighborhood is mostly Haitian and Jamaican now anyway. I'm not even sure what's there now.

I think its an italian and latino place in one.

I think its an italian and latino place in one.Thanks pb

Paulie: Italian food cooked up by a bunch of Mexicans ain't so special Rocko.

Have you read any of my posts?

The part about the Black girl was not in the original play. The Sonny character is a composite, if that. He's not based on a real person. I lived in that neighborhood during that era. Chazz perfectly captured the SPIRIT of the neighborhood. But most of it never happened.

And please don't link me to articles about Chazz and the Black girl. What's he gonna say after DeNiro made him famous? I saw the play on the East Side in 1989. There wasn't a peep about a Black girl. DeNiro added that, and it worked. When Chazz revived the play a few years ago he had to put the Black girl in it. What choice did he have?

It doesn't diminish what Chazz has accomplished at all. But no one was shot over a parking space, a neighborhood boss wasn't shot in a local bar, and a car full of teenaged Italian bigots didn't burn to death on Webster Avenue. Trust me on that.