| Author | Message | ||
     Phenixrising Citizen Username: Phenixrising Post Number: 1597 Registered: 9-2004  |
"The actor that plays Artie Bucco was busted, in real life. ARTIE'S' GOOSE IS 'COKED' SOPRANOS' CHEF IN DRUG & DWI BUST By ERIKA MARTINEZ, RICH CALDER and LEELA de KRETSER May 2, 2006 -- EXCLUSIVE He plays a chef on "The Sopranos," but John Ventimiglia cooked himself a recipe for disaster when he was busted for drunken driving and cocaine possession yesterday about a block away from his Brooklyn home. The actor, who stars as New Jersey restaurant owner Artie Bucco on the hit HBO series, admitted to cops he drank four glasses of wine at a Manhattan eatery before getting behind the wheel of his 2004 Volkswagen Jetta and driving home. Cops spotted him with his headlights off and weaving in and out of the oncoming traffic lane on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope at around 1 a.m., authorities said. When officers pulled him over, Ventimiglia was unsteady on his feet, his eyes were bloodshot and he reeked of alcohol, according to the criminal complaint. Prosecutors said the star had a blood-alcohol content of .12. The legal limit is .08. The boozed-up actor also had a zip-lock bag with cocaine residue in his back pocket, cops said. Ventimiglia, 42, was arraigned at Brooklyn Criminal Court yesterday on charges of DWI, reckless driving, operating outside the lane, operating without headlights and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was released on his own recognizance. Also… TONY'S 'MUSCLE' ARRESTED IN QUEENS BREAK-IN By LEONARD GREENE, TATIANA DELIGIANNAKIS and BRIAN HAMACHER May 2, 2006 -- The actor who plays Tony Soprano's new bodyguard ended up in jail over the weekend, charged with flexing his giant muscles a little too aggressively off-screen. Louis Gross - who appears as Perry Annunziata, a k a Muscles Marinara, on the mob drama - was busted Sunday for allegedly bashing in the front door of a home in St. Albans, Queens, and walking off with $2,700 in property. As he left Queens Criminal Court last night, Gross, 23, called the home's owner, Trinny Hill, 38, "my landlord - my ex-landlord," though cops countered that Hill is really his ex-girlfriend. Hill originally told cops that the items removed from the two-family home were her own - then recanted, law enforcement sources said. "I don't know nothing. I'm innocent. I'm always innocent," he said last night. "They were personal items - they belonged to me," he added. "I had the right to take them." If convicted of misdemeanor criminal mischief, Gross faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. The arrest was not the first for the actor. He was busted on Feb. 3 for allegedly stealing a shirt from Michael K, a trendy SoHo men's shop, and then beating the store manager and a security guard when they confronted him, law enforcement sources said. Lots of action on and off camera for these Sopranos. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 7511 Registered: 5-2001  |
Someone's a little full of himself, huh? Does Gross not realize that he's not really a mobster? Sounds like Robert Iler a couple years ago. I haven't read anything about him being in trouble lately. | ||
| Lydia Supporter Username: Lydial Post Number: 1796 Registered: 5-2001 |
Greenetree, I thought Vito's "recovery" from being a self-hating gay man was a bit pat. He was about to kill/maim cute-mustache-guy with a pipe! A few days later he's worked out his issues all by his lonesome - holds the guy's hand in public and gives his best "been lyin' so long..." HS drama speech. The tip-off that the guys in the bar were gay "Did you hear him give his Yma Sumac scream?" I was just waiting for them to start calling each other Mary. Vito's comfortable with openly gay men, he was outed in a leather bar in chaps, it's not like he's been fighting it too hard. Now all the sudden a kiss makes him violent? This week's episode was all over the place - too many predictable turns, and too many implusable coincidences. When AJ has his panic attack - the next person through the door in the nightclub is...a coke dealer? A drunk? No, it's a doctor! | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 23029 Registered: 6-2001  |
I have to say that Alleygater's theory of AJ whacking Tony did occur to me but I dismissed the idea as silly. AJ can't even smuggle a knife into a mental hospital; how is he going to find the cojones to shoot his father? I don't think he could beat his father to death - Tony has him by close to 100 lbs. at least; then again, AJ has youth with all its rage and anger on his side in a fight. I'm enjoying the hell out of this season and can't wait to see what surprises are in store. I think the writing is excellent and is slowly drawing in all of the loose threads while building up to an explosive and unexpected conclusion. And Alleygater's would be pretty explosive, wouldn't it? It doesn't have to mean AJ becomes boss. It would more probably be that the "family business" disintegrates into "family chaos." Could be fun! | ||
| Jersey Boy Citizen Username: Jersey_boy Post Number: 690 Registered: 1-2006  |
I've started walking like Vito and I have to say, I've gotten a lot of interesting looks from the ladies. Maybe that's his secret. I've also gotten a lot of looks from men with this walk. Are they gay, bi-, curious? I don't know. I'm just sayin'. J.B. | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 877 Registered: 6-2002 |
I'm no expert, but the Vito scenes didn't feel fakey to me. Maybe he's more defensive with the hunky fireman because it's the fireman coming on, not Vito, and he doesn't feel in control. Maybe he's defensive bec. he could really go for this guy. He could fall in love with this guy's whole life. Then, too, Vito must know that fireman-biker types can also be beat-up-gay-people types. As for the fireman, I think he likes Vito because he's street. I'm starting to like Vito, same as I start to like Tony. The show will probably give me a push-back about that soon, the way the show does. Have Vito beat someone to death or something. You know that scene in this week's episode where Dr. Melfi is discussing her cases with her supervising shrink/ex-husband, Peter Bogdonavich? She senses his undue interest in one particular patient, Tony Soprano, and calls him on it. She picks up his hunger for tabloid stuff. I think the viewer is meant to feel that push-back too. | ||
| Lizziecat Citizen Username: Lizziecat Post Number: 1194 Registered: 5-2003 |
Eliot isn't Melfi's ex-husband. He's her shrink. He's the shrink's shrink. Her ex husband is a handsome Italian-American whose name I have forgotten. I think they're on the verge of getting back together. | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 878 Registered: 6-2002 |
Got it. But somehow Eliot got roughed up by someone connected to Tony, didn't he? Or was that the ex-husband? | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 879 Registered: 6-2002 |
What if there were a Seinfeld style tie-up of loose ends on The Sopranos. Maybe the Russian mob guy last seen running through the Pine Barrens could ring Paulie's doorbell and annouce he's Paulie's half brother. Then Paulie would chase him out to the street and fire some shots at him that hit a passing car by mistake. The car could plow into a fat blond pedestrian who would be Big Pussy in disguise. Big Pussy would recognize Paulie and start limping after him and firing shots, but instead of hitting Paulie, the shots would ricochet up to a helicopter transporting Lauren Bacall from Newark airport and nick but not seriously injure her little rat dog. The helicopter could make an emergency landing on . . . I should be a writer for this show and make a million dollars. I've got a million ideas just as great as the above ones. | ||
| Buzzsaw Citizen Username: Buzzsaw Post Number: 4642 Registered: 5-2001  |
Did anyone see the coming attractions for this sunday's episode. It looks good. Any predicitions? | ||
| Brett Weir Citizen Username: Brett_weir Post Number: 1507 Registered: 4-2004  |
Breal- Melfi was dating a man in the first season when Tony had Vic the Cop (John Heard) check up on her. Vic took it to the next level and pulled them over, then beat the date senseless. He was scared off and Melfi never made the connection. Joe Ganniscoli (Vito Spatafore) was on WFAN this week and confirmed that episode #11 will be a landmark one for his character. This past week was episode #8, so that would keep Vito around for at least 3 more episodes. I can't even guess where this is all going, but the previews seem to show Paulie and Bacala having it out. However, weekly previews have been filled with red herrings... | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 880 Registered: 6-2002 |
Thanks, Brett. That's what I was thinking of. The preview for the forthcoming episode did look good. Paulie and Bacala looked like two sea lions about to charge each other. It will probably be a better looking mix up than Vito v. fireman or Christafuh v. Lauren Bacall. | ||
| The Soulful Mr T Citizen Username: Howardt Post Number: 1864 Registered: 11-2004  |
"Muscles Marinara"  | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 7557 Registered: 5-2001 |
It's May Sweeps. They'll all be great episodes. | ||
| Buzzsaw Citizen Username: Buzzsaw Post Number: 4668 Registered: 5-2001 |
I thought it was pretty good. It was all over the place though.  ^ this guy makes the same two expressions all the time. This is one of them. I heard he wanted ONE MILLION an episode. | ||
| The Soulful Mr T Citizen Username: Howardt Post Number: 1873 Registered: 11-2004 |
Bobby Bacala | ||
| breal Citizen Username: Breal Post Number: 883 Registered: 6-2002 |
These expensive episodes--this one, and the wedding one--tend to fall flat for me. Maybe I'm just not that visual. But I think it's that I like dialogue. I like actors' faces when actors are talking to each other. Nothing wrong with Ferris wheels. Nothing wrong with Julianna spinning around in a Ferris wheel. Nothing wrong with Christufuh stoned in front of a Ferris wheel. Well I did get tired of Christufuh flopped all around that fair being stoned. It was like a stylist arranged him in the foreground of whatever fair shot they were really interested in. Has the camera man taken over the show? | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 7595 Registered: 5-2001 |
This episode got me going: when will someone slap Janice (I know, never)? What's going to happen with Christafuh? When will Paulie finally get what's coming? Then.... nothing. How many more episodes this season? Are we really going to have to wait until 2012 to find out what happens to these folks? How many story lines will they manage to tie up before the finale? | ||
| Phenixrising Citizen Username: Phenixrising Post Number: 1618 Registered: 9-2004 |
3 more episodes! I thought Christafuh strung out and cuddling to that stray dog was hilarious. I think he may go out on an overdose. Paulie may get whacked by Janice! | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3685 Registered: 12-2004  |
Christafuh back on the "substances" was painful, at least for me. Cuddling the dog was funny though. That whole "I luv ya man" scene between drunken Tony and drunken Christafuh were more than I needed. It was nice to see the flashback to the whole Adrianna "situation" and see that Christafuh was really upset about it. Nice to know he's not completely cold hearted. | ||
| Brett Weir Citizen Username: Brett_weir Post Number: 1527 Registered: 4-2004 |
It's amazing how much Christafuh reminded me of Mickey Rourke in "Rumble Fish" when he was high. But I am getting tired of HBO jumbling the highlights of upcoming episodes to make it look more tantalizing than it really is. This week looked like a big showdown until the scenes were viewed in their entirety. Also, the blushing young Mrs. Moltisanti came out of nowhere; I though he had married the hooker from his Hollywood trip. | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3686 Registered: 12-2004 |
Yeah, I kept asking my husband "have we seen her before?" Came out of nowhere and pregnant no less. Kind of a little too "convenient." | ||
| eliz Supporter Username: Eliz Post Number: 1450 Registered: 5-2001 |
I totally agree with Brett about the 'scenes from next week' they make you expect something and then the episode is nothing like that. Last night had lots of good stuff but there was no finish. I do miss Adriana. | ||
| doulamomma Citizen Username: Doulamomma Post Number: 1390 Registered: 3-2002 |
I felt there was a real gluttony/deadly sins theme there last night: greed (not spending $ to have the saint's gold hat/cheaping out on safety of rides), drugs, and the slurping of all the wine & food - all those fried feast foods...seemed like the eating/drinking was made louder...it was like a Giada De Laurentiis show on Food Network Janice must have been so happy to be back in a neck stabilizer thing - that's so her! I thought it was cool to see the exchange re. Adriana too. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 4033 Registered: 5-2001  |
I was trying to tell if the "flashback" was actually filmed 2 years ago & left on the cutting room floor, or whether it was new footage. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 7602 Registered: 5-2001 |
Me, too. I think it was two years ago. Christafuh looked younger. Although, it could be make-up. Hell. I don't know. I think that with the amount of energy put into emphasizing the relationship between Tony and Chris, there may be an angst-ridden show down coming, where Tony has to make some tough choices. | ||
| MeAndTheBoys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3687 Registered: 12-2004 |
Well, I think if Christafuh really falls off the wagon and starts using again, it could get ugly. I thought it was funny how, when the chips were down, Pauli went back to Mama--after all his byotching and whining! I wish somebody would just "whack" him already. He is SO damn annoying!!! | ||
| The Soulful Mr T Citizen Username: Howardt Post Number: 1882 Registered: 11-2004 |
One man's meat is another man's floor, I guess... I LOVE Paulie Walnuts! He's so funny and the subtleties of his character are so very well acted, IMHO. (Plus, y'gotta love his hair.) I also like Sil Dante alot. He says some wonderful things. I often think about Tessio and Clemenza and these two guys. And I imagine Chase does, too. "I always thought it would be Clemenza..." "It's the smart move. Tessio was always smarter." | ||
| Jersey Boy Citizen Username: Jersey_boy Post Number: 739 Registered: 1-2006 |
Maybe we should try to get the guys who direct and edit the previews to write and direct the actual show. J.B. | ||
| Dego Diva Citizen Username: Fmingione Post Number: 731 Registered: 12-2003 |
Uggh! This week's episode was painful to watch! I found it so slow and boring, with very little actually happening. I really don't see how things are going to get tied up in three episodes. I did, however, have a MAJOR laugh when Paulie was worried that his headache was because the cancer "mighta MASS-TASS-TA-SIZED"!! CLASSIC!! | ||
| Lydia Supporter Username: Lydial Post Number: 1824 Registered: 5-2001 |
I think Doulamomma nailed what this episode was about - gluttony, greed and deadly sins coming to a head - adding to that theme, reminding us that Poor Adriana was the innocent who was sacrificed was a nice touch. I liked the scene between Carmella and Adriana's mother, Carmella is so good when she gets on her high horse and lectures and digs in when she's wrong - the drinking comment was surprisingly oily for her. I LOVE Janice! The neck brace and her "sad face" - she's so happy when she suffers! "When I close my eyes I can still hear the screams" Priceless! | ||
| Phenixrising Citizen Username: Phenixrising Post Number: 1623 Registered: 9-2004 |
Here’s a tibit off topic… speaking of Adrianna’s Mother, the actress who plays her is Patty McCormack. Remember the movie “The Bad Seed?”  | ||
| Brett Weir Citizen Username: Brett_weir Post Number: 1532 Registered: 4-2004 |
Wow Phenixrising- great spot! | ||
| Parkbench87 Citizen Username: Parkbench87 Post Number: 4159 Registered: 7-2001  |
Isn't that Pippi Longstocking? | ||
| Lydia Supporter Username: Lydial Post Number: 1825 Registered: 5-2001 |
Phenix - Too cool! The best creepy-kid movie of all! "What will you give me for a basketful of Hugs?" | ||
| ess Citizen Username: Ess Post Number: 1917 Registered: 11-2001  |
I have to say, that sudden appearance of Christopher's girlfriend (followed by the obvious, by the look on her face, announcement of her pregnancy) was really implausible. How much time is thought to elapse between each episode? It seems like time is moving forward in New Jersey, but standing still in New Hampshire. Another implausibility is that the supposedly pregnant girlfriend drank wine. That was a glaring error to me. I agree with those who are saying the episode was not one of the better ones. I expected more Bacala, and was disappointed. However, when Paulie went back to Mama -- well, that was touching, at least. The previews were far superior to the show. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 2308 Registered: 7-2003 |
“pregnant girlfriend drank wine. That was a glaring error to me” She is dating a mobster that shoots heroin. The glass of wine was nothing. | ||
| ess Citizen Username: Ess Post Number: 1926 Registered: 11-2001 |
Brett, when you put it into that perspective....well, I see your point!! And now that she is married to said mobster who shoots heroin, who knows what could happen. | ||
| Alleygater Citizen Username: Alleygater Post Number: 1914 Registered: 10-2004 |
I didn't like this episode because the pacing was SOOOOOOOO slow. The heroin scenes and the scenes where Tony and Christafuh are chatting were BEYOND tedious to watch. They made me uncomfortable to watch, and NOT IN A GOOD WAY. Just slow and meant to be touching but failing miserably. Yes, we know that Tony is his enabler, and we see that Chris is spiralling back into addiction, now show us something else already. That whole Vipers thing was stupid, and the retelling was a serious waste of episode time, and the second retelling was CRIMINAL. Someone arrest the writers. We have so few episodes left. Please don't waste it on that sort of useless tripe. The best part of the episode IMO was the last shot. When Paulie sits down next to his ma and doesn't say a word. It was powerful acting. It was about to holler that he didn't tell her that he was dying. But then realized, wow that's great writing. There is no reason to think that he is dying. In fact, that scene rings true regardless of what his doctors told him. Good stuff. Now if only the rest of the episode was that good. | ||
| Virtual It Girl Citizen Username: Shh Post Number: 4399 Registered: 5-2001 |
I thought the Christopher story line was painful but seeing him with the dog and staring at the ferris wheel was hysterical. I enjoyed it. |
