My Niche

I’m enamored with all facets of the entertainment business. Could I possibly be a celebrity chef? Movie or TV star? Singer/dancer/songwriter? Radio personality? Stand-up comic? Great novelist? Producer or director? GQ fashion model? Broadway performer? Can I make it in Vegas? The circus? Maybe I can be a voiceover for a cartoon character (yep, I do voices too). Heck, I’m down for donning a furry suit again and playing a Muppet. I’ll do commercials. I’m diverse. I’d love to do a variety of things like my idol, Mr. Dean Martin. I’d make a great game show host or maybe even a Goomba Ryan Seacrest! Plenty of possibilities…Or should I say FUGHEDDABOUTIT to all of the above, and just get a job as a bank teller? I don’t think that could happen, I’m real bad with numbers. My acting resume isn’t sparkling, but Johnny Boy has had a lot of adventures. I caught “the bug,” as they say, when I first started dressing up as costumed characters for All-Star Entertainment in North Bergen, way back in the day. I haven’t co-starred with Joe Pesci like Ralph Macchio did for any “My Cousin Vinny” sequel just yet. Still a chance. People used to say I looked like Macchio a bit in my younger days, and then later I was constantly told I’d be a dead ringer for a “Sopranos” cast member. When that particular HBO program was popular, I was chosen to speak on the panel of “Sally Jessy Raphael” to talk about all the hype as an aspiring actor and Jersey Italian-American (the highest rated Sally ever, look it up). In 2002, among about ten-thousand others, I auditioned for Henry Bronchtein, one of the Soprano producers at Harrison High School’s open casting call. I was lucky enough to go to Satin Dolls and meet the whole cast and be part of a scene as a non-speaking extra in episode 48 of their fourth season. Cool, huh? But to date, my actual acting work has been mostly in independent films, and to be honest, my favorite times were when I was a guest DJ on my pal Tony Mangia’s Italian-American independent radio show. That’s where I was always just being myself, and able to talk about my passions. I recently wrote about the “I-TABANAR” (Identifiable-Through-A-Birthplace-A-Nationality-And-Religion) which is me, and how if and when I make it in show-biz, I want it to be on my terms and by just being who I am. I know, I talk a lot and write a lot, but am I being paid millions like the big-shots for it? Not yet. Fast forward to a couple of years ago…I appeared in a background scene of “Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares” on FOX when an episode was shot at my friend Joe’s restaurant, Campania in Fair Lawn. Around the same time, I also was in a scene at The White Manna in Hackensack after writing to The Food Network suggesting Guy Fieri visit there for “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” I’ll always remember Ramsay and Fieri as both being unbelievably cool guys—super down to earth, despite their rock star celebrity chef status. Those kinds of food shows are always gonna be big (look at the recent success of “Cake Boss” on TLC), and of course “American Idol” and all those sing/dance-offs will be around forever. Bottom line is, this reality style programming is hugely popular—no matter what the genre. Some of these shows are absolutely terrible and unwatchable, some I’ll take or leave, and then a few here and there are pretty interesting to me—especially when there is a New Jersey/Italian angle. What will the next big thing be? Will I be a part of it, but as a main player in the game this time? I’ve been on the cusp for a long time now, so close to stardom I can taste it. It’s something I’ve been searching for and trying to get for the past ten years now, and I’ve wanted to be a somebody since I could start talking. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of trial and error—but this stuff is all done with an eye on some payoff in the end. But when does one come to the conclusion to no longer pursue a dream, and to accept being a nine to five guy? I’ve given myself deadlines before, and now with a baby of my own on the way and birthday #29 almost here, it’s time to take my shot. The New Year has provided me a few brief cups of coffee of notoriety—but are my fifteen minutes of fame over, or just beginning? January and February brought this paisan quite a bit of newspaper and website exposure by my participation in the big “Guido Colloquium” in New York, and with my well-documented pursuits of my journey to create a real “Cugine” show to counter the other side of the “Jersey Shore” youth culture. In March, I co-hosted the “Buck Wild At Corrado’s” segment with reporter, Alicia Vitarelli on News 12. And St. Patty’s Weekend will bring the highly publicized gravy & meatball event at Chef Central with author, Lorraine Ranalli. Beyond that, there may be something else, even bigger on the spring horizon. Throughout all the guido madness, I found an ad online casting for another reality show seeking “under-30 engaged couples in New Jersey.” The ad said nothing having to do with New Jersey Italians or any real details. But, I’m always exploring opportunities, so I filled out the application. Shortly after, I got a phone call and was told that my application “greatly excited” the producers of the program, and I was immediately invited for an interview. I was intrigued, and already thinking about what shirt I was planning to wear. During that initial phone conversation, I also was told that the original format was already being altered from when I sent in my application. It was explained that this was now going to be specifically, a “New Jersey Italian-American” focused show. The new production team was going to be the same team that produced “Jersey Shore,” and they’d be probably airing it on the same cable network. The enthusiastic voice on the other line was familiar with who I was, and actually knew my whole back story. It was starting to make sense why this guy was so enamored with me. It came as no surprise that he worked side by side with the guy who interviewed me last May when I auditioned for “Jersey Shore.” I was getting flashbacks. This was basically the same story I heard back then when I was told that the original premise for “Shore” was being changed. (As I said on many occasions, that aforementioned show was supposed to be a REAL character-focused drama with human elements and dignity, and not the so-far-from reality, staged, overly-dramatic Jerry Springer-fied series it turned out to be.) Hmm…did this mean that I was setting myself up to be a part of some kind of “Shore” style clone, and be forced to act like some over the top caricature? I then thought to myself, even if that’s ultimately what they ask for, should I do it anyway? Would that make me a sell-out, or should I simply concede that this is truly the reality of making it in on TV, and the door I just have to open to finally grasp that stardom? No matter what, I had to at least meet with the casting directors. I found out some more details as our conversation progressed. The information I got was that this would NOT be the type of show where I’d be hanging out with a bunch of wild, single kids and be expected to act crazy and party in every episode. The reason for that was simple. While this show is definitely going to be an MTV style project and not a PBS one, it is going to be a “family show.” And here’s why: it’s going to be a show about young New Jersey Italian-American girls and guys planning to get married, and all their daily interactions with their friends and family during that critical youth-to-adulthood period. Gee, that sounded like a familiar idea that I’ve been talking about for a TV show! MTV president, Tony DiSanto never wrote back to the letter I sent him about my TV show pitch, and no one from the network responded to my youtube video or reached out to me. But now they wanted to meet me based on an application I sent in to talk about a show that the “Jersey Shore” producers were creating? Anyway…this all takes us back to Sunday, the 28th of February…

Me and my beautiful, (22 weeks pregnant) fiancée, who surprisingly didn’t need any real prompting from me to join in on the fun, headed across the GWB—and fittingly over the 495 Expressway—to Long Island’s spectacular New Hyde Park Inn, for our big meeting with the Hollywood heavyweights. That kind of support I felt when she agreed to be a part of this dream cannot be expressed in words. I can’t reveal any more right now, but I can say, Megin and I both had a great experience. We were a team once again, and we certainly made an impression. Nobody knows if the ideas discussed for this show will be changed again, or if we’ll be asked to become something we’re not, to still be a part of it. Then there’s of course, the editing process—what will the final product be—and will we have any control over it? Will UNICO approve or will they be out calling for a boycott? What they (and the audience in general), is led to believe is that cameras are simply rolling and that what we see is all just coincidentally the most extreme moments in perfect continuity. That’s not the case at all. Unless you are watching an independent documentary shot with one single camera rolling, let’s say, a show on the day in the life of a goldfish—where that’s just filmed in its raw glory—a reality show is truly a creation of meticulously produced programming with unknown stars. My future bride and I did make a pact that if this were to all pan out, that we wouldn’t do anything that either of us didn’t feel comfortable with. I’m not going to hook-up with any other chicks or get into a bar fight, and I’d hope she wouldn’t either. If that’s what this turns into, we’ll both pass on becoming the next Pauly D. and Snookie, even if that means settling for nothing more than minor internet celebrity status (if that even means anything). Do I have star quality and enough talent to take me off of facebook and onto the screen? Here’s the big question we asked ourselves: If we did it, we both knew we’d have to ham things up at times (as I said before, that’s just the nature of “reality” TV), but we both aren’t going to turn into total gavones. That’s the big “balance” thing that has that very thin line people that do this stuff are often encouraged to cross. The fact is, we are getting married and starting a family either way—and doing it in the true Italian-American Jersey style. If that process is televised and ends up being our “Star Search” vehicle to fame and fortune, great. If not, I’m still gonna feel like a rich man, just like I do now. I have my life partner. That’s something I take very seriously, and I’m very fortunate, considering I never thought I’d be tying the knot again or ever having children of my own after an unsuccessful previous marriage and subsequent divorce. Our wedding will be the ultimate event, and I’m very excited to plan it, and not just because it could potentially be on national television. Our song is going to be Survivor’s “The Search Is Over,” and I got my fingers tightly crossed that my search to find my niche in life is also over. I want to be a strong provider for my family, because we can no longer just “live on a prayer”—especially with a baby on board. I’ve been working non-stop since I was sixteen, doing every kind of occupation one can imagine. But I haven’t yet found that true niche—something I can call a career and feel secure with. The job market out there is tough, and that aint no joke. I’ve probably applied for hundreds of positions since last January, but I’ve had barely enough interviews to count on one hand. Most of the stuff online and in the paper are scams or low-paying, and it’s quite sad that the state of our economy is in such a mess. I really have been trying, but it’s also difficult to find something local and that pays more than what I get from unemployment—especially since I have no college diploma. Collecting wore out its fun long ago, but I can’t settle for something that would not be beneficial to me and my family—and my own personal sanity. It’s been over a year since I got laid off from Dale & Thomas Popcorn, and I really dread the idea of going back to corporate America. I’ve been trying to get a job as a cook—my big passion in life—and I’ve been doing my best with trying to get by on Bonnie & Clyde catering jobs—but there just haven’t been enough gigs. Someday, I will own my own restaurant. Mark my words. Of course, the family olive oil business is always there for me, but I just feel like I gotta make it on my own. My other big passion is story-telling, people say I got what it takes as a writer, and I truly want to make a living at it with a weekly column somewhere. Anywhere. You all know I had a weekly column for about four months at an online paper (which I will not plug here), but what most people don’t know is that 90% of those columns were altered by my former egocentric editor to suit his own needs, and I was often manipulated into writing about things that fit into his advertising agenda. I was also being controlled with who else I collaborated with in regards to other writing projects and even acting endeavors. It’s funny how I was published many times before that (and many times after) on various websites and newspapers, but never once were any of my words rewritten. I love sharing my Cugine Corner facebook stories with everyone, and maintaining control over what I do. And any auditions I ever went on that led to things, or didn’t lead to things, were done by my own dedication and hard-work—and never with an agent or manager. I’ve been writing so much in the past year, enough to definitely publish a book, but the thing is, one needs a certain level of notoriety to make money with it. I’m just not there yet. Maybe this TV show will catapult me to that publicity. I know once I achieve that, I will have a much better shot at getting my forum to express myself and get paid to do it. I’ll always be an actor and a writer at heart, even if I never make a full-time living out of it. And just like Sinatra said, I’m doing it my way, because I won’t compromise my morals or be used. But more importantly, I’ll always be a family man and that same regular goomba from the neighborhood. I’ll update this at the end of the summer—hopefully from the perspective of flourishing success. No matter what, I’m a survivor and I’m gonna make it. At something. That’s a guarantee.

Stereotypes

So I like to occasionally hit up Club Rise and pump my fist on the dancefloor. Does that make me a disgrace of a human being or a disgrace to Italian-Americans? Get to know me, I'm a good guy. And that's why I don't hate on the "Jersey Shore" kids, because they are Guidos and so am I, they just happen to be hedonistic Guidos (or at least that's how the show made them out to be). And I know that Guidoism doesn't only equal extreme hedonism or egoism. I don’t like fellow Italian-Americans telling me how to live my life as an Italian-American. To use an analogy, I’m a Roman-Catholic but I object to being told by a fellow Church member if I miss mass on Sunday that I’m going to hell. I do the best I can to live my life each and every day and to be a good person in a Christian manner—in the ways I was taught and in the ways I see fit. If I miss mass it doesn’t mean I am committing murder. I can also have different views from time to time on certain political issues while still remaining faithful to my registered party of choice—and that does not make me a fake member. People who try and dictate one’s behavior are doing so because they feel insecure about themselves. And to put down the Guido without understanding it, is wrong on the part of UNICO and all these “holier-than-thou” activists out there because we do exist, and we ARE a real subculture of Italian-Americans. Guidos evolve and move out of mama’s house, get careers and start their own families, but still never forget their roots. That’s why I use the word evolve and not reform, because I’ll always be the same proud Jersey Paisan and if I am lucky enough to have a full head of hair when I’m forty, I’ll still spike it up with gel. As a writer, actor and a proud Italian-American under the age of thirty—born and raised in New Jersey—I would like to speak about “Jersey Shore,” the entertainment business and the Guido stereotype. I auditioned for “Jersey Shore” by responding to a casting call asking for “Italian-Americans in their element” when it was being promoted as a totally different (more family-oriented docudrama) type of show by MTV’s sister network, VH-1. I am also a caterer, and my hope was to be the resident cook of the house, and add some genuine Italian-American practices into the mix. As I went along in the audition process, it became clear that the concept was being drastically reformatted as I was told by the producers that to make it I’d have to showcase more of me partying, as opposed to making meatballs and other elements of my Italian-American daily lifestyle—the latter being what I personally considered being a Guido to be all about, but apparently no longer the angle they wanted to focus on. Upon watching “Jersey Shore,” it became confirmed that the drinking, hooking-up and other crazy stuff is what was encouraged to be accentuated most—and what the show’s producers ultimately linked together as being the main characteristics of Guido life. As the season panned out, I watched closely to see whether or not redeemable qualities or an evolution occurred for them, but such moments were few and far between. I do agree with the cast member’s stance that their particular (admitted alcohol-induced) behavior during the summer months at the Seaside beach house shows just a small sampling of their lives, and only defines themselves and does not define ALL Italian-Americans. But they were portrayed in a way that made it look like that was their entire reason for being. Again, I’ll say though, I’m not here to point the finger or call for the show’s boycott, I just do my own thing each day. See, we’ll never really know whether it was MTV’s idea to make “Jersey Shore” in the way it was made or if they were given an ultimatum to either shake up and “Jerry Springer-ize” the format by 495 Productions (the creators) or risk losing the rights to air it. Either way, the direction of the show admittedly was completely changed according to Tony DiSanto (president of MTV) in his interview with The Hollywood Reporter. On January 21st, I explained all this as the co-speaker of the much publicized, “Jersey Shore/Guido Colloquium” at the Calandra Institute at Queens College in New York. I certainly stood out among all the scholars and professors at that event, but that was the point. Like Joe Pesci’s character in “My Cousin Vinny,” my focus was to show that one can have a certain “look” or a way of speaking while still being smart and having goals. A Guido can have a real job and have a steady girlfriend/wife, and lead a wholesome existence. Just because you wear a leather jacket and a gold necklace doesn’t mean you are a violent, drunk individual. The protestors need to learn how to separate a “style” from a lifestyle by getting to know a real Guido (and all of what they truly represent) and not automatically insulting them. One stereotype of using hair gel does not automatically equal another stereotype of being a womanizer or someone looking to pick a fight. A stereotype is a characterizing quality, shared practice and style—among a multitude of factors—used to describe a group of people. All such factors are clearly known within the group and serve as a way for one to easily identify themselves with other members, and distinguish themselves from another group. Beyond that, each member of whatever particular group to which you are referring has their own personal traits, feelings and behaviors—whether that’s displayed privately or outwardly within the group setting. The point I’m making is that, any individual who shares linking traits towards one social class of people also has other defining attributes, which may not always be at the forefront of that groups’ general activities. Based on this, they cannot be judged in a positive or negative manner solely by their membership in the group. Any logical person should know that that is the only way another human being should be properly perceived. None of us are robots or Xerox copies, we all have human elements, and that should always be understood before anyone points the finger. Negative backlash and hostile tension occurs only as a result of someone’s lack of understanding, or a misconception of the group as a whole. This is done by an individual outside of that particular stereotyped group (who in turn is ironically part of their own stereotyped group) who only focuses on one bad apple of the bunch, or focuses on one negative aspect of the group—and let’s face it—no group is flawless or perfect. When one passes judgment in this manner, they are labeling an entire group as “bad,” and turning all stereotypes into pejoratives. See on their own, a stereotype (unless blatantly harmful) cannot be automatically negative. Some are harmful; some are playful but most are pretty accurate and not detrimental in any way. But when any of them are taken out of context, or when one particular negative stereotype is continually perpetuated—it gives the entire group a bad name. It then only adds fuel to the judgmental individuals who spend their own lives disparaging an entire group that’s unlike their own because of a fixation on the one particular aspect. One must look at all of the stereotypical traits to achieve the proper balanced conclusions, while taking every individual’s personal characteristics into consideration and exploring that person’s other side as well. If you take in the scope of everything I’ve just explained, again I’ll say, stereotypes cannot automatically be bad things—unless a group has only bad characteristics and qualities—or the groups’ sole purpose is to cause harm. And in that case, you are no longer talking about the issue of a stereotype, you are simply dealing with a bad group of people, which you can ignore or attempt to reform. We still however, should be extra cautious in our classifications of what’s bad for society—the socially accepted “norm” is often a matter of opinion or personal taste—and this is displayed daily in conservative vs. liberal political battles. The moderate voice in the middle is not heard enough—because the battles (or, the drama) is what entertains the mass audience. Overall though, if a person trying to achieve fame and fortune can’t have a sense of humor and also be self-deprecating at times, the fact is, you aint gonna make it to the top. You just have to watch the fine line of crossing over into complete stupidity if you still want to be respected. Perhaps the Guidos and Guidettes on “Jersey Shore” need some reforming, as we’ve mostly seen shallow and extreme behavior from them on the show. Or, perhaps MTV had their own agenda on how they chose to showcase the Guido by using careful editing, combined with their powers of suggestion (with the dangling carrot of fame and fortune) and manipulated the participants and the final product of the program. I personally believe the latter. As New York Senator Savino explained at the Calandra Institute colloquium from the perspective of someone who grew up in the Guido world, the idea of being one was never a pejorative. MTV has reclaimed this 30+ year old word and it is now mostly thought of as a negative thing because of the nine “Jersey Shore” episodes who may or may not have featured real Guidos, but clearly featured individuals referring to themselves as such—and MTV has exploited every scene of their alcohol-fueled reckless behavior and redefined that as typical Guido behavior. The place where this word and group originated should have been the ones to reclaim it, and that’s what I am attempting to do by producing my own television project about this subculture. By the pretentious elite making it their primary effort to pretend such a group never existed or simply accept MTV’s definition of it is wrong. I applaud all the efforts of the higher-cultured Italian-Americans and all they do in presenting sophisticated and proper depictions of Italian-Americans. But calling for boycotts of depictions that are not up to their standards does not help their own cause—this is akin to an extreme conservative calling for a muzzle on members of the far left. While there are clearly going to be differences of opinions on what’s right and wrong, it is vital that each side be allowed to express their own beliefs, and if necessary, exchange civil conversations to learn about such differences—never angry debates or childish name-calling. The Guido was always the representation of the moderate voice, or the average Joe that did not identify with highbrow or trailer park. The Guido/Goomba/Cugine subculture originally emerged over thirty years ago to define the working class, East Coast Italian-American, who had a particular ethnic look as a child or grandchild of immigrants, but was proud of that fact. It was a complete 360 in the way earlier generations were encouraged to tone down some of their ethnic characteristics or even change their last names. That’s why the display of the Italian flags are so prominent in this bunch—as a way to really accentuate the fact. There are countless “You may be Italian If…” e-mail forwards on the internet, but they are really referring to this particular lot. Other unifying traits emerged as well, from a meticulous attention to detail with regards to one’s hair to certain styles of dress, whether that’s Fila jogging suits or “Tony Manero”-inspired shirts with gold jewelry, and a preference to drive muscle cars or Cadillacs. These are all tributes to Italy’s rich fashion history and dedication to one’s appearance. Although not exactly the same, the idea is that the Iroc-Z is the American Italian’s Lamborghini, and the shared pride is there. There was always “roots to the boot” within this subculture, and again those who can’t relate, automatically label the Guido’s personal perceptions of what’s “keeping the heritage alive” as being fake or wrong. Saying “pro-shoot” or “capeesh” is not a bastardization of prosciutto and capice (such implies it has no authentication), but this type of slang is its own dialect in itself. Italian-American culture is a hybrid of European-Italian culture, and the way one chooses to live their lives shouldn’t impact someone else or create inferiority complexes. Any effort to keep an homage to the past should be applauded, even if it’s not in a formal manner. Look, a lot of this stuff may seem superficial and silly, but at the heart of it all, a true Cugine’s life revolves around family and respect and keeping those heritage-linked ideals alive with pride. A Cugine is a proud American, but a proud American of Italian heritage. He’ll love baseball, but he’ll take an extra interest in Mike Piazza—because he’s a fellow Paisan. Movies like “Rocky” are so appealing because of that same level of relatability. Just like back in the day, you rooted for Joe D. The “Brooklyn Blow-out” Travolta styled in “Saturday Night Fever” has evolved into a blowout with a spiking of the hair using gel. Dancing like “Tony Manero” did to disco is now fist-pumping to techno music. See this is the only stuff that has changed, and it’s not changed into bad things. It’s when someone takes it to the extreme (think Pauly D. of “Jersey Shore” tattooing Cadillac onto his body or proclaiming it takes 25 minutes to style his hair.) I don’t take 25 minutes, and I achieve the same look. When these things are elevated to the extreme or when they become the most important things in life as opposed to just PARTS of the Guido life, or when having fun at a club turns into a drunken fist-fight, the person turns into a caricature of themselves and is never taken seriously. Somewhere along the line, little by little all these practices were taken to those levels and the Italian aspects became replaced by other ideals, and that’s never been more evident than with “Jersey Shore” and the idea that a daily routine of “Gym-Tanning-Laundry” is what it’s all about. Meeting friends for espresso at a soccer club, grabbing a slice of pizza, playing some bocce ball or going to San Gennaro or any kind of saint-inspired feast are just a few activities that highlight this lifestyle along with macaroni at Nonna’s on Sunday afternoons and huge holiday extravaganzas with food, wine, cigars, and just lots and lots of emotions and expression. As each one of the light-hearted but true listings on those “You May Be Italian If…” e-mails became replaced with non-Italian things, and even worse, descriptions like: penchant for violence, low IQ level, reckless promiscuity, daily drunkenness and other similar nonsense, everything got turned upside down. This all needs to be cleared up now for the next generation, and I’m the young Cugine with the old-school mentality who knows the real deal. The gap needs to be bridged between the extremists on both sides, and this can only be done with civil discussions like the event in New York that I was lucky enough to be a part of. But I will repeat, that was only a start. The next step is getting my story out there, and I’m trying to do that every day as an entertainer. My “North Jersey Cugines” show that I am trying to produce will appeal to everyone. I’m not highbrow, but I’m not a buffoon either.

Guido Colloquium

Participating in the “Guido Colloquium” was a very exciting event—indeed it was quite a situation. Speeches were given, followed by a Q&A discussion where I talked about the popular “Jersey Shore” show and what exactly this guido stuff is all about. From the day I was invited, I wondered, why me? What makes me so special? I guess if you put yourself out there enough, people start to notice, and I certainly got noticed from the moment I sat in my chair and grabbed that microphone. I was surrounded by scholars and professors at the Calandra Institute in New York, but even though I was pretty nervous, I actually never felt out of my element. I made a lot of contacts and I think strides were made in clearing up some misconceptions about a lot of subjects—but this was only a start. I am grateful for the opportunity and thank everyone who invited me and attended, as well as all of you out there who watched it live online. I tried to handle myself as best as I could and really get the message out there that although I’m not a professor myself, I’m not a buffoon either. I think I can convey a message without being over-the-top and turning myself into a caricature. I did interviews for newspapers, posed for photos, and just spoke from the heart and kept it real. And the plan here is to continue to put myself out there so that I can be a part of more events like this, and expand my audience through all media outlets possible. I may not be Harvard-educated, but I have no insecurities with who I am or how I plan to become a success in this world. And when I do make it big, I’ll never forget my roots. I love Italian-Americana. I think this is pretty clear in the stuff I write about and the way I conduct myself on a daily basis always trying to incorporate the green, white and red somehow into each day—in my own way. Friends and family know I wanna be an entertainer full-time and make my own mark. Call me a guido if you want, I don’t take offense because I know guidoism doesn’t equal extreme egoism or reckless hedonism. It’s unfortunate that a bunch of “activists” think this way and in turn feel the need to belittle all of us as if we all aren’t up to their level of “sophistication.” I tried to bridge that gap on my trip to New York. And I want to continue to showcase what I’m saying—on the screen. But here’s the thing…if a person trying to achieve fame and fortune can’t have a sense of humor and also be self-deprecating at times, the fact is, you aint gonna make it to the top. That means you can still be a good person even if you occasionally act a bit crazy—especially if you’re young—but it’s unfair to make that the final and only defining factor. Everyone knows by now that I auditioned for “Jersey Shore,” and was among the finalists to get on the show. I was hoping to add some depth to the house and spin the experience into bigger things. The kids who made it were the definition of over-the-top (they’ll even admit it), but they are all now spinning the experience into bigger and better things, and fame and fortune is calling them. Buona Fortuna to Vinny and the rest. My day will come, and in the meantime, my whole world is a stage and this cugine is gonna do it his way. As I said in my i-Italy Op-Ed piece and also at the colloquium, reality shows like “Shore” are meant to play up the most dramatic and crazy moments—and the “cast members” were encouraged to ham it up for the camera. (Keep in mind, most who go on reality shows are aspiring entertainers.) No one really knows if their lives at home are consumed with what we’ve seen from this small sampling of a few months in a beach house. Let’s be honest, what else other than carefree fun and silliness would occur there? The show profiled hedonistic experiences of guidos, not the entire lifestyle. And within each of those housemate’s worlds, they have their own lives and their own complexities just like every other person. I thought we may have perhaps seen some more of that on the show to balance things out. Maybe then there would have been less haters, or it could have at least given more insight on East Coast Italian-American youth ideals. There were a few episodes with genuine family moments but overall, it’s a fact that the shock TV stuff is what brings in the most ratings. As the season panned out, I watched closely to see whether or not redeemable qualities or an evolution occurred for them. We’ll have to see what projects Pauly D and the gang do from here, or we’ll just have to wait and see what season two brings on that front. They aren’t going away though. I’ve been trying to break into the biz for a long time, and I’ve had my cups of coffee here and there. In March of 2000, I made my TV debut on Sally Jessy Raphael as a stage guest to talk about the “Sopranos” craze and was lucky enough to meet the cast and do a scene as a non-speaking extra in season four a few years later. In October of 2005, I co-hosted the public access show, “The Independent Variety Showcaze” for an olive oil segment. Besides doing a few background scenes on “Kitchen Nightmares” and “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives,” I haven’t had much recent exposure. Every experience was a blast and I’ll never forget any of them, but now is my time to really shine and show the ways of the Jersey goomba. And the representation will show pride and respect. So here’s my pitch to all the head honchos at HBO, PBS, RAI, MTV (if you dare), and anyone else out there who wants to really dig deep into all the complicated aspects of this breed of individuals, flaws and all. I need my forum—a regular program, mini-series or even a docudrama to bring balance and to display how one can evolve as a guido. This will be classy, funny, educational and entertaining and highlight the origins of this popular species from the ‘70s, all the way to present day. I have so many ideas and so much to bring to the table. And it isn’t going to be all about hair gel. Sure, there would be things covered like hair styles, tanning, grooming habits, dancing, fitness (not with the use of steroids), and the speech patterns and other stereotypes, but if you read CUGINE CORNER faithfully, and were a fan of my other online column, there’s so much more I would love to share. Basically we’re talking about my writing coming alive, my life on film. I’m ready to team up with anyone out there who is on the same page as I am, and get this thing off the ground. If I have to, I’ll put it on public access or youtube with my own handheld camera. The bottom line is, this type of reality show needs to be made. See, I want to explore and detail the actual reasons as to why these certain characteristics and traits of a particular car choice are agreed upon by the majority of the young cugine. All from the perspective of a cugine from the neighborhood. Will such a concept get the ratings and be a success without mafia tie-ins or exaggerated drama? I’d say yes to that, because yours truly would bring humor and excitement to all kinds of things… Everything from music, wine, cigars, coffee, jewelry, cars, bocce, olive oil, religion, holiday traditions, comparisons on such practices and traditions and how they vary from places like Brooklyn to South Philly, profiles on real goomba entertainers past and present (Pat Cooper, Tony Danza, etc.), as well as politicians and athletes. And of course, FOOD. This stuff has really not been explored in detail by anyone my age—and I think this would get a huge crossover audience, besides just the target under-30 working class East Coast viewer. If Mike “The Situation” can have mass appeal, I think I can too, even though I don’t have quite the abs. More than anything else, I think this would be a unifying step in the right direction for all Americans of Italian descent, from the highest scholar to the average Joe—just as this colloquium was. John Travolta did an amazing job with his “Tony Manero” role in 1977, but it’s time to dig deeper into the life of the young cugine, and update things for 2010. There’s so much more than just “Jersey Shore.” And just as Nik Cohn’s New York Magazine story, “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night,” led to the creation of “Fever,” hopefully my writings can lead to a whole new exploration of this world.

A New Plant In The Garden State

Corzine is pretty proud of himself for his final "accomplishment" before leaving office in legalizing medical marijuana. This is a travesty, and here's why...

Every other commercial on TV now is some advertisement from a pharmaceutical company, urging you to “ask your doctor,” about whatever drug they are pushing at the moment. Your average American with any particular medical ailment is not the same as a convenience store customer debating whether they should purchase Pepsi or Coke. In other words, only medical professionals obviously have a high level of background on the subject, yet these TV ads treat a drug like a can of soda. Yes, we should all do our research, but we shouldn’t be the ones suggesting to our physicians what prescriptions they should write us based solely on the information in some skewed ad we see while watching “American Idol.” These ads confuse people—there’s a reason not all meds are over-the-counter, and no thirty second description can give one the knowledge that someone in the healthcare profession has spent years studying. What’s worse is that these billion dollar drug companies have arrangements with medical offices and hold great influence over doctors—changing the manner in which they conduct their profession. They alter the field into nothing more than a cold corporation—and not a practice of providing health care. New Jersey has passed the bill to allow legalization of medical marijuana, so we may soon see ads now directing you to ask your doctor about this new “medicine.” The language of this bill is very broad, and Senator Madden (D-Gloucester), rightly argues that this “could replicate the kinds of abuses seen in San Diego and Los Angeles, where some doctors are giving marijuana essentially for every ailment they could think of—from premenstrual syndrome, attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia.” People argue one should have the right to “die with dignity,” what about living with dignity? Will it be the drug companies, the doctors or the patients who determine the level of one’s justification for obtaining pot? What about the fakers that just want to get high, who no doubt will easily be able to get their scripts? What about the doctors who choose to not write these prescriptions? Are they going to be hit with some ridiculous “discrimination” lawsuits? What’s even worse here is that we aren’t talking about pills containing marijuana ingredients—one would be allowed to actually legally get plants from “compassion centers” to grow in their home back yards right next to those Jersey tomatoes. Are members of the N.J. Senate so naïve that they actually think this is a safe and wholesome idea for households? “Barbecue at the Smith family this weekend, can’t wait to see how the garden is coming along!” Puffing on weed is now going to be socially acceptable in New Jersey and not a crime? What’s next, the legalization of heroin? Cocaine? Don’t laugh, we may see this stuff on TV in a few years. Maybe “Intervention” can sponsor? This is not a joke by any means. I can guarantee this is going to not only be a disaster, but it’s going to lead to more disasters. There is no way to properly regulate a recreational drug’s use so that it is only obtained and used in extreme cases of terminal patients—but even then it still should not be a justifiable option if you ask me. The bottom line though is that the government is not here to regulate such things anyway, especially at the expense of state taxpayers. Is “Obama Care” going to add in some new measure where I’d have to be forced to actually contribute money to fund these “compassion centers,” or be fined? This whole thing is sickening to me, no pun intended. However, I’m not going to smoke pot to try and feel better about it.

Setting THE RECORD Straight

I am no longer writing my “Here’s Johnny” column for The Cliffview Pilot. It was a good run, and I enjoyed it very much. My former editor at The Cliffview, Jerry DeMarco, seemed like a good guy, but he’s very lost and confused right now. For awhile there, he was supportive of me and my goals, however, he showed his true colors as being a complete control freak. It got to the point where he felt that I was supposed to consult him if I decided to use the bathroom, and if I didn’t, I was considered a “backstabber.” What happened was, I had a telephone conversation with Bill Ervolino, columnist for The Record, and he took that as somehow me being disloyal to him since I didn’t ask his permission before Bill and I chatted. Jerry wrote all kinds of nasty things on his facebook page about me and wrote a horrific, lies-filled blog on his “Borough 6” site. (I wrote back to that blog in an attempt to defend myself from his mean-spirited remarks, however he did not have the guts to post my response there.) I still feel compelled to give my side of the story—it’s just really not cool to have your name dragged through the mud. Below is my response to his blog titled, “I knew it was you all along, Fredo”

Allow me to clear up a few things here...
Bill Ervolino and I have been talking for years, long before I ever hooked up with Mr. DeMarco. I didn’t realize two adults needed permission from a third party to speak to one another—especially about a topic that the third party has nothing to do with. I’ve been a longtime reader of The Record and Bill’s column, despite Jerry’s disapproval of me reading such a “lame, boring, directionless publication.” I guess I blame that on my ignorance. That being said, I understand Mr. DeMarco was “shit-canned” from The Record and there are obvious bad feelings there. Yes, I was a columnist at The Cliffview Pilot so there could have been a direct conflict of interest if I was going around outwardly promoting the fact that I liked The Record (or trying to write for them.) I know it’s Jerry’s goal in life to stick it to The Record by trying to be the first to publish breaking stories. That all being said, I could understand Jerry being a little upset if Bill and I were collaborating on some breaking story for The Record behind Jerry’s back. But the fact is, Bill and I were talking about “Jersey Shore” and Guido life (stuff I personally have a lot of insight and interest in) for a column Bill was writing. Big deal. Jerry even acknowledged (in his own “sour grapes” way) the fact that this was not an act of us sneakily trying to get some “you read it here first” article before him with the second line in his opening rant: “Leave it to The Record to be weeks behind the curve.” Here’s the thing though…I was not OWNED by Jerry DeMarco or The Cliffview Pilot. If I wanted to write a column for The Record, that’s my right and I didn’t need his permission or approval. Jerry is a control freak and expects his UNPAID columnists (who promote his site, help him find advertisers and work for him for free) to be his puppets. Because I knew how bitter Jerry was over his departure from The Record, I courteously—as a friend—told him that I had spoken to Bill Ervolino. I did not want Jerry to think I was trying to ditch The Cliffview for his archrivals (even though, as I said, that is my right even if I wanted to do that.) Yet I guess in Jerry’s mind, that’s what was going on. Funny how that was so far from reality. The kicker in all of this is that Bill’s column has not even been written or published yet. Jerry just somehow assumed that if my name appeared in Bill’s story that The Cliffview would not be mentioned. So instead of waiting to see, he completely flipped out and spewed insult after insult on facebook and now on this (Borough 6) site. I’m sure he ruined any chances of his site being mentioned now, and Lord knows he could have used the exposure. Jerry is lucky I haven’t filed a lawsuit for defamation of character. I did nothing wrong here and have been loyal to him from day one. I deserve a public apology. Jerry is so worried about being hurt that he wants to be the one to preemptively hurt others. And he seems to like to slander his own people. This is the second time he has lost a columnist. If he doesn’t start treating people with respect he will have no more columnists, and eventually no more site. Jealousy and insecurity are not good qualities and when you exhibit them time after time, you will find yourself completely alone, with no colleagues or friends. Maybe he can find what he is looking for at Starbucks.

http://borough6.wordpress.com/2009/12/18/i-knew-it-was-you-all-along-fredo/

"Slippery Slope" Defined

No matter how you cut it, adding the word gay in front of the word marriage is redefining the entire essence of what marriage has always been (a legal union between a man and a woman). Therefore, since “gay marriage” would differ so greatly from traditional marriage as we know it (as it only would apply to same-sex couples), broadening the definition would then be creating an offshoot (or, a “division” of marriage) reserved for this particular minority group. That not only minimalizes marriage’s original meaning, it opens the door to a whole host of other such expansions of this union. It’s irrelevant whether you believe in the cultural, religious or legal reasoning for only recognizing marriage in the sense that our society has always defined it as. Because the fact is, for all those reasons (and many others), that’s what the institution of marriage has always been. If there is a total approval and acceptance of gay marriage, could that one day lead to the same for “beastiality marriage” (marrying animals)? Could it someday expand into everyone being granted the right to a “polygamous marriage” (having multiple spouses)? Could it lead to an open acceptance of “intrafamilial marriages” (incest)? Of course, those may be extreme thoughts, but up until recent times, the idea of marriage between members of the same-sex was an equally unbelievable thought. By going by this conservative “slippery slope” theory, we are protecting ourselves from all of those other possible changes, which liberal groups will petition are simply just “progressive” advances in our society. For one to follow this theory it is not defining them as “anti-gay.” Whether one approves of a gay lifestyle or not is not the issue. I say, consenting adults can do what they want in the bedroom—but it should end there. People have sex with animals and their cousins too, however do we want those who practice that lifestyle to also be treated as no different than a man and woman having sex in wedlock? We all are entitled to our beliefs, but when a lifestyle or belief is in the extreme minority and a public spectacle is made for the purposes of having the government deem such as “equal” (when it is a completely altered transformation of a long-standing fundamental concept), that is unconstitutional. It’s just like the mentality of legalizing marijuana. When does that turn into the legalization of cocaine? Heroin? Why should we ever “play with fire”? Take euthanasia. If it is ok now in cases of terminally ill patients, soon enough it will be ok in patients who are not terminally ill but who are just in pain and no longer want to live. From there one would claim they have the “right to die” if they have any slight discomfort or if they have depression. Is that not suicide? Do we want to rename it something one day and make it into a socially acceptable thing? Are those that assist in the process going to be called “health advocates” and “pioneers” and not what they truly are—murderers? That is so not the principles of what the United States is all about.

As each generation invents multiple, broader definitions of centuries-old institutions, less and less values are upheld and more and more once unheard of possibilities become realities we all must be forced to accept—thus creating total anarchy. Where will any lines be drawn, and where will any standards of living be respected?

"Accomplishment" Defined

I began writing food and humor columns for THE CLIFFVIEW PILOT online newspaper in September. Since then I've had 20 articles published on the site. I'm not sure how long this adventure will last, but I've enjoyed every single minute of it. I'm very happy with this accomplishment!

12.6, YOU CAN FOOL SOME OF THE PEOPLE...
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/816-johnny-decarlo-you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-but-not-this-goombah

11.28, THE REAL GUIDO
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/783-johnny-decarlo-the-real-guido

11.25, THE DINING OUCH! GUIDE
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/772-johnny-decarlo-the-dining-ouch-guide

11.21, MAKE IT TOMATO SEASON YEAR ROUND
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/761-heres-johnny-make-it-tomato-season-all-year-round

11.19, EAT THIS...AND THIS...AND THIS
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/750-heres-johnny-eat-this-and-this-and-this

11.11, HOT STOVE LEAGUE: YO LORRAINE!!!!
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny../710-hot-stove-league-yo-lorraine

11.7, THE RISE OF JOHNNY DISCO
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/695-the-rise-of-johnny-disco

11.3, TOOLS OF IGNORANCE
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/680-heres-johnny-tools-of-ignorance

10.26, YOU CAN’T WATCH THE YANKEES WITHOUT THIS
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/652-heres-johnny-you-cant-watch-the-yankees-without-this

10.25, TRICK OR YIKES!
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/665-johnny-decarlo-wearing-something-scary-for-halloween-trick-or-treaters-who-come-to-door

10.17, NATURE BOY
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/614-heres-johnny-nature-boy

10.9, YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO COOK IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO SHOP
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny../585-heres-johnny-you-dont-know-how-to-cook-if-you-dont-know-how-to-shop

10.5, COMFORT FOOD LIKE NONNA USED TO MAKE
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny./561-heres-johnny-comfort-food-like-nonna-used-to-make

9.28, ARRIVEDERCI, MY LITTLE BICHON
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/539-heres-johnny-arrivederci-my-little-bichon

9.23, HELP! I’M IN BINGO HELL
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/511-heres-johnny-help-im-in-bingo-hell

9.20, THE MAGICAL MYSTERY OF THE FABULOUS FINOOK
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/496-heres-johnny-the-magical-mystery-of-finook

9.14, THE LAWN DOCTOR IS OUT
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/455-heres-johnny-the-lawn-doctor-is-out

9.11, AUTUMN AND APPLES
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny/445-heres-johnny-autumn-and-apples

9.8, PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE ZEPPOLE
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny../428-heres-johnny-praise-the-lord-and-pass-the-zeppole

9.1, DEBUT COLUMN: SALUD TO LABOR (OF LOVE) DAY
http://www.cliffviewpilot.com/good-life/heres-johnny?start=20

"Reality TV" Defined

I’ve been exchanging dialogue via e-mail with Richard Annotico of the H-Itam Italian-American organization about the new "Jersey Shore" show on MTV. Richard has been extremely critical of me and downright mean, resorting to calling me a “retard,” and “a waste of life” and various other things I’d rather not repeat here. I not once insulted him or shared that column with him to open up a debate, and even when he knocked me, I did not fire back with such immature words. And he’s twice my age. For him to be so derogatory and judgmental of me (without knowing me at all), I take it that he, along with many of his associates, are very insecure. And like I said in my column, they are the real prejudiced thinkers. I’m a dedicated family man, and I have very strong conservative values and respect. I have a job, and big future goals and plans. And although I am not college-educated, my intellectual and social IQ is clearly higher than his. I also know how to compose a cohesive thought into a sentence without resorting to childish name-calling. But I don’t need to defend myself to him or to anyone. As a writer and actor, I want to share some things about the entertainment industry. Either I was slightly misled, or the show I auditioned for back in May was not “Jersey Shore” after all. At the time of my audition, the title was not yet selected, yet there do seem to be quite a few similarities about the program and about the audition. But there were a few slight surprises which I discovered after watching last evening’s two-hour season premiere on MTV. I know how TV works and there are creative changes all the time, from the early conceptual planning stages of a project like this, all the way to the final cuts in the editing room that make it onto the air. Such things are strictly handled by the network bigwigs and higher-ups, and their decisions are solely based on what scenes generate the most viewers—and ultimately bring in the most money. In fact, when a show is promoted, the general response that the potential viewer shows with their reaction (gauged in today’s market by the instant feedback that the internet and social networking sites bring in), can hold a lot of weight in determining the actual evolution of such a show’s production and content. So that all being said, although some things surprised me about last night’s show (like “Snookie’s” strip-down in the hot tub), that doesn’t mean I wasn’t expecting them, because—as I said—that’s show biz for ya. And even if I personally would have preferred to not see a few things take place in the show, it’s still not my place to criticize MTV or to demand the show be taken off of the air. It’s a fact that reality TV shows have lots of staged moments and levels of exaggeration on topics that otherwise are no big deal. They are basically just like any other show—only difference is, the “actors” are not professionals. For those that may not know, Viacom owns MTV and VH-1, essentially that means they are sister networks. Back in the day, VH-1 was created to cater to a slightly older demographic, meaning the place for people to eventually turn to once they outgrew MTV. Now, they are pretty much the same channel, and air the same types of reality shows. When I auditioned, I met with the casting directors who told me that they were planning to make an upscale “Hills”-type show on VH-1 and NOT a “Real World”-type show. I personally don’t watch either, but I have seen both, so I know there are indeed differences. The first is more of a docudrama style reality show with a focus on the characters’ backstories, while the latter is basically just a show about people living in a house and partying in a particular city. Neither show is a PBS documentary, and I don’t really care for them personally. The only thing that attracted me to “Jersey Shore, ” was the Garden State element (being a proud lifelong New Jerseyan), and the fact that most of the characters would be of Italian-American heritage like myself. The producer I met with told me they wanted to make sure they accurately showed “real Jersey Italian-Americans in their element, with dignity.” His words. Now I know full well that anyone that goes on these types of shows are all seeking some semblance of fame, and if the viewers are there, everyone gets the publicity they want. I’m an entertainer, I yearn for the big stage and I wanted to be a part of this to possibly spin the experience into bigger and better things. Now I was told to be “over the top” in the audition, and to accentuate my personality and what being a guido meant to me. Maybe my definition wasn’t exactly what they were looking for. I wanted to bring some of that realness to the show from the perspective of being a lifelong Jersey boy who actually knows a lot about Italian culture—specifically food—and I was hoping to sort of be the resident cook of the gang. Perhaps that was not crazy enough, I don’t know. Look, I can club it up and fist-pump with the best of them, but that’s not the only thing going on in my life, and the way I saw it was if they wanted real and they wanted dignity, I was there to provide that. And as I said in my “Real Guido” column, I’m not a poser. I follow the cultural, culinary and religious traditions of my heritage with true pride, and nobody knows and loves New Jersey like me. I don’t know how this show will turn out as the season progresses. Maybe more of the character’s homelife will be discussed. Maybe we’ll find out more about their backgrounds, their careers, their families, and other things like that. Maybe we won’t see any of that, and it will just be a weekly party show of biceps, boobs and booze. I can’t review the entire season based just on last night. Yes, there were brief moments when we saw some genuine Italian family moments and basic values (Vinny for example when he was leaving home, or when “The Situation” cooked a traditional meal for the housemates.) Overall, most of the scenes were like a car crash—and I don’t mean that as a bad thing. You know how it is when you just can’t look away? I couldn’t seem to look away (especially with the eye candy the guidettes provided). I was sworn to secrecy by VH-1/MTV and told not to reveal any inside information about “Jersey Shore,” even once it aired. But I didn’t sign any confidentiality contract. They told me that if this show makes it to a second season, that I’d be part of the new cast and have my opportunity to show the REALNESS factor (or at least, the way I interpret that). I’m not sure now if I want to do it anymore, simply because I’m at a stage in my life now where partying every night at the Jersey Shore is not the way I spend my summers. Frankly, I’d rather be at an Italian feast eating zeppoles with my guidette. Based on last night’s show, it seems that the party scene is what MTV is mainly interested in showcasing. I could be wrong and future episodes may contain more true “Italian-Americana.” Too early to tell. But don’t call me shallow if I actually find myself watching the whole season of this show if overall we get more car crash moments than not. No matter what, I’m sticking to my original defense of MTV’s right to air whatever programs they want, and while this may be over the top, it uses the guido term as a characterizing nickname relating to these eight girls and guys—again, it’s not intended to be a racial slur. In fact, if they all referred to themselves as “Bennies” (a nickname for summer Jersey shore beachgoers), I doubt that any anti-defamation activists would be making a stink over it.) Because they are beachgoers who happen to be of Italian-American heritage and use that “G” word, the “haters” feel they have the right to knock them as human beings. Again, that just speaks of their own insecurities. No matter how this show pans out, it won’t insult me as a young person (and especially not as an Italian-American), because no eight kids residing from any state in our great country—regardless of their nationality define ME—or anyone else. And nobody has the right to dictate how they behave or how this show is “supposed to be,” that’s what makes America so great. It’s very extreme to say an entire generation/culture is being defined, defamed or categorized by this program. I can walk tall with confidence knowing I’m not hurting anyone, and it doesn’t look like these guidos are trying to be gangsters or Mafiosos. I have goals and dreams and lots going on, and I’m sure these kids do too. Let them have their fun while they are young. I will never be ashamed of my roots or my accent, or worried that if I wear my hair a certain way or go dance at a club that people will look down on me. The old expression is you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, and people who try to get away from their roots because they feel that it would hurt their professional appearance need to stop living in denial of who they are. We’ve come a long way, where back in the day an Italian immigrant felt the need to drop the vowel at the end of their last name to assimilate. Now, it’s cool to be ethnic. Yes, some people take that concept too far. But it’s like politics, where you have your propaganda-spreading extremists from both the left and the right who do not define all members of that particular party. Or with sports, you have your bandwagoners who know nothing about the Yankees, for example, and jump aboard when the World Series rolls around going to their corporate suites and wearing the interlocking NY hat. Yet a die-hard like me is always a dedicated fan. Do these “suits” annoy me? Sure. But it’s not my place to tell them what to do. Someday when I achieve a higher level of fame and fortune, I will produce my own TV show on this subculture, which will be from my perspective. I'm a dedicated researcher of all things Italian and Italian-American. It was my mother's first language as a kid, and I have actually been to Italy. We can't deny that there is a subculture here on the East Coast that needs to be explored and dissected, whatever you want to call it. My show will be classy, funny, educational and entertaining. It will show the evolution of this popular species from its origins with “Tony Manero” in the ‘70s, all the way to present day. It will dig deep into all the complicated aspects of this breed of individuals, flaws and all. And it will show that even the flawed aspects are redeemable qualities, unlike those of, say a mobster. But I’m sure somebody out there will find inaccuracies, or something that still would not have been exactly perfect in their eyes. To them I’ll say the same thing I’m saying now about “Jersey Shore,” which is: lighten up. Live your lives, and leave me, Vinny, and everyone else alone.

"Indecision" Defined

President Obama’s speech to the nation last evening was not particularly anything special. I’m sugarcoating it. The speech was weak. The President is sending more troops, which is what General McChrystal asked him to do. Ok, not the exact amount he was asked for, but I’ll give Obama credit for finally acknowledging that the war is far from over. It’s good he wants us all to be united and on the same page. But, he did not speak with much conviction, or really tell us any sort of gameplan other than that he was sending more troops. Furthermore, I’d say he made a huge error in proclaiming to our enemies a date for troop withdrawal (which, we all know is wishful thinking and was said as nothing more than to serve as a “nugget” to all the voters he had on his side that were told the war would be ending in a timely manner upon his election.) No coincidence his date for beginning the withdrawal is right before the 2012 election. Obama was very indecisive on a lot of fronts. Some say indecision is not a sign of weakness. I say, momentary indecision in general is just human nature, but if it’s treated as something that one needs to remedy—by finding the root cause of the indecision and then ultimately, (and in a timely manner), coming to a conclusion—it’s not necessarily a bad thing. However, if the indecision becomes a gripping tentacle over the person and that in turn morphs into a higher level of doubt, what’s occurring then is that you are succumbing to the “fear of fear” factor and not handling the matter at hand. Our President is in a tough spot, but it’s a spot he put himself in. Whether members of his campaign, the left-spinning media, or Obama himself hinted to America that the war would be ending once he was elected, is irrelevant here. That message was conveyed to the voters as part of his platform. But right there you have to blame the voters. Any American who voted thinking that the day Obama stepped into the White House that all the troops would be sent home was delusional. Even if Obama wanted that to occur, things just don’t work like that. Wars don’t simply end in that manner. Now Obama was really in a no-win situation last night, again, only at the fault of his own, but could have done one of two things. He could have strongly conveyed a message that he was sending more troops, delivered a gameplan (sans any talk of withdrawal), and only focused on how to succeed. That would have angered the liberals, but it would have been the right thing to do (no pun intended). Or, he could have said he was not sending any more troops and that he was going to begin to take action with regards to bringing the soldiers home in a realistic time frame. Why did he not do the latter? Because he knows that the latter is an impossible task with the way things are in the Middle East. Our soldiers are in a place that is as underdeveloped as Central Africa, and our presence is needed. To ensure long-term stability, a long-term non combat-type presence is also required, and the point of sending these troops at this time is to transition our armed forces towards them establishing their own. But he failed to even acknowledge that basic fact. By simply stating he was sending more troops and not showing the American people why they are going, or what we plan to accomplish, he is just sending them into the fire. Today, you have both the left and the right unsatisfied with his “play it to the middle” mentality.

There are plenty of voices to assist Obama if he is wishy-washy on strategy, and liberals in general are known as wishy-washy and overly indecisive. I can guarantee you John McCain would have given us a much stronger message last night. A more conservative commander figuratively and literally sticks to his guns (right, wrong or indifferent), but Obama will never show such character. Character shows heart. And confidence. We want our leaders who are supposed to be guiding us to have the most character possible—especially in matters of national security. For Obama to also bring up issues like the economy or any other topics, he was deflecting from the matter at hand. No other issue should have been discussed, as no other issue was pertinent or relevant to discussing a gameplan for success in the war. When you are Commander-in-Chief during a war, you MUST be as DECISIVE as you can be and handle things in a much timelier manner—that’s simply the standard a war President must be held to that distinguishes him from your or I. That all being said, I think Obama’s overly lengthy three month period of indecision not only morphed into higher doubts in his own confidence, but all the way to fear and panic. Those feelings should have been squashed and replaced with confidence, and in turn, our enemies should now be the ones worried. If I’m the enemy and I was watching that, I would not be shaking in my cave at all. God Bless the troops and I pray every day that no lives are lost. They are the heroes and no matter where one stands politically, they need our support.

"Socialism" Defined

So far, President Obama has done nothing to improve our economy. He’s actually accomplished nothing at all in his first year as our President. When he wasn’t out with Oprah trying to get the Olympics brought to his city of Chicago or holding “beer summits” at the White House, here are the three things he’s done since being elected: 1.) He’s reneged on his promise to “end the war,” and instead is conflicting with U.S. commanders on strategies and is making things even worse in the middle east. 2.) He’s pushing for a Cap and Trade program, which forces all American industries to regulate their carbon emissions to a government-determined “safe level,” or face huge financial fines. In essence, this is another way for government to interfere with private businesses in this country. 3.) He’s trying to create a blanket government-run healthcare program in America to assist those who cannot afford it themselves (which affirms my own theory of our first Black President catering to a certain demographic in this country, as opposed to the vast majority.) To me, that all constitutes a very problematic first year in office. I hope and pray each day that the conservatives in this country begin to win back the senate. It started with my home state of New Jersey. Now allow me to further detail the “Obama Care” plan that must be stopped. Chris Christie is now the elected governor of New Jersey. That’s great news. But just a few days later, the house vote passed on the President’s healthcare reform bill. Now it’s in the hands of the Senate to approve it. What is this plan all about? You think you may have some idea and think it’s this simple “free healthcare for all” plan that nobody should consider putting down. But you probably don’t know the horrific details of how terribly this would affect our country…

Like most radically liberal progressive shifts in our society, President Obama’s healthcare “solution” just seems to be talking us down the slippery slope of a socialist country. A complete government takeover of our health care system is just not the American way. With Obama Care, people would now have to shop for their medical coverage through a federally regulated marketplace, meaning there would no longer be the abundance of private healthcare companies to choose from. Eventually these private insurers will all be driven out of business, leaving only the government plan as our option. This will dictate various aspects of our medical care—ranging from which procedures are deemed as worthy, which patients are most in need of such procedures, as well as where and by whom such procedures are performed. Maybe if you have no coverage and have no other choice, you will take this. But to the average folks, why would you want to let anyone other than YOURSELF dictate how you treat your own illnesses? Instead of an individual having an opportunity to allocate their own income and insurance resources to seek a second opinion or other options in a time of a medical emergency, all such decisions will already be pre-determined. Don’t think this is some free lunch either, because someone has to pay for all this. And that’s you and me—as we will be subjected to a huge tax increase. This will also completely gut Medicare, seriously changing and disrupting senior citizen healthcare coverage. Furthermore, in an economy that’s already struggling, businesses will now be forced to provide coverage to their employees with a government selected provider—or get slapped with thousands of dollars in penalties if such mandates are defied. Entrepreneurship and free enterprise—the backbone of economic growth—would be highly compromised with such regulations. In a nutshell, this socialized medicine means that basically everyone will get the same low-quality healthcare. Hardly sounds like a solution to me...The poor will benefit obviously, going from no healthcare to this. But hard-working middle class Americans will no longer be able to have a say in their own medical care. Those who favor this are the same types of people who rely on welfare and food stamps, and bleed the system dry on our tax dollars. These types of things should be last resorts (and temporary resorts) to those who truly need it—yet once one is enabled with such—they no longer have any motivation or desire to become self-reliant. This really doesn’t impact successful independent Americans, because they still will be able to pay out of pocket and get the best medical care that they choose. But, moderate democrats support this plan because even though they may strive to be independently successful themselves, they have become disenchanted with their own set-backs in doing so—and instead of continuing to move forward to achieve their goals they side with those who support this plan. Why? Because it’s sadly presented as some kind of assistance for the middle class, when in reality it’s nothing more than another form of dictatorship and welfare for those individuals that are unfazed by their lack of contributions to society and blame everyone else for their predicaments. This will greatly hinder the very goal of independent success and prosperity—which is a core value of a conservative-thinking citizen who believes in The American Dream like I do. I strive to be self-reliant, in a position of wealth, and in a position to be able to pay for the best medical care I can afford. Yet in the meantime, with Obama Care, I may not even be able to have the opportunity to choose my own personal healthcare coverage, based on my own research and selection of the physician I feel best fits mine and my family’s needs. So I have to possibly sacrifice my own family’s healthcare options to look out for inner-city urban minorities? My father, who runs his own business has to be forced into making his employees sign up with a government-run health plan or risk going bankrupt by having to pay thousands in fines? My grandmother on Medicare will have to now possibly change her entire lifestyle? Republicans oppose Obama Care because they are looking out for my family, unlike this administration.

PS- As if too many abortions weren’t done haphazardly enough, the liberal extremists who are hoping that this bill goes all the way through are pushing for abortion to be covered by this plan. At least President Obama had the sense to regulate that in instances of incest, rape, or in cases that the mother’s life is in danger. However, his voice may not be enough to stop all abortions from being covered by insurance if such a bill becomes reality. Also, all vaccinations will become mandatory—religious, philosophical, medical reasons will be thrown out.

SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION at
http://www.no2obamacare.com/

"Expression" Defined

As far back as I could remember, I have always loved to write. In school, I was never an honor student in all my subjects but I always tried my best. My biggest struggle was math, which I barely passed, but I always got A’s in English. I credit my eighth grade grammar teacher, Mrs. Stoneham for first igniting my passion for English and writing. I took pride in knowing how to identify a noun, and an adjective and a prepositional phrase in a sentence—as silly as that may sound. I’ve always been a perfectionist with writing, and I read over a document several times to make sure the grammar and spelling are correct. Of course, everyone makes mistakes, but I try my hardest to not make any when I write. But to me, writing was always about expressing oneself—on your own terms—whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, you always have the opportunity to make something unique by being creative. I always started with the essays on tests, and then went back and did all the regular questions. My essays would be at least a page long, when my teacher only asked for three paragraphs. See, when you speak, especially about passionate topics, sometimes your emotions get the best of you and it is hard to properly convey a message, but with writing, you have the time to sit there and make sure it is properly explained. Writing can be very therapeutic, it allows you to also get things off of your chest that maybe you wouldn’t necessarily be comfortable talking about. Happy or depressed, it never mattered—whatever the topic—I could sit down at the computer and just let my fingers translate whatever was in my brain. This past Labor day, I began a weekly gig for the Cliffview Pilot online newspaper. I write a “Here’s Johnny” humor column about life as a New Jersey Italian-American, and also a monthly recipe column. So far, 8 columns have appeared. I don’t know how long this venture will last, but I am enjoying every minute of it. It feels good to have your writing published and to share things with readers. I was first published in high school as a sports writer for my high school paper, “The Pilot’s Log” and also contributed articles to my local town paper, “The Observer.” Five years ago, I was the 2003 winner of Mike Morse’s “Morsels” writing contest. I wrote an article called, “Goomba-Italiano 101,” all about slang Italian words I grew up around (and still use). It appeared in Steppin’ Out Magazine—the largest free circulated entertainment magazine in the tri-state area. In 2005, I won the contest again, this time for another Italian-American food article called “Calamari Table Talk,” and then through my online blogging I was contacted by author George DeStefano. He was writing a book all about the media’s depictions of Italians as Mafiosos, called “An Offer We Can’t Refuse” and asked me to contribute. The book was published in Jan. 2006, and I wrote several pages in chapters 8 and 9 explaining the “Goomba” subculture and the differences between proud Italian-Americans as compared to the negative gangster portrayals. That same year I once again won the Morsels writing contest and had my article “French Toasted”—about the Italians beating the French in the World Cup—appear in Steppin’ Out’s April issue. I wrote my own screenplay in 2007 entitled, “Nicky Smooth & The Boys,” with the title character loosely based on myself and all of his daily journeys as a proud New Jersey Italian-American. Someday, I hope it becomes a movie or TV series. And of course, I am constantly writing blogs and stories. I recently wrote a “Gravy or Sauce” food blog for the gravywars.com website. I’ve compiled a cookbook with recipes and stories which I hope to someday get published, and I always have new ideas popping into my head on things to write, from poems to songs to stories and blogs. I don’t know if this will ultimately be how I make a full-time living, but in the meantime I will never stop expressing myself.

"Motivation" Defined

A common question people want to know is why they lose their motivation so fast. Motivation is crucial to staying on track in any life journey. Other people, distractions, unspecific goals, reluctance to ask for help, and a lack of faith are five areas that may take us off track, but it is an absolute must that we press forward like a train. You must be able to cultivate a bit of selfishness in order to stay on track. There are thousands of attractive temptations that can take your mind off your goals. I love the "Rocky" story. Now I'm not talking about the movie itself, I'm talking about the story of how the movie came to be. When Sylvester Stallone wrote "Rocky," he had $100 in his back account. But to him, he wasn't concerned with money or fame or accolades. He was offered thousands of dollars for the script but refused it, because this was his passion, his baby—and if he didn't play the role of "Rocky," he refused to sell out. That takes guts and that takes focus. He stuck to his guns and kept his eye on the big picture, and he's still around 30 years later making $20 million a movie. See you can't just focus on the money in life—yes we all want to make a good living—but if you work hard everyday, keep that inner motivation, focus and personal passion, you will succeed and all of that other stuff will come. If you are not clear on what you want, when you want it, how you want it, and how you will get it, it's not a real goal, just a fantasy. Map out a game plan and follow it. If you want to lose 20 pounds, make a specific weekly goal and a specific daily goal. This applies to everything in life. The most successful people in every part of life are at the top because they can get other people interested in helping them. How do we get other people interested in us? To bring up Derek Jeter, the captain of the New York Yankees, or any captain for that matter, how can you get people to follow you? Well, you first have to follow and then you lead by example. You have to have a "no fear" attitude and always keep your eye on the prize and that desire to be the best. Confidence in yourself, in others, and in the situation are critical. And finally, shrink the size of problems and represent them in your mind as nothing bigger than a speck. Let things roll off of you. Don't let something small—or large dictate how you behave. Have control over your own destiny by having a level head at all times and staying positive. At the same time, follow the serenity prayer and have the strength to not stress and worry about the things in life that you cannot change. One of my favorite credos in life, and one that I always live by is: "If you don't laugh, you'll cry." When you break down any situation in your professional or personal life, it all comes down to that. Have the desire to be sure of your abilities and block out distractions. Stay motivated and you can't lose. That's the heart of a champion. When most of us think of great champions, our thoughts turn to sports figures that have excelled in their respective endeavors. These individuals typically own many trophies, awards, and rings which indicate their many accomplishments. Talent, discipline, and focus (all of which are notable virtues) to a large degree determined their success. I totally agree that the aforementioned merely produce winners but not necessarily champions. Champions are all winners but all winners are not champions. Champions are individuals who encompass many virtues beyond winning. In my day-to-day life, I often make analogies and parallels to sports, baseball in particular. You must always implement high ethics and moral character—traits that rub off onto others and turn the learners into teachers, and therefore the winners into champions. Champions are students of their beliefs and read constantly, improving their knowledge and their wisdom. They practice their craft because unlike those who stop working and therefore, stop learning—will not be able to be the best and will not be able to help make others THE BEST…the best person on the inside and the best person in every endeavor, task and challenge that you encounter in life—both personally and professionally. Winners are known by the awards they have received. Champions are known by what they have given to others and the people they have grown. Winners win and fade over time. Champions' contributions just continue and grow over a lifetime. We all know winners and we all know champions. We will remember a champion for a lifetime. Derek Jeter had all the talent in the world from the day he stepped onto a Major League Baseball diamond. He became the Rookie of the Year his first season. He had all the discipline and focus to become even better, turning into a multiple all-star, and of course, he's won 4 World Series rings. But he is much more than just a winner. He is a champion as well. He formed his "Turn 2 Foundation," which sole purpose is to motivate kids and teach them leadership development skills, and in 2003 he became the 11th team captain in Yankees history. Leading, teaching, and constantly working harder to make yourself and others around you better is what he does, and what I try to do everyday. That's a true champion. It comes back to the ego and confidence factor—those who are obsessed with making just themselves successful may indeed be successful and be winners, but those with the confidence and pride in themselves to help others also succeed define that true champion. Jeter encompasses these traits—because he knows that by doing the best he can do at all times, he transfers that mentality outwardly onto his teammates. That's why he is such a great captain. Who do you emulate? Who or what do you turn to for inspiration, motivation and guidance? How many champions have touched your life?

"Discovery" Defined

October is a Italian-American heritage month. It is meant to be a celebration of Columbus, Italian explorers and every positive contributor to America with Italian lineage. Now what follows is somewhat of a controversial subject, and raises questions that scholars and students have talked about and still have not totally resolved within some circles. Who should be given the credit for discovering America? It was certainly a lot clearer when I was growing up, but over the past decade it has become fuzzier in our more “politically correct” society. There is perhaps no topic like Columbus’s voyage that is more controversial and told in so many different versions—depending on one’s political, religious and cultural beliefs and affiliations. The discovery of America is not a black and white subject, and it is a topic that indeed sparks many differences of opinion and often hostile discussions. Of course the great thing about the country of America is that we all are entitled to our own views and beliefs, and no matter what new propaganda circulates the internet or what other material gets published on Columbus, my beliefs will remain unhindered. In this note, I talk about Indians and Vikings and my belief that they deserve no recognition for any accomplishments in discovering or establishing the country we live in today. I am not looking to offend anyone, but merely to put into perspective why I feel this way. The bottom line is, the Italian explorers of Columbus’s era were a highly dignified, secure culture, recognized as the model of acceptance and adoption by society. Therefore, “discovering” is finding an area that exists without such cultivation or civilization and introducing that from another region (which in Columbus’s case was The New World from Europe). This essay is an updated and expanded social studies assignment about Christopher Columbus that I wrote in the early ‘90s, when I was in grammar school. It is a compilation of material written by several highly acclaimed researchers of American history, and is as precise as possible—based on the findings and opinions of those researchers. As with any historical document, certain details may be disputed. However, like most historical events, there are often several accounts, and it is usually the account that one chooses to believe as the most accurate (and the one that he or she is taught as a young child) that is considered to be the “truth.” The following account is the one that I still follow to this day, and it is the one that I hold true to my heart. I attended a conservative, Catholic, highly Italian-American school system, and Cristoforo Colombo was always proclaimed as the rightful discoverer of America. He was also hailed as the person responsible for paving the way in the actual transformations of America into the cultured country that it is today.
-Oct. 1999
There are many inaccuracies about the great Italian explorer Christopher Columbus that need to be put to rest. In recent years, liberal extremist groups have held mean-spirited, baseless protests and rallies to say that Christopher Columbus was not the true discoverer of America and that he was nothing more than a “land-pillaging slave trader,” sadly confusing school-age children and even some educators who have been accurately defining Columbus as the discover of America since the first text books were written. Any account of Columbus being a slave trader who accomplished nothing is greatly incorrect and very off-base. While owning slaves was common practice in the 15th century, it is unproven that Columbus believed in the practice, and he was not at all a violent man. To the contrary, he was called very religious by many, and a great follower of The Bible like most born in Northern Italy at the time. Two specific groups usually besmirch Columbus’s name and his rightful place in history. I will highlight that in the following two sections...
The uncultured “Natives” of Columbus’s era and their lack of connection to those of the seventeenth century “Pilgrim” era:
The first group of protesters of his discoveries and accomplishments are usually those who classify themselves as “Native Americans.” This group claims that “they were here first,” and should be given the credit for America’s discovery and civilization. Based on the various findings done on such claims, it is determined that the modern, “Native American Indians,” are wrongly equating themselves to the early tribes that roamed the land Columbus founded. The few inhabitants that Columbus encountered when he and his crew came to The New World to prove to the Queen of Spain that there was indeed more to the world than just Europe were brutal hunters, wandering across the underdeveloped land, living from hand-to-mouth and from day-to-day as modern bums. They had no written language, no agricultural skills and constantly went to war with one another. The “Native” ancestors in today’s era are actually closer related to the seventeenth century “American Indian” culture that was established over 120 years after Columbus’s voyage—when the pilgrims from England arrived and the first Thanksgiving occurred. It is far more viable to compare any “Native” group with this group (as it was an actual culture unlike the savage animalistic roamers that scattered The New World in the 1400s). They bear no connection to the earlier tribes whom had no distinction with any established nation or civilization. To say these earlier inhabitants rightfully owned the land first would be like saying cave dwellers, or baboons had a claim to it.
Understanding the extreme brutality of “Vikings,” if even such a group existed at all:
The second group of protesters who try and discredit Columbus are the modern Scandinavians who say they are ancestors of the “Vikings.” This group was nothing more than a bloodthirsty clan that is actually considered by many to be a complete myth altogether. Vikings may have at some point roamed the land years before Columbus claimed it and paved the way for the later foundation of a livable nation in the model of Europe—but the fact remains—these Vikings were violent and crazy. And just like any other medieval societies that may or may not have crossed The New World, they failed at all attempts at any significant explorations. They deserve no justifiable credit for any development of the colonies and furthermore, there is little supporting evidence of any enduring Viking settlements in North America. These completely uncivilized, sword-dwelling pirates, specialized in brutal battles and failed to create any sense of commonwealth on any land they may have sailed upon. The most well-known Viking is the wily-haired, cartoonishly depicted Leif Ericson, whose birthplace was never even fully defined in the history books—and therefore anything he did over 1,000 years ago is certainly up for debate. It’s clear that his garish portrayal was right on point, as he, just like the others known as Vikings did nothing positive like our hero Columbus did. In fact, any references to Leif ever being on The New World could be viewed as nothing more than Norse versions of old Greek fables. There is a reason these nomadic barbarians seem like fairy tale exaggerations and don’t deserve to be compared to Columbus and his men.
Habitual negative stereotypes of ethnic groups don’t help anything:
True Native American Indians of today who recognize that they are more closely identified with the much more polished and refined version of their people that were around in the seventeenth century, take offense to the groups who protest Columbus. They know that their people as a whole are not the red-faced, ax-wielding feather-headed depictions the media has shown us. That’s why they protest the usage of such images on sports teams’ logos like the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves. And just as the modern Indians who are offended by the sports team logo caricatures, today’s northern Europeans of the Scandinavian peninsula, find the NFL’s “Minnesota Viking” portrayal offensive and do not like being identified as a whole to resemble the “Viking.” At least the Notre Dame “Fightin’ Irish” and the Boston Celtics got it right with their usage of leprechauns and shamrocks as mascots—as opposed to pictures of red-haired, freckle-faced guys holding beer cans in their hands as mascots. It would be like if there was a sports team named the New York Mafiosos with a fedora-wearing, tommy-gun toting gangster’s picture as its mascot. The small percentage of Italian-Americans who are in the mafia does not compare to the thousands and thousands of Italian-Americans who are not—so that would be very inaccurate and offensive. It’s understandable how so many Italian-Americans have become fed up with the constant immediate link between us and “The Sopranos” as opposed to the more positive likes of Ferrari or Versace or Columbus.
Defining “discovery” (Columbus’s early establishment of civilization, the first trade practices):
With regards to both sets of the aforementioned groups, the facts remain that whomever or whatever may have been on or near the land did nothing to establish any sort of way of life. Horrible tribal wars which abolished much of the surroundings, along with other unknown events—possibly natural disasters—were the only occurrences of the era. Although it was not to the level of the Triassic period, things were so primitive, that life was barely livable. When Columbus and his men got there, it all changed. We owe our current American way of life to the early journeys and accomplishments of the Italian explorers. It isn’t far-fetched to say that Columbus can be credited for paving the way for today’s successful foreign trade practices between European countries and other ports—ironically a second tier issue on his voyage of discovery in 1492, yet so relevant today. Columbus and his crew rightfully christened and claimed the land “The New World” and that cannot be argued. Columbus brought America to the attention of the civilized world and for this, he should be celebrated as a great man.
The naming of America (Columbus’s connection to Amerigo Vespucci):
Years after Columbus died—sometime in Germany in the late 1500s—a clergyman-scholar named Martin Waldseemuller began work on a contemporary world map. He located logs of another Italian-born explorer, Amerigo Vespucci, who died around the same time as Columbus. In the logs, Vespucci referenced Italians discovering The New World and for this, Waldseemuller named these New World continents the “Americas” on his map. It is unclear if Amerigo was referring to himself and his crew (as he also sailed to The New World in 1499) or if he was referring to Columbus’s crew from their initial voyage in 1492. Either way, the name “America” was chosen, and it immediately stuck throughout Europe. In 1499, another Italian explorer, Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) also reached The New World. And prior to the world map creations, in the year 1524, Giovanni da Varrazano—yet another brave Italian explorer—first sailed the Hudson River. On October 12, 1866, out of pride for these Italian explorers, the Italian population of New York City organized the first celebration of the discovery of America. It is these explorers who should be celebrated and lauded, and not any others. Since 1971, Columbus Day has been celebrated as a federal holiday on the second Monday in October. Perhaps someday it will be a legal national holiday like Christmas. October is also officially now recognized as “Italian-American Heritage Month.” This month is highlighted with feasts, parades and celebrations for Columbus and all Italians of the world, especially the European-Italians and Italian-Americans who contributed so much to the United States since the beginning of time. Although these few ethnic and political groups may distort reality and try and change historical facts, due to the fact that the extensive travels of Columbus are the most well-documented to date—Americans overall do still indeed look to Columbus as the first official discoverer of the land. Therefore, we continue to celebrate Columbus Day in America. So in conclusion, I believe America was discovered by one Italian and named after another, and we owe so much to the contributions of all those with roots from the boot. That is why I love to take extra pride in my heritage on Columbus Day, and why I feel that all Americans with any trace of Italian lineage in them should wave the green, white and red flag proudly every October.

"Family First" Defined

They say “it takes a village to raise a child.” With me, that was very true. My “village” was my family. I was lucky enough to be born at the perfect time. I grew up with a HUGE family, and although I didn’t get a little brother until I was almost eleven, I always was surrounded with lots of cousins my age and I benefited from that immensely. It’s a shame that nowadays, there are so many broken homes or divided families or just very different, non-traditional families. I am a traditionalist and a conventionalist. By no means was my childhood perfect, but I always felt safe, I always felt secure, and I always felt loved. My parents had a lot of help from all my relatives and that added so much to my childhood. I am not writing this to talk politics (I did enough of that with my "Conservative Values" Defined blog), I just want to express how grateful I am for having that cohesive home life, filled with culture and religion and, as I said, most importantly—love. I was taught the importance of family and friends, and that’s been engrained in me, and will never diminish. Most folks who are raised Italian-American like I was can easily relate to that. It's the times you spend with your loved ones that are the most precious and treasured, because life is too short, and the time you have together doesn't last forever. This was instilled in me since I was very young. Besides having both parents at home, I was fortunate enough to know and love two sets of grandparents, as well as a wonderful great-grandmother and great-grandfather. Both my grandfathers and great-grandparents have passed on now but my two grandmothers are still with us, thank God. I grew up with ten first cousins from five sets of aunts and uncles. My Godfather always visited, along with lots of second cousins, great uncles and aunts, and distant relatives from Long Island to Canada to Italy. And of course, there were always friends who were just like family, always around. When I moved out of my parents’ house, things changed a little, for lots of reasons. While we all tried to remain close, people moved away and grew apart. The bond never died though, and it never will. I still see my cousins and extended family at all the holidays and other get-togethers that we have throughout the year, but I wish I could see them more like we used to when we were all kids. As I said, things change, everyone tends to go their own ways, and unfortunately in this crazy world we live in, nothing can be as great as it was when we were young. If you can keep that connection and always maintain that through the phone and over things like facebook, that's very important. Of course, you always have the wonderful memories. And I hope to create many more memories in the future for my kids.