THE BLACK HAND FORUM

PolackTony wrote:

FriendofFamily wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 1:24 pm

PolackTony wrote:In Chicago they’re no more likely to be obese then the general population, but that ain’t saying much. Just go to Ricobene’s when it’s popping and look around lol.

No kidding about that. If you look at the food most are eating it makes perfect sense. Bread, Pasta, Potatoes, and Chianti Sugar and lots of Carbohydrates.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I mean, our signature local food is the beef sanguich. And that’s not even considering the “Italian combo” (beef and salseech), which is a fatso wet dream lol. Our regional avatar should be a fat dude with a mustache and sunglasses eating at the stand-up counter in a beef stand, gravy dripping from his fingers.

Having said that, one of the first things I do when back in Chicago is head to a beef stand and get the beef with hot giardinier’. I’m a pretty big dude, but I get to feel like a freakin’ fitness model in one of those joints lol.

FriendofFamily wrote: ↑Sun Jul 18, 2021 1:24 pm

PolackTony wrote:In Chicago they’re no more likely to be obese then the general population, but that ain’t saying much. Just go to Ricobene’s when it’s popping and look around lol.

No kidding about that. If you look at the food most are eating it makes perfect sense. Bread, Pasta, Potatoes, and Chianti Sugar and lots of Carbohydrates.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

PolackTony wrote:In Chicago they’re no more likely to be obese then the general population, but that ain’t saying much. Just go to Ricobene’s when it’s popping and look around lol.

Ruggiero wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 5:09 pm
Just a thought.

As the person earlier here said.
"The movies and shows from the 70s and 80s usually portray mobsters as quite slim and healthy"
and the simpsons aired early 90s?

Rugg.

Raven wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 11:28 am

Ruggiero wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 8:53 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 8:42 am

Ruggiero wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:16 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:14 pm Are a lot of American mobsters overweighted?

I`ve seen some portrayals of mobsters in TV shows where a decent amount of them are not exactly physically fit. Is that only because the USA population in general has issues with obesity or is that specific to Italian mobsters? I recall seeing obese gangsters of other ethnicities on TV as well but since I`ve never been to the US and never seen any real gang members in person I cannot tell how realistic those portrayals are.

I think a lot of the stereotypical "Fat Tony" type mobster came from Anthony Salerno.
This is an interesting question though.
I've never really put thought into it.

Rugg.

Maybe also the influence from the Sopranos? Like a lot of leading characters in that show are overweight, like Tony, Bobby, and Vito. The movies and shows from the 70s and 80s usually portray mobsters as quite slim and healthy but once the Sopranos came out every show started to use these type-cast actors who play obese mobsters over and over in different televisions which probably shaped the modern perception of American LCN.

I also think maybe the Simpsons played a big role in stereotyping Italian-American Mobsters as fat.
As you may know there is a character named "Fat Tony" who's the generic fat mobster, greasy slicked back hair with a tank top, smoking a cigar and also the fact that the Simpsons is also one of the most popular television shows of the 90s only supports my point.

I'm sure many people of this generation first heard of the Mafia through that show and that imprint of "Fat Tony" is the first thing that pops up into their head when they think of the LCN.

The Simpsons played a part in stereotyping Italians fat? Your kidding me right?

Ruggiero wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 8:53 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 8:42 am

Ruggiero wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:16 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:14 pm Are a lot of American mobsters overweighted?

I`ve seen some portrayals of mobsters in TV shows where a decent amount of them are not exactly physically fit. Is that only because the USA population in general has issues with obesity or is that specific to Italian mobsters? I recall seeing obese gangsters of other ethnicities on TV as well but since I`ve never been to the US and never seen any real gang members in person I cannot tell how realistic those portrayals are.

I think a lot of the stereotypical "Fat Tony" type mobster came from Anthony Salerno.
This is an interesting question though.
I've never really put thought into it.

Rugg.

Maybe also the influence from the Sopranos? Like a lot of leading characters in that show are overweight, like Tony, Bobby, and Vito. The movies and shows from the 70s and 80s usually portray mobsters as quite slim and healthy but once the Sopranos came out every show started to use these type-cast actors who play obese mobsters over and over in different televisions which probably shaped the modern perception of American LCN.

I also think maybe the Simpsons played a big role in stereotyping Italian-American Mobsters as fat.
As you may know there is a character named "Fat Tony" who's the generic fat mobster, greasy slicked back hair with a tank top, smoking a cigar and also the fact that the Simpsons is also one of the most popular television shows of the 90s only supports my point.

I'm sure many people of this generation first heard of the Mafia through that show and that imprint of "Fat Tony" is the first thing that pops up into their head when they think of the LCN.

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 8:42 am

Ruggiero wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:16 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:14 pm Are a lot of American mobsters overweighted?

I`ve seen some portrayals of mobsters in TV shows where a decent amount of them are not exactly physically fit. Is that only because the USA population in general has issues with obesity or is that specific to Italian mobsters? I recall seeing obese gangsters of other ethnicities on TV as well but since I`ve never been to the US and never seen any real gang members in person I cannot tell how realistic those portrayals are.

I think a lot of the stereotypical "Fat Tony" type mobster came from Anthony Salerno.
This is an interesting question though.
I've never really put thought into it.

Rugg.

Maybe also the influence from the Sopranos? Like a lot of leading characters in that show are overweight, like Tony, Bobby, and Vito. The movies and shows from the 70s and 80s usually portray mobsters as quite slim and healthy but once the Sopranos came out every show started to use these type-cast actors who play obese mobsters over and over in different televisions which probably shaped the modern perception of American LCN.

Ruggiero wrote: ↑Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:16 am

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:14 pm Are a lot of American mobsters overweighted?

I`ve seen some portrayals of mobsters in TV shows where a decent amount of them are not exactly physically fit. Is that only because the USA population in general has issues with obesity or is that specific to Italian mobsters? I recall seeing obese gangsters of other ethnicities on TV as well but since I`ve never been to the US and never seen any real gang members in person I cannot tell how realistic those portrayals are.

I think a lot of the stereotypical "Fat Tony" type mobster came from Anthony Salerno.
This is an interesting question though.
I've never really put thought into it.

Rugg.

ThutmosisChen wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:14 pm Are a lot of American mobsters overweighted?

I`ve seen some portrayals of mobsters in TV shows where a decent amount of them are not exactly physically fit. Is that only because the USA population in general has issues with obesity or is that specific to Italian mobsters? I recall seeing obese gangsters of other ethnicities on TV as well but since I`ve never been to the US and never seen any real gang members in person I cannot tell how realistic those portrayals are.

Amershire_Ed wrote: ↑Wed Jul 14, 2021 3:19 pm What’s funny is Joe Massino, who was already a really heavy guy, actually gained a lot more weight in prison. He refused to eat the prison food so he was just living off sweets, candy, junk food, and peanut butter and really packed it on.

Mason_dixon wrote: ↑Thu Jul 15, 2021 6:58 pm I guess take into account these east coast guys like Penisi, who does look physically fit are monsters at 6'1 200 pounds I'm maybe an inch taller but similar build and I'm just an avg sized guy in a part of America with a lot of German genes and influence. The Italians appear to be a shorter people. But that's just speculation.