It Was An Offer Town Couldn’t Refuse

“Sopranos” Can Film in Bloomfield, N.J. 

     

Friday, March 9, 2007

 

      “The Sopranos” will be allowed to film in Bloomfield, New Jersey, after all.

      On Friday (March 9, 2007) Bloomfield Township Administrator Louise Palagano issued a permit to Sopranos Production Inc. so they could film at Holsten’s Old-

Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour. Palagano made the decision despite a vote by the city council on Monday (March 5, 2007) that banned “The Sopranos” from the town. Palagano said the city council couldn’t ban the film crew simply because they did not like how Italian-Americans are portrayed in the show, according to the Neward Star-Ledger newspaper.

    Previously, city officials decided against “The Sopranos,” calling the crime show's depiction of Italian-Americans "racist."

      At a previous council meeting on February 26, 2007, the council had voted to allow filming at the ice cream shop, but cited emails and phone calls from people who call the show racist as a reason for their reversal. 

     “If we vote 10 times, I'll vote no. My principles matter to me,” Bloomfield Mayor Raymond McCarthy said of Monday night's vote. “I understand the upheaval in the business community, but the depictions of Italian-Americans on the show shouldn't be tolerated.”

    Only one council member voted to give “The Sopranos” film crew a permit – Patricia Spychala, who is Italian-American. 

     “If you don't like the show, change the channel. If you are offended by something turn it off,” Spychala said.

      Icing “The Sopranos” shoot in Bloomfield was supported by Manny Alfano, who directs the Italian-American One Voice Coalition. The Bloomfield-based group attacks Hollywood images of Italian gangsters.

      “I was so proud that the mayor and council showed integrity and sensitivity,” Alfano told the Newark-Star Ledger. “We should honor them for what they did.”

      One of the owners of the ice cream shop enlisted the help of Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, who supports having “The Sopranos” film in the county.

      “We think [The Sopranos shoot] is good for business and for the county as a whole and for Bloomfield,” ice cream shop co-owner Ron Stark said.

      In 2003, DiVincenzo reversed a previous ban on “The Sopranos.” The previous county manager had banned the show from filming on government property.

 

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Mayor McCarthy can be emailed at: mccarthy@bloomfieldtwpnj.com.

Council member Spychala’s email: patspychala@comcast.net.

Alfano’s email: MannyAlfano@comcast.net.