'Soprano' Makes a Killing for Bush

[quaoar]

http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/25186.htm

July 16, 2004 -- Sopranos gangster "Paulie Walnuts" joined a mob of diehard Republicans yesterday at a Queens fund-raiser that helped pump cash into President Bush's campaign.

Actor Tony Sirico, who plays the mobster on the hit HBO series "The Sopranos," joined more than 100 people at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club, which was sponsored by the Rockaway Republicans.

"I'm here because I'm a far-to-the-right Republican," he said.

* At another Bush gathering in Midtown, rap impresario Sean "Puffy" Combs showed up at Connolly's Bar to help promote his new MTV show and get out the vote.

"I'm not here to be partisan," said Puffy, who was wearing a "Vote or Die" T-shirt.

Both events were held in connection with 7,000 parties across the country aimed at getting people to donate and volunteer for the Bush campaign.

Jeremy Olshan and Daniel Friedman

[Octafish]

1. LMFAO. Paulie's a CON. Well... ex-con.

The guy's got a record for prison time, mob-associated in real life. "Far to the right" all right. Typical conservative scum.

[Carni]

10. You beat me to it lol

Yes, he's not acting in his role (how appropriate that he would be a bush fan)

Maybe we should write to HBO and suggest that they whack Paulie next season?

[OKNancy]

12. Oh my gosh

I was going to gossip, and thought better of it, but since you started it..lol. My niece has a friend who worked on the set of the Sopranos. Her friend had tons of backstage gossip, and one thing he said was that "Paulie" really was a gangster...was a thug, and acted like a thug.

FYI: other stuff he said was that one time James Gandolfini (sp?) put on his Tony character with a trucker and got the guy to pick up him and some of the cast members and take them in his rig down the NewJersey turnpike

He also said that the caterer for the show made so much money that he retired.

[Walt Starr]

15. Why am I not surprised that a convicted mobster would support *?

Oh, because * is simply not yet convicted!

[Generator]

25. Wow the stuff you learn at DU!

I have to say he does LOOK like a mobster. But then so does, Little Steven, that was a shocker.

[librechik]

2. LOL-birds of a feather n/t

[fryguy]

3. Puffy's a stinky repub?

or was he just associating with them?

[DenverDem]

4. Either way, he's a moran.

Self promoting idiot.

[fryguy]

7. agreed, but....

with his popularit and influence, if he were to start stumping for the GOPhers it would be a very bad thing, imho....

[sniffa]

8. puffy

puffy is trying to get bLack youth interested in poLitics, and registered to vote. it's a nobLe quest regardLess of how one feeLs about p-diddy. the man is 'non-partisan' in a sense that he's not teLLing them who to vote for - but he's simiLar to the 'non-partisan' russeL simmons in his voter registration efforts; we know who they want the kids to vote for.

[jobycom]

9. No, he's not

I seem to remember him being a Democrat. He's at least an independent; check out open secrets, the only donation I found was to Al Sharpton.

But check out his job description: BAD BOY ENTERTAINMENT - SELF/ENTREP

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?txtName=combs%2C+sean&NumOfThou=0&txt2004=Y

[cedahlia]

11. I don't think so

I remember him once talking about how he pays a lot of taxes at the end of the year because he's so rich, but he loved doing so and felt that was definitely as it should be. He said the tax burden should most defintitely fall on the rich who can afford to pay them rather than the middle and lower classes. I also remember him proclaiming himself a Dem at one point or another...so unless he recently crossed over to the dark side, I think he's still in our camp.

[hyphenate]

36. Maybe he just can't pass up a party!

eom

[President Jesus]

21. Puffy's campaign donations

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=NY&last=Combs&first=Sean

Definitely not a puke.

Hey everyone...it's REALLY easy to find out where celebrities stand. Simply bookmark http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/hof.php

If you don't see the celeb name listed, you can easily search it on the site.

[MikeG]

5. Hope he gets whacked.

[russian33]

6. If I knew, I would've went...

..to boo them..I live on the Rockaway peninsular, near Belle Harbor...damn

But really, do republicans have a gift of getting C list celebs or former cons, or what?

[demnan]

13. I guess he and Michael Imperioli

don't discuss politics on the set.

[GCP]

14. And I know which one of them I prefer

Sirico is a asshole.

[ikojo]

32. I am assuming Christa-fuh is not a pug?

If so, that's good to hear.....I like Christa-fuh.

[Catfight]

16. Thugs and crooks for thugs and crooks!

[lottie244]

17. Just cancelled my DVD order for the Sopranos....can't support the

livelihood, knowingly, of a far-right-right winger.

[Bunny]

19. Don't you think that's a little drastic?

Seriously.

[rinsd]

28. Genius!

Of course James Gandolfini supports Kerry.

http://1010wins.com/topstories/winstopstories_story_167070957.html

As does Lorraine Bracco:

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/27177.htm

Here's Edie Falco:

For Falco, who admitted to crying during the movie, the 9-11 segments were "very devastating" to watch. "It was the most personal connection," said the actress, who lives downtown. "I hope they realize this kind of aggression is not going to foster kindness in anyone. We're asking for it."

http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:eDtIdhgBwLgJ:www.villagevoice.com/flylife/+edie+falco+kerry&hl=en

I couldn't find anything on him in the few moments I looked but Bruce's buddy Stevie Van Zandt is a likely Dem as well.

So deny these actors their dough(which doesn't even make sense since its HBO that will get the most money on the DVDs) because Paulie Walnuts is a jackass in real life.

[Ivan Zero]

31. Steve Van Zandt is liberal

As Little Steven, he spearheaded Artists United Against Apartheid in the mid-'80s ("I don't wanna play Sun City").

He's involved in human and animal rights, and is a practicing Buddhist (!)

Check out his website at www.littlesteven.com, where you can also stream his very cool weekly "Underground Garage" radio show.

[Cooley Hurd]

33. My crush on Edie Falco just intensified...

:loveya: :loveya:

[Logansquare]

18. He used to be a mob shakedown thug--I'm not making this up

From Smoking Gun:
"There's a good reason Tony Sirico is so convincing as the menacing Paulie Walnuts on "The Sopranos." Because before becoming an actor, Sirico was a mob-connected thug who dealt speed, packed a loaded Beretta, and was once actually declared a "danger to society" by a New York judge."

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/sirico/sirico.html

[President Jesus]

20. cheap bastard never donated a dime, though

The only Sopranos cast worth mentioning are:

Steve Buscemi (Tony B RIP) - Kerry $2k, Clark $1k
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=NY&last=Buscemi&first=Steven

and

Edie Falco - Kerry $2k
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=NY&last=Falco&first=Edith

[Kathy in Cambridge]

27. James Gandolfini went to Kerry's fundraiser at Jon Bon Jovi's home

I guess Paulie is the lone Repuke.

[rinsd]

29. Edie Falco and Lorraine Bracco are on our side as well (nt)

[Khephra]

34. Buscemi also is a volunteer fireman

and was on scene at the WTC during 9/11 helping rescue people.

[progressivebydesign]

22. How utterly perfect! From one crime family to another.. sweeet!

Wow. I'm so UTTERLY unimpressed. A t.v. show that would be completely attacked by the Republicans as being too violent, and crass... has a 'star' come out for Bush. lovely.

[Elidor]

23. I see a campaign theme!

I'm Tony Sirico, and I approve this - ah, go fuck yerself."

[Solly Mack]

24. Always felt Tony should off Paulie

[tom_paine]

26. Paulie's a fucking REAL Mafia monster.

The Mafia have always loved the Republicans, who helped J. Edgar Hoover ignore the Mafia problem because they were doing Bushevik Dirty Work in corrupting the union.

Ever wondered why J. Edgar Dresswearer kept mum about the Mafia all those years?

They were doing the work he was reluctant to, but for which he could listen to Union cries for help with a little Bushy smirk.

"Nope. No Mafia here. Move along, Socialist!"

[hansolsen]

37. Paulie "goes" in next season of Sopranos. It's a done deal.

[goclark]

30. Puffy is Cool!

As far as I know he is liberal.

I was watching the BET Awards on TV the other night.

Many of the entertainers encouraged listeners and the audience to VOTE. One person said something like," I can't tell you how to vote, I just want you to VOTE."

A couple, I think one was an Isley Brother who said,"Everybody, VOTE! You know exactly who to vote for!"

[hyphenate]

35. It's nice to know who

the enemy is. Now I can boycott their shows and them without any problem.

[Retrograde]

38. there've been some pro-Bush statements on The Sopranos

Most of them were made by the character Christopher, who has never been portrayed as one of the sharper pencils in the drawer ;-)

[peekaloo]

39. geez, I'll bet he really does enjoy eating the ketchup/relish packs

from Roy Rogers'. :dunce: