In the NYT, Amy Winehouse > James Gandolfini

Anyone who thinks The Sopranos was just a "mob show" is too bloody foolish to even respond to. The fact that some of you work(ed) at newspapers is depressing as hell.

 

Bet you found about 384 hidden meanings in that horseshit series finale, too.

 

Repped for real talk.

 

THE ONION RINGS ARE THE EUCHARIST!

I actually think the finale is just ok. But Sopranos Home Movies? Blue Comet? Long Term Parking? Irregular Around the Margins? Kennedy and Heidi? Pine Barrens? University? College? Telltale Moozadell?

That shit is as good as Carver, Wolff, Oates, Cheever, Munro, Proulx, Bloom, Diaz or any of the other modern masters of short form.

Look, anyone who saw the show, and made a yeoman's attempt to understand what Chase was doing (or attempting) and is still like "Yeah, it doesn't clear the bar for me as a seminal work of art in modern culture" you're opinion is valid. I think it's incorrect, but it's worth discussing/debating.

If your opinion is "I never watched the show, and I think JR Ewing is a more memorable and important character and Dallas is a more important show" seriously just bow out now, because you're not informed enough to weigh in. I'd hope someone would give me the same advice if I was trying to pretend Jonathan Towes is as important as Wayne Bobby Orr. I have no idea if that could possibly be true because I don't watch hockey.

 

No one has suggested Dallas was better than The Sopranos.

Your creating straw men.

 

Lucille Ball was A1 obit on 4/27/89. Desi Arnaz was not on 12/3/86.

Larry Hagman was not on 11/24/12.

Carroll O'Conner was not on 6/22/01. Not sure about Jean Stapleton bc NYT store hasn't updated 6/1/13 A1 yet.

Sherman Hemsley was not on 7/25/12.

Johnny Carson was on 1/24/05.

Let's look at some TV icons who could?/should?/maybe? be on A1 when they die. What say you?

Alan Alda:

Ted Danson:

Seinfeld, Alexander, Richards, Dreyfus:

Mary Tyler Moore:

Betty White:

Letterman (and, I suppose, Leno):

Feel free to add to the list. Should be interesting.

 

You can use this calendar to find out:

http://www.nytstore.com/assets/templates/v30025/reprint_view.html

 

Maybe on Mary Tyler Moore. No on all the rest.

Larry David should rank higher than any of the Seinfeld actors.

 

I'd be surprised if Seinfield didn't make A1, assuming there is still a print edition when these people die, but I agree Larry David deserves it more.

Letterman and Leno (maybe throw in Fallon and Conan) might depend on when it happens. If one of them died tomorrow, while their shows are still on the air, it would be huge news even beyond the celebrity death angle because of all the past, current and future drama surrounding all the late night shuffling. If any or all of them die decades from now, who knows? I don't think any of them are Carson-level.

Mary Tyler Moore, I agree with maybe. I could see Ellen DeGeneres getting it. Lorne Michaels. Oprah Winfrey certainly, as much as I hate her. Bill Cosby. Carol Burnett possibly.

 

Bill Cosby is a no-brainer yes.

Lorne Michaels is a tough one.

Oprah: Yes.

Probably no on Burnett.

 

Listen to him.
He takes his TV watchin' seriously.

 

Belushi obit made A1 on 3/6/82. Radner's did not on 5/21/89.