Lorraine

“Tony Soprano, when he has sex with a one-legged Russian immigrant or beats an arrogant lawyer to a pulp—let viewers vicariously experience the true, genuine, and transparent enjoyment of life and pleasure that middle-class self-discipline prevents them to experience, as least in everyday real life—and that may resonate “authentic” and true to other working-class people, white, black, and Hispanic. They show no inclination or patience for the delayed gratification the middle-class ethics of success prescribes.72”
― Simone Cinotto, Making Italian America: Consumer Culture and the Production of Ethnic Identities

“The popularity of MTV’s reality show Jersey Shore (2009–12), which exposes the adventures of a group of Guidos and Guidettes, is the last and most notable evidence of the continuing marketability of the (working-class and racialized) Italian American body, uncontrolled expression of emotions, “tribal” sense of family and community, and full capacity of sensual enjoyment.”
― Simone Cinotto, Making Italian America: Consumer Culture and the Production of Ethnic Identities

“America and the world today are blessed that destiny has given us a great and mature man to lead us,” he told a joint session of the Texas legislature in April 1941. “President Roosevelt is a leader whose judgment has been found good and fair. We can trust and follow him. He embodies the spirit of love for fellow man in which democracy was born and with which it will carry forward to the future when peace comes, and the trial is past.”
― Steven M. Gillon, Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower and JFK through Reagan and Bush