What stands out in my memory of this show (being four decades ago) was the use of promotional ads for a new series. As a young teenager, that technique was new to me and the ads were hilarious! Being from rural Indiana, I had not come across any ethnic Italians - Irish, German, and French yes, but not Italian. I couldn't wait for the show to air. I laughed my butt off! Once the series stated, I couldn't wait for it to end. I had seen all the great punch lines in the promos - the show just filled in the boring parts in between. It was amazing it lasted nine episodes before it was axed. Network TV was brutal on new shows then (no second chances on cable), but I don't think they got it wrong. At that point, a TV promo cynic was born! Funny, I met and married a 2nd generation Italian a little over a decade latter. Coincidence?
3 Reviews
As Italian as Chico Marx, but not as funny.
F Gwynplaine MacIntyre20 February 2008
The enormous success of 'All in the Family' inevitably spawned a flurry of imitations. 'The Montefuscos' -- created by Persky and Denoff, both of whom had done excellent work on 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' -- was an attempt at an Italian-American version of the Bunker mentality, as in Archie Bunker. Instead of Archie, the paterfamilias here was Tony Montefusco. He is the absolute boss in his home (I feel sorry for his wife), but of course there are -- as in so many Yank sitcoms -- those usual "Awwww" moments which hint that, deep down, Tony is just an old softy.
For some reason, it seems to be permissible on American television to invoke ethnic stereotypes providing the stereotypes are favourable. So, here we avoid the negative Italian stereotypes but we get all the positive ones: they have huge families, they love to eat, they quarrel among themselves but stick up for each other, yadda yadda.
At this point in his life, Tony's children have mostly grown and flown the coop (understandably), but they've given him young grandchildren. So, in every episode, we have the big Sunday evening sit-down dinner of the whole Montefusco clan at Tony's house. (I feel sorry for his wife, who has to do all the cooking beforehand, all the serving during, and all the wash-up afterward.) Tony's daughter Angela has married ... which would be fine with Tony, except that Angela has committed the unpardonable sin of marrying a man who (gasp!) is not an Italian. He isn't even Catholic! Angela's husband is Jim Cooney, a bland and hapless schlub who is Episcopalian, a fact which scandalises Tony. He constantly addresses his son-in-law as 'Cooney' and refers to him contemptuously as 'my Episcopalian son-in-law'. Meanwhile, anything Tony's wife has to say about this situation doesn't count ... because she's an Italian wife, which (in this sitcom, at least) means she should shut up and stay in the kitchen, except when she's serving food. Jim Cooney is constantly depicted as the family's jerk: apparently Episcopalians are the only minority group whom it's safe to ridicule.
This sitcom was horribly unfunny, which (I hope) explains why it didn't last very long. I found it offensive, not so much because it gleefully perpetrated ethnic stereotypes, but rather because it seemed to think that it was celebrating the richness of Italian-American culture. This show was about as Italian as Chico Marx, but not remotely as funny. Basta!
For some reason, it seems to be permissible on American television to invoke ethnic stereotypes providing the stereotypes are favourable. So, here we avoid the negative Italian stereotypes but we get all the positive ones: they have huge families, they love to eat, they quarrel among themselves but stick up for each other, yadda yadda.
At this point in his life, Tony's children have mostly grown and flown the coop (understandably), but they've given him young grandchildren. So, in every episode, we have the big Sunday evening sit-down dinner of the whole Montefusco clan at Tony's house. (I feel sorry for his wife, who has to do all the cooking beforehand, all the serving during, and all the wash-up afterward.) Tony's daughter Angela has married ... which would be fine with Tony, except that Angela has committed the unpardonable sin of marrying a man who (gasp!) is not an Italian. He isn't even Catholic! Angela's husband is Jim Cooney, a bland and hapless schlub who is Episcopalian, a fact which scandalises Tony. He constantly addresses his son-in-law as 'Cooney' and refers to him contemptuously as 'my Episcopalian son-in-law'. Meanwhile, anything Tony's wife has to say about this situation doesn't count ... because she's an Italian wife, which (in this sitcom, at least) means she should shut up and stay in the kitchen, except when she's serving food. Jim Cooney is constantly depicted as the family's jerk: apparently Episcopalians are the only minority group whom it's safe to ridicule.
This sitcom was horribly unfunny, which (I hope) explains why it didn't last very long. I found it offensive, not so much because it gleefully perpetrated ethnic stereotypes, but rather because it seemed to think that it was celebrating the richness of Italian-American culture. This show was about as Italian as Chico Marx, but not remotely as funny. Basta!
Ethnic family comedy--- many stereotypes
nihilistwonder11 April 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I vaguely recall this short-lived sitcom because I used to date an Italian-American with relatives who appeared to enjoy this show and didn't miss it.
The "situation" centered around a large I-A family with several adult sons and daughter. They were compelled to gather every single Sunday for Sunday dinner at their parents' home, and woe be unto any of them who had alternate plans. A couple of them were married to non-Italians, which added to the "hilarity", such as it was. (In truth this insistence on Sunday dinners WAS what often happened in many families even as recently as 30 years ago, though it wasn't always THIS rigid.) Efforts to tackle some issues in sitcom style--- a custom popularized at the time by "All In the Family" and its spin-offs--- kind of fell flat as I recall, since the program was family-friendly and one supposes they really didn't want to offend the target audience (Italian, Catholic.) They went for the "AitF-Lite" approach.
For instance, in one episode I remember, one married son had problems in his marriage, and his father assumed that the thrill was gone, referring to it as a "problem with KISSING"--- euphemism for impotency I guess. It seems a show in those days couldn't have it in all ways--- be squeaky clean, suggestive, and relevant at the same time.
In any case, the problem, as was the rule in sitcoms back in the day, was solved within the half-hour, which inevitably meant the grown children were sentenced to spend every blessed Sunday with THEIR parents, without protest from the spouses, children, friends, etc.
The "situation" centered around a large I-A family with several adult sons and daughter. They were compelled to gather every single Sunday for Sunday dinner at their parents' home, and woe be unto any of them who had alternate plans. A couple of them were married to non-Italians, which added to the "hilarity", such as it was. (In truth this insistence on Sunday dinners WAS what often happened in many families even as recently as 30 years ago, though it wasn't always THIS rigid.) Efforts to tackle some issues in sitcom style--- a custom popularized at the time by "All In the Family" and its spin-offs--- kind of fell flat as I recall, since the program was family-friendly and one supposes they really didn't want to offend the target audience (Italian, Catholic.) They went for the "AitF-Lite" approach.
For instance, in one episode I remember, one married son had problems in his marriage, and his father assumed that the thrill was gone, referring to it as a "problem with KISSING"--- euphemism for impotency I guess. It seems a show in those days couldn't have it in all ways--- be squeaky clean, suggestive, and relevant at the same time.
In any case, the problem, as was the rule in sitcoms back in the day, was solved within the half-hour, which inevitably meant the grown children were sentenced to spend every blessed Sunday with THEIR parents, without protest from the spouses, children, friends, etc.
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