The Schmooze
James Gandolfini’s Israeli Ad
In the outpouring of obituaries and appreciations of actor James Gandolfini, who died yesterday at age 51, there’s been a tendency to confuse the man with his most famous character, Tony Soprano. That’s a pretty obvious mistake — an actor isn’t the same as the role he plays — but it’s also kind of understandable. When Jason Alexander eventually goes (not that it should happen anytime soon), I’m pretty sure we’ll all be talking about George Costanza.
And, truth be told, Gandolfini didn’t seem to mind putting on the Soprano act, even in a not-strictly “Sopranos” context. Here, for example, he appears basically as Tony Soprano, in an ad for the Israeli satellite channel YES. So here’s to you, James Gandolfini.
