Mob Scenes

Steven R. Schirripa's resume is marked by his appearances on the silver screen and hit television shows, which include "Casino," "Joe Dirt," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," "Chicago Hope," "Angel" and "The King of Queens."

Fuhgeddaboutit.

The show that has made Schirripa a celebrity is also the one that has had the nation glued to its television sets for the past three years -- "The Sopranos."

Schirripa, who co-stars on the hit HBO drama, has lived in Las Vegas since 1980. He formerly worked as entertainment director at the Riviera, where he gave several of today's top stand-up comics their local start at the comedy club.

He began acting -- reluctantly, at the urging of comic Bruce Baum -- in the early '90s. Years later while in New York for a friend's wedding, Schirripa auditioned for "The Sopranos," which follows a fictional New Jersey mob family led by tough guy Tony Soprano (played by James Gandolfini).

Initially reading for the part of an FBI agent, the show's casting director pegged Schirripa for the part of the loveable-but-bumbling Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri, a comedic sidekick of sorts to aging mob boss Corrado "Junior" Soprano (played by Dominic Chianese).

After starring as a recurring character during "The Sporano's" second season, Schirripa was made a full-fledged cast member at the start of the show's recently concluded third season. He will return when its fourth season premieres.

The 43-year-old Schirripa juggles his role on the show while continuing to work for the Riviera on a consulting basis. He recently talked to the Sun about "The Sopranos" and his life in Las Vegas:

Sun: What makes the Bobby Baccalieri character tick?

SS: I think he's in this life (of crime). He was born into it; his father was a big mobster. He's not the smartest guy; very sensitive about his weight; loyal like a puppy -- he loves Uncle Junior, he'll do anything for Uncle Junior.

But I think lurking somewhere in the background, he's done bad things, or he wouldn't be where he is today.

Sun: Do you enjoy playing him?

SS: Absolutely. And people, when they meet me, they go, "Wow, you're not like him at all," and I go, "Well, I sure hope I'm a little smarter."

Sun: Do you have any thoughts about the controversy swirling around the show as of late, with groups being up in arms over the portrayal of Italian Americans?

SS: I don't think it knocks Italians at all. I think this is a slice of life in an Italian-American family and we know it does go on, and this is showing you a very small part. I don't think these characters on the show are being glorified, and I don't think they're very nice characters, to be honest with you -- they're murderers and extortionists and they do bad things.

Look, David Chase is Italian -- he's the director, (writer and producer). A lot of the writers are Italian, the crew, the actors. Would we be portraying stuff that's offensive? Absolutely not. This is a part of what goes on.

Sun: You have young children. Do they watch the show?

SS: Absolutely not. I have a 5-year-old and a 9-year-old and, no, it's not appropriate for them at all ... I've taken them to the set and they've met all the cast members and they've watched me film stuff, but stuff that was appropriate.

Sun: Do you have any idea what direction the show will take next season?

SS: I don't know, and I don't think the writers know now because they're still trying to hash out if there's gonna be a fifth season. So I think that is going to determine a lot of the storyline in the fourth season obviously.

Sun: Comedian Jimmie "J.J." Walker once called you "the Pope." Why is that?

SS: I was quite involved with a lot of the comedy that was (booked) here in town. There are quite a few acts that started for me (at the Riviera) and moved on to other hotels -- Drew Carey, Ray Romano, Kevin James, Denis Leary, Chris Rock, Rosie O'Donnell -- they all started at the Riviera ... So a lot of the comics either started in the (comedy) club or I gave them their first shots in the big (showroom).

I still help them book acts, and I book the (comedy) club, and I enjoy doing that.

Sun: So it must be fun for you to do comedic turns on "The Sopranos."

SS: Well, yeah, because it's not done in a sitcom way ... If you watch the show, sometimes you have to watch the show twice so you can pick up everything. There's some very funny stuff in the show.

What I honestly think makes the show so popular and people can relate to it is this: Here's this guy, Tony Soprano. He's this big, powerful mob guy but he's got the same problems as everyone else: His kids are pains in the (expletive); his wife's a pain; his mother was a pain; his sister is a lunatic. And the guys at work are rebelling. Everybody goes through that.

I think it's also popular because it's tragic, it's funny, it's sad. It's a little bit of everything.

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