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New York Mayor Sits Out Columbus Day Parade
Aired October 14, 2002 - 13:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: New York City celebrates Italian-American pride with its annual Columbus Day parade. Tens of thousands of marchers stepped off about an hour ago at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue. But the big story is not who is in the parade, but who is not.
Our Michael Owku joins us live from Manhattan.
Michael, it sounds like we're not going to be saying here comes the mayor?
MICHAEL OWKU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, just over my shoulder, as you can see one of the main marching bands is featured here at the 58th annual Columbus Day parade. In fact, some 35,000 marchers were expected to march at this parade. And it also included some 70 marching bands, as well as some floats. And it's a beautiful day for a parade, albeit a slightly chilly one.
There's something of a chill, Carol, between the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, and the organizers of this parade, Michael Bloomberg saying earlier this weekend he was not expected and would not attend this parade, because the organizers had actually asked him to disinvite two stars of "The Sopranos," Dominic Chianese and Lorraine Bracco. These are two stars that Mayor Bloomberg was hoping to actually march with.
Well, why did they ask him to do that? They, apparently, feel that "The Sopranos" is a program that perpetuates negative stereotypes of Italian-Americans.
Parades are usually, as know you know, Carol, completely like catnip for a politician, and today really wasn't any different. Aside from the fact that the mayor is not here, all of them showed up, including Governor George Pataki, who is running for reelection.
This is what Governor Pataki had to say earlier this afternoon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOVERNOR GEORGE PATAKI (R), NEW YORK: It's a great day celebrating the contribution of Italian-Americans and the contribution of the Italian-American culture to our great city and our great state and our great country. I'm just proud to be here.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
PATAKI: I'm just proud to be here. I think everybody's having a good time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OWKU: The governor choosing to stay away from the controversy completely. He did not want to touch it. Organizers say that they don't want it to be a political event at all, that this is supposed to be a celebration of Italian-American culture, as well as all the multiethnicities that makes this city great in their view.
Thank you very much. They kiss on queue. Isn't that a wonderful thing?
Take a pan of this crowd. There are some 150,000 people that were expected here today. Organizers say that they expected about 300,000, twice that number, because of this controversy. You can imagine that the mayor is obviously not stewing somewhere or sulking. He says he's going to be having something of an extended lunch, and probably no one's going to be giving him roses up in the Bronx. He's going to be having a lunch with two of the stars of "The Sopranos." And you can bet, Carol, that he's going to be eating Italian.
LIN: Michael, do you think this is a bit of life imitating art? A couple of weeks ago, an episode of "The Sopranos" took this on, where members of the Soprano clan or gang took on a bunch of American Indians in this fight over the legacy of Columbus. Now all of a sudden, you have got this controversy in New York.
OWKU: It really is amazing. You have to think maybe the mayor doesn't really watch "The Sopranos." He's just very good friends with these "Sopranos" stars. But as far as the mayor is concerned, irony aside, the fact is, in his view, these two particular stars are great examples of what Italian-Americans have become in this country and how great a contribution they can provide to New York City. Chianese is somebody who's spoken quite vocally for the tourist industry here in New York City. And Lorraine Bracco has been a very feisty environmentalist here in New York.
So as far as the mayor is concerned, you know, "Sopranos" controversy aside, these two were a great examples of Italian- Americans who were doing good in this country and in this city -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Michael Owku. A gorgeous day in New York City today. You hang on to that flower.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 14, 2002 - 13:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: New York City celebrates Italian-American pride with its annual Columbus Day parade. Tens of thousands of marchers stepped off about an hour ago at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue. But the big story is not who is in the parade, but who is not.
Our Michael Owku joins us live from Manhattan.
Michael, it sounds like we're not going to be saying here comes the mayor?
MICHAEL OWKU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, just over my shoulder, as you can see one of the main marching bands is featured here at the 58th annual Columbus Day parade. In fact, some 35,000 marchers were expected to march at this parade. And it also included some 70 marching bands, as well as some floats. And it's a beautiful day for a parade, albeit a slightly chilly one.
There's something of a chill, Carol, between the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, and the organizers of this parade, Michael Bloomberg saying earlier this weekend he was not expected and would not attend this parade, because the organizers had actually asked him to disinvite two stars of "The Sopranos," Dominic Chianese and Lorraine Bracco. These are two stars that Mayor Bloomberg was hoping to actually march with.
Well, why did they ask him to do that? They, apparently, feel that "The Sopranos" is a program that perpetuates negative stereotypes of Italian-Americans.
Parades are usually, as know you know, Carol, completely like catnip for a politician, and today really wasn't any different. Aside from the fact that the mayor is not here, all of them showed up, including Governor George Pataki, who is running for reelection.
This is what Governor Pataki had to say earlier this afternoon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOVERNOR GEORGE PATAKI (R), NEW YORK: It's a great day celebrating the contribution of Italian-Americans and the contribution of the Italian-American culture to our great city and our great state and our great country. I'm just proud to be here.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
PATAKI: I'm just proud to be here. I think everybody's having a good time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OWKU: The governor choosing to stay away from the controversy completely. He did not want to touch it. Organizers say that they don't want it to be a political event at all, that this is supposed to be a celebration of Italian-American culture, as well as all the multiethnicities that makes this city great in their view.
Thank you very much. They kiss on queue. Isn't that a wonderful thing?
Take a pan of this crowd. There are some 150,000 people that were expected here today. Organizers say that they expected about 300,000, twice that number, because of this controversy. You can imagine that the mayor is obviously not stewing somewhere or sulking. He says he's going to be having something of an extended lunch, and probably no one's going to be giving him roses up in the Bronx. He's going to be having a lunch with two of the stars of "The Sopranos." And you can bet, Carol, that he's going to be eating Italian.
LIN: Michael, do you think this is a bit of life imitating art? A couple of weeks ago, an episode of "The Sopranos" took this on, where members of the Soprano clan or gang took on a bunch of American Indians in this fight over the legacy of Columbus. Now all of a sudden, you have got this controversy in New York.
OWKU: It really is amazing. You have to think maybe the mayor doesn't really watch "The Sopranos." He's just very good friends with these "Sopranos" stars. But as far as the mayor is concerned, irony aside, the fact is, in his view, these two particular stars are great examples of what Italian-Americans have become in this country and how great a contribution they can provide to New York City. Chianese is somebody who's spoken quite vocally for the tourist industry here in New York City. And Lorraine Bracco has been a very feisty environmentalist here in New York.
So as far as the mayor is concerned, you know, "Sopranos" controversy aside, these two were a great examples of Italian- Americans who were doing good in this country and in this city -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Michael Owku. A gorgeous day in New York City today. You hang on to that flower.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
