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American Morning
Showbiz Today Reports: HBO CEO Responds to Charges 'The Sopranos' Is Racist, Sexist
Aired April 10, 2001 - 11:42 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Show business now, with Laurin Sydney.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. Starting off with a little Eminem news. The boy just can't stay out of the spotlight -- Laurin.
LAURIN SYDNEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We thought he was out, but now he's back in.
Good morning to you Daryn and Kyra. Good morning, everybody.
Two months ago he stood before an audience accepting a Grammy, and today, rapper Eminem stands before a judge. The controversial entertainer will be sentenced today in a Michigan courtroom on a felony weapons charge. The rap star, whose real name is Marshall Mathers, plead guilty to carrying a concealed weapon back in February. He was charged after attacking a man he saw kissing his wife in a bar. He could be sentenced to up to 11 months in jail, but will more than likely receive probation because he is a first-time offender.
Beautiful Angie Harmon wants to leave her TV courtroom. Harmon, who plays an assistant district attorney on "Law & Order" has told producer Dick Wolf that she wants her third season to be her last. Harmon is getting married this June to the New York Jets' Jason Sehorn.
The producers of "Survivor" want to give the reality show "Boot Camp" the boot. CBS is suing Fox Broadcasting, saying that their show is a blatant rip-off of "Survivor." the lawsuit cites the fact that both shows put non-actor contestants in harsh conditions and require them to work as a team to accomplish tasks. CBS is alleging that "Boot Camp" violates federal and state copyright laws.
Another TV program possibly heading to court is HBO's critically acclaimed "The Sopranos." Italian-American organizations in Illinois have filed suit against the network, claiming that the mobster drama defames Italian-Americans. In an exclusive interview with "Showbiz Today Reports," HBO chairman and CEO Jeffrey Bewkes sat down with Michael Okwu to respond to the recent criticism.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This group is an Italian- American group, as you know, in Chicago. They're suing the producers on the grounds that it violates the Illinois constitution's guarantee of individual dignity and that the show portrays Italian-Americans in a negative light. What do you say to that?
JEFF BEWKES, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, HBO: Well, I don't think that it does portray Italian-Americans in a negative light. There are some Italian-American characters on the show which I'd have to agree would not be role models for me and my family -- I agree with that -- but that's true of people that have problems or bad actors from every group in all kinds of shows that we see. And I think "Sopranos" has people, including Italian-American people, that are role models on the show. So I don't agree with them that that show comes across as a net negative for Italian-Americans. I also don't think that most Italian- Americans think that either.
OKWU: Can you name one positive role model on that show?
BEWKES: Sure, Jennifer Melfi; the doctor; Jennifer's husband, Richard; certain members of the Soprano family -- not Tony. You know, you can't blame the kids, yet anyway, although stay tuned, and you might be able to blame one of them -- you'll see. You can't say that the members of Tony's crew who are engaged in criminal activities are role model, unless you yourself want to be a criminal. I think that's true.
But I don't think that we've said that portraying criminals and criminal motivation on television or films is a disservice to the people -- you know, to the viewers or the citizens -- yet. Or in any other context, either.
OKWU: There are some women's groups, as you know, that have also taken umbrage with the programs...
BEWKES: With the last episode.
OKWU: Particularly, the last episode. You generally had a tone of misogyny.
BEWKES: Right -- I don't think the show has a tone of misogyny. I think the show exposes the problems with misogyny. I think it shows the limitations of some characters that are misogynists, and it shows what's wrong with that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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