Just so everyone is on the same page, the third panel is supposed to be Robin Williams from his Mork & Mindy days. I only bring it up because I know some of the other readers probably can’t figure out why Robin Williams would have a mullet and wear suspenders.

To be honest, back then, neither did we.

With that out of the way, I need to report that I just got done watching The Soprano’s season premier and I can’t stress enough how nice it is to have television that isn’t insulting.

Unless of course, you’re Italian-American. Certain associations claim they propagate negative stereotypes. This open letter to HBO, for example.

You know, I don’t remember any association for idiots knocking down Norm MacDonald’s door back when he had a TV show. Then again, they probably couldn’t find his house.

My point is this: I cannot for the life of me understand why any organization that would try to silence programming that is by far superior to any other piece of tripe the slap on the screen. These are the people who tell the teacher they forgot to assign homework at the end of the day. They’re ruining it for the rest of us.

Does this mean I support unfair stereotypes or generalizations? Of course not. But if I was going to do a TV show about overweight housewives, there would be certain stereotypes built into that. Conversely, a show that revolves around something as ingrained into our culture as the Mafia may have some associations already attached to it. To cut a swath too far outside the box may render the show beyond the realm of suspended belief. What? Are we supposed to assume that mob guys sit around eating fine cheese and discussing the annotated works of Shakespeare? I think finding them at a nudie bar is much closer to the truth.

For those of you who don’t get The Soprano’s, I highly recommend buying the first two seasons on DVD. You’re really missing out.

What this has to do with Robin Williams or One Hour Photo, I don’t know. Kinda got off on a rant there