SEASON 19 / EPISODE 341
Mailbag: Stories from the Shadows
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IN THIS CONVERSATION
The story behind the story.
In this episode, Gianni and Jeannie discuss a variety of topics, ranging from the show’s longevity and dedicated fanbase to Gianni’s varied career and personal anecdotes. The duo answers fan questions from their mailbag, touching on characters like Sister Helen Travis and James Files, and detailing Gianni’s familial ties to Sicily. They share amusing personal stories, including Gianni’s experiences in Las Vegas, his different business ventures, and his time working as a private messenger for Frank Costello. They also reflect on historical events like the significant fires in Las Vegas hotels. Adding a nostalgic touch, they recount Gianni’s roles and experiences on the set of ‘The Godfather,’ enriched with behind-the-scenes tales.
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Transcript source
The publisher supplies an automated transcript. It has not been editorially reviewed and may contain errors in names, dates or dialogue.
Open publisher transcript (text/vtt) ↗
LITTLE ITALY · GIANNI’S EARLY YEARS
Frank CostelloBefore Hollywood, a different kind of mentor.
Before Hollywood, there was Little Italy. In Hollywood Godfather, Gianni recalls Frank Costello taking him under his wing during his New York childhood. He presents Costello as a powerful early influence on the life that followed. Gianni says he worked for Costello as a messenger for years and viewed him as a mentor. On the podcast, he revisits this relationship in “Mentoring by the Mob: Frank Costello.” This chapter presents Gianni’s personal recollections, with links to his memoir and interview.
Gianni’s memoir · publisher synopsis ↗ Gianni’s 2019 VICE interview ↗
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