Silvio Crumps as Boss

[Jane]

I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....

But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and stresses
out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping himself full
of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very conservatively
as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a sonofabitch) and ends
up crumping and having to be carried off by the paramedics after just a
brief time of being acting Boss, ending up being admitted to the
hospital.

Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress daily
and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he has
started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression, but
remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a while.
I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from being
Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and his
inner conflicts, anyway.

Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.

Jane

[mike]

advisor to the boss is maybe a harder or more demanding job than boss
itself. certainly as important to be consoglioni (or whatever) to the head
of a family :D

DEMOTED!!

[Fatbastrd]

Post by mike
advisor to the boss is maybe a harder or more demanding job than boss
itself. certainly as important to be consoglioni (or whatever) to the head
of a family :D
DEMOTED!!

Consigliere.

[Mark Nobles]

Post by mike
advisor to the boss is maybe a harder or more demanding job than boss
itself. certainly as important to be consoglioni (or whatever) to the
head of a family :D
DEMOTED!!

I have to disagree. Sure, the two jobs require the same amount and type
of thinking, but the buck stops with the skip. The consigliere may come
up with the ideas, the strategies, but when the shit hits the fan, he's
standing behind the boss, not in front of the fan.

[CliffB]

Post by Mark Nobles

Post by mike
advisor to the boss is maybe a harder or more demanding job than boss
itself. certainly as important to be consoglioni (or whatever) to the
head of a family :D
DEMOTED!!

I have to disagree. Sure, the two jobs require the same amount and type
of thinking, but the buck stops with the skip. The consigliere may come
up with the ideas, the strategies, but when the shit hits the fan, he's
standing behind the boss, not in front of the fan.

Syl is definitely more comfortable with strategizing, and the
occasional killing of a rat fuck. Much less stress!

[unknown]

Post by Mark Nobles

Post by mike
advisor to the boss is maybe a harder or more demanding job than boss
itself. certainly as important to be consoglioni (or whatever) to the
head of a family :D
DEMOTED!!

I have to disagree. Sure, the two jobs require the same amount and type
of thinking, but the buck stops with the skip. The consigliere may come
up with the ideas, the strategies, but when the shit hits the fan, he's
standing behind the boss, not in front of the fan.

Except for perhaps a very brief period in the early days, the post of
consigliere is largely honorary and/or political. The notion of a wise
man filling the post and advising the boss is largely fiction. In
reality the boss fills it with a guy who he likes, wants to schmooze
or to make a political statement.

An example is the Philly mob. Bruno had exiled Nicky Scarfo to AC for
being a hothead (before the days of the casinos). After Bruno was
killed, and the casinos were up and running, the new Boss made Scarfo
consigliere as a conciliatiry gesture and to strengthen the ties
between Philly and the AC wing. Scarfo was not chosen for his wisdom
(LOL!) or valuable advice but as a political move.

[peterc_7]

Post by mike
advisor to the boss is maybe a harder or more demanding job than boss
itself. certainly as important to be consoglioni (or whatever) to the head
of a family :D
DEMOTED!!

That's "consiglieri" and it's delegated to the "legal advisor" aka
"Hesch". Silvio is a "capo" or captain. He has a following of
soldiers that do his biding, collect payments, break legs, run his
businesses, etc.. Silvio is the only one that Tony really trusts.
Paulie and Vito are two blow jobs away from getting whacked. Junior is
either going to A. Jail, B. Nursing Home, C. Sleep with the Fishes
compliments of AJ.

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

Post by peterc_7

Post by mike
advisor to the boss is maybe a harder or more demanding job than boss
itself. certainly as important to be consoglioni (or whatever) to the head
of a family :D
DEMOTED!!

That's "consiglieri" and it's delegated to the "legal advisor" aka
"Hesch". Silvio is a "capo" or captain. He has a following of
soldiers that do his biding, collect payments, break legs, run his
businesses, etc.. Silvio is the only one that Tony really trusts.
Paulie and Vito are two blow jobs away from getting whacked. Junior is
either going to A. Jail, B. Nursing Home, C. Sleep with the Fishes
compliments of AJ.

Silvio is the consiglieri of the family...

[FatBastrd]

Post by Jane
I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....
But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and stresses
out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping himself full
of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very conservatively
as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a sonofabitch) and ends
up crumping and having to be carried off by the paramedics after just a
brief time of being acting Boss, ending up being admitted to the
hospital.
Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress daily
and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he has
started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression, but
remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a while.
I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from being
Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and his
inner conflicts, anyway.
Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.
Jane

Well well well Jane, s'about time you jumped off the milk carton.

I agree totally. But, by his own account, he's more of a behind the
scenes person. That frees him up to make decisions stress-free, which
Tony benefits from.

But the previews for next week show Tony talking like his old self
again, so I'm sure we're back in business here.


FAWKIN' Vito is my A-1 target for whackin', and I don't meen off.

[Kathy]

Post by Jane
I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....
But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and stresses
out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping himself full
of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very conservatively
as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a sonofabitch) and ends
up crumping and having to be carried off by the paramedics after just a
brief time of being acting Boss, ending up being admitted to the
hospital.
Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress daily
and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he has
started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression, but
remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a while.
I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from being
Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and his
inner conflicts, anyway.
Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.
Jane

Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.

Kathy

[Fatbastrd]

Post by Kathy
Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.

Er....uh....remind me again about the Peter Principle?

[Flagstaff Frank]

Post by Fatbastrd

Post by Kathy
Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.

Er....uh....remind me again about the Peter Principle?

Vito has to suck the peter of AJ's principal to get him reinstated.

[Vegetable Lasagne]

Post by Fatbastrd

Post by Kathy
Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.

Er....uh....remind me again about the Peter Principle?

people rise to their level of incompetence. They keep doing well as they move
up till they get put into a job they can't handle, where they then screw up
and stay in that level.

[Kathy]

Post by Fatbastrd

Post by Kathy
Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.

Er....uh....remind me again about the Peter Principle?

The theory that employees within an organization will advance to their
highest level of competence and then be promoted to and remain at a
level at which they are incompetent.


ETYMOLOGY: After Laurence Johnston Peter (1919–1990).

Kathy

[Fatbastrd]

Post by Kathy

Post by Fatbastrd

Post by Kathy
Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.

Er....uh....remind me again about the Peter Principle?

The theory that employees within an organization will advance to their
highest level of competence and then be promoted to and remain at a
level at which they are incompetent.
ETYMOLOGY: After Laurence Johnston Peter (1919–1990).
Kathy

Yowza! For a minute there, I thought you were going to use a ruler
to......well............nevermind.

[Chris]

Post by Fatbastrd

Post by Kathy
Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.

Er....uh....remind me again about the Peter Principle?

Well Sil said it to his wife he did not like it. He said I am more of a
behind the scenes guy

[Vegetable Lasagne]

Post by Kathy

Post by Jane
I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....
But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and stresses
out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping himself full
of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very conservatively
as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a sonofabitch) and ends
up crumping and having to be carried off by the paramedics after just a
brief time of being acting Boss, ending up being admitted to the
hospital.
Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress daily
and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he has
started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression, but
remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a while.
I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from being
Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and his
inner conflicts, anyway.
Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.
Jane

Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.
Kathy

Ask Vito about the peter principle.

[Sparky Spartacus]

Post by Vegetable Lasagne

Post by Kathy

Post by Jane
I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....
But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and stresses
out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping himself full
of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very conservatively
as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a sonofabitch) and ends
up crumping and having to be carried off by the paramedics after just a
brief time of being acting Boss, ending up being admitted to the
hospital.
Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress daily
and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he has
started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression, but
remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a while.
I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from being
Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and his
inner conflicts, anyway.
Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.
Jane

Exactly. The Peter Principle would apply here.
Kathy

Ask Vito about the peter principle.

And Finn about the principle peter.

[JS]

Post by Jane
I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....
But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and stresses
out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping himself full
of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very conservatively
as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a sonofabitch) and ends
up crumping and having to be carried off by the paramedics after just a
brief time of being acting Boss, ending up being admitted to the
hospital.
Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress daily
and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he has
started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression, but
remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a while.
I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from being
Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and his
inner conflicts, anyway.
Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.
Jane>

I believe it was last season, but there was a scene where Sil tells Tony
that he feels Tony has a problem with being to prideful. Tony then tells Sil
that Sil never had to deal with being #1, where every decision you make
effects everyone else. I think Sil now got a small taste of what Tony goes
through on a daily basis.

Steve

[Beacon_Mode]

Jane deployed the observation...

Post by Jane
I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....
But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and
stresses out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping
himself full of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very
conservatively as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a
sonofabitch) and ends up crumping and having to be carried off by the
paramedics after just a brief time of being acting Boss, ending up
being admitted to the hospital.
Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress
daily and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he
has started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression,
but remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a
while. I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from
being Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and
his inner conflicts, anyway.
Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.
Jane

He was hilarious checking himself out in the mirror with that red shirt on
and his big scowl. What a bad guy. I can never quite reconcile that image
with his off-set occupation.

[Mike]

Just like with Springsteen

[Fatbastrd]

Post by Mike
Just like with Springsteen

I wonder if he's Springsteen's consigliere.

[rosie]

Post by Jane
I found this episode interesting & amusing in many ways, which others
have already posted about in detail....
But one thing I found amusing as hell was the way ol' Silvio took
himself soooo seriously as acting Boss, and his wife pumping him up
daily about how he was just made for the job---then he has to make a
couple of minor decisions and do a little minor refereeing, and stresses
out to the point he exacerbates his asthma, starts pumping himself full
of his bronchodialators (which is meant to be used very conservatively
as a rescue med and makes your heart pump like a sonofabitch) and ends
up crumping and having to be carried off by the paramedics after just a
brief time of being acting Boss, ending up being admitted to the
hospital.
Say what you will about Tony, he handles a hell of a lot of stress daily
and makes a lot of important decisions all the while. Yes, he has
started having the panic attacks and suffering from depression, but
remains functional and has carried that stress load for quite a while.
I'm of the opinion that these emotional problems are not from being
Boss, but from a culmination of his life's events thus far, and his
inner conflicts, anyway.
Seems to me that Silvio should and will be relegated to what he does
best--a behind the scenes kinda guy.
Jane

Don't forget, Miz Silvio, she has ambitions. Silvio knows he is best at
what he coes, but his sweet wife has plans for when he is Boss.
Rosie

[Mr Bungle 34]

I just wanted to point out that when they have been showing next weeks
previews they are saying "this season on the Sopranos" not "next week".
I don't think Tony is quite back to normal and up and around next
week. Then again, I was expecting the coma for a few more episodes so
that shows what I know.

[RayBan]

By nature the consigliere is the guy who's gotta read between the
lines, see more than just the forest and the trees. He's like the
E.F. Hutton of the Jersey family. Sil's always been a pretty quiet
guy, right? But then he pops off some sage yet brief opinion to Tony
that slaps a sense of realization into not only the boss, but the
viewer as well. Chase and the writers have always used the character
of Sil to that end. It can be argued that the fact is no more apparent
than it is now.

For the duration of Tony's rule, the circumstances have been pretty
cut and dried. He's had some issues, no doubt, but he's also had the
reassurances of an implicitly trustworthy consigliere and a nephew
who's not only complicit in, but keeps his mouth shut about, Tony's
forays outside the lines of old-school rules (for example, whacking a
made guy like Ralphie). Sil is being a realist, but in the true
nature of his character, he's being mute about his deepest concerns.
Hitting those inhalers as much as he has is a classic sign that he's
internalizing his worries.

So what's he worried about? Tony, his FRIEND, is on death's door. Sil
is the only one of the crew who REALLY seems affected on a personal
level by the potential that Tony could die. Sil, also true to his
nature as consigliere, can see beyond the immediate circumstances.
He's clued into the larger picture-- Tony the BOSS may die. Junior
is out of his mind. Sac is in the can. Leotardo, the one acting in
Sac's shoes, has an axe yet to come to grind. And the crew--
everybody's got a bitch, everybody's more concerened for his own ass
than for the good of the family. Sil is clued into all this shit and
sees the long-term ramifications. The entire fibre of the family is
breaking down, the cosa nostra principles are fading in favor of "he
for his own ass". And Sil know he's first in line to inherit the
breakdowns, to have to deal with them in an effective manner. And he
knows in his heart of hearts that a lot of what's coming down the pike
is of Tony's doing, which causes him grief because he's criticizung
his friend's judgments. But Sil also know that there's no one with
the stugots and the foresight to be able to step up and save the
family. He's scared shitless that it's down to him and he's gonna be
the man when the family gonna falls.

He knows in his gut that he's got no one reliable to step up to
consigliere.

He knows in his gut that he's got no solidarity amongst the capos and
the soldiers.

And he knows that on the verge is an all-out blood bath between New
York and Jersey.