Sunday, October 11, 2026
Italian American Heritage Month: Giancarlo Esposito
Did you know that Giancarlo Esposito, one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, has Italian roots?
Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1958, Esposito grew up with a fascinating multicultural heritage. His father, Giovanni Esposito, was Italian, originally from Naples, while his mother, Elizabeth Foster, was an African-American opera singer from the United States. Esposito lived in Italy until he was five and then his family moved to New York where he spent his formative years.Long before becoming internationally famous as Gustavo Fring in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Giancarlo was already building a remarkable career across theater, film, and television.
But behind the actor known around the world is also an Italian family story. Through his father, Esposito carries a connection to Naples — a city shaped by centuries of history, art, music, strong traditions, and an unmistakable identity.
His story is another example of how Italian heritage has traveled far beyond Italy’s borders. Across generations, millions of Italians and their descendants have contributed to culture, entertainment, business, sports, and everyday life around the world.
Giancarlo Esposito’s background beautifully represents that meeting of cultures: Italian roots, an African-American heritage, a European birthplace, and a career that made him a global star.
Sometimes an Italian story can be found where you least expect it.
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Kid Rock Speaks At Trump Rally . . .
KID ROCK JUST WENT NUCLEAR Islamist extremists want SHARIA LAW over this country. They will NEVER get it. No cult. No ideology. NOTHING overrides the Constitution. You will NEVER force Americans to live under it. I guarantee that. We are NOT becoming an Islamist nation. Shut the border. End the 3rd world invasion. America stays America. Period. 🔥🔥🔥🇺🇸 https://t.co/O9C7dg5YDc
— Sherri™ (@FFT1776) October 10, 2026
A Messsage From The Archbishop Of Philadelhia
I was deeply saddened to learn that Officer Shane Seiber of the Philadelphia Police department was shot and killed while serving our city in the line of duty early this morning. On behalf of the bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated religious, and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I extend prayerful condolences to Officer Seiber’s widow, his young children, his other family members, and many friends as they mourn his tragic and untimely death. Our heartfelt sympathy also goes out to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and the faithful men and women of the Philadelphia Police Department as they cope with the death of a brother in blue who embodied the department’s motto of honor, integrity, and service for the past decade. I have asked all people in the Catholic Church of Philadelphia to join me in praying for the happy repose of Officer Seiber’s soul and that God may bring peace and consolation to all those suffering at this painful moment. May the Lord pour His mercy upon them and hold them in His loving embrace. In addition, I ask all people of goodwill to join me in fervently praying for the swift recovery of the officer who was severely wounded alongside Officer Seiber today. Dark moments like this one are a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the need to turn to God. May we follow his will, seek the conversion of heart of those who would do violence, and work as one family to overcome the many challenges facing our society. We owe an immeasurable debt of gratitude to all of the first responders who put their lives on the line to protect us each day. May God watch over and protect them. Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, D.D. Archbishop of Philadelphia |
Italian American Heritage Month: Ida Lupino
The star of classic films such as They Drive by Night (1940), High Sierra (1941), and Road House (1948), she was a stalwart of the screen throughout her early career and frequently received top billing ahead of stars such as Humphrey Bogart. While her talent was undeniable, her insistence on taking only roles she felt would challenge her professionally often put her at odds with the demands of studio executives.
It was in those periods of frustration and suspension as an actor that Lupino fostered a talent for the filmmaking process. In a bold decision for a woman of the era, she founded her own independent production company where she became widely regarded as one of the most prolific filmmakers working at the height of the Hollywood studio system.She has been described by fellow directors such as Martin Scorsese as "resilient, with a remarkable empathy for the fragile and heartbroken." A trailblazer for women, she was way ahead of her time and charted a path for so many others.
How Columbus Day Came To Be . . .
President Benjamin Harrison established Columbus Day in 1892. He did that to honor the Italian Americans who were falsely accused and lynched in New Orleans in 1891. It was the worst mass lynching in American history and it was carried out by a mob!
The holiday was created to celebrate the Italian American community and to recognize their contributions to the United States.
Friday, October 9, 2026
Italian American Heritage Month: Eydie Gormé
She was born on August 16, 1928 in the Mount Eden section of the South Bronx, which was primarily a Spanish neighborhood at the time, before turning into a Puerto Rican area in the 1940s. Her family's surname was Gormezano and her father was a Sicilian immigrant from Palermo.
Her father's name was initially Nicola Gormezano until he converted to Judaism and changed it to Nessim Gormé after falling in love with her mother in 1923. Her mother was a Sephardic Jew. Eydie grew up speaking the Jewish languages known as Yiddish and Ladino, but also learned Spanish as a result of growing up in a Latin American neighborhood.
She worked as a Spanish interpreter after graduating from Taft High School in 1946. She decided to quit that job to pursue a singing career, touring with bandleader Tommy Tucker. In 1953, she joined Steve Allen's TV show known as The Tonight Show. That's how she met her husband Steve Lawrence, whom she married in 1957.
The pair won a Grammy in 1960 for their album We Got Us and performed together on many stages. The son of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, Lawrence was born Sidney Liebowitz in Brooklyn, New York on July 8, 1935. He had started singing in the synagogue choir where his father served as cantor while supporting the family as a house painter.
Eydie collaborated with the Mexican group Trio Los Panchos in the 1960s. Her best-known hit songs are “Too Close for Comfort,” “Love Me Forever," “Blame It on the Bossa Nova” and “If He Walked into My Life."
Throughout the 1980s, Gormé and Lawrence appeared on many well-known stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Harrah’s in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and Bally’s in Las Vegas. In 1991, they joined Frank Sinatra on his Diamond Jubilee Tour. In 1995, Eydie and Steve received Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Society of Singers and the Songwriters Hall of Fame
Big News On Local Shopping, Eating, Browsing!
First, our spies tell us that the Bistro (which went bankrupt and has been vacated for months) will be replaced by a new eatery called Maya Bohem, which appears to be a coffee/cafe from Turkey. We're told the targeted opening date is early December. This seems to be a completely new approach for that space, which has served as an eatery of some sort since the Mall first opened.
Second, The new Dick's House of Sport is expected to open on or about November 17, in time for the busy Christmas shopping season. The place will be mammoth and include onsite participatory features, the likes of which have never been available in one place in this area.
Finally, we're told that the Moorestown Barnes & Noble at Eastgate will move into a very large space at the nearby Moorestown Mall.
Uncle Giuseppi's, which will take over the Barnes and Noble space and the next door Pet Smart space is expected to open around this time next year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)