I like the show, I never followed it before, but this season I have been catching the reruns and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. What is very true though is that if you hang out in NJ around the areas they show in the opening segment of the show when Tony is driving on the Turnpike past Exit 13 and the big gas tanks-------is that MAD people think they are connected!! It is so funny, I used to work in Carteret, exit 12 on the NJ Tpke, and I know some girls who work at Satin Dolls aka-"Bada Bing" and so many Italian men act is if they are connected and try to be big shots when it is obvious that they are not, otherwise they wouldn't be talking about it. However, there are REAL people who live that REAL lifestyle around there also, I know that because I worked out there in a club and the "silent" partners (the real owners) were definitely just like the men on the Sopranos, FOR REAL, where do you think they came up with the idea for the show? I don't think it stereotypes Italians, because it is about a certain group of people who happen to be Italian, who are really out there living that life. It's the wannabes and posers who make the Italians look bad, not the show. got myself a gun...uh oh!!! LOL