What ethnicity were the JETS supposed to be?
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TeOfLeDiKi — 13 years ago(October 09, 2012 04:50 AM)
One of the points that the playwright (and later the screenwriters) made clear in one of the scenes in Doc's store was that, although the Jets were all "white," they were all descended from different ethnicities. It was the fact that they were white that consolidated them against the Puerto Ricans.
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leader-7 — 13 years ago(October 23, 2012 02:04 PM)
They're of mixed ethnicity and the WOP reference, to Italian heritage, is actually a slur coming from "WithOut Passport" meaning, the arrival of many italians (esp. from Sicily) who got to Ellis Island, without papers.
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TeOfLeDiKi — 13 years ago(November 16, 2012 05:31 PM)
That's so interesting, leader-7! It's kind of strange that the origins for slurs for Italians are not so easy to determine as the origins for slurs against other ethnic groups. It wasn't until I read The Thorn Birds that I understood the origins of the terms "Eyeties" and "Dagos" (I - Ts and D'Agostinos). It's interesting (and kind of sad) how words can become so derogatory without anyone ever remembering where they came from.
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Noel_MarquisDeMaynes — 9 years ago(April 28, 2016 04:58 AM)
Sorry, leader-7, you are wrong about the etymology of "wop." See
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wop
for more information. -
leader-7 — 9 years ago(April 28, 2016 05:56 AM)
Yes, but Urban Legend prevails.
Wop is a pejorative slur used to describe Italians, or people descended from Italians. According to Merriam-Webster its first known use was in the United States in 1908. The dictionary is unambiguous that it originates from a southern Italian dialect term guappo, meaning thug, derived from the Spanish term guapo, meaning handsome, via dialectical French, meaning ruffian or pimp. -
barryfleckmann — 12 years ago(June 10, 2013 10:52 AM)
"What ethnicity were the Jets supposed to be?"
WASP. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. Bernardo, played by George Chakiris, looked fine to me. He deserved to win The Oscar.
NOTICE TO MITT ROMNEY: A BAD DAY FREELOADING, IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY AT WORK. -
barryfleckmann — 12 years ago(June 11, 2013 06:20 AM)
You make a valid point, craftsgal. We've been doing a LOT of chatting, together, on these boards, haven't we? It's fun, I'm having a GOOD time!
NOTICE TO MITT ROMNEY: A BAD DAY FREELOADING, IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY AT WORK. -
barryfleckmann — 12 years ago(June 12, 2013 06:02 AM)
"Glad you enjoy chatting with me on this board, too."
You've ONLY been on imdb.com for two months and two weeks?? But, you DO it so well! Do you get ambushed by a lot of trolls, here? Besides me, of course!
NOTICE TO MITT ROMNEY: A BAD DAY FREELOADING, IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY AT WORK. -
barryfleckmann — 12 years ago(June 13, 2013 05:50 AM)
"I've actually been on and off imdb.com for almost three years now"
Ah, THAT explains it! You communicate, here, too well, to be a Newbie! I find the best part about these boards is that - once in awhile - you run into a poster that holds your interest, the way that YOU certainly do. The bad part, of course, are the ubiquitous trolls. I have an Ignore This User list, a mile long!! "The Town," huh? I've gotta' go check it out!
NOTICE TO MITT ROMNEY: A BAD DAY FREELOADING, IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY AT WORK. -
barryfleckmann — 12 years ago(June 17, 2013 06:55 AM)
"Imho, however, Ben Affleck's 'The Town' is quite overrated"
Hhhhhmmmmm? Ben Affleck has NEVER been MY cup of tea. Have you seen, "Argo?"
NOTICE TO MITT ROMNEY: A BAD DAY FREELOADING, IS BETTER THAN A GOOD DAY AT WORK.