they actually followed christopher moltisanti and jon favreau and eavesdropped on their conversations
Yep, that's how all of The Sopranos episodes were shot. Most people don't know that the show was a documentary.

they actually followed christopher moltisanti and jon favreau and eavesdropped on their conversations

I can't pretend to know what movie directors are like, but it kinda seems like by this point their egos (even the nicer people) are inflated to the point of "This is MY movie, You don't give ME script changes, I give them to YOU!"
I just kinda imagine all the more ego-inflated directors would be more like that, and not so keen on being given outside suggestion
hire people smarter than you
is a saying.

He was playing a fictionalized version of himself, not unlike Neil Patrick Harris in Harold and Kumar.
"Careful, man! There's a beverage, here."

I'd click Like on this response if I could sorry, still burning off my Facebook addiction. I was actually wondering the same thing just an hour before I found this post. I remembered the way he was just hypersuper-excited about everything Moltisanti was saying, and wondered how much of this, if any, was "him" when he's actually directing a movie. I mean, for example, Favreau in Sopranos willingly accepted a script-change suggestion from Chris: "Let this onecall that one. a bukkiake." And of course, Jon's all hyper-excited about it even before hearing what it means.
I can't pretend to know what movie directors are like, but it kinda seems like by this point their egos (even the nicer people) are inflated to the point of "This is MY movie, You don't give ME script changes, I give them to YOU!"
I just kinda imagine all the more ego-inflated directors would be more like that, and not so keen on being given outside suggestions.
That's just one example of many I could bring up. Just from the way he presented himself in Sopranos made me think, this dude seems alright.. but then I wonder how much of it is, as the person above me said, inflated and satirical.
But I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.

This message has been deleted.

It was a lot like when celebrities are on Entourage. They are playing characters with the same name and background as themselves, but often doing so in an inflated, satirical way.
But still, where'd the lighter fluid come from?

Your answer makes a lot of sense. I think I understand. Thanks.

He was playing a character. Of himself.
Martin Scorsese
IS
the best

He was clearly playing himself. Christopher mentioned many times his opinion of Swingers to Jon Favreau.