Michael Imperioli doesn't like Detroit

**StubbyStone** · September-30-10, 05:21 PM

there is never any instance of Michael Imperioli saying he doesn't like Detroit in that segment...

seriously, i'm starting to think that a lot of Detroiters are a bunch of babies... anything short of "I love Detroit" and everyone starts crying... if we're that insecure, then we aren't gonna get anywhere...

**rooms222** · September-30-10, 05:50 PM

I think a lot of single people would not have a car in Mount Vernon,especially if they worked in Manhattan. That said, my friend's coop in Mount Vernon was really a glorified old apartment with a monthly payment and a monthly coop fee. It really reminded me of the buildings on Seward in Detroit, and was in a similar condition. The New Center in 1990 was more happening than most of Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon was interesting to me because, as a small city that was originally built out before the development of the Bronx got to its borders, it had no zoning [[back when it was first built out). Tiny manufacturing firms were mixed in neighborhoods with schools, churches, homes, and apartments. Many of the industrial buildings were abandoned or out of business when I last looked about a decade ago.

Of course, I think many of the original areas of Mount Vernon have been redeveloped in the last century.

**Patrick** · September-30-10, 07:22 PM

I think it is hard to take someone out of his or her element and thrust them into a rather foreign place. I mean, He would say the same thing about Detroit even if he was from LA or Portland. Like others mentioned....you really have to dig in order to find the gems. Rickbeall mentioned a woman breaking down when she saw Detroit's financial district but hey, I am sure she would have been in awe of the Ford Rouge. Detroit never was and never will be a financial town much in the same respect that NYC was never and will never be a factory town.

In the end, a city's greatness cannot be measured by the height of its buildings.

**brightpavilions** · September-30-10, 07:46 PM

I've seen him walking around Royal Oak [[where I currently work.) Usually going to Starbucks or Nutri-Foods. Always seems affable and takes the time to talk to someone who recognizes him. He's used to walking to get the basics or hopping a train to get across town. Who can blame him? Some of us pine for it daily. Hell, the closest I can get is living in Hamtramck and let's be honest ... apples & oranges. I've also recently entertained first timers from San Francisco and their comments were "everything is so spread out" and "this town was definitely built around the car."

But how about this post on Facebook from a friend of mine:

"Sitting on the Emory patio it was awesome seeing Michael Imperioli walking toward us down Woodward Ave. I felt kind of bad for him because he was alone and probably hasn't made new friends around here yet, walking around looking for something to do. Then a guy with a pool stick jumped out of the front door and yelled, "CHRIS-TUH-FUUUHHHH!!" and I felt even WORSE for him!"

Classy right?

I bet he misses his family, his city [[who wouldn't) and he's trying to find his spot in a "foreign land" that isn't always welcoming to "outsiders." We all know, around here that can be as big a challenge as getting from downtown to Somerset on public transportation.

lilpup · September-30-10, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by Paddington

You think anyone in New York has noticed or even cared that Michael Imperioli has moved out?

Yep. That's why the Daily News ran that blip.

**R8RBOB** · September-30-10, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by brightpavilions

I've also recently entertained first timers from San Francisco and their comments were "everything is so spread out" and "this town was definitely built around the car."

Going off subject for a moment. I remember about four years ago, I took a trip to Chicago for training and one day when I had some free time I decided to take a trip to Wrigleyville. To do that from downtown I had to jump on one of the "els" that would take me to the North side where Wrigley Field is located. In fact, I took the wrong train and I ended up west of Wrigley Field so I had to take a walk down Addison. I had to admire the neighborhood. The homes though old were very well kept. I walked around for a bit before I jumped on the "right" train to take me back downtown.

I would have never done this taking a bus. No way in hell. Visitors like to venture out to explore to feel the city and trains and light rails are necessary tools for that task. No one wants to wait for a bus. Detroit and the metro area makes it impossible for out-of-towners to feel the area, to experience what it can offer. Imperioli has to feel like a fish out of water when it comes to working in Detroit because New York City is an open city where all walks of life somehow interact.

**Det1952** · October-01-10, 12:15 AM

Mike Imp
This thread is pretty stupid in for what it is attempting, but anyways, here goes.
Why should it matter what he thinks anyways? Michael Imperioli. Did anyony even recognize
his name without looking it up. Don’t lie, the answer is no.
He is just an actor. He is not a great actor. He is not even a good actor. Medicore at best.
Have any of you really, really watched the Soparnos. He was a wart.
He reminds me of a character on the Simpsons. Mo, the bar owner with no chin.
This guy has no chin either. He is lucky to have any kind of job. Basiclly hes fugly.
His character will kill his chances of going beyond this role. Why, because he is unlikable.
I think that’s the writers fault. But im not for sure. It could be him, as in Sopranos.
His character as he plays it, is not believble. And this show will not make it through two
seasons anyway. Just because the guys an actor don’t mean chit.
Although, from his view and prespective. I for one have to agree with him.
Even if he didn’t say it, in so many words. Detroit is a chithole.
Ever since the blacks burned it down in 67, expecting someone else to rebuild it.
Which obviously didn’t happen. It has been on a decline. The smart money has long gone.
Im sure a lot of you would argue about that, but your in denial. Remember, its better to face
the facts correctly, at least then you have a chance of fixing them.
P.S. Mike Imp. Don’t walk to far off the beaten path, or we may never hear you stupid comments again.

**rooms222** · October-01-10, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

Going off subject for a moment. I remember about four years ago, I took a trip to Chicago for training and one day when I had some free time I decided to take a trip to Wrigleyville. To do that from downtown I had to jump on one of the "els" that would take me to the North side where Wrigley Field is located. In fact, I took the wrong train and I ended up west of Wrigley Field so I had to take a walk down Addison. I had to admire the neighborhood. The homes though old were very well kept. I walked around for a bit before I jumped on the "right" train to take me back downtown.

I would have never done this taking a bus. No way in hell. Visitors like to venture out to explore to feel the city and trains and light rails are necessary tools for that task. No one wants to wait for a bus. Detroit and the metro area makes it impossible for out-of-towners to feel the area, to experience what it can offer. Imperioli has to feel like a fish out of water when it comes to working in Detroit because New York City is an open city where all walks of life somehow interact.

Very true....I thought back to my trip to Europe, and the only time we took the bus was in Genoa, a city that has been crumbling for a lot longer than Detroit, to get to our hotel and back....The certainty of the rail stations and a subway map is a lot more comforting to someone in an unfamiliar area or who does not speak the language than looking for the street names to try to get off the bus in the right place. [[Genoa does have a tiny underground light rail, but we never used it and never could make heads or tails of it, kind of like a bigger people mover).......

If our economy does not come back, I thought Detroit could be like Genoa in 100 years, some old gem buildings from a wealthier time, a bunch of buildings repurposed for tourist use [[hotels/restaurants), and some giant tourist attractions [[new aquarium and other museums) on the waterfront......

**reddog289** · October-01-10, 01:54 AM

I drive everywhere , So thats that,But I can say I agree with his Pizza deal. The thickest crust I can deal with is Buddys.. I feel like he does when I am down at my Aunts in Virginia. Like it there, But HERE IS BETTER. IMO

**Parkguy** · October-03-10, 10:20 AM

I have to agree with the posters who said that NYC is not like anywhere else in the U.S. The closest I know of is Washington, DC, but even there you don't have the human scale on the sidewalk. Even Chicago is not on that scale. You have pockets of walkability separated by distances of residential and industrial areas. Even in New York, the farther out from Manhattan [[or "the City," as Brooklynites call Manhattan) you go, the fewer shopping and entertainment areas you find. You can almost always walk a couple of blocks to small grocery stores or dry cleaners, but the vibrant, active central districts are more spread out in the outer areas of the boroughs. This observation is obviously a generalization.

**menckensghost** · October-04-10, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by Det1952

Mike Imp
This thread is pretty stupid in for what it is attempting, but anyways, here goes.
Why should it matter what he thinks anyways? Michael Imperioli. Did anyony even recognize
his name without looking it up. Don’t lie, the answer is no.
He is just an actor. He is not a great actor. He is not even a good actor. Medicore at best.
Have any of you really, really watched the Soparnos. He was a wart.
He reminds me of a character on the Simpsons. Mo, the bar owner with no chin.
This guy has no chin either. He is lucky to have any kind of job. Basiclly hes fugly.
His character will kill his chances of going beyond this role. Why, because he is unlikable.
I think that’s the writers fault. But im not for sure. It could be him, as in Sopranos.
His character as he plays it, is not believble. And this show will not make it through two
seasons anyway. Just because the guys an actor don’t mean chit.
Although, from his view and prespective. I for one have to agree with him.
Even if he didn’t say it, in so many words. Detroit is a chithole.
Ever since the blacks burned it down in 67, expecting someone else to rebuild it.
Which obviously didn’t happen. It has been on a decline. The smart money has long gone.
Im sure a lot of you would argue about that, but your in denial. Remember, its better to face
the facts correctly, at least then you have a chance of fixing them.
P.S. Mike Imp. Don’t walk to far off the beaten path, or we may never hear you stupid comments again.

WOW!!! Just about the most ignorant and hateful thing I have read on this forum.

**jcole** · October-04-10, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by Det1952

Mike Imp
This thread is pretty stupid in for what it is attempting, but anyways, here goes.
Why should it matter what he thinks anyways? Michael Imperioli. Did anyony even recognize
his name without looking it up. Don’t lie, the answer is no.
He is just an actor. He is not a great actor. He is not even a good actor. Medicore at best.
Have any of you really, really watched the Soparnos. He was a wart.
He reminds me of a character on the Simpsons. Mo, the bar owner with no chin.
This guy has no chin either. He is lucky to have any kind of job. Basiclly hes fugly.
His character will kill his chances of going beyond this role. Why, because he is unlikable.
I think that’s the writers fault. But im not for sure. It could be him, as in Sopranos.
His character as he plays it, is not believble. And this show will not make it through two
seasons anyway. Just because the guys an actor don’t mean chit.
Although, from his view and prespective. I for one have to agree with him.
Even if he didn’t say it, in so many words. Detroit is a chithole.
Ever since the blacks burned it down in 67, expecting someone else to rebuild it.
Which obviously didn’t happen. It has been on a decline. The smart money has long gone.
Im sure a lot of you would argue about that, but your in denial. Remember, its better to face
the facts correctly, at least then you have a chance of fixing them.
P.S. Mike Imp. Don’t walk to far off the beaten path, or we may never hear you stupid comments again.

Man, who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?

**Detroitej72** · October-05-10, 08:42 AM

Det1952, the latest in a long line of trolls on DY. He'll be banned soon enough.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just for the record, I didn't see anywhere in the article where M.I. said he hates Detroit. He seemed to want to clear up to NY's that he still considers himself to be a NYer.

**kenp** · October-05-10, 09:32 AM

Havent seen the show yet, never got HBO to see the Sopranos, but loved him in Goodfellas in his two scenes with Joe Pesci. I think they called him Spider. Pesci was so good in that movie.

**carolcb** · October-05-10, 11:50 AM

It is like saying I like lobster but you can't beat filet mignon. They are two different things, both good in their own right. First of all, you can walk Manhattan for hours and be on the sidewalk with dozens of people. You can walk at 3AM and still have dozens of people. I have never been afraid walking in NYC. I have no reason to be afraid walking in Detroit, but I am careful. It is a completely different thing. Mostly it is the volume of people you are surrounded with - you don't have that in Detroit. And yes, I do love Detroit.
I feel bad saying all that! I chastise my friends for not going downtown. But it is a different feeling when you are on a lonely block walking in Detroit.
Oh and never had any trouble walking in either, and when I am in NYC I am by myself.

**iheartthed** · October-05-10, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

Just for the record, I didn't see anywhere in the article where M.I. said he hates Detroit. He seemed to want to clear up to NY's that he still considers himself to be a NYer.

Nor did you see anywhere in the original post where it said Michael Imperioli hates Detroit.

**jcole** · October-05-10, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Nor did you see anywhere in the original post where it said Michael Imperioli hates Detroit.

But your title was 'Michael Imperioli doesn't like Detroit' which he never said.

**iheartthed** · October-05-10, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

But your title was 'Michael Imperioli doesn't like Detroit' which he never said.

Because that is what his statements inferred.

ETA: Or rather, in the way that his statements may or may not have been parsed, that is what they inferred.

**jcole** · October-05-10, 01:11 PM

As I read them, they only inferred that the man is homesick and would rather be where his heart is.

**menckensghost** · October-05-10, 02:53 PM

Let's face it. New York is unlike any other city on earth. You love it or you hate it. And if you love it, you really love it . . . no other city will do. That is why over 8 million people call NYC home. Now, you take a guy who obviously loves his hometown and move him someplace with 1/10th the population and ask him where he'd rather be, what do you think he'd be likely to say?

**iheartthed** · October-05-10, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

As I read them, they only inferred that the man is homesick and would rather be where his heart is.

Which he expressed by enumerating points about Detroit that he doesn't like. So the logical extension would be that he doesn't like Detroit... Or at least the editors parsed his words to give that impression, since they printed no statements he made in favor of Detroit.

His words:

I haven't found many neighborhoods out here where you want to walk around and explore.

That statement pretty much has all the context clues of him saying that he doesn't like Detroit. Michael likes cities with neighborhoods that he can walk around and explore. Michael has not found neighborhoods in Detroit to walk around and explore. Michael has not provided any other another reason that he might like Detroit. Therefore, I, the reader, am lead to believe that Michael does not like Detroit.

And I'm not judging him for his opinion either. I'm just putting up something for discussion that I read in the paper.

**Gistok** · October-05-10, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by Det1952

Which obviously didn’t happen. It has been on a decline. The smart money has long gone.
Im sure a lot of you would argue about that, but your in denial. Remember, its better to face
the facts correctly, at least then you have a chance of fixing them.

Anyone with at least 50 posts and half a brain... oh never mind... his narrow mind is already made up....

**jcole** · October-05-10, 03:26 PM

His words:

Quote:
I haven't found many neighborhoods out here where you want to walk around and explore.
That statement pretty much has all the context clues of him saying that he doesn't like Detroit. Michael likes cities with neighborhoods that he can walk around and explore. Michael has not found neighborhoods in Detroit to walk around and explore. Michael has not provided any other another reason that he might like Detroit. Therefore, I, the reader, am lead to believe that Michael does not like Detroit.

You're taking it upon yourself to infer a lot.

Michael likes cities with neighborhoods that he can walk around and explore.

He wasn't asked 'What do you miss about other cities than Detroit', he was asked what do you miss about New York. He said 'I miss walking the streets and just watching the flow of life in New York'. He didn't say the pizza in Detroit was not as good as other cities' pizza, he said it wasn't as good as the pizza in New York. Nowhere did he say Detroit wasn't as good as other cities that he has worked in or that he liked it less than say, Chicago or L.A. He said it's not New York; and I think most people would agree that when you visit a city that you are unfamiliar with and isn't your home you compare it with what you love. Just because I go to New York and have a Nathan's so-called Coney and say 'Wow, that's okay, it just isn't the same as a Lafayette dog' doesn't mean I don't like New York, it just means I'd rather have a Detroit hot dog.

**iheartthed** · October-05-10, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

Nowhere did he say Detroit wasn't as good as other cities that he has worked in or that he liked it less than say, Chicago or L.A.

Nor did I infer that he said that. For all I know, he doesn't like any city that isn't New York. And if he doesn't like any city that isn't New York then wouldn't that include Detroit?

**jcole** · October-05-10, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Nor did I infer that he said that. For all I know, he doesn't like any city that isn't New York. And if he doesn't like any city that isn't New York then wouldn't that include Detroit?

You just said it 'For all you know'. You don't know because he never said 'I don't like Detroit'. He just likes New York BETTER.
My daughter lives in Denver; I love Denver, but it's not home. Detroit is home. Warts and all, I miss it when I'm gone.
Now, infer what I mean by that.