With Italian American Heritage Month around the corner, streaming giants like Hulu face an important choice: honor the Italian community with authentic stories or reinforce the very stereotypes they should be challenging. Judging by a recent press release from the Italian American One Voice Coalition (IAOVC), Hulu appears to favor overplayed clichés instead of programming that offers the positive representation the community deserves.
In the statement, the IAOVC strongly denounces Hulu’s hit series Only Murders in the Building for “once again trafficking in tired, damaging, and insulting stereotypes that associate Italian Americans with organized crime.” According to the group, the series depicts Italians as “mobsters and buffoons,” a familiar negative characterization that has permeated mainstream media for far too long. In the film and television industry, the majority of Italian American characters are presented in a negative light. That trend is destined to continue until other groups like the IAOVC put pressure on studios to eliminate these harmful portrayals.
“This is nothing short of ethnic defamation,” said Andre’ DiMino, President of the IAOVC. “Italian Americans are doctors, scientists, educators, veterans, entrepreneurs, and leaders in every field of American life. Yet, time and again, Hollywood reduces us to mobsters and buffoons. Only Murders in the Building is the latest offender in this disgraceful trend, and Hulu, along with Steve Martin and Martin Short, should be ashamed of themselves. No other ethnic group would ever be subjected to this nonstop barrage of negative stereotyping – and neither should we. We call on the producers, writers, and stars of Only Murders in the Building to end this blatant ethnic defamation.” DiMino was particularly taken aback by the involvement of Italian American actors, such as Bobby Cannavale, which he believes only contributes to the “continued stigmatization of their own community.”
Now in its fifth season, Only Murders in the Building has earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations in the Comedy category for four consecutive years, with Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez all receiving nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor/Actress in a Comedy Series at the Emmys as well. Yet, for advocacy groups like the IAOVC, the call is clear: the era of lazy, uninspired, and damaging stereotypes must come to an end.
