Italian ambassador to Canada rips mafia-themed ad campaign

The Sopranos is back on HBO in a little over a week, but when the whackings begin in earnest, be sure to maintain a skeptical eye. A restaurant chain called Jack Astor’s in Canada tried out a mafioso theme in its advertising recently, having two wiseguys misbehave in illustrated print ads promoting a new Italian menu. The grumbling began almost immediately, and eventually the Italian ambassador to Canada joined the chorus of boos. The chain has “not only offended thousands of their fellow Canadians of Italian origin,” he wrote in a special communiqué, “but also possibly lost as many prospective customers.”