From Rao's To Raimondo's

Last night's episode of Law & Order, "Everybody Love's Raimondo's," featured murders at an uptown, mobster-and-celebrity restaurant, spurred on by a man heckling a woman who was singing. This means that the ripped-from-the-headlines-to-your-TV turnaround time was a little under 4 months, as this was based on the murder at Rao's. The episode even featured a murderer named "Bumpy," much like the Rao's gunman, Louis "Lump Lump" Barone. Of course, the real murder was of a Hollywood producer by a wannabe mobster turned wannabe Hollywood player. Which reminded us that Get Shorty is a really good movie. And we really want to go to Rao's.

Of course, Gothamist is extremely excited about next week's episode, "Three Strikes and Your Out," which we saw being filmed a few weeks ago:

When the most hated Yankee's fan in New York is stabbed to death at a local dive bar, Detectives Briscoe and Green search for a suspect believing the killer to be a vengeful baseball fan. However, when their prime suspect turns out to be a recently released convict who had been serving a twenty year sentence for a murder he did not commit, the detectives adopt a new theory on the motive for this murder.

The episode is loosely inspired by Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman who plucked a possible fly out ball, during the NLCS.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on April 15, 2004 9:49 AM

Comments [rss]

Spelling Bee

Another spelling error. "Three strikes and your out". Should be "you're". I'm not posting these comments to be sassy; I just really like your website and want to see it being of good quality.

editor

Oh, I'm so very sad for the people at NBC. Sad, sad, sad.

But I love Gothamist. :)

jake

i thought i recognized dietl on last night's episode- i just figured he was a bit part actor from the sopranos!

Jen

The "Raimondos" mistake was ours; the "Your" was actually taken from the NBC site. And we've got a copy of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, as well as the AP Style Book and Chicago Manual of Style!

editor

One can only hope that the spelling issues in the cited titles: "Everybody Love's Raimondos" and "Three Strikes and Your Out" are on Gothamist's side -- and not L&O's, which presumably has its possessives and contractions down pat.

And here Editor thought Gothamist liked pandas -- how about picking up a copy of "Eats, Shoots & Leaves," which features an adorable one on the cover?

Jen

You're right about Bumpy, versus Lumpy! And nice pick for Bo Dietl. I never knew what he looked like. He was very convincing as a lowlife thug.

Frankenstein

I thought that the guy's name was "Bumpy". And if memory serves, wasn't he played by supercop Bo Dietl?

Charlie on the PA Turnpike

The murderer was named Bumpy, played by the unflappable Bo Dietl.

Matt

I appreciated the tongue in cheek casting decisions more than anything. Ray Abruzzo, who plays Little Carmine on The Sopranos, as the owner of Raimundo's. Of course, the owner of Rao's, Frank Pelligrino, has made appearances on The Sopranos as an FBI agent. And Bo Dietl as Bumpy. Dietl, former supercop, current rich guy, is the proud owner of a table at Rao's.