A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man
Page 21
Okay, I think you’ve gotten the point. But there’s one important thing I have to mention before I stop: Don’t forget that underneath all the fancy clothes, cologne, hair gel, and moisturizer is . . . YOU. Without a winning personality and a positive attitude, all the other stuff is a waste. A man’s man never loses sight of that.
Epilogue
Congratulations! You read the whole book. So, how does it feel to enter into man’s manhood? Good, right? I bet you feel like you’re ready to take on the whole world. But just slow down for a second, partner. Before you head back into the big bad world with all your newfound confidence, we need to have a sit-down and discuss the most important part of this book. Now, listen up closely, because I got the mike and have something very important to say. Being a man’s man is certainly about what’s between the covers of this book, but that’s not what it’s all about. You can be staying at one of the hot Las Vegas hotels I listed, wearing one of the hand-tailored designer suits I suggested, smoking one of the top cigars I recommended, but that alone does not make you a man’s man. What makes you a man’s man is you! What do I mean? It’s about how you handle all the situations that come your way in life. It’s about treating the bellhop at the Bellagio with as much respect as its owners. It’s about treating the bus driver who is sitting on your left at the cigar store with the same respect as the CEO who’s sitting on your right. A man’s man can be wearing the best clothes, sitting in the most expensive restaurant, drinking the finest wine (with the most beautiful woman on his arm), but if he doesn’t treat everyone around him with respect and class, then he is not a real man’s man. He’s just a jerkoff in a good suit.
Sure, there was some humor in this book. We made fun of some people, places, and things. But, seriously, a man’s man is always going to take control of himself and do the right thing when put into certain situations. He always takes a moment to think about his actions before he does anything rash and realizes that his actions have consequences and could possibly hurt or offend others. He leaves a good impression on everyone he meets. His success is his friends’ and family’s success. He never loses his head no matter how “big” he gets. I will never forget something that happened in my life some years back. An actor friend of mine (I’m not gonna name names) was having a tough time getting a job. He would call me every day asking me for my advice, support, and help. Being the man’s man that I take pride in being, I never turned my back on him. No matter how busy I was, I would always take his phone call, lend my ear, and give him solid advice. Remember, being an actor is tough—you have more moments of self-doubt and insecurity than people in a lot of other professions. All day long you hear stuff like, “You’re too tall, too short, too old, too young, etc.” But, I would always encourage my friend to push forward. Sure enough, one day I read in Variety that he was cast in a big new television series. I was so happy for him. I immediately picked up the phone to congratulate him on his new success. When he answered the phone, he coldly said, “Frank, I’m way too busy to talk. I have to memorize a script and prepare for this new part. In fact, I am going to be way too busy to talk for quite a while. I’ll call you.” Then, he hung up on me. I said to myself, “What!?” I was completely dumbfounded. The guy changed overnight. I was always there for him, supporting him when he needed me. That’s what a man’s man does for his friends. The moral of this story? No matter how successful you get, you should never lose your head, because the ones who lose their heads fall the hardest.
Fellas, it’s going to be a long journey until you accomplish all of your dreams and goals in life. However, along the way, a true man’s man never forgets the people who believed in and supported him. If good things happen quickly for you in life, well then, that’s great. If things are not moving as quickly as you would like them to, you must analyze the situation closely. If there’s something really out of whack or amiss in his life, a man’s man takes a step back and really looks at what’s going on. Take control of the situation by remembering that control starts with you. Here are a few more man’s man pearls of wisdom: Don’t take all your interactions with other people personally. The only people you take personally are family and close friends. In a lifetime, you should only accumulate as many close friends as you can count on one hand. Also, never take business relations personally.
And remember this one saying: “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” Apply what’s in this book, add your own good judgment, and no matter what, never lose sight of yourself. That’s the way you become a man’s man. And when you’re a real man’s man, the world can be yours!
Frank Vincent Filmography
A Shark Tale (2004)—Great White #3
Remedy (2003)—Johnnie Marandino
A Tale of Two Pizzas (2003)—Frank Bianco
This Things of Ours (2003)—Danny Santini
Rubout (2003)—Frank Santello
The Last Request (2002)—Father Bryce
Grand Theft Auto III (2001)—D. Salvatore Leone
Snipes (2001)—Johnnie Marandino Smokin’ Stogies (2001)—Johnny Big Under Hellgate Bridge (2000)—Big Sal
The Crew (2000)—Marty
Ropewalk (2000)—Angelo
If You Only Knew (2000)—Gino
Gun Shy (2000)—Carmine Minetti
Isn’t She Great (2000)—Aristotle Onassis
Entropy (1999)—Sal
NetForce (1999)—Tommy
Undercurrent (1998)—Eddie Torelli
Vig (1998)—Pete
Belly (1998)—Roger
The North End (1998)—Dom Di Bella
Witness to the Mob (1998)—Frankie DeCicco
Made Men (1997)—Tommy “The Bull” Vitaglia
The Deli (1997)—Tommy
Cop Land (1997)—Vincent Lassaro
Grind (1997)—Nick
Night Falls on Manhattan (1997)—Captain
Nothing to Lose (1996)—Ray Digovanni, Sr.
West New York (1996)—Tom Colletti
She’s the One (1996)—Renee’s dad
Gotti (1996)—Robert DiBernardo
Lou, Pat & Joe D (1995)—Pop Corelli
Casino (1995)—Frank Marino
Federal Hill (1994)—Sal
Hand Gun (1994)—Earl
Men Lie (1994)—Uncle Frank
Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace (1991)—Joseph F. Zanni Jr.
Jungle Fever (1991)—Mike Tucci
Mortal Thoughts (1991)—Dominic Marino
Street Hunter (1990)—Don Mario Romano
Goodfellas (1990)—Billy Batts
Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989)—Priest
Do the Right Thing (1989)—Charlie
Wise Guys (1986)—Louie Fontucci
The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)—1st Crew Chief
Easy Money (1983)—Paulie
Baby It’s You (1983)—Vinnie
Dear Mr. Wonderful (1982)—Louie
Raging Bull (1980)—Salvy
The Death Collector (1975)—Bernie Feldshuh
Notable TV Show Appearances
The Sopranos (2004-Present)—Phil Leotardo
NYPD Blue (1993)—Dino “The Rat” Ferrera (recurring)
Law & Order (1990)—Jon Franchetta
Cosby (1996)
Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)—Paul Mancini
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992)
Law & Order (1990)—J.Z.
Photo Credits
Interior photos:
Photos on pages xix and 61 by Monica Drew
Photos on pages 1, 217, 219, 221, 223, and 242 by John Beckner
Photos on pages 27, 79, 85 (cigar photos on pages 79 and 85 taken at
Davidoff of Geneva, Madison Avenue), 91, 167, and 247 by Donato
Mennella (www.donatomennella.com)
Photo on page 135 courtesy of Frank Vincent
Photo on page 211 by Adolfo Gallela
Photo insert:
Photo on page 1 by Donato Mennella (donatomen
nella.com)
Photos on pages 2, 3, 4, 6 (top), 7 (bottom), and 8 courtesy of Frank
Vincent
Photo on page 5 by Brian Hamill
Photo on page 6 (bottom) by Phil Caruso
Photo on page 7 (top) by David M Warren
Frank Vincent is an actor, musician, writer and producer. One only has to see him at work in classic movies like Raging Bull, Do the Right Thing, and Casino to be convinced of his versatility. His passion for music and playing the drums led to a successful career as a recording drummer for such prominent names as arranger Don Costa, as well as singers Paul Anka and Trini Lopez. As an actor, Vincent debuted in 1975 in Ralph DeVito’s Death Collector , where he impressed director Martin Scorsese with his on-screen work. Scorsese cast him in the Academy Award-nominated film Raging Bull and the rest is cinematic history. Vincent has gone on to appear in over fifty feature films. In addition to Scorsese, he has worked for some of the greatest directors of our time, including Brian DePalma, Spike Lee and Sidney Lumet. He plays the parts audiences remember long after they leave the theater. In fact, who could forget him as the infamous Billy Batts in Goodfellas , where he tells Joe Pesci’s character to “Go home and get your shinebox!” Most recently, you can see Vincent in the starring role of Phil Leotardo on The Sopranos. His voice is also featured in the multimillion dollar Playstation video game series Grand Theft Auto as the character “Don Salvatore Leone.” In 2002, he received the Italian-American Entertainer of the Year Award, presented by the Italian Tribune and in 2005 he was the recipient of the Garden State Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award for Acting. Check out his website at www.frankvincent.com.
Steven Priggé has written three previous books. He is the coauthor of the Italian-American celebrity cookbook Shut Up and Eat!, and the author of Movie Moguls Speak and Created By. Priggé also writes freelance articles for such popular publications as Bon Appétit, Budget Living, MovieMaker, Scr(i)pt, and Written By. Visit his website at www.stevenprigge.com.