JCC Mangia Bene, Ridi Spesso, Ama Molto. Esmir, explain Italy to us

What is your opinion of Marcus Livius Drusus?
I don't have an opinion.

How about Livia Drusilla?
She was a bad@ss

Should The Mob run Vegas again?
I don't think so.

Why do Romans insist on having two different styles of pizza, neither of which is as good as Neapolitan?
Pizza al taglio is very common everywhere because it's practical. If you are walking around in a city you might want to just rapidly take a square, faster to prepare and less heavy.
The other one is typically Roman and I don't know I guess they are just used to it.

When was the last time you said “Mamma Mia”?
Today. I use it all the time.

Have you seen Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, and, if so, what is your opinion of it?
I've never watched it, but I probably should 'cause Tornatore is a great director and the movie is a classic.

 

Why?

 

Why?
@JoinTheSchwarz

 

Right before I said "Here I go again."

 

Also @3sm1r -- is Super Fuzz the greatest superhero movie of all time?

 

Well it isn’t Crash che botte!

I would nominate Danger : Diabolik! for greatest though.

 

Why won't Benevento swear fealty to me, the true Roman Emperor, in Crusader Kings 3?

 

Perché non hai risposto alle mie prime due domande?

 

@Pensivia Sorry I completely missed them!

Which famous Italian (or ancient Roman) are you the most proud of as an Italian, and why?
I don't feel "proud" for other people's accomplishments, but I think that my favorite Italian historical figures are probably
1) Leopardi. We had to study him a lot in high school. I love his works and I share his pessimistic view of the world. Something he wrote that is not very famous that I love is Dialogo della Natura e di un Islandese.
It's about this Icelandic who wonders for unexplored territories until the meets the personification of Nature. He starts talking with her. After a while he starts condemning her for all the misadventures he experienced because of her. She answers that life is an endless circuit of production and destruction. She looks untouched by his whining. So he finally tries to have some answers, what's the purpose of all this? Is there a meaning of my suffering? He gets no answer. Two lions arrive and kill him off.
2) Then there are most of the people who had the courage to oppose organized crime, and got killed for it. Falcone and Borsellino are probably the most famous.

Which aspect of Italian (or ancient Roman) culture, art, or history do you think is the most "overrated" by non-Italians?
The Italian historical figure most overrated by Americans is surely Columbus.
The most overrated place is Venice, frankly.
I get it, there is water everywhere, cool. But the number of tourists over-crowding that relatively small city has gone out of hands, and it has become problematic for those who live there.

 

What makes medieval Italian swordplay treatises so much better than the German masters?

 

People seems to be mostly interested in pizza, but what is your favorite kind of pasta?
The best primo piatto I could possibly eat is ravioli with cheese. No need to cook them in any complicated way, burro e salvia is perfect. Simple but effective. Concerning the ripieno, spinaci and ricotta is very common, but my absolute favorite is gorgonzola e noci.
When it comes to "dry" pasta, I used to love spaghetti alla carbonara (I think I even wrote down a recipe in the cooking thread few months ago), then I got vegetarian and replacing guanciale with fried zucchini is not very satisfactory.

What makes medieval Italian swordplay treatises so much better than the German masters?
Dunno, longer arms?

 

Did they have guanciale in America?
I had already given up meat when I came here but I guess you can find it somewhere. Bacon works as well anyway.

 

Interesting choice! I haven't read anything by him in years and had not heard of Dialogo della Natura e di un Islandese, but I will put that on my to-read list.

^Yes, very true. It's a sad situation...in a way, the city is being "loved to death." But on a selfish note, I am very glad I did get a chance to go there myself (in the late 90s), and I found it to be as beautiful and "magical" as its reputation. But I do understand your point completely!

 

Y NO CACIO E PEPE?!?

 

"Y" is Spanish, but yeah, that's good as well.

 

I just didn't want to have to do the meme, but now you're forcing me to...

 

On average, how many times a day does the typical Italian strike his opponent in the mouth with a sword hilt?

 

On average, how many times a day does the typical Italian strike his opponent in the mouth with a sword hilt?
About 15, but they are concentrated only during the weekend, when serie A league soccer teams are playing.

 

And what happens when the national team is playing?