There was no mistaking the man or the message when Joe Gannascoli left a message on this writer's voicemail a few days ago: "Gay Vito. How are ya?"After 40-some-odd episodes of "The Sopranos," Gay Vito is now Dead Vito, or permanently indisposed Vito - an intriguing and harrowing fixture no more. (Although Gannascoli doesn't rule out the possibility that Vito could reappear in Sunday's season finale in a flashback sequence.)
But what does the actor behind one of the most indelible characters on TV's most in- delible program do for an encore? That is the question that has dogged Gannascoli's every step since his character's death at the hands of Phil Leotardo's mooks on May21's episode.
Where to begin? Joining a list of published "Sopranos" authors - including Frank Vincent, who plays Leotardo - Gannascoli has a book out, co-written with Allen C. Kupfer, "A Meal to Die For: A Culinary Novel of Crime." There's a bit part in the forthcoming movie "Beer League," starring Artie Lange and Ralph Macchio. Otherwise, "it's hard to follow the work in this ['The Sopranos']. I have to be careful [about] my next thing. But right now, I'm living in East Rockaway [and] working on my house.... That's it."
Well, not quite it. After his "Sopranos" storyline wrapped, he was asked to "do meetings" with the major networks. "NBC had ideas for shows that if they got picked up, they thought I'd be ideal for [and] wanted to know if I'd be willing to relocate."
But one is left with feeling that while Gannascoli is willing to do whatever it takes to continue his acting career - which began, more or less, in the mid-1990s with a small role in "Ed Wood" - he has more interest in cooking and sports than the thespian trade. A lot more. This Brooklyn native is an accomplished cook (and Yankees fan), so he's got this idea for a cooking sports show. The name? "Sports Bowl." To keep up, you can also go to his Web site, www.joesoup.com.
from Newsday
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