I have been over this and over, and still havent been able to figure out what exactly distingushes an Italo-- The differences between an Italo-American and a European Italian are like night and day.

Some people say you must be born in Italy yourself, others say your parents should be, and in Italy it's enough to say you have an Italian grandparent, and for them you are of "Italian Origin"
I really don't know for sure--
Italians are not ego-tistical like Italo's....and they don't think that every Italian they meet has some connection to the mafia.
Euro- Italians (so I call them) don't run around town with big thick gold chains to show " I am an Italian"

I consider myself American-Italian. I love my italian heritage. I love to learn about where my grandparents came from, what they had to do when they got here. I love going to Italy and seeing where my family lives now and hwo they live.
Now do I wear a thick gold chain? Greasy hair? Drive an IROC? No, I do have a gold chain but it's a small crucifix my mom bought for me 18 years ago, no greasy hair sorry, and no IROC but I do have a mustang.
I do know what your talking about though. I see a lot of the "stereotypical" Italian growin up in NY.

Most of the italian immigrants came from south of Italy and in some cases they still do to show their gold chains and hairy chest!
Anyway I think italian-american are now pretty different from the originals ;-)
I'm telling one who has part of his family in US.

Ciao

What differance does it make? I am very proud of my heritage.
My grandparents immigrated to the U.S. in the very early 1900's and they where from north Italy, Piedmont region.
I'm 55 yrs. young and have recently reconnected with what I consider my real family in Italy. Do I wear gold chains? "yes I do" but you wouldnt know it as they are under my shirt. Greasy hair? I won't dignify that with a response.
And by the way, guess what business my family has in Italy....they own a jewlery factory in Italy.....lol
Oh well, so much for stereo types........
Oh, just curious? how did you determine that most immigrants came from the south?.....

ciao
Anthony

Your answer is so funny as well stereo type coincidences!

Everybody know that 70% emigrants came from south of Italy also if many of them between 1876 and 1900 most part of them came from Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Piemonte.

Ciao joniosea (calabrese doc)

Although I am an Italian-American (to be more specific Sicilian-American) I do not fit the "goombah" stereotype that is encouraged by mob movies and the Sopranos. However coming from a town that unofficially has the highest concentration of Sicilians outside of Sicily (according to the good people at allthingssicilian.com), you do see alot of the gold chains, the corno (devils horns) and the other visible cues of the stereotype. This is especially true during the local festivals.

However one feels about this overt outward expresion of pride in their ethnicity, in my experience it is not just Italian-Americans (or should I say American-Italians) that do this. Many of the guys my age that fit the stereotype were born in Sicily, and came here later on to go to school, but never really became "Americanized". Also, check out the guys selling things in the Palermo markets: tank-tops, hairy chests and a big fat gold crucifix.

You do see this in Sicily but I think like everything else that comes to America, the volume has been kicked up several notches. The guys in Palermo don't have to put any effort into being Sicilian whereas ethnic Sicilians and Italians (or any ethnic group)have to make a conscious descision to embrace their roots, no matter in what form it takes.

In the end, it never really bothered me since it could have been easy for me to taken on that persona. And most of the guys I've met that act like that are actually good guys once you get to know them.

I'm glad you find it funny, not sure why you think im being steriotypical.
Im simply stating that "yes I happen to like gold jewlery" does that make me typical Italian? whatever typical is....I dont think so....
But anyway the cities that you mention are considered the North, so what is your point? And besides who really cares weather you are from the North or South unless you are an old Italian carrying on the tradiational animosities....
Well enough on this subject.... ciao

3 weeks ago I was in Palermo, Sicily. Several people attempted to speak to me, as if I were a native. I am 3rd generation italian-american, 1/2 calabrase 1/2 sicilian. Yes, I wear gold chains. One with a cross and another from capri. Here in america we get the stero type bull. Dego, wap...my grandfather would get so mad--- People in america now think it is funny, it is not. I am proud to be an italian, born in america or anywhere else. Going to italy was like coming home, where my people are from and look like me.

Ho vissuto in Italia due anni e sono andato alla scola in Perugia. Sono innomorato di Italia.
Sono adesso professore di italiano anche. Mi sento italianizato ma non sono di origine italiano.
Mi dispiace si pensono che non sono italiano ma sono o per lo meno penso cosi.