Big Pussy Bonpensiero Big Pussy Bonpensiero Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, played by Vincent Pastore, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series "The Sopranos". Not to be confused with fellow fictional New Jersey mobster known as "Little Pussy" Malanga, Big Pussy was a close friend and mob enforcer for Tony Soprano. The son of Lino Bonpensiero, Salvatore Bonpensiero started out as a cat burglar, and was affectionately known as Pussy, in reference to a pussycat. He was called "Big Pussy" to distinguish from Gennaro "Little Pussy" Malanga. Sal looked after his wife Angie and their three children, and was a long-time friend
The Sopranos as a destination for talent looking for cutting-edge original series work." The show has frequently been criticized for perpetuating negative stereotypes about Italian Americans. Several major organizations have voiced their concern that "The Sopranos" presents a very distorted and harmful stereotype of Italian Americans and their cultural values, including the National Italian American Foundation, Order Sons of Italy in America, Unico National, and the Italic Institute of America. In 2000, officials in Essex County, New Jersey denied producers permission to film on county-owned property, arguing that the show depicts Italian Americans in a "less than favorable light." In 2002, organizers