I’m going to put a capper on my last two blogs and say that just like the “gravy or sauce” debate, I am officially done with discussing/arguing the whole formal language/goomba slang/Italglish subject. There are far too many things to worry about in this world besides how one pronounces a word. If I want to live in my own Italian-American bubble with my friends and family and interpret things how I see fit, that’s my choice and quite frankly I don’t care anymore who questions my “authenticity.” And a comment by a reader really put it into perspective which is, it doesn’t matter how you say “mozzarella” at the end of the day, what’s more important is if you can make it from scratch like the early immigrants could. So with that being said, my blogs for the rest of the year will focus more on food related topics and festive holiday recipes and stories.

But to put one final bow on the whole linguine linguistics thing and the examination of all these guido sub-cultures, all I wanna say is that “sophistication” and “class” are all in the eye of the beholder. If we prejudge someone based on how they speak, dress or how much money they have, to me that is the same as being prejudiced and basing our opinions on the color of their skin. So to all the “holier-than-thou” snobs who continue to write me and say I am a “disgrace to Italian-Americans,” get a life and stop being so insecure with yourself. I’m tired of the anonymous comments from gutless people and you stalkers and haters will be dealt with from a higher power.

Now moving on…

I have been working non-stop making phonecalls and doing internet research on several fronts with my business and I have some pretty big things in the works. This week marks five years being with my wife Megin and also five years being away from “corporate America” and being a self-employed cook/caterer. And as I also go into my sixth year of blogging in 2014, there’s going to be some new and exciting developments which will be announced.

But right now, I will share a few projects which will be taking place over the next five weeks.

I was recently contacted by the “e-how” website to get back in front of the camera. If you never heard of them, they produce and promote instructional blogs and videos on a variety of subjects, cooking and other stuff. They will be filming me in a 10-part web series of meatball making shows plus different Italian-American foods. Will begin filming in the next few weeks at LeGourmet Factory cooking school in Englewood—where I will also begin doing meatball making classes in January as the “resident meatball cook.”

Also, I recently begin discussions with an independent filmmaker who is going to start filming me for the rest of the year and beyond. We are going to create a reel which we plan to pitch to networks for a Johnny Meatballs reality show. But in addition to that, we will be intertwining footage to create a documentary on my other goal which is my “Balls 2 the Bowl” campaign—my personal quest to unify with other Jersey-based food vendors and sell our goods on “big game” weekend. It is going to be a riveting and interesting experience which we want to capture on film with the climax being this once-in-a-lifetime “Woodstock” like day in New Jersey’s history—which is of course Super Bowl Sunday.

Stay tuned my friends!