Can you top this? Yes, we can. How the hell is it possible that this sitdown with The Sopranos Richie Aprile aka David Proval, will go down as one of the most entertaining shows yet? It shall. WOW. What fun. Great stories. Crazy coincidences. More great stories.

As if it wasn’t enough that David’s mother and I share the same family name, and she has the same country of origin as my grandma with the same name, we’re both New Yorkers, David went to Yeshiva, my father taught Yeshiva, our paths crossing about a decade ago while filming Henry Jaglom’s The M Word with Michael Imperioli, post their work in The Sopranos, pre ours at Women Who Write and Game Changers.

Thanks to the suggestion of my new good friend, Mark Metcalf, who also middled last week’s stupendous sitdown with Tim Matheson, I know David’s extensive body of stellar work, Mark added technicolor. I jumped at his suggestion to invite David. My gratitude to both of them is boundless. What fun! I know I said it before, but it bears repeating.

From his grandma and the Yiddish theatre, school plays, Uta Hagen, to Scorcese and Mean Streets, thanks to his friend, Jon Voight, how he got it—DeNiro, Keitel, Pavlo Hummel, again thanks to Voight, which led to Nunzio, a hysterical story about filming with Jack Gilford, Elliot Gould, and James Caan, which included more great stories about James, to the other James… Gandolfini. David’s audition(s) for The Sopranos, so much great stuff there, moving from mobster Richie Aprile to a Rabbi in The West Wing, Teri Garr, Richard Dreyfus, coaching Eddie Murphy, an insanely great story there, a Drama Desk Nomination, Innocent Blood, John Landis, Don Rickels, hysterical stuff there, meeting Sinatra, and sitting down with him, a fan, wow, Everybody Loves Raymond, Italy, and his personal discontent… all straight talk, with loads of laughter and a few tears. I loved every single second, especially when his wife of 46 years, Cheryl, joined the conversation from the other room.

Forget cowbell. More David Proval!

David Proval Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 8/10/22, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streamed Live on my Facebook

Replay here:

https://bit.ly/3QyEmjX

All BROADcasts, as podcasts, also available on

iTunes apple.co/2dj8ld3

Stitcher bit.ly/2h3R1fla

tunein bit.ly/2gGeItj

Also on iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Voox, OwlTail, Backtracks, PlayerFM, Himalaya, Podchaser, and Listen Notes

Thanks to Rick Smolke of Quik Impressions, the best printers, printing, the best people people-ing. quikimpressions.com

Nicole Venables of Ruby Begonia Hair Studio Beauty and Products, for the best tressed. http://www.rubybegoniahairstudio.com/

And, Blue Microphones