Capitalizing on the way his character was whacked on The Sopranos, actor Joe Gannascoli recently launched his own line of pool sticks. Gannascoli played Vito Spatafore, who was on the show since 2000 but really got noticed earlier this year when he became known as "gay Vito". He was killed by Phil Leotardo and two thugs, who duct taped his mouth shut and beat him to death with pool sticks. They apparently sodomized him with those pool sticks too, indicating Vito's death was at least partially a hate crime.

Gannascoli's line of pool sticks are being made by Rockwell Billiards in Southern Oregon. They're called "A Cue to Die For: The Badda-Breaker." Gannascoli jokingly told the New York Daily News that he wanted to call them "The Brown-Tip Special." Ewwwww.

(S06E11) It's probably not too often that an actor comes up with a plotline idea for his own character that is not only successful in keeping people interested in the show, puts his tv self in harm's way, and it's a good thing. For those of you waiting to see what would come from Vito's "situation," let's just say, this was what you've been waiting for this whole season. It amazes me to think back to how long ago it was in real time to when Vito was seen by Finn on the construction site, but it's all good now.

If there was anything that this show brought even more to life, it was the "things that irk Tony." We open up to Carm giving AJ the business because he was apparently fired from his job at Blockbuster - three weeks ago - and has somehow been going on $1000 nights hanging out with Hernan and his pals. Outside of that, Vito tracks down Tony at the mall to ask if he can "buy back in" to the family. Tony does more or less what you'd expect, snubbing him and throwing out some insults in the process. Something makes me wonder, though, whether or not Vito would have appealed to Tony's good side had he not brought his brother along for "protection." Between that situation, and the fact that Phil Leotardo and his hairstyled pal continue to drive the Jersey boss mad, it was enough to cause problems that will be felt for awhile.