Italian Americans are their own breed. Many families came over in the 1800s. Several generations later and the children have lost touch with the customs/traditions of old, even if both parents are Italian. There are several that can't speak or even know the language nor have ever been to Italy. Several times I've encounterd other Sicilians who spoke in a dialect I had trouble understanding. My sister Camila speaks the language fluently and can cook very well etc. She was born in Rome though and my mother was strict with her.
Yes, I was going to say it is more of a regional thing. The people in the tri state metropolitan area think it is the center of the universe. It's a very pretentious area that attracts a lot of driven but at the same time shallow, absorbed and cut throat people. The one's that aren't but have failed to grow up, will often have inferiority complexes (this partly plays into some of the behavior).
It's like the Greeks (my other half) in Astoria, some of the biggest characters I've encountered there. They take themselves way too seriously and are even ****ier than usual. Here in Florida (I think you live here) we have a city called Tarpon Springs, thats Greek central. The people are more chill and laid back.
Yeah as I have said on other thread, my beef is not with Italian Americans from outside of the NY and NJ area. Some of the coolest women I have met were Italian chicks from CA and New England. New England produces a lot of classy Italian chicks as well.
However, man, I have got to say that the guidos in NY and NJ are a special brand of trash and amongst the worst people I have met anywhere in the world. I wish I was joking but I am not.
The dudes, especially older ones (god forbid they are from Long Island), are confrontational out of nowhere. Loud, super prideful, trashy, and trying to throw down but it ends up being more drama than anything. They will throw down with some dorky Jewish accountant who won't hurt them but cower when a Black dude says Wuts Up. Hence the story of White Flight and why these folks ran from the major boroughs. The younger dudes are downright sleazy and rapey as they come, like harassment of women to the extreme.
As for the Guidettes from the NY and NJ area, where do I even begin. Narcissistic, snobby, drama hungry, trashy, gossipy, arrogant, clout chasing like none other, think their $hit don't stink, and have that permanent resting b*tch face. You will find them in any popular (as in mainstream popular) nightclub in NYC. To all of this, also add extremely man-hating. #MeToo was started by an Italian American woman, everyone wants to forget that. It is the worst of Right Wing and Left Wing traits fused into one.
I stand by the fact Italian Americans from NY and NJ produce the worst women in not just the US but perhaps even the world. Hands down the most toxic group of people I have ever had to deal with. Even Italians I have met from elsewhere agree.