As you, my faithful and dogged readers know, the adorable kids of Gianpaolo Paglia gave me a new nickname recently: Strappo.
And, on discovering that my middle name is Dominic and my nascent company has the Italian version of that name in it, Paolo and Dana, the young sommeliers from Venice, insist on calling me Mimmo. Mimmo is a typically Neapolitan nickname for Domenico.
So, signore e signori, which nickname is better? Which should be my pen name? Which should be my PR nome d'arte?
Mimmo?
Strappo?
You tell me!
(Vote now. It is a privilege and your civic duty.)
Strappo, definitely. Mimmo sounds like what a kid in Hot Coffee, Mississippi, might call his grandmother.
Posted by: fredric koeppel | June 22, 2008 at 04:36 PM
Strappo for me is very nice
ciao susy
Posted by: susanna tezzon | June 23, 2008 at 03:03 AM
What is the problem?
Mimmo is a name, Strappo the surname!
Luk
Posted by: Luca Risso | June 23, 2008 at 03:13 AM
There are millions of "mimmos" so my preference goes to a unique "strappo".
ciao
alex
Posted by: alex | June 23, 2008 at 04:46 AM
How about Terricco?..sorry, bad joke......Mimmo, absolutely..
Posted by: michele colline | June 23, 2008 at 05:18 AM
What are you talking about? your name is Strappo, that's definitive.
Posted by: gianpaolo | June 23, 2008 at 08:33 AM
You know, I'm beginning to think it is. Maybe I should put it on my bigliettini.
Posted by: th | June 23, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Mimmo Strappo, Mimmo Strappo, Mimmo Strappo, Mimmo Strappo, I like it I love it!We like the Luca's version!!!!
Posted by: Paolo and Dana | June 23, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Mimmo Strappo Hughes
Ummm...
Posted by: th | June 23, 2008 at 03:00 PM
lets see which one sounds better...
uncle strappo
uncle mimmo
...strappo it is.
Posted by: Morgan | June 23, 2008 at 05:22 PM
You know, I think Alex hit the nail on the head: so many Mimmos (Mimmi??) -- but there is only ONE Strappo.
Thank you, Oliver Paglia for a new identity.
Posted by: th | June 23, 2008 at 07:32 PM
Ambasciatore Strappo. No doubts.
Posted by: Giampiero alias Aristide | June 24, 2008 at 01:47 PM
what I say is, ''who's Terry"? . Yous the Strapster, man!
Posted by: Oliver Paglia age 6 | July 12, 2008 at 02:50 PM
Oliver, you've made astonishing progress in your literacy of late. I might point out, however, that "Yous" is both incorrectly punctuated and, regrettably, a barbaric usage, no doubt a sign of creeping Irishry in your Mater's background.
That's a good lad, carry on.
Yrs very affectionately,
Strappo, esq.
Posted by: Strappo | July 13, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Mummy says that it's a 'barbaric usage' because that's what happens when you let the colonies run amok with the Queen's English. OLIVER! UNAVAIL THYSELF OF THINE MOTHER'S LAPTOP FORTHWITH.
MY DEAR MR. STRAP, PLEASE ACCEPT ONE'S APOLOGIES FOR ANY GRAMMATICAL MISHAPS - IT'S JUST AS DIFFICULT FOR AN ENGLISH PERSON TO WRITE IN AMERICAN AS IT IS FOR AN AMERICAN TO WRITE IN ENGLISH.
TOOT TOOT
(AND IT'S Esq. not, esq. ...
Posted by: Oliver Paglia age 6 | July 14, 2008 at 02:53 PM