David Chase wrote some COVID-themed Sopranos bits for Michael Imperioli and Steve Schrippa’s podcast

One of the many perks of hosting a rewatch podcast for a show that you used to be on is that you can sometimes call in favors with your old buddies and create some pretty special, exclusive moments for your listeners. Such is the case with the latest episode of Talking Sopranos, the wonderful new podcast hosted by Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa, who played Christopher Moltisanti and Bobby Baccalieri, respectively, on the acclaimed HBO series. Before discussing season one’s “Pax Soprana,” the two actors debuted some new dialogue showrunner David Chase wrote especially for their podcast that finds all our favorite Sopranos characters reacting to the current coronavirus pandemic in their own unique way.

“Things are tough right now, with all the bad news and things that are going on. It’s nice to have something to laugh about and I think David thought it was important to bring some levity to the world,” says Imperioli. This marks the first time David Chase has revisited his iconic New Jersey mob characters since The Sopranos ended in 2007. It’s clear, however, that he’s still deeply in touch with each of their anxieties, quirks, and occasionally myopic points of view. “I love every minute of it,” says Schirripa before diving into the script. “I wish I could do impressions of everyone.” Thankfully, neither actor attempts this.

Chase wrote roughly 15 quotes for the duo. Here’s, for example, one from the perpetually paranoid Paulie Walnuts: “Man, people call me a germaphobe. Big laugh. Now all I’ve got to say is: See, motherfuckers? And I knew some fuckin’ thing like this was going to happen. I saw the Holy Mother at Bada Bing.”

Here’s a few more we loved:

• A.J. Soprano: “At one time I wanted to work for Trump. You believe it? Fuck me, dude.”
• Junior Soprano: “I saw on Fox this jerk-off, the lieutenant governor of Texas, said he didn’t mind dying to help the economy because he’s over 70 with some grandkids or some shit. Maybe we can help him out with that.”
• And the perennial Debby Downer herself, Livia Soprano: “You know what I’m gonna say.”

Check out the full episode here.

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