Joe Peshi Goodfellas I Make You Laugh I Ma Funny to You

Goodfellas is a movie near the mechanics of the mob as carried out by iv cardinal characters. One of them, Paulie, is the leader of the organization. The other three (Tommy, Henry, and Jimmy) are various levels of henchmen. Early in the movie, Tommy, a hyper-aggressive psycho, holds court over dinner and drinks in a eatery with several of his associates, including Henry, with whom he's especially close. During the hangout, Tommy tells a story that prompts Henry to tell Tommy he's a funny guy, which Tommy pretends to take as an insult. Information technology's a scene that has since anile into lore. It's corybantic. It's intimidating. It's got just the correct blend of humid tension and uneasy confrontation and humor. But is it … truthful?

Allow's fact-check it.

These are the names of the people in the scene:

Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci): A choleric enforcer in a criminal organization.

Henry Hill (Ray Liotta): Too a member of the aforementioned criminal organization. He is as ambitious equally Tommy, though not well-nigh as violent.

Anthony Stabile (Frank Adonis): Also a member of the same criminal organization. He's generally an unseen character hither.

Sonny Bunz (Tony Darrow): The owner of the restaurant that Tommy and Henry and Anthony and everyone else are having dinner at. He is not in the criminal organization, though he is familiar enough with them to become a sit-down meeting with Paulie.

Terrorized Waiter (Paul Mougey): The waiter serving Tommy and Henry and Anthony and everyone else at the dinner. He is non affiliated with any criminal organization, every bit far as I tin tell. (He's for real listed equally "Terrorized Waiter" on the IMDb folio for Goodfellas, which is my third favorite character listing of all fourth dimension, behind Jean-Claude Van Damme existence listed equally "Gay Karate Man" in 1984'southward Monaco Forever and a seagull getting listed every bit "Sully 'Steven' Seagall" during the credits in 2016'southward The Shallows).

The Scene

TOMMY (to everyone at the tabular array, halfway through a story about having been brought in for questioning following a bank robbery): What's really funny is, the fucking bank job is way in Secaucus. I'm in the middle of the fucking weeds, laying down.

Fact bank check: Likely accurate. He was likely attempting to hide from the police, though it can't be said for certain.

TOMMY (still to everyone): [The law officer] comes over, he says, "What are you doing?"

Fact check: Likely authentic that a police officeholder approached him, a known felon, and asked him what he was doing near a criminal offense scene.

TOMMY (still to everyone): I said, "I'grand resting."

Fact check: Probable inaccurate that Tommy was simply resting in a pile of weeds. He makes no mention before or later on this scene in the movie of being a weeds enthusiast.

TOMMY (still to everyone): "Here, yous're resting?! Go to a fucking beach or the park." I said, "I'grand resting." I know I'k resting. I'm resting.

Fact bank check: Still likely inaccurate. Only because you say a affair a several times does not make information technology true. I spent the first vi years of my sons' lives telling them that every picture of Manu Ginobili that they saw was really a pic of me. I must've said that shit 100 times. To the best of my knowledge, I am still non Manu Ginobili.

TOMMY (notwithstanding to everyone): He pulls me in, he starts giving me all kinds of questions. You know, this and that. He says, "Oh, uh, so what are you gonna tell the states, tough guy?" I said, "My usual. Nada, null. Why tell yous?"

Fact cheque: Likely accurate. Tommy does not seem like the snitching blazon.

TOMMY (still to everyone): The fuck, he says, "No, you lot're gonna tell me something today, tough guy." I said, "Alright, I'll tell y'all something: Go fuck your mother."

Fact cheque: Probable authentic. Tommy does seem like the tell-you lot-to-go-fuck-your-female parent type.

(Anybody laughs)

TOMMY (to Anthony): Bing, pw, boom, bang [makes these noises while showing how he was hitting past the police force]. Yous saw the paper, Anthony. My head was out like this [intimates how bloated his head was using his hand]. The prick.

Fact cheque: Accurate. Anthony confirms that he saw the paper, and that Tommy'southward head was swollen from the beating.

TOMMY (to everyone): Eh. So now I'chiliad coming around, yous know, I showtime to come out of it. And who do I see in forepart of me? This big prick over again.

Fact check: Likely accurate, given that the term "big prick" is being used in reference to the aforementioned police officer.

TOMMY (to anybody): He says, "Oh, what do you wanna tell me now, tough guy?" I said, "What are yous doing hither? I thought I told you lot to get fuck your female parent?"

Fact check: Likely accurate. Tommy does seem like the reinforce-that-I-told-you-to-go-fuck-your-mother type.

(Anybody laughs)

TOMMY (to anybody): I thought he was gonna shit.

Fact check: Likely accurate. He likely did think the officer was going to shit. (However it'southward impossible for me decide whether or not the officer did, in fact, defecate, or even if he felt similar defecating.)

(Anybody laughs)

TOMMY (to everyone): Prisoner of war, ping, blast. The fuckers. I wish I was big just once.

Fact check: Likely accurate. Tommy is played by Joe Pesci, and Joe Pesci is short (5-foot-4). Short people exercise, on occasion, wish they were big. Tom Hanks made a movie wrapped effectually that exact premise in 1988. He was curt and wished he was large. The movie was called Big. Tommy's wish was not granted in Goodfellas similar Tom Hanks'due south wish was granted in Large. Goodfellas would've been a way different movie if it had. So would Big if Hanks'due south wish hadn't been granted. It wouldn't accept been called Big. It would've been chosen Normal. Information technology probably would've sucked.

(Everyone laughs)

HENRY (to Tommy, laughing hard): Really funny. You're actually funny.

Fact check: Currently accurate. That is a funny story that Tommy told.

TOMMY (to Henry): Waddya mean I'm funny?

HENRY (to Tommy): It'southward funny, y'know, the … the story. It's funny. You're a funny guy.

Fact check: Authentic on both counts. The story is funny and Tommy is funny, though he is quickly becoming less so.

TOMMY (to Henry): Waddya mean? Y'all mean the fashion I talk? What?

Fact check: Inaccurate. Tommy is not funny because of the way that he talks. He is funny because of the things he says.

HENRY (to Tommy): Information technology'southward just, y'know, it'southward … y'all're just funny. It's … you know, the way you tell the story and everything …

Fact bank check: Accurate.

TOMMY (to Henry): Funny how? I mean, what'southward funny near it?
ANTHONY (to Tommy, worriedly): Tommy, no, you lot got it all wrong …

Fact check: Accurate. Tommy is pretending to have it all incorrect. Tommy is pretending to believe Henry is insulting him. Henry is non insulting him. Henry is paying him a compliment.

TOMMY (to Anthony): Whoa, whoa, Anthony! He'south a big boy, he knows what he said.

Fact check: Accurate on both counts. Henry is a big boy and Henry knows what he said.

TOMMY (to Henry): What'd you say? Funny how? What?

HENRY (to Tommy): Just, you know, you're funny.

Fact bank check: Inaccurate. Tommy is no longer funny.

TOMMY (to Henry): Y'all mean, let me understand this … cuz I … perchance it's me? Peradventure I'one thousand a little fucked up, maybe?

Fact check: Very accurate. Tommy is extremely prone to violence, up to and including murder. He is, to be sure, at least a little fucked upward.

TOMMY (to Henry): I'm funny how, I hateful funny like I'k a clown? I amuse you?

Fact check: This was possibly accurate before merely now it is no longer accurate. Tommy is not being funny, not like a clown or anything else someone might consider humorous.

TOMMY (to Henry): I make you express joy? I'm here to fuckin' charm yous? Waddya mean "funny"? Funny how? How am I funny?

HENRY (to Tommy, nervously): I don't know, simply … you know, how you tell the story. What?

Fact bank check: Inaccurate. Tommy does not know.

TOMMY (to Henry): No, no I don't know.

Fact check: Come across? Told y'all.

TOMMY (to Henry): You said it. How do I know?

Fact check: Accurate. Henry did say it.

TOMMY (to Henry): You said I'm funny.

Fact bank check: Authentic. Henry did say that Tommy was funny.

TOMMY (to Henry): How the fuck am I funny? What the fuck is so funny virtually me? Tell me. Tell me what's funny.

(Long silence)
(Longer silence)
(Longest silence)

HENRY (to Tommy, laughing): Go the fuck outta here, Tommy. Tommy.

Fact check: Inaccurate. Tommy does non need to get the fuck outta there. In fact, it's the opposite. If all of the characters in the scene were ranked on how expeditiously they needed to go the fuck outta at that place, Tommy would charge per unit last place. He has to go the fuck outta there the least. He is the one causing those who need to go the fuck outta there to feel like they need to go the fuck outta there. He is the impetus for all of the surface area's fucks outta there.

(Everyone laughs)

TOMMY (to Henry, then to everyone): Ya motherfucker, I well-nigh had him! I almost had him!

Fact check: Authentic. He did almost have him.

TOMMY (to Henry): You stuttering prick hither!

Fact bank check: At least half-accurate. Henry did stutter on several occasions. I cannot speak to whether or not he is, or was, a prick.

TOMMY (to Frankie, then to Henry): Frankie, was he shaking? I wonder about you sometimes, Henry. You may fold under questioning!

Fact check: Extremely accurate. At the terminate of the movie, Henry folds nether questioning, offering upward evidence that helps convict Jimmy and Paulie.

(Anybody laughs)

TOMMY (to Sonny, who has snuck upwardly on Tommy'southward side): What the fuck is it with y'all? I thought I was getting pinched over here. He's hanging on my fucking neck like a vulture, like impending danger. What do you want?

Fact bank check: This is inaccurate if Tommy is speaking literally (Sonny is non hanging on his neck like a vulture) simply accurate if he is speaking figuratively (Sonny is hanging on his neck like a vulture).

SONNY (to Tommy): This guy'due south worried [referencing the waiter, who is continuing in the groundwork]. He didn't wanna come up over and give you the cheque.

Fact cheque: Accurate. The waiter did non desire to give Tommy the cheque because he knows that Tommy is Tommy (which is to say, capable of anything).

TOMMY (to Sonny): The waiter?

Fact check: Authentic. Sonny is referring to the waiter.

SONNY (to Tommy): If y'all could take care of this?

Fact check: Inaccurate. Tommy volition not have care of it.

TOMMY (to Sonny): Yeah, information technology's no problem. Tell him to put it on my tab. Of course.

Fact check: Authentic in the sense that Tommy would like for the waiter to add the bill to his tab, but inaccurate in that he has no interest or intention of paying the residual.

SONNY (to Tommy): That'south what I wanted to talk to you nigh. You know, information technology ain't merely this here. Information technology's 7 fucking big ones hither. Vii fucking Gs you owe me here.

Fact bank check: Likely accurate. Tommy, a regular in the restaurant, likely owes $seven,000 to Sonny.

SONNY (to Tommy): Seven g dollars, I mean … that ain't peanuts.

Fact check: Accurate. Seven thou dollars is not peanuts. Information technology'southward dollars. Seven grand of them, to be verbal.

SONNY (to Tommy): I don't mean to be out of order or nothing.

Fact check: Accurate. Sonny is conspicuously terrified of Tommy. He does not mean to be out of order. He but would similar his bill paid, which hardly seems unreasonable.

TOMMY (to Sonny): Y'all don't hateful to exist out of order?

Fact check: Accurate.

TOMMY (to Sonny): Jeez, it's good you don't hateful to be out of order, Sonny.

Fact check: Inaccurate. It is not practiced Sonny didn't hateful to be out of order, considering, at to the lowest degree according to Tommy, the fact that Sonny fifty-fifty brought it up means he was out of guild.

TOMMY (to Sonny): Yous phone call embarrassing me in front of my friends, calling me a fucking deadbeat, y'all know … [Tommy grabs Sonny past the necktie] Yous know, Sonny, y'all're a real fucking mutt.

Fact check: Inaccurate. There are ii definitions listed on Google for "mutt." The first is: "A dog, especially a mongrel." Sonny is not a dog. Sonny is a homo man. The second definition is: "A person regarded every bit stupid or incompetent." I would contend that Sonny'southward willingness to approach Tommy nearly his outstanding residuum means Sonny is a more-than-competent eating place possessor. (Of form, I'thou besides willing to admit that approaching Tommy was not a smart move. This i'due south a button, I suppose.)

TOMMY (to Sonny): You know the money we spend in this fucking —

SONNY (to Tommy): What are you talking virtually? Come on. Don't be like that, Tommy. Come o —

TOMMY (to Sonny, equally he smashes a glass into his forehead): What do you mean, "Don't exist like that"?!

(Sonny runs away. Tommy gives chase only enough to kicking Sonny. Anybody at the dinner table laughs.)

TOMMY (to Henry): Exercise you lot believe this prick? You think this is funny, eh?

Fact bank check: Authentic. Henry is laughing a great deal. He thinks information technology'due south all very funny.

TOMMY (to the waiter): What the fuck are y'all looking at? You fucking … yous fucking moron. You lot don't wanna bring the check?

Fact bank check: Extremely inaccurate (the waiter existence smart plenty to not deliver the check to Tommy shows that he is not a moron) and also extremely authentic (the waiter super did non want to bring the check over).

TOMMY (to Henry): Do you believe this prick? Fucking guy. You're supposed to be doing this stuff, also, yous know?

Fact check: Authentic. Henry is a criminal, the aforementioned as Tommy. He should likely be doing criminal activities.

HENRY (to Tommy): You know what? You're a funny guy.

Fact check: Accurate. Tommy is dorsum to beingness funny.

TOMMY (to Henry, pulling a handgun from his waist and pointing it at him): That's it, Henry. That's information technology, Henry.

Fact check: Inaccurate. That is not it. Tommy does not shoot Henry.

HENRY (to Tommy): No, no, no. Come on, come on, come on.

TOMMY (to Henry): Hey, you wanna express mirth? This prick terminal week asked me to christen his child.

Fact check: Likely accurate. Within his particular sphere of associates, Tommy is an important person. Information technology is very probable that Sonny asked Tommy to christen his child.

TOMMY (loudly, to Sonny, but really to everyone in the restaurant equally they're all watching Tommy by this point): Yeah, alright. For $7,000, I charge you.