The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan

Episode: Chazz Palminteri | December 10, 2025

Overview

In this riveting episode of The Magnificent Others, Billy Corgan hosts acclaimed actor, writer, and director Chazz Palminteri. Their deep and personal conversation centers around Chazz’s journey from a tough upbringing in the Bronx to the heights of Hollywood, the origins of his legendary work A Bronx Tale, and the enduring cultural codes and family dynamics that shaped his life and career. Together, they explore the grey morality of the old neighborhood, the sacrifices necessary for creative integrity, and themes of heritage, trauma, perseverance, and fatherhood.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Chazz’s Early Struggles and Artistic Breakthrough

00:54 – 06:59

• Chazz’s Time as a Bouncer in Hollywood

  • Chazz recounts running out of money in LA (after guest roles on Hill Street Blues, Matlock, Dallas), leading him to work as a bouncer at “2020” in the Beverly Center.

    “I ran out of money when I first got there in ‘86… and I used to bounce in New York at the Limelight.”—Chazz (00:59)

  • Details the strict code of being a doorman: never say “Do you know who I am?”, never touch the rope, never break the space.

    “You never say, ‘Do you know who I am?’ Ever. If you say those words, it’s over.”—Chazz (03:37)

• The Swifty Lazar Incident

  • Chazz is fired after refusing powerful Hollywood agent Swifty Lazar entry for breaking all three doorman rules.

    “He said, 'You’ll be fired in 15 minutes.'… 15 minutes later, the boss called me in and I got fired.”—Chazz (04:49-05:09)

• Turning Setback into Opportunity

  • Out of desperation and with only a few hundred dollars left, Chazz vows to write himself a great part—the genesis of A Bronx Tale.

    “If they won’t give me a great part, I’ll write one myself. I went to Thrifty Drugstore… That’s how Bronx Tale was born.”—Chazz (05:31-06:15)

The Creation, Struggle, and Success of A Bronx Tale

07:00 – 15:18

• Writing and Performing the One-Man Show

  • Chazz acted out all 18 characters in a one-man show, funding it with a loan from a friend.

    “I’m not going to have people read it. I’m going to play the parts…”—Chazz (07:00)

• Hollywood Comes Calling—But Not for Chazz

  • Describes turning down $250K, then $500K, then $1 million, all because studios refused to allow him to play Sonny or write the screenplay.

    “Unless I play Sonny and I write the screenplay, I’m not doing it… Everybody in Hollywood was saying, ‘This crazy bastard turned down $250,000.’”—Chazz (10:56-11:22)

  • Chazz draws strength from his father’s mantra:

    “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.”—Chazz (12:04)

• Robert De Niro Partnership

  • Two weeks after yet another refusal, De Niro attends the show and offers Chazz the deal he’d wanted: star, write, and De Niro will direct and play the father.

    “You should play Sonny, you should write the screenplay… If you shake my hands, that’s the way it’ll be.”—De Niro (14:30-15:15)

Why A Bronx Tale Resonates: Universal Archetypes & Audience Connection

15:25 – 18:48

• Emotional Impact and Themes

  • Chazz notes his show makes people laugh, cry, and scares them, referencing Alfred Hitchcock’s philosophy:

    “You can make them laugh, you can make them cry, or you can scare them… In Bronx Tale, I make you laugh, I make you cry, and I scare you.”—Chazz (00:18, 15:38, 16:17)

  • The story’s appeal, especially to fathers and sons, lies in archetypes and the universal fear of wasting potential.

    “Everybody has that dream inside of them about not wasting their life…”—Chazz (17:38)

• Memorable Quote:

  “When you write lightning in a bottle… you sit there and wonder, how did this happen?”—Billy (17:07)

Growing Up in the Old Neighborhood: Honor, Trauma, and Change

18:53 – 33:22

• Honor Among Thieves and Changing Street Codes

  • Both discuss the mafia’s “code of honor,” contrasted with later generations and other mobs.

    “The old time wise guys did a thing of honor where they wouldn’t shoot, they wouldn’t kill a man in front of his family…”—Chazz (21:52)

• Barbaric World vs. Community

  • Chazz describes his childhood as both joyful and traumatic, including seeing a killing at age nine.

    “Did I see things and know things that a young boy should not know? Yes.”—Chazz (23:30)

  • The concept of “not ratting” becomes a foundational lesson early on.
  • The cultural clannishness (Italians, Irish, Germans, Swedes) is examined.
  • Both recall the mix of pride and shame in immigrant identities and the pressure to “be American” and leave the past behind.

    “When my grandparents came here, they wanted to be American. That’s why I don’t speak Italian…”—Chazz (29:48)

Keeping Cultural Identity Alive

31:18 – 33:22

• Cultural Roots vs. Globalism
  • Chazz and Billy discuss the loss of ethnic distinctiveness in a more globalized world.

    “I don’t like the feeling of globalism… I enjoy my roots of being Italian, and I enjoy meeting people who are Irish and tell me about their culture.”—Chazz (31:26-32:04)

  • Celebration of ancestry as a way to honor family struggles and success.

Fame, Family, and Artistic Integrity

33:22 – 41:29

• Fame Arrives Late

  • Chazz reflects on moving from near poverty to flying on a private jet with De Niro.

    “Not too long ago, I was like, trying to get water for my car… now my life is changing, you know?”—Chazz (35:05)

  • Talks about raising grateful children amidst privilege.

• Neighborhood Reactions to Success

  • The real Bronx neighborhood welcomed his film, as long as the names were changed.

    “The only name I didn’t change was Eddie Mush. Because that was Eddie Mush.”—Chazz (39:14)

  • Mentions how the real families reacted, and the importance of not using real names—advice delivered implicitly via phone call.

• Old World Superstitions

  • Chazz’s grandma “froze” enemies’ names in ice cubes to put a curse on their fortunes.

    “My grandfather… would freeze them. He would write their name and put it in the ice cube… so their life was frozen.”—Chazz (43:17)

The Evolving Perspective of a Storyteller (Sonny vs. Lorenzo)

44:35 – 47:06

• Understanding Characters as Both Son and Father

  • Chazz’s relationship to his play shifted after becoming a father himself.

    “When I became a father and my son was born, I started to relate more to the father, to the son, to the boy. And the play just became better…”—Chazz (45:12)

  • The character of Sonny was based partly on a real person, but Chazz still guards the identity.

    “Have you ever said who Sonny’s based on? No, never.”—Chazz (39:51)

• Sonny's Street Philosophy

  • Chazz absorbed Sonny’s “Machiavellian” worldview over time, applying it to his own thinking.

Hollywood, Screenwriting, and the Realities of the Business

47:06 – 51:16

• Hollywood’s Reluctance and Typecasting
  • Chazz sold several screenplays, but many were never produced. It’s a common fate; not getting something made in Hollywood is the norm, not the exception.

    “There’s writers in Hollywood that have been there for 25 years, never got a movie made.”—Chazz (49:37)

  • He’s mostly unfazed by typecasting, though he appreciates when people recognize him for more versatile roles.

    “What’s the role that you’ve played that was the furthest away from these kind of typecast roles?”—Billy (52:06)
    “Nothing comes to mind…”—Chazz (52:21)

Family, Legacy, and Life Philosophy

52:45 – 55:16

• Time is Precious

  • Chazz’s main lesson for his kids: Don’t waste time, appreciate youth—and don’t expect your parents’ reputation to hand you success.

    “You don’t know you’re old until you’re old.” —Chazz (53:00)
    “The name will get you maybe one block. I can get you in the door, maybe, and you’re on your own.” —Chazz (54:43)

• No Bronx Tale Sequel

  • He’s been asked often but never had a worthy story idea for a sequel.

    “I just never had a great story after that.” —Chazz (55:34)

  • Instead, he’s written a film about the making of A Bronx Tale.

Spirituality and Goodness

56:39 – 57:46

• Faith and Imperfection
  • Chazz is Roman Catholic and spiritual, though acknowledges his flaws, emphasizing devotion to family.

    “Nothing’s more important than my wife and my children. Nothing.” —Chazz (57:45)

Processing Childhood Trauma and Lessons for a New Generation

57:48 – 64:17

• Witnessing a Murder as a Child

  • Chazz reflects that decades later it feels dreamlike; the image of the dying man still lingers.

    “He was looking right at me. I remember just looking at him… That’s the one thing I think about whenever I go back to that moment.” —Chazz (59:02)

  • He and Billy discuss how the codes of childhood shaped reactions to trauma and how parenting has changed.

    “The lessons we were taught weren’t necessarily the best lessons.” —Billy (61:11)

• Teaching Street Smarts and Boxing

  • Chazz believes children, especially boys, should know how to defend themselves—not to fight, but for confidence.

    “Any father… should teach a young boy how to fight. Not to get in fights. To stay out of fights.” —Chazz (62:03)

• Boxing Heroes

  • Sugar Ray Robinson is cited as Chazz’s ideal fighter and inspiration.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Artistic Integrity:
  “The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” —Chazz quoting his father (12:04)
• On Hollywood:
  “Everybody in Hollywood was saying, 'This crazy bastard turned down $250,000.'” —Chazz (10:56-11:22)
• On Family and Success:
  “Nothing’s more important than my wife and my children. Nothing.” —Chazz (57:45)
• On Childhood Trauma:
  “It’s almost like a dream now. Like it never happened.” —Chazz (58:13)
• On Youth:
  “You don’t know you’re old until you’re old.” —Chazz (53:00)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Swifty Lazar incident and origins of A Bronx Tale – 04:49–06:15
• Refusing multiple offers, sticking to creative vision – 10:32–14:29
• Meeting De Niro, getting the movie made – 14:29–15:15
• Explaining the show’s universal impact (laughter, tears, fear) – 15:25–18:44
• Exploring honor in the mob & cultural change – 21:52–25:17
• Cultural assimilation and family secrets – 28:36–33:02
• Reflection on fame’s late arrival and staying grounded – 34:12–36:31
• Handling neighborhood reaction to A Bronx Tale – 39:04–40:01
• The lessons from trauma, fatherhood, and evolving perspective – 57:48–62:26
• The philosophy of fighting and confidence – 62:03–64:17

Flow and Tone

The conversation is deeply personal, reflective, and laced with the grit, candor, and humor that both Chazz and Billy share from their upbringings. Despite the heaviness of some topics, the episode is warm, nostalgic, and at times laugh-out-loud funny, grounded by a mutual sense of wonder at life’s unpredictable journey.

This summary captures the essence, structure, and spirit of the episode, providing those who haven’t listened a thorough overview of the insights and stories shared.