# Another Toothpick

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{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox television episode
| series         = [The Sopranos](/source/The_Sopranos)
| caption        =
| season         = 3
| episode        = 5
| guests         =
| airdate        = {{Start date|2001|03|25}}
| length         = 60 minutes
| editor         = 
| production     = 305
| writer         = [Terence Winter](/source/Terence_Winter)
| director       = [Jack Bender](/source/Jack_Bender)
| photographer   = [Alik Sakharov](/source/Alik_Sakharov)
| episode_list   = List of The Sopranos episodes
| season_article = The Sopranos season 3
| image          =
| image_size     =
| prev           = [Employee of the Month](/source/Employee_of_the_Month_(The_Sopranos))
| next           = [University](/source/University_(The_Sopranos))
}}
"'''Another Toothpick'''" is the 31st episode of the [HBO](/source/HBO) original series ''[The Sopranos](/source/The_Sopranos)'' and the fifth of the show's third season. It was written by [Terence Winter](/source/Terence_Winter) and directed by [Jack Bender](/source/Jack_Bender), and originally aired on March 25, 2001.

==Starring==
* [James Gandolfini](/source/James_Gandolfini) as [Tony Soprano](/source/Tony_Soprano)
* [Lorraine Bracco](/source/Lorraine_Bracco) as [Dr. Jennifer Melfi](/source/Jennifer_Melfi) 
* [Edie Falco](/source/Edie_Falco) as [Carmela Soprano](/source/Carmela_Soprano)
* [Michael Imperioli](/source/Michael_Imperioli) as [Christopher Moltisanti](/source/Christopher_Moltisanti)
* [Dominic Chianese](/source/Dominic_Chianese) as [Corrado Soprano, Jr.](/source/Junior_Soprano) 
* [Steven Van Zandt](/source/Steven_Van_Zandt) as [Silvio Dante](/source/Silvio_Dante) *
* [Tony Sirico](/source/Tony_Sirico) as [Paulie Gualtieri](/source/Paulie_Gualtieri)
* [Robert Iler](/source/Robert_Iler) as [A.J. Soprano](/source/A.J._Soprano) 
* [Jamie-Lynn Sigler](/source/Jamie-Lynn_Sigler) as [Meadow Soprano](/source/Meadow_Soprano)
* [Drea de Matteo](/source/Drea_de_Matteo) as [Adriana La Cerva](/source/Adriana_La_Cerva)
* [Aida Turturro](/source/Aida_Turturro) as [Janice Soprano](/source/Janice_Soprano)
* [John Ventimiglia](/source/John_Ventimiglia) as [Artie Bucco](/source/Artie_Bucco)
* [Steven R. Schirripa](/source/Steven_R._Schirripa) as [Bobby Baccalieri](/source/Bobby_Baccalieri)
* [Robert Funaro](/source/Robert_Funaro) as [Eugene Pontecorvo](/source/Eugene_Pontecorvo)
* [Kathrine Narducci](/source/Kathrine_Narducci) as [Charmaine Bucco](/source/Charmaine_Bucco)
* [Joe Pantoliano](/source/Joe_Pantoliano) as [Ralph Cifaretto](/source/Ralph_Cifaretto)

''* = credit only''

===Guest starring===
* [Tom Aldredge](/source/Tom_Aldredge) as [Hugh De Angelis](/source/Hugh_De_Angelis)
* [Jason Cerbone](/source/Jason_Cerbone) as [Jackie Aprile, Jr.](/source/Jackie_Aprile%2C_Jr.)
* [Vince Curatola](/source/Vince_Curatola) as [Johnny Sack](/source/Johnny_Sack)
* [Charles S. Dutton](/source/Charles_S._Dutton) as Officer Leon Wilmore
* John Fiore as [Gigi Cestone](/source/Gigi_Cestone)
* [Joseph R. Gannascoli](/source/Joseph_R._Gannascoli) as [Vito Spatafore](/source/Vito_Spatafore)
* [Frank Pellegrino](/source/Frank_Pellegrino_(actor)) as Bureau Chief [Frank Cubitoso](/source/Frank_Cubitoso)
* [Peter Riegert](/source/Peter_Riegert) as [Ronald Zellman](/source/List_of_characters_from_The_Sopranos_in_the_Soprano_crime_family)
* [Paul Schulze](/source/Paul_Schulze) as [Father Phil Intintola](/source/Father_Phil_Intintola)
* [Matt Servitto](/source/Matt_Servitto) as [Agent Harris](/source/Dwight_Harris)
* [Suzanne Shepherd](/source/Suzanne_Shepherd) as [Mary De Angelis](/source/Mary_De_Angelis)
* [Brian Tarantina](/source/Brian_Tarantina) as [Mustang Sally](/source/List_of_The_Sopranos_characters_in_the_Soprano_crime_family)
* [Vanessa Ferlito](/source/Vanessa_Ferlito) as [Tina Francesco](/source/List_of_The_Sopranos_characters_in_the_Soprano_crime_family)
* [Burt Young](/source/Burt_Young) as Bobby Baccalieri, Sr.
* [Erik Weiner](/source/Erik_Weiner) as [Manager](/source/Manager)
* [Michael Matera](/source/Michael_Matera) as Carlos

==Synopsis==

[Tony](/source/Tony_Soprano) and [Carmela](/source/Carmela_Soprano) have a joint session with [Dr. Melfi](/source/Jennifer_Melfi). It ends in recriminations: Carmela feels the other two have joined against her. Driving home she is tearful; he drives recklessly and is pulled over for speeding by Officer Leon Wilmore, who is black. Tony's charm, his [PBA](/source/Police_unions_in_the_United_States) card, and implicit [bribery](/source/bribery) do not work, and Wilmore writes up a ticket. Tony contacts [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey) [Assemblyman](/source/New_Jersey_General_Assembly) [Ronald Zellman](/source/List_of_characters_from_The_Sopranos_in_the_Soprano_crime_family) to get it canceled.

Days later, visiting a [lawn ornament](/source/lawn_ornament) store, Tony sees Wilmore working there. He tells Tony, who is smiling sarcastically, that he has been transferred to the property room and can no longer work overtime. This is more drastic than Tony wanted and he asks Zellman to have him reinstated. Tony then has another argument with [Meadow](/source/Meadow_Soprano) about his racist attitudes, and next time he speaks to Zellman he says Wilmore can stay where he is. But he returns to the garden store, makes a purchase, and offers him some additional $100 bills. Wilmore does not deign to take the money.

Meadow takes the lamp from the basement at home to her dorm at [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University), and so unknowingly "neutralizes" the [FBI](/source/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation)'s listening operation.

[Junior](/source/Junior_Soprano) is diagnosed with [stomach cancer](/source/stomach_cancer).

The last customers have left Nuovo Vesuvio and [Artie](/source/Artie_Bucco) is glad to be alone with [Adriana](/source/Adriana_La_Cerva) to celebrate a profitable evening. She surprises him by telling him that [Christopher](/source/Christopher_Moltisanti) no longer wants her to work as a hostess. Hiding his chagrin, Artie allows her to leave without notice. When Tony and Chris are dining there, a drunken Artie needles Chris, who angrily makes a grab at him. Tony sends Chris out, then angrily grabs Artie himself. Artie says he is in love with Adriana and Tony's anger changes to amusement. He reminds him that Chris is a made man, and never to utter those words again.

Tony wants to go into business with Artie selling Italian food products. [Charmaine](/source/Charmaine_Bucco) nixes the idea, believing Tony only wants another business as a [front](/source/front_organization). During the ensuing argument, she tells Artie that their marriage is over. Artie then has an awkward dinner with Adriana; she withdraws her hand when he tries to take it.

[Bryan Spatafore](/source/List_of_characters_from_The_Sopranos_in_the_Soprano_crime_family), [Vito](/source/Vito_Spatafore)'s brother, is innocently embroiled in a row between [Mustang Sally](/source/List_of_characters_from_The_Sopranos_in_the_Soprano_crime_family) and his girlfriend. Sally viciously assaults Bryan with a golf club, putting him into a coma. For this, Sally has to be killed. He goes into hiding, but is in touch with his [godfather](/source/godparent), [Bobby Baccalieri](/source/Bobby_Baccalieri)'s father, [Bobby, Sr.](/source/List_of_characters_from_The_Sopranos_in_the_Soprano_crime_family); the relationship is "in name only", Bobby, Sr. says, and he is given the task. But he is dying of [lung cancer](/source/lung_cancer) and can hardly stop coughing. Bobby desperately wants to stop his father from doing it; so does [Junior](/source/Junior_Soprano), who goes to see Tony, who refuses to change the plan. Bobby, Sr. himself wants to do it: "It will feel good being useful for a change."

The hit almost goes awry and ends with a struggle, but Bobby Sr. succeeds in killing Sally and his friend. After the killings, his face smeared with Sally's blood, he finds some cigarettes and starts smoking. Still smoking while driving away, he has a coughing fit, cannot reach his inhaler, and slumps onto the steering wheel. The car crashes and he dies.

==Deceased==
* '''Febby Viola''': died of cancer; Carmela's uncle
* '''[Mustang Sally](/source/List_of_characters_from_The_Sopranos_in_the_Soprano_crime_family)''': shot and killed by Robert Baccalieri Sr. on orders by Tony Soprano and Gigi Cestone
* '''Carlos''': Mustang Sally's friend; shot for being a witness to his murder
* '''[Bobby Baccalieri, Sr.](/source/List_of_characters_from_The_Sopranos_in_the_Soprano_crime_family)''': Crashed his car while suffering a coughing fit brought on by his lung cancer

==Title reference==
* Janice claims that Livia often described a person who was dying of cancer as "another toothpick".

==Cultural references==
* When Tony is pulled over by the traffic officer, he pulls out his wallet and shows his New Jersey Association card, the name on his card is Michael J. Madonna, the president of the New Jersey State PBA at the time. Madonna, who was later appointed to the [Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor](/source/Waterfront_Commission_of_New_York_Harbor), would ironically be accused of facilitating corrupt dealings in his role, resulting in his firing by governor [Jon Corzine](/source/Jon_Corzine) in 2009.
* As Bobby Sr. visits Mustang Sally and Carlos, before their deaths, the two were watching [Sally Jessy Raphael](/source/Sally_Jessy_Raphael)'s [talk show](/source/Sally_(1983_TV_series)) on TV.
* In the scene where Junior tells Bobby he has cancer, the movie playing on the television is ''[The Devil at 4 O'Clock](/source/The_Devil_at_4_O'Clock)'' with [Frank Sinatra](/source/Frank_Sinatra).
* The lawn ornament store that Wilmore works at is "Fountains of Wayne", which was a real store in [Wayne, New Jersey](/source/Wayne%2C_New_Jersey) that closed in 2009; the store was the namesake of the [band of the same name](/source/Fountains_of_Wayne).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/waynes-world-6423163|title=Wayne's World|first=Ted|last=Simons|website=Phoenix New Times|date=1997-05-01|access-date=2019-01-04}}</ref>
* Ralphie repeatedly discusses ''[Gladiator](/source/Gladiator_(2000_film))'', starring Russell Crowe.

==Production==
Going into the third season, this episode marks the first time the show's leading ladies, [Lorraine Bracco](/source/Lorraine_Bracco) and [Edie Falco](/source/Edie_Falco) as Dr. Melfi and Carmela Soprano respectively, spoke to each other face-to-face. Their two previous conversations had taken place over the phone, while they had only caught a glimpse of each other in season 1, when Carmela drove Tony to meet Melfi for a session in her car.

== Music ==
* The song played over the end credits is "Shuck Dub" by [R. L. Burnside](/source/R._L._Burnside). 
* Meadow Soprano sings along to [The Corrs](/source/The_Corrs)' "[Breathless](/source/Breathless_(The_Corrs_song))" while listening to headphones.
* The song playing on the radio in Bobby Baccalieri Sr.'s Lumina as he is driving away from the murder scene is "[Sister Golden Hair](/source/Sister_Golden_Hair)" by [America](/source/America_(band)); Bobby Sr.'s car crashes as the line "I just can't make it" was sung in the main chorus.
* The song playing in the restaurant when Artie and Charmaine are arguing and she says she will divorce him is ["Jim Dandy"](/source/Jim_Dandy_(song)) sung by [LaVern Baker](/source/LaVern_Baker).
* The piece played while Artie Bucco and Adriana have dinner is "[Concierto de Aranjuez](/source/Concierto_de_Aranjuez)" by [Joaquin Rodrigo](/source/Joaquin_Rodrigo).

== Filming locations ==
Listed in order of first appearance:<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ugoku|title=The Sopranos location guide - Filming locations for|url=https://www.sopranos-locations.com/season-3/episode-5/|access-date=2020-10-28|website=www.sopranos-locations.com|language=en}}</ref>

* [Totowa, New Jersey](/source/Totowa%2C_New_Jersey)
* [Newark, New Jersey](/source/Newark%2C_New_Jersey)
* [St. Patrick's Church](/source/St._Patrick's_Parish_and_Buildings) in [Jersey City, New Jersey](/source/Jersey_City%2C_New_Jersey)
* [Long Island City, Queens](/source/Long_Island_City)
* Jersey City, New Jersey
* Fountains of Wayne in [Wayne, New Jersey](/source/Wayne%2C_New_Jersey)
* [Garfield, New Jersey](/source/Garfield%2C_New_Jersey)
* [Hackensack, New Jersey](/source/Hackensack%2C_New_Jersey)
* [Robert Treat Hotel](/source/Robert_Treat_Center) in [Newark, New Jersey](/source/Newark%2C_New_Jersey)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos/episodes/3/31-another-toothpick/index.html "Another Toothpick"] at [HBO](/source/HBO)
* {{IMDb episode|0705228}}
* [https://www.avclub.com/the-sopranos-another-toothpick-1798166664 "Another Toothpick"] review by ''[The A.V. Club](/source/The_A.V._Club)''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090605080551/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,345750,00.html "Another Toothpick"] review by ''[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)''

{{The Sopranos}}

Category:The Sopranos season 3 episodes
Category:2001 American television episodes
Category:Television episodes directed by Jack Bender
Category:Television episodes written by Terence Winter

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Another Toothpick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Another_Toothpick) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Another_Toothpick?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.