I’ll play Manny Pacquiao’s silly little 32nd birthday game, all right.
Perhaps based on Bob Arum’s quote to me that Pacman was just waiting for “The Godfather,” meaning the 79 year old promoter, to come to the Philippines so they can determine the Pinoy Idol’s April 16 foe (three contenders are Shane Mosley, Shane Mosley and Shane Mosley), Pacquiao is evidently having a party theme based on the classic gangster movies.
This news has thrown my Pinoy journo pals Granville Ampong, based in LA, and Edwin Espejo into a tizzy as they seem to suggest such a theme for the big bash at the ultra swanky Shangra-La Hotel in big money Makati (Manila) casts a negative pall over the Congressperson from Sarangani.
Both men have penned alarmed columns about the fighter’s bash having such an unsavory motif.
Somehow, I think the party, set for Friday night in Manila, will go as planned despite the protestations.
Or, as we like to say in Gangland, this beef will get squashed before we have go to the mattresses.
Come on, boys, don’t be such killjoys.
You want to find a thoroughbred head in your respective beds?
You know what Michael told stupid Fredo, “never take sides against the Family.”
So I will play Manny’s game, like so:
MANNY PACQUIAO’S GODFATHER GAME
Don Vito Corelone — Bob Arum
Michael Corleone — Manny Pacquiao
Jack Woltz (who did get the “topless” horse as a breakfast surprise) — Oscar de la Hoya
Fredo Corelone (but a lot tougher) — Bobby Pacquiao
Frederick Keinszig (Swiss account for the Vatican, known as “God’s Banker”) — Richie Rich Schaefer
Don Lionele Tommasino (“Old World” Don) — Buboy Fernandez
Hyman Roth — HBO’s Ross Greenburg
Antonio “Tony” Rosato (known ties to Roth) — HBO PPV maven Mark Taffet
Tom Hagen, the consigliere — Bruce “Southland” Trampler
Mosca de Montelpre (Sicilian master hitman, never failed to complete a contract) — Michael Koncz
Johnny Ola — HBO’s Kery Davis
Virgil “The Turk” Sollozzo — Lou DiBella
Paulie Fortunato (defected to Barzini Family, hated Michael and all Corleones) — Paulie Malignaggi
Vincent Forlenza (boss of Cleveland Crime Family) — Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson
Police Capt. McCluskey — Don Jose Sulaiman
Kay Adams Corleone — Jinkee Pacquiao
Rocco Lampone — Hermie Rivera
Johnny Fontane (Sinatra style crooner) — Michael Buffer
Moe Greene — Michael “White Gorilla” (“Marlowtiz”) Marley
Peter Clemenza (“Leave the gun, take the canoli”) — Carl(o) Moretti
Emilio Barzini (rival Crime Family boss) — Don Chargin
Carmela Corleone — Lovee Arum
Connie Corleone — Dena duBoef
Sonny Corleone (most violent, most impulsive son of Don Vito) — Todd duBoef
Don King — Denzel Washington (his “button man” is Butch Lewis)
Don Majeski — As himself
Nick “Ace” Geraci — Sean “Mister X” Gibbons
Cardinal Lamberto — Fr. Marlon Boef
Michael Corbett “Mickey” Shea (a Joe Kennedy type) — Freddie Roach, who else? He’s got the accent down pat.
Don Osvaldo “Ozzie” Altobelli — Franklin Jeng “The Jackal” Gacal
Eddie “The Turtle” Paradise — Alex Ariza
Tattaglia Crime Family — Golden Boy Promotions
Frankie “Five Angels” Pentangeli — Lee Samuels
Don Giuseppe “Joe” Zaluchi (head of Detroit mob) — Fernando Beltran
Bruno Tattaglia (son of Don Phillip, he gets “whacked) — Chris Farina
Joe Lucadello — Big Gary Shaw
Don Anthony “Black Tony” Stracci — Murad Muhammad
That was kind of fun, wasn’t it?
