Who Is Hesh? - Soprano Theories

[@JoeR1066]

Hesh is about as powerful as you can be without actually being a member.

[@gustavusadolphus6097]

​@@trueblue2Jimmy Burke Or Jimmy Conway in the movie

[@IrishYobbo07]

​@@gustavusadolphus6097In reality Jimmy Burke

[@Bulvan123]

Probably loosely based on Meyer Lansky.

[@Nash9r]

He didn't kill the animal Blundetto to avoid a war. He killed him to save him from torture. He was a dead man anyway. Just walking around not knowing it.

[@Kainebadonmusic]

Very true. I thought the same

[@darthkek1953]

Correct.

[@Incel_81]

Little billy was just a kid. Age 47.

[@matthewfoley252]

thank you!,,,,was thinking the same

[@fernandobarrera6440]

I dont think people caught onto “The Wire” reference.😂

[@janconner2087]

Hesh’s character was patterned after Morris Levy, whom had a record label that was robbing artist and was an associate of the Genovese Family

[@zippymufo9765]

David Simon said that he originally wanted to focus on the showbiz-Mafia connection.

[@elliott1017]

Video says likewise.

[@clarkhazle9629]

In order to be a made guy you had to to be Italian, but you could be any race and do business.

[@salgallo1453]

Some of the biggest gangsters to work in the same network as Italians were Jewish.

[@slthjawa5062]

You know from experience, huh ?

[@Tommy88-]

@@slthjawa5062this is common knowledge goodfellas and sopranos and gta 3 all mention it.

[@williammcdaniels4447]

@@slthjawa5062Meyer lansky bro

[@Knihcaggin]

@@Tommy88-gta 3 🤣 i fw tht source

[@jasonreilly8387]

Underrated character so glad you did a video on him keep it up .

[@slthjawa5062]

He was my favorite. I wish they did more with him.

[@natefish3989]

Gotta love how Tony just decides to fuck with Hesh and give him constant anxiety for literally no reason

[@jamesmorant1406]

Hesh was a good friend to Tony, but as soon Hesh wanted his money back, Tony treated him like s---

[@elil457]

Ironic that one of the most important messages that Tony gets in the show from his father is that all gamblers are degenerates, just for Tony to become said degenerate

[@jamesmorant1406]

@elil457 You're right, and Tony didn't gamble that much at all, not until season 4

[@SamP-by7iv]

The rent, the rent, the rent

[@jamesmorant1406]

@@SamP-by7iv What are you talking about 😂

[@danielhart5242]

@@jamesmorant1406 Did you even watch the show? Tony gambles throughout the series, but like everything else about him his gambling got worse as the show progressed. "The rent, the rent, the rent" is referencing a quote Tony said mocking Hesh when he asked for his money.

[@SamP-by7iv]

3:13 Hesh wasn't just warning Tony about working with Jews, but with Hacids. It's safe to assume Tony has had business with at least a few Jews, but up until the men in the hats show up at the butcher shop it seems he had little to no experience with Hacids. Like Hesh says, they are relogious zealots and can be very difficult to work with.

[@brucemasterz7970]

Hacid 'em, but I don't believe 'em....

[@vampiresquid]

HaSidic

[@vinnyboombatzi2889]

🔥🇮🇱🔥🇮🇱🔥🙏🙏🙏

[@dr3dg352]

@@vampiresquidHomeboy

[@trent3872]

They were ZZ Topp.

[@studogable]

Historically, it was common for mafiosi to employ Jewish people to handle financial and logistical details - "Talk to my Jew" was a common phrase when more picayune aspects of this thing of ours came up. Hesh is more or less filling that role in the Sopranos version of la cosa nostra machinations.

[@ascendant95]

Uhhhhhhh......................sorry no. You must be a small hat to proclaim that. Contrary to what you believe, the Italian goyim did not need Jews to survive. Hesh is a shylock that groveled his way into friendship with Tony's father because HE NEEDED his protection. The glorified crew from New Jersey would have been just fine without Hesh Rabkin.

[@tmage23]

I figured that Hesh bankrolled most of the family's major criminal operations (kind of like Arnold Rothstein) that he eventually earned an unofficial seat at the table

[@redtube8667]

If he was the one funding everything or most of what they did, like a Rothstein, he'd be a boss - like Rothstein. A Jimmy Burke/Meyer Lansky type is FAR more logical.

[@user-qb7xf4yh5c]

If he funded anything, he got a kickback. He was sort of an unofficial consigliere. A consultant. A lot of real Italian families have a Jew associate/consultant.

[@blackfox4138]

Hesh had the biggest racketeer scheme in both New Jersey and New York. On top of being a personal friend of Johnny Boy, this is chiefly why he was able to get away with operating tax free for most of his career. Both New Jersey and New York valued him as an asset, which is why Johnny Sack opted to help Tony with negotiating his tax to Junior.

[@Steven-mm1tr]

Didn't Tony get a loan from Hesh?

[@Steven-mm1tr]

Then Tony's crooked ass tried dodging Hesh. But Hesh questioned where his money was in a so polite manner

[@lennybruce6476]

Loved him. Jerry Adler is great as Hesh.

[@Deriv44]

He is an associate of the crime family and then can still have an impact and influence but never be a made man

[@smileyent.3055]

all the benefits none of the setbacks

[@coop6744]

Hesh was one of the best characters on the show!!

[@shovedhead]

If you want to read about some "real life" Hesh types, Save the Last Dance For Satan, by Nick Tosches, is a book for you.

[@sole__doubt]

"That sounds like covert anti-semitism.."

[@CoreyT127]

@@sole__doubt109 countries can’t all be wrong!

[@JacobDean88]

He's always been an advisor and friend of the family. I think Tony even tells someone this. It's very common for outsiders of non Italian who are still friends and partners with them. He was still a gangster and criminal. Just not part of anyone.

[@al1665]

Hesh had a saying, the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice.

[@jaelge]

The only thing more dangerous than owing a Mafioso money is a Mafioso owing you money. 🔫 😎

[@travismiles5885]

He's Meyer Lansky and Arnold Rothstein type of character. Meyer was Lucky Luciano's advisor.

[@patrickhenry6695]

No. Meyer was a sitting member on the commission as was Dutch Schultz

[@HVACwiseGuy]

Myer and lucky were in business together since they were teenagers, they only business myer advised him to not get personally involved in was prostitution and that's what got lucky pinched

[@ascendant95]

@@patrickhenry6695 Are you out of your mind? Neither of those small hats had anything to do with the commission.

[@patrickhenry6695]

@@ascendant95 No I am not. you dont know your basic mob history

[@ascendant95]

@@patrickhenry6695 Neither do you. Meyer Lansky lived as a broke bum in a Jewish ghetto the last 30 years of his life. If he was so "powerful" and "connnected" and "such a genius"....................why didn't he get a juice loan from Vinny or Anthony and parlay that into a new fortune? Instead he lived on a fixed income in Miami Beach, before Miami Vice made it a desirable place to live. It was a poor Jewish ghetto.

[@demoniaprince9206]

I like how you still come out with great videos of the Soprano still after all this time. Another good video.

[@timothyjachim2474]

The Italian mafia has a long history of working with Jewish individuals. Look at someone like Meyer Lansky. Also, Hesh makes more, which is what they care about more than anything else.

[@natejoe9924]

Being associate comes with risks they will definitely turn against you

[@victordomingoakabigfuentes9646]

Hesh co wrote “Up ‘n da Club”…😂😂😂

[@Stugotz3180]

Hesh was based on Morris Levy. Roulette Records. Tommy James and the Shondells.

[@erics362]

Da rent! Da rent!

[@joeblow8593]

I'm glad you mentioned Morris Levy and Roulette Records

[@sole__doubt]

"I dont want you eatin' cat food" Tony to Hesh. :)

[@JK-uj8ur]

Hesh was incredibly well acted.

[@user-gr1mw8gz4m]

Hesh is arguably an undeveloped character. As others have suggested, besides Morris Levy, Hesh might have been created as an allusion to the world of The Godfather and Hyman Roth and to the Jewish gangsters in Once Upon a Time in America. Like several other characters, including Zellman, he never got his arc.

[@tedwojtasik8781]

Hesh was the fictional equivalent of an Arnold Rothstein or Mayer Lansky.

[@ascendant95]

Yeah but Hesh stayed a rich Jew riding horses while Meyer Lansky was a broke bum with nothing the last 30 years of his life.

[@sugartbube]

He's loved being down with the crew until Tony was like Da Rent! Da Rent! 😂😂😂

[@hi0u91e9]

Tony’s descent is like a boiling frog. The moment Dr Melfi discovers that therapy only made Tony a better, more efficient, less conflicted psychopath is an ah ha moment for us all.

[@patdecorvo]

Despite Ray Liottas speach, guys with Italian American dads and Irish or German or whatever moms have been being made since Moses was in short pants. The dad is a must. The point is that you carry his name and have his blood.

[@bulldawg7232]

The character would be so different if played by Jerry Stiller who was originally cast as Hesh

[@theramplocal]

"You wanna piece of me? You got it!!!"

[@Nedula007]

Wow. Good he didn't get the role lmao

[@bulldawg7232]

@Nedula007 No, he did. He backed out last minute for a role in a commercial...

[@Nedula007]

@@bulldawg7232 Sooooo ... he didn't get the role.

[@bulldawg7232]

@Nedula007 oh. You're one of those people. No obviously not but he had the role but HE backed out. Not too difficult to understand

[@naswiipp]

Now that's a hit.....

[@XanderShiller]

I loved when you snapped at Chris "you want a smack"!

[@lizardpeople]

I never got the feeling that Tony was going to have Hesh whacked.

[@scottsodyssey2485]

He was an long time family friend and good earner thru his shy business. I thought he was a cool character, always a voice of reason. His girlfriend Renata was beautiful.

[@NotQuiteFirst]

It can be very useful to have someone who is not eligible to lead involved, as the fact that they cannot take a position of power can be their strength. So much of what happens in The Sopranos is about the Italians constantly trying to usurp each other - Tony, Junior, Richie, Johnny, Carmine, Phil, Vito, Silvio etc all are plotting or at least have potential to take out those in power to improve their own position, or having to worry about others doing the same to them. It's not possible for Hesh to do this as he is not Italian, and therefore is able to fill a high level advisor position without being any threat to the boss. A real world example would be Saddam Hussein's long-time deputy Tariq Aziz, who is Christian and not Muslim. Being a Christian means there's no way he could rule Iraq, and therefore could be trusted as a deputy as it wasn't possible for him to try to depose Hussein.

[@Inbraneinthememsane]

Vito and Silvio didn’t plot anything at all

[@NotQuiteFirst]

@@Inbraneinthememsane Sheesh, miss the point much? Vito clearly had ambitions to become boss. And I said "plotting _or at least had the potential_ to take power" which Silvio did, but he happened to be very loyal and a close lifelong friend to Tony, but it's besides the point I was making.

[@cade377]

Within the framework of the show and Tony being a mafia crime boss, Tony killing Tony B was justified and necessary. Killing Christopher was needed just because Christopher could no longer be counted on. Just my opinions.

[@westnile21]

DA RENT!

[@CHOPPASLUGBM]

Hold on to your 🐓 when you're negotiating with these desert people

[@mobkingsinfamousrats6115]

Good 💯

[@mikedawolf95]

Funny how in the first episode, Tony and Hesh are very close friends because Tony called him “Heshie”

[@Cbart23]

Hesh was a bank for their shy business

[@ascendant95]

No he wasn't. He was a small hat shylock who weaseled his way into friendship with Johnny Boy Soprano because he desperately needed his protection.

[@jt8696.]

Can't go one video without having to be corrected in the comments on a few things..never fails.

[@diesel101raw]

Ya all signs point to Tony being Whacked in the End

[@dustinschultz7285]

the goat. that's who he is

[@prophetmargin7497]

So Herman, did you write the music or the lyrics?

[@user-pv9kg9ou1l]

It could also be said that Tony whacks Ralph as revenge for the pregnant stripper Tracie who Ralph kills

[@dannytheman1313]

He's an associate, if you watch Casino Lucky wasn't a made man, but he made them a lot of money and was respected in mob circles. Same deal here the man was a loan shark, and made a lot of money for them. Associates are still under similar rules as made men and capos but its not as stringent. If you watch the pilot Silvio was originally an associate he wasn't a consigliere.

[@mrb5611]

The Rent!! The Rent!! 🤣

[@whitecloak11]

When I'm talking to my son I call him laddy buck , from hesh

[@jacob31993]

Can you do a video on all the boyfriends of Meadow?

[@JL-rx7ou]

As an Italian my opinion of LA Costra Nostra differs from what most ppl think of them. To me being a made man is a thing of honor, a secret society for Italians by Italians. who wanted a piece of the American dream that was denied them for being Italian and not an English Protestant. You had to abide by a code and a set structure. This secret society helped a lot of Italians enrich themselves and their family’s that wouldn’t of been able to. Yes they had to do bad things but it’s no different then politicians and other men of power. Only difference they had a vowel at the end of their names and didn’t have a seat of power to make it legal. Whose worse them or what we’ve come to know about our rich and powerful?

[@marckristian81]

Hesh was just happy he got his cash before Tony got popped.

[@phillipdeluca6542]

Why would Tony be jealous of his nephew Chris?

[@LKaramazov]

He wasn’t jealous of him over no damned Adrianna, that’s for sure! He wasn’t jealous of him at all. Who knows what this guys talking about.

[@phillipdeluca6542]

@@LKaramazov Tony could've had any woman he wanted, even Adrianna. He could've killed Christopher that night Chris shot up his car and stormed into the bada bing. He didn't.

[@jalenr.6542]

Chris stole Juliana away from him. This caused Tony to become obsessed with her, and despise Chris for getting there first

[@scoliosis9478]

i read it as chris was actually making positive changes in his life with sobriety and the wife and daughter, tony resents that because he himself cannot change and cant stand when people start to alter whatever tonys image is of them. Ralphies death is along the same lines where after his son gets injured and he starts to show some humanity tony kills him.

[@LKaramazov]

@@scoliosis9478 starts to show some humanity by burning up a horse? How was Chrissy getting better? What made tony mad was him driving on H. What are you talking about????

[@bfed662]

“The rent, the rent” to answer your question.

[@artfasil]

Hesh is the shy and the entertainment guy.

[@itmightbejoe4529]

Just realized this is flyn masters much respect

[@brucemasterz7970]

Tony didnt want Hesh eating cat food.

[@Bran-Da-Don]

He's is the Meyer Lansky of the Sopranos family. He's an unofficial consigliere.

[@colonelreb1014]

Little Jimmy Willis was based off Frankie Lymon. Hesh was loosely based off Morris Levy and to a lesser extent Corky Vastola of the DeCavs. That being said Heshe invested in Horses while little jimmy spent his money on Horse(Aka Heroin)

[@tomdanks3427]

Even if you never get made if you bring in big money you could be untouchable

[@ejkboxing]

Why hasn't anyone put together that Tony likely Hesh's woman killed while she slept next to him. That reminded me of the Godfather & the horse head scene. Tony clearly wanted to kill Hesh, but he couldn't so he had his woman killed instead & then paid him.

[@ascendant95]

No Sean Gismonte and Matt Drinkwater Bevilaqua did it from beyond the grave. What are you stunad?

[@newaustralianbulletin]

You seem to overlook the Jewish establishment of Murder Inc (National Crime Syndicate), and Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel and Lucky Luciano - the Jewish mob working with the Italian mob. In this sense, it is thematically, and traditionally, correct to have Hesh as a character.

[@Cbart23]

Hesh had $250,000 on Mehafi’s $100,000

[@odeleon24]

The man does not have the money

[@erics362]

Only gentiles pay retail.

[@Criticalhitkoala]

I felt like Hesh was for fans who liked the Sopranos but weren't Italian themselves (like me).. An outsider that was let in a little more. Like Tom's character in the Godfather. Also felt like the inclusion of a Jewish character harkens back to the Godfather's use of Moe Green and Hyman Roth. Maybe a nod, maybe something more? But at least something familiar in the mobster world and already established.

[@senior_sensei_]

Yes!

[@BM-wh5qk]

The Feds should have made Tony think Hesh turned on him.

[@yoiyoikokon]

"Dont be so shy, shylock"

[@brendanritchie2553]

Hesh I felt was always Tony’s unofficial consigliere

[@stephenduckham9736]

This is why A Hit is a Hit is NOT a bad episode.

[@Void7.4.14]

Since the very beginning of the US' La Cosa Nostra there have been non Italian/Sicilian associates that've been as, and in some cases more, influential and powerful than made - even ranking guys. It's arguable that the Italian/Sicilian mafia in the states wouldn't exist as it does if not for the strong partnership with Jewish gangsters, then later Irish gangsters, and even though it's often downplayed black folks in the underworld played a massive role too. So it's not very surprising that Hesh would have such good position. He probably plugged into the DiMeo family like most associates do, he needed help (like busting heads to get radio play), he was threatened at some point in the past, he had an existing relationship with somebody in the mix and it just played out that way, or he needed protection (like it says in Goodfellas, the mafia is like the police for people who can't call the police). He lives right in between a dozen or so families and crews in literally every direction and that's without mentioning the Russian mob, the Jewish Mob that woulda been active back then, the Irish Mob that was much stronger back in his day, etc, so he really had no choice but to get up under somebody with some clout. There are many places in the world where ya don't just do crime, ya gotta kick up to somebody or it's gonna be bad for ya. And Hesh had 2 businesses that were/are both heavily tied to OC especially when and where he came up. So really the odd thing would be if he wasn't under somebody. In some ways he's lucky cause he gets basically the same protection a made guy would but isn't expected to kick up huge percentages weekly. Back in the old country organizations vary from the small family-only 'ndrina system to the huge federations with no real ethnic limitations. Here in the states it's actually changing from what i understand. There's just not that many of us left that aren't "mixed" with some other ethnicity. It was always a matter of trust and leverage, never about segregation or bigotry, so it's way past time for a change lol But even back in the motherland to be Italian or Sicilian is basically to be ethnically "mixed" cause as the doormat to Europe we were colonized and just saw normal movements from people in other parts of Europe (especially Spain) and Africa, and the Roman Empire was a huge melting pot that also impacted things. My Sicilian family ranges from pretty light skinned to very dark with almost kinky hair - we were mixed long before my Sicilian side married in with my "black" side. But there have also been made guys that didn't know their ancestry fully or straight up said things like "I'm a mutt" so it's debatable as to how important that aspect has always been to everyone. But if I'm remembering it correctly, some family/families were now only mandating that your father's side be traceable back to the old country.

[@timfitzgerald1035]

all mob bosses had a Jewish guy Capone had Guzic, Luceano had Lansky. and so on.

[@ihateallthethings2683]

Good question because I have never considered that

[@Spooky_515]

Hesh was another consigliere to Tony

[@ascendant95]

No he wasn't. If he was he was pitiful compared to Silvio Dante.

[@matt_wiggins26]

Hesh knew where the bodies were buried

[@drew3865]

Hesh is the Sopranos equivalent of Meyer Lansky in the real world Mafia.

[@ascendant95]

No he isn't. Hesh stayed a rich Jew riding horses and Meyer Lansky was a broke bum living on a fixed income the last 30 years of his life.

[@furbabydaddy814]

“The rent!!”

[@TRontheLegacy]

Hesh was a less brutal version of Hyman Roth lol

[@aaronoverbey2147]

No tony killed his cousin so that he wouldn't be tortured by new york, not to avoid a war. Does this guy even watch the show? Also tony didnt try to kill pauly. He thought about it, but never tried

[@mikeb.7183]

Hesh, was the Sopranos Banker pure and simple, but he didn't own the bank. Had Tony taken Hesh out the note would of still been due to the people who did.

[@ascendant95]

He wasn't the banker of shit. He was a small hat shylock who weaseled his way into friendship with Johnny Boy Soprano because he desperately needed his protection.

[@mikeyman1974]

I think you might only be half right on why he killed his cousin. It wasn’t so much to prevent a war but rather that Phil was going to torture Tony B which Tony S was not going to give Phil the opportunity to do.

[@LegoUzi]

1.4 likes no dislikes, pretty rare to see

[@avamiscelano]

i think trhat in the last season, when Tony takes a while to pay Heshs money, because he was gambling, i dont think Tony was thinking or considering to kill Hesh, but only that because with Hesh he does have a sort of father figure like, Tony than allows himself, unconsciously, to be more childlike when he is with hesh, as if with hesh he can show his vulnerabilities in a different manner, including his not balance moment of gambling, loosing and delaying Heshs payment, i think in that moment Tony is just having this human side like he does have with Artie, they both had many struggles during the series, but they do have a real human relation, Artie is almosr the only one outside the mop (correction: mob*), that can say things to Tony and that Tony acually hears... and i think with hesh, tony also has a type of feeling like this... hesh was scared thinking oh you never know with these italians, because sometimes they can be impredict and ambivalents, but i think Tony was really even embarrassed when he goes to pay Hesh and Heshs girlfriend has died.

[@Inbraneinthememsane]

What’s a mop ?

[@avamiscelano]

the mafia. was the corrector, i meant Mob.

[@kingoneil4644]

That animal blundetto

[@williamrussell174]

Tony seeing Hesh as a Father figure ? Really ? Their relationship sure went south quickly towards the end and surprise surprise it was all over the bag. Hesh loaned Tony money but Tony was reluctant at best to pay it back. Tony pays the money back in a paper bag when Hesh's girlfriend dies unexpectedly.

[@bronxhistory2051]

The Rent!! The Rent!!

[@theflyingdutchman1301]

Hesh is a extremely cheap and greedy character. Even if Tony didnt pay the 200K Hesh made far more money from him besides helping him with muscle/influence and all that, neither Tony and his father ever took money from Hesh.

[@LKaramazov]

They MADE money far more money from Hesch, that’s precisely why they kept him around. The dude knew business, as his people do. You think these Italian understood finance? To say nothing of his business connections!

[@theflyingdutchman1301]

@@LKaramazov Without Tony and his father Hesh wouldnt be in business. Ripping off blacks in the music business without Tonys father? Unlikely. Stopping Juniors tax without Tony? Unlikely. Lending money without Tonys influence and able to collect? Unlikely. When newyork (Phil and Jerry) put his family out off business whos influence and muscle solved that? Tony. Without him Hesh would have been out off business, besides them not asking money for it. Not saying Hesh isnt good for business but hes a greedy pr*ck who cant operate without Tonys protection.

[@blusuck]

Tony came up with the hmo scheme, no ?

[@vincentpedi2397]

They changed the rules on being made in the 70s (or 80s) that you only had to be 100% italian on your fathers side. Its credited to what led to folks being made who probably shouldnt have.

[@Inflamed-with-Rage]

It's been said several times before, but in order to be a made man, at least your father had to be Italian. But it was preferred if both parents were Italian.

[@Protoman85]

I always wondered if Hesh wife was poisoned

[@jakehansen3418]

Only your dads gotta be italian.

[@natejoe9924]

You can being associated like if I wanted to talk to the mob I can be an associate that's what hash was

[@adrianraygoza9221]

I heard from former made men that they changed the rule to one parent had to be Italian.

[@sirrom5155]

your nlp voice is gonna make a murderer out of me yet. /sarcasm

[@Christopher-xe2ts]

Hesh goes way back and I’m from here and around every big or small crew was a strong Jew loll he was big loan shark Shylock guy and gambler also he was involved back in the day in the music buisness which was big money back than and hesh finances a lot of the Italians plays and of course gets his end plus hesh was close with jr and Tony’s father so Tony loves him in a way he’s like a distant uncle almost I know because I had similar experiences in my life godbless

[@zacharycayer3234]

Hesh is no more evil than Paul McCartney and John Lennon.