LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – A group of prominent Italian Americans, including Robert De Niro, Steve Buscemi, Alyssa Milano, and Lorraine Bracco, came together for the Zoom virtual event “Paisans for Kamala,” aiming to support the Harris-Walz 2024 presidential campaign – as paisan means friend in Italian. The event was hosted by comedian Paul Mecurio, former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Joseph Paolino Jr., ex-Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. The livestream featured a mix of political discussions, family recipes, and cultural traditions, all geared toward rallying support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
De Niro warned viewers not to become complacent in the election, emphasizing the importance of staying vigilant through Election Day. “I’m very optimistic about it all,” he said. “I’m very excited, but to me, it ain’t over till it’s over. So we can’t think for one second that we’re ahead of this thing. We just have to be on it all the time until the very end because they’re going to try everything when the election day comes. When will these things be final? What will they question? What will they play games about? We know it’s coming, we see it coming. We have to just be ever vigilant, and it’s not over till it’s over.”
He also hoped that the Harris-Walz ticket could resonate with some of Trump’s supporters, stating that Trump “doesn’t offer anything” compared to the Democratic candidates. De Niro voiced concerns about potentially repeating the January 6 Capitol riot if Trump lost again. “Hopefully, if God willing that it’s Kamala and Walz, that the ones who make the big thing and what happened [on] January 6, I think people will think twice about doing something about that no matter what Trump says, because…people pay a price, and is it worth it for them? Especially following someone like him? You know, it’s just insane.”
Steve Buscemi praised Harris as “smart, strong, kind, [and] tough” and highlighted the importance of policy issues like affordable healthcare, environmental initiatives, and gun laws. He also expressed his worries about Trump surrounding himself with loyalists if re-elected, fearing the impact on democracy.
Other celebrities who participated in the event included Mark Ruffalo, Lisa Ann Walter, Nancy Pelosi, and Marisa Tomei. The event is part of a series of demographic-focused fundraisers supporting Harris, including a “Win with Black Women” call that drew 40,000 participants, “Cooking With Kamala” hosted by celebrity chef Padma Lakshmi, “Deadheads for Kamala,” and a “White Dudes for Harris” effort that raised over $4 million in July. Mecurio also recently hosted the wildly successful “Comics For Kamala” which raised over $550,000.
When Pelosi appeared in her Zoom window later in the evening, Mecurio commended her for standing up to Trump over the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. “That’s an Italian right there,” he said.
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