I'm not Italian, although my father and I both grew up in Italian American neighborhoods, and like Uzaka said, "I've never seen such accurate depictions of Italians." I have to agree. I have known Italian Americans who were jerks, just as I've met jerks from nearly every ethnic group the world has yet come up with, but I would say that most of the Italians I have met are extremely warm-hearted and very demonstrative. A favourite memory of my youth in Pittsburg, California, is of Mama Giuliano, who was well over 90 years old and spoke nearly no English, insisting on making me shoe boxes full of the most incredible Italian cookies while I was off at college. Every time I met her, I ended up with lipstick marks all over my cheek! Some people find that demonstrative behaviour embarrassing, but having grown up with it (although I'm a combination of Welsh and German American) I've come to the conclusion that very demonstrative and affectionate family groups seem to be more healthy as they have less repressions and hidden agendas in their behaviour. Unlike many of my Anglo-Saxon brethren, when a family member is acting up, the Italian American reaction is (stereotype coming up) "utsa matta fo you," when the Anglo-Saxon reaction is often "I'll pretend nothing is wrong and then, hopefully, so-and-so's bad temper will blow over". Of course, this is my own reaction, and anecdotal evidence is not evidence in the purest sense of the word, but I feel that way from my experience, and will always feel that less reticence within families is a great thing.
Another point: Perhaps it's not always the case, but I read some time ago, an article about Japanese war brides experiences in America after WWII. Many of them were quite unpleasant (and disgusting, in my opinion), but one exception stood out in my mind. The Japanese girl married an Italian American GI from New Jersey. When she came to the states to meet her new family, she wore her best kimono. She was initially kind of shocked when Mother and Father-in-Law, and all the brothers and sisters gave her the big hug. They then planned a huge second wedding ceremony with all the extended family and friends, and the women in the family wanted to wear kimonos, and wanted her to teach them to make Japanese food for the reception, as well as having Italian food. The war bride was interviewed for the article not that many years ago. She was still married to her GI, and counted herself (and her children and grandchildren) as Italian-Japanese-American. Those are the Italian-Americans that I have known.