Tommy DeVito has become an Italian American icon in the New Jersey area, but not all the attention has been positive. Social media has been flooded with Goodfellas and Sopranos references that enforce negative stereotypes — and it has angered some Italians.

Ralph Contini, the national president of UNICO, an Italian American service organization, has noticed some of the distasteful remarks. Contini describes these portrayals as dangerous to the Italian American community, as they "not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also contribute to a climate of discrimination against Italian Americans."