Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today Sylvie Mikowski, Université de Reims Auteur(s) Champagne-Ardenne, CIRLEP

Titre de la revue Imaginaires (ISSN 1270-931X)

22 (2019) : « How Popular Culture Travels: Cultural Numéro Exchanges between Ireland and the United States »

Pages 119-129

Directeur(s) Sylvie Mikowski et Yann Philippe du numéro

DOI de l’article 10.34929/imaginaires.vi22.9

DOI du numéro 10.34929/imaginaires.vi22

Ce document est mis à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons attribution / pas d'utilisation ­commerciale / pas de modification 4.0 international

Éditions et presses universitaires de Reims, 2019 Bibliothèque Robert de Sorbon, Campus Croix-Rouge Avenue François-Mauriac, CS 40019, 51726 Reims Cedex www.univ-reims.fr/epure which, Liev Schreiber as puts it apromotional in on Showtime video the vate school. order in can to enrol daughter most the their selective Angeles in Los pri he pull neighbourhood right the the Ray to to all live use or in, nagging complaining which about not is time, home the their Calabasas, in all him reminds wife his clients as boss, his his and footing with equal to an rise some way to go still having to on make, the he and still is fragile, remains Abbie Conor children wife, two his his and Bridget. and Yet, success his into occupation aworthwhile which enables to provide him for best the considerable inborn amount of contained rage, anger hardly and violence aboxer as age by earliest father, from trained the his was converts thus his oning Internet. the Ray, of aman (very) few words fewer and who smiles, or pictures compromising of beds, having in them their circulat postures ation have in they a dead girl up put with themselves such in, waking as clients famous rich and Hollywood his get away whatever with bad situ etc., sure extortion, that beatings, to make such blackmailing, means, as to become a“fixer”.In other words,illegal any use his job of is to make celebritya Jewish lawyer played him who by Gould, trained has Elliot out of South Boston relocated and Angeles Los by in asubstitute father, eponymous the as background, emphasises. title Ray Donovan pulled was 1 of revolves series and the around Ray’s South Boston Irish- American, seasons far. so first the The episode story in pitchseasonvery of is exposed including for its actor leading Liev Schreiber, for which run six and has actoring for Jon Voigt nominations several and competitions, various in award for 2013,by in support Showtime best aGolden Globe winning to be broadcast which Gordonstarted Mark duced Zuriff, with Bryan and In other words, Ray aims at living the Hollywood dream thanks to thanks dream Hollywood otherthe In words, at living Ray aims Donovan Ray Popular Culture Today Culture Popular Irishness American in is aseries is created Biderman co-pro by and Ann Ray Donovan Ray University of Reims of University Sylvie Mikowski : - - - - - 119 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today genre which been has well documented by Negra Diane oneIrish-Americanseries or staging a several or sub- films characters, of and no consequence.trivial eitherand ignored children’s his or even distress worse, it as dismissed schemes, own criminal his priest. too then Mickey busy was with local boys as of at were hands abuse the the they of the victims sexual from the ter’s drug-addiction suicide, and to but protect failure the most them of all mother’s followed unhappiness, marital by her premature sis his death: brothers sister his and had to endure youth: devout their their in Catholic a matter of Ray holds fact, father his responsible woes the he, his for all to Angeles, Los sincereturn he bred has a long-lasting hatred for As him. piece of season of 1is father’s of his news Ray at beginning that hears the to racism, series bows which another the Irish stereotype to. But worst the a Blackhas half-brother, which introduces ahalf-ironic half-serious hint at repeatedis from season to season season. 1, In discovers he Ray that also of they themselvessituation find any difficult could in, pattern awhich for alcoholic them, supporting his brother, gym the helping out both them them his brothers after ing awayfrom Boston, foragestaking – buying with brotherly solidarity, been has look ofmasculinity Irish conflating gather Ray, that culture and according popular to along film in tradition brother Terry got a result as of blows the Parkinson received boxing. We in holism. He nagged is by fear of the being apaedophile The other himself. attends support groups, order in to depression, help fightagainst him alco toing receive compensation money of, he for he avictim assault was the for much expect of While series. struggling which the we him see against “issues”, from since been whatand has suffering then Ray a child calls Brendan, Bunchy,est, nicknamed molested was by apriest when he was 23:20), the in scenefollowing is exposed family. his Thatnited family with (ep.1, shoots pointand before him blank, overAngeles flying Los to to be reu church to Boston alocal in straight where he hunts priest out parish the episodeWhen we one Mickey see leave begins, head and penitentiary the locked Mick, was up Irish the for prison. aMassachusetts in twenty years Mickey, self-conscious almost whose an of is name stereotype hint to the played by Jon Voigt, aresult, commit; as for he not did acrime actually followedCoast father his Mickey, ascheme to as frame so he devised Catholic, Irish-American Boston move His background. West to the or from even atroubled to his exile, afugitive, Ray an is linked past website, everyone re-invent can oneself. For we discover right away that 2. 1. Ray Donovan Ray Dublin, Irish Academic Press 2006. Dublin, Irish Academic Press, 2009; Acting Irish in Hollywood: From Fitzgerald to Farrell, Ruth Barton (ed.), Screening Irish-America: Representing Irish-America in Film and Television, U.P.,Duke 2006. Diane Negra (ed.), The Irish in Us: Irishness, Performativity, and Popular Culture, Durham (NC),

and provesand right away to be completely The young dysfunctional. can then be considered then can anew as avatar of popular 1 , Ruth Barton ------2

120 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today The Departed gangster,of Irish the among Scorsese’s which she mentions Martin 2006 seriesTV tended andstereotype has wave initial theto of revert to films creed. Recently and however,family anew observed, Negra Diane has as Troubles, whereas latter honest, is the hard-working devoted and to his subsequently 1980s the 1990s and in by Ireland Northern the rekindled of gangster by 1930s films, inaugurated tradition the type James Cagney theand in deviancy, The violence, formerby is characterised criminality between arepresentation Paddy”, of “bad the of and “good the Paddy”. white ethnicity”. or exemplars Going of movies My patriotism like in Way of morality, pictures of as years or innocence, and/ guardians forty thirty according to Timothy “depicted that for Meagher, argues who further ”repudiated priest, on contrary Irish the older the Catholic America”, Irish True movie Confessions Grosbard’s the long-standingthe of Catholic stereotypes authority”. Waymy iconicthe representation hero of priest 1944 American the as in tion too changed has over according times: to the Anthony Burke Smith, representation frominseparable the of Catholicism, representa but this ger Mark Ryall ger Bostondrama”, labelled “the ofcrime films which according to blog Boston-born protagonists, led has creation to the of anew sub-category such movies on based white, either Irish, male, cop or gangster mostly and FBI family. down an aMafia informant toThebecame take prevalence of Boston, who of South history the in violentmost infamous criminal upon Bulger, of story the Whitey brother the of astate senator the and Depp Benedict and Cumberbatch. Black Mass or Stephanie Rains 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. even more recently 2015 Scott Cooper’s Black Mass film expression Americanness” of straightforward an as articulated anger would that ifest an beless directly sanctioned if of Irish-AmericanOtherness the of “as light camouflage a kind [to] man 10. In parallel, the depiction the on of America been parallel, has screenIn Irish TV and in R. Barton (ed.), Screeningin R. Barton (ed.), Irish America, op. Diane Negra, “Irishness, Anger and Masculinity inRecent and Film Television”, http://whybother.ie/the-departed-and-the-boston-crime-drama 5/09/2019). (last accessed Black Mass, dir. Scott Cooper, Warner Bros, 2015. Donnellys Black The Brotherhood Departed The Press, 2007. Stephanie The Rains, Irish American in Popular Culture,, Dublin, 1945-2000 Irish Academic McDannell (ed.), Catholics in the Movies, Oxford, Oxford U.P., 2008,p. 108. Anthony Burke Smyth, “America’s favorite Priest, Going My Way , 1944” , starring Bing Crosby Father as , starring Chuck “overturned O’Malley 4 , 2006 series Brotherhood , 2006 , produced by Blake Masters, Showtime Television, 2006-2008. 8 , dir. Martin Warner Scorsese, Bros, 2006. “utilises Irishness as a morally corrupt representation amorally as Irishness “utilises of

As Diane NegraDiane putsAs it 3 , produced by and Scott Corwon Paul Haggis, Television, NBC 2007. , and which, and according to tended has them to waver starring Robert de Niro acorrupt as starring cit , 5 The Black Donnellys The Black , 2007 The Departed ., p. 294. 9 The Departed The , like . 10 employs ethnic the But 1981 the Ulu 7 , starring Johnny , starring , Irish American American , Irish , is based based , is in Colleen in Colleen Going Going 6 , and , and - - - 121 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today famous, symbolised by Hollywood. by Hollywood. symbolised famous, marker, of ethnic a kind way his to into climb world the of rich and the boxer ablack in (Armani?) viewed as physical who suit, his strength, uses of regard, upgraded Ray fighter, akind fist is this In assimilation. and a ladder, social the to ameans climb viewed is as boxing to reach success on other hand, the to them release allows sport which channel ; the and 1981 Scorsese his stretched in to alimit tion Bull which Martin Raging violence and physical (a strength animal-like representaalmost innate, of natural, akind possessing or as Irish Italians such Afro-Americans, as minorities theyracial stage stereotyping as ethnic regarding significance 2004 Us in aroundtred Irish-American from 1935 characters, Lloyd Bacon’s The Irish helps Donovans connects the to also alongcen of tradition films boxing thatfrom right see we episode setting onegym The disease. Parkinson one of mental fromincurable retardation, akind diseases, other from the themselves intohave Bunchy bankruptcy. Terry drunk and from suffer pub-owners, whom one in episode Ray to she rescue we asks as gather they degeneracy. Abbie, Ray Donovan’s of comes Boston wife, from a family brutality,present of addictions criminality, and adangerous mixture Catholic clergy. deviant sexually bycorrupt infected and a of being also fact their aggravating the with nals, crimi and other, the violent, as Irish depicting the drunkards provide ; can dream American to the best provide the with them struggling and ily, hard-working, the with devoted, protective for own father his caring fam Irish of traditional the virtues Irish-Americans,ing the one extolling cians, nationalists zealots, or hypocritical priests.” or hypocritical zealots, nationalists cians, Catholics were cops, now corrupt politi showing up largely cynical as 11. Donovan Americanness. ure of impossible Otherness to control mainstream in assimilate and category whiteness embodying innocence, ethnic and orsoling afig as complicatescrisis, representation the of Irish-Americans either acon as in of masculinity Irish a togetherportrayal sic with Boston drama, crime elements abuse of Catholic at hands with the clergy the ual of clas the On the one hand, the Donovans are typical Irish hooligans, who Irish oneOn Donovans the the hand, typical are Ray above, Ray begathered already summary from the can Indeed, as It seems to Donovan me Ray that Timothy J. Meagher, “Cops, Priests and of Decline the Irish America”, Ibid. starring James Cagney as a boxing promoter aboxing as James Cagney starring to Eastwood’s Clint Million Dollar Baby Million Dollar navigates regard of sets between contradictory two stereotypes . Boxing films themselves ambivalent have films an Boxing , by combining of anarrative sex 11

, p. 229. ), ), ------122 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today uo and the Paycock Juno orbrutal, irresponsible, inadequate altogether and obnoxious. 1926 In haveanderature culture and often been representedtyrannical eitheras Johnin McGahern’s stories: lit fathers amatter as of Irish through fact, his time “sthruttin’ about from mornin’ till night like apaycock!” about night like “sthruttin’ from time mornin’his till who spent escapist idle drunk self-aggrandising, father aboastful, as Irish Synge’s play mentioned above. effort theto achieve an parricide in presentedas a in desirable killed, goal Ray, repeatedly endeavours particular, in to have either or arrested him managed to rid get whenhim. had thoughtof finally they they unscathed, whatever sons’ hewith his keeps commits and crime in reappearing lives prostitutes, orselling What’s robbing more, abank. he always gets away acompletely in ally lawless violent and manner, drugs, such peddling as sex having orcocaine, – gener sniffing dancing, –we self oftenhim see enjoyment maximum situations, to for warrant contriving while him ble or sons to his embroiling life-threatening and either in them illegal for who aknack has causing of trouby character Mickey Donovan, the reflecteddeprecatory as father oceans, crossed of image has Irish the the kind” in this kind of films. kind this in kind” Irish-American)most part, women from representations narrative of any when sheStephanie absence underlines clear Rains “the of (or, Irish for the as noticed by drama, recentTV and in characters Irish-American film of female marginalisation the accordance season 5–in in with disappears only a housewife plays and a minor role –she story the even in altogether you” face of the without anybody in showing any fear. However Abby is towards her husband, fiercely is protectivesay andof can her “F.. children, defend her sometimes disloyal bedevious and interests, own material can udices about women, Irish endowed is temper, afiery with up stands to of prejPaula Malcomson, type O’Hara aScarlet who accordance in with presence,ical opposed as red-headed waif-like, to his Abby wife played by tion of series relies the much on actor the Liev Schreiber’s imposing phys 13. 12. Joyce’s Joyce’s personthe of Leopold Jewish the Bloom Stephen by aconfused in Dedalus Playboy of the Western World (1907), search for the asubstitute father in murdermythologised of father his by J.M. Synge’s Mahon in Christy murder of own son hero his by great the mythological the Cuchulainn, literature folklore.dition and Irish includewould This in involuntarythe back age-oldconstitutes to marker an harks yet that tra another ethnic aroundfather son and which conflict, muchthe of plot revolvesand which Another typically masculine issue in the series the issue in masculine Another typically Boxing is also a way of course of affirming masculinity and attrac theand masculinity away of also is course ofBoxing affirming Sean O’Casey,Sean Juno Paycock and the op.S. Rains, cit., p. 176. Ulysses Ulysses (1922), heinous the relationships between fathers sons and , Sean O’Casey featured working-class already the , Sean 12

. Ray Donovan Ray 13 is the the is That That The ------123 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today ture”. cul American valuesperceived social reinstating to belost millennial in category”, code into for ethnic “an turned ethnic was stigmatized socially Irishness and innocence.” and Irishness reservoir of from ”a associations courage,and drawing between cultural category”, of authenticity, endowed virtues with working-class resilience a“consoling what as she of image Irish the called an ethnic construct ther policemen firefighters and occasionthe on of 9/11all contributed fur to combinationthe of role Celtic tigerism the and played by Irish-American Politics beforeSeptember after and 11”, contendedalso Diane Negra that had entered a“dark phase”. anew in wave of Irishness “hardening” of representations, “Irishness if as recent in Television”, and Film anger masculinity and Negra noted a ity of Irishness”. of ity States playing “a key-role producing in authentic the consuming and 21stthe aform became of currency, United discursive century the with to rather those deprecatory representations, of years early the in Irishness Culture of dangerousa kind sociopath. was regardedas gunman theIRA in which series, TV and film American Troublesthe engendered through new perceptions of masculinity Irish generations.of future regard,shows the Stephanie Raines this In that effect the of compromising hatred, with the existence to sectarian fuel place overwere decade. last These scandals the of foremostin importance lations of among numerous Catholic which the took clergy scandals sex or television film popular the be American must in foundin reveIrish long the in oftradition newrepresenting twist of causes this direct the one that and attached to of Irishness, most the darkness hardening and backing 16 to the for case Ireland Northern the the Troubles,especially which events in dat jeopardising children’s and the pearing present was lives,as future and theand fathersIrish sins of times, forefathers Through have kept reap history. and culture present, Irish the in in keeps resurfacing prevailing so lent troubled and or beerased which past forgotten, cannot which and should berelated culture, popular vio obsession to the ashameful, with the Irish Irish-American or attachedof figure to the father,in especially 18. 17. 16. 15. 14. However, The in in Irish Us We may wonder to what extent enduring pervasive, negativity the It seems to me that D. Negra, cit., art. p. 281-295. Ibid. Ibid. D. Negra, op. cit., p. 12. op.S. Rains, cit., p. 172-173. 16 In a chapter called “Irishness, Innocence and American Identity Innocence “Irishness, achapter American and In called , which was published in 2006, Diane Negra argued that, contrary contrary that, Negra Diane argued published, which was 2006, in , p. 363. , p. 4. 15 At the time, Negra pointed At time, the out how “once Irishness, a th and 17 and 17 Ray Donovan Ray 18 However, “Irishness, alater called in article th century were century relentlessly rehashed order in 14

: Irishness, Performativity and PopularIrishness, displays the signs of a further displays signs of the a further ------124 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today as agents and as victims of the scandals, in film and televisiondrama. film in of scandals, the agentsas victims as and havefacts engendered renewed representations of Irish-Americans, both recently exposed Philadelphia. in These further was scandals–as the in Catholic Church,among American the who were grievously involved also USApounded number the in of by prevailing clerics the of descent Irish representationthe com was This imagination. popular the in of Irishness of child-abuse impactcases on had by committed an priests–necessarily by Church, the institutions run besides innumerable the all Laundries, closure of ill-treatments the suffered theby Magdalen single in mothers of hundreds aMother of in children Baby and Home Tuam, in dis the of discovery amass-tomb the nature– what remains with the containing Catholic church Ireland were in widespread so of and such appalling an the involving scandals that the The fact drama. andinto for material films new developments revelations socio-political the context, the in turned behaviour moral and or on based ics, emerging sexual patterns of social, producers, and writers showrunners, always on lookout the for new top andculture. popular with squads its film of in Televisionoes in particular, etc., inevitably found drives, ech significant sexual tection of childhood, authority, concerns such did trust, they faith, universal proas as ing the ers film-makers. or documentary inspired authorswhich shows scandals of the as that fictionas report well Mullan’s The Magdalene Sisters 2002 at women aimed especially suchinstitutions, children, and Peter as badthe treatments some physical in Catholic and Irish abuse prevailing However, by Tomcisely illustrated McCarthy’s 2015 Spotlight film Oscar-winning by the 2002 series of articles published series ofby 2002 articles by the Boston Globe the by press the particularly and widely reported initially by media, also the USA, the In revelations the Catholic were regarding the abuse sex clergy in public opinion forcing and state the authorities some to action. legal take Cardinal BBC’s and Secrets Pope Suing the 2002 TV, such RTE’s as 1999 States of Fear, TV3’s 1999 Stolen Lives on aired programmes Ireland, several In protecting criminals. and the roleactive played facts the by concealing church institution in the an as themselves focusedcrimes attention and on offenders, the theas as on well aimed sex the atfirst showsIrelandin documenting TV or orBritain films United the Ireland in and in both clergy States. the Many action against forcing but in also governmentsdals legal judicial system to the and take indeedmedia played role acentral not disclosure of the scan only the in descent,Irish were and widely publicised Television by media. the the and United the in Ireland, but occurred States, ofteninvolving also clerics of The dramatic undertones dramatic Theinvolvthe abuse, cases of child of reported Spotlight Spotlight was precededwas by otherdenouncing international films and Stephenand Frears’ , all contributed in alerting contributed alerting , all in 2013 2013 , as is so pre so is , as , RTE’s 2002 Philomena ------, . 125 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today in the history of the American people”. of American the history the in John Tracyrian Ellis’s deepest bias anti-Catholicism “the that was view States Septemberthe in 2017, about frequently which they quoted histo newspapersby many American on occasion the of Pope Francis’s to visit oftory anti-Catholic sentiment United the in States recently was recalled somehow of manner the Ray Donovan, in less violently. if The longhis Democraticthe to Party, is that say someone things charge of in “fixing” President John F. Kennedy, had whose been a“ward boss” grandfather for American electionCatholic the and ofIrish first the century 20th the Protestant country, a mainly Catholics in late whichin until flourished archy level at highest the were bound old to rekindle prejudices against by hier the priests maintained deviant around the secrecy the and clergy United the in States. The therevelationsCatholic in the crimes sex of cion, not if downright horror,in and byEurope Protestants, later the first embodiedtext by areligion always looked which was suspi upon with toxic legacy fathers inherited from the orthe father-figures the conin is fromthesuffer burdenthe past ofmentioned above; what’s more,the Catholic Church have added anew dimension idea to Irish the the that 19. ical disease forthe scene disease whichof he since ical has been treated. The climax he that kind responsibility sufferedfromhis of psycholog by a claiming the confessestries to belittle wrongabuse when and he finally anything Bunchy to forgive But priest whimpering keeps denying him. the he did at priest; least they wantthe to to and force ask to own up guilt him his for brothers but help three usual, the as at are aloss to as what to do with and he a with bullet; Ray havehim after wounding called Terry gym to the underanother adifferentBunchyin parish. name has brought back him apriest former who his now which Bunchyin assailant, lives stalked has corrupt a and finds good examplein episode 10,season 1 Donovan of Ray revived representation of Catholic lecherous, priests as corrupting deviant, same-sex in relationships. nuns, often and indulging monks That recently often situatedin monasteries or convents lecherous,and staging depraved genre Catholicism that agree plays role active an most in gothic novels, expression an its Critics of time in which the of was ture culture. popular gothic novels sensationalist and of eighteenth the century, aform of litera and Irish English in to the anti-Catholiccase prejudices.already was This Pope whore “the as of Babylon” connotations points sexual to the attached stition corruption; and what’s more, common the Protestant abuse of the identity,American super backwardness, because it associated with was Catholicism considered Irish was times, liest of integrity to athreat the Five the in Points From immigrants area. Irish Natives the ear against film Scorsese’s in Martin 2003 illustrated suchas film, and culture popular in ag fNw York Gangs of New suggests that the sex scandals in the the in scandals sex the that suggests Donovan Ray them, Among books?id=WLYc80eu1u0C 8/1//2020), p. 151. (last accessed John Tracy Catholicism American Ellis, , which stages the feud, which the of stages the clan between the , Chicago, Chicago U.P., 1969,https://books.google.fr/ 19 Examples of this bias abound Examples of this ------

126 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today which becomes a pumpkin again. As a result, it may be argued that the aresult, it As the which that becomes may again. beargued apumpkin Cinderella’s like asham, as threatens to exposed and beoverturned coach fighter to suit-clad, business-like respectable memberthe of upper class metamorphosis the and from or thug street prize- ern, rich Los Angeles, poverty-ridden, ethnic-centred South Boston to cosmopolitan, postmod father, Irish ing Ray’s undermines transformative journey from archaic, fail radically fist-fights in harmful, at school. symbolised by a past, The toRay leave sleptwith has other after women, him son his involved gets teenagerAmerican who gets murdered under threatens her wife eyes, his for Ray’s instance, daughter–namedthe suicide after Afro- sister–an dates physical violence, Donovans the season 1 get In into time. the trouble all to success his story, American to and true live the albeit thanks family his efforts to his Despiteprotect police priest the on track. sets thus all his jeopardisedis by father’s his misconduct; season 1, in murder the of the life he his established has in Ray thinks on premise balance the the that father, spiritual his Catholic the priest. season Each of series based is the under shapereappearing the of incorrigible his biological father of and unable to overcomesis start, from the demons the of which past keep the theis shown confirmed cri Rayin by seasons;himself following to be at keeping hints and Bunchy’s agirl-friend, with impotence, as sexual brothers Bunchy Terry and in dating women experience great difficulties abuse lationsat of hand Catholic the the church: of sexual Ray’schild both inducedeven breakdown, the by reve of the Irish-American masculinity confession. of of secrecy the a priest under guise to to the get own up crimes him his alater preyRay in episode manipulative to attempts of the falls on part the even is and ready to sacrifice in save family,the to rest offer his himself of Terry of soul, damnation fearshis the and for kept faith has his instance anger,cle for of guilt, shame, revenge. self-destruction thirst and While itssented parishioners avicious cir in being manipulative, entwining as trollable. What’s more, Catholic the church scene the others and in is pre load aresultpriest, as his and of anger violence and become has uncon irresponsible father,of Irish acriminal, acorrupt, and devious Catholic been has irremediablysoul by combined the damaged forces destructive alty, honesty, compassion respect, forgiveness. and other his On hand, the brothers his to tofamily, old-fashioned cling like tries and of loy virtues characterisation: on one the out he hand acts righteous the protector of his of Ray’s at heart the ambiguity the priest highlights the or him forgiving of long killing dilemma scene brothers which the the in this tragic discuss mate Ray who shoots The dead. eventually woundpathos him of infuriates disclosure probably too.Ray was Ray’s This of victim his intimostsecret, we as understand instead, that him Ray that may kill afraid priest refuses, happensthethe anddecides to drivehim hospital when to Ray finally stages the crisis, and and crisis, the stages aresult, we Donovan As Ray that may argue ------127 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today non-Irish authors producers and of series by wave the the of revelations questionable. before,argued theme Theinspiredas the was Irishness, to of markers exploitedof ethnic the by authors the of Donovan Ray for much fate; of and characters’ attitudes the however, authenticity the Irish-American fora bunk family. this Midnight which, in in as series, the Cowboy, on screen the today, why beno may and happy there explain can ending to epitomisesbest ambivalence the of representations the of Irish-Americans Boston good-but father the and violent Angeles Los son perhaps is what son’sthe tobad-butof get The ridSouth of him. duality struggle charming embrace father, Irish condemnation of the afull and full of criminal the mother aProtestant and father– audience the that so hesitates between a expressed by Liev Schreiber–who Francisco from aJewish San born in was resilience resentmentand tobrutish, charm taciturn the ning, powerfully itance of Irishness” of itance cence versus […] corruption brutality and inher of ethnic the asplitting andinno of character Ray “playstraits of purity ethnic out conflicting the 21. 20. Midnight Cowboy cowboy prostitutethe male anti-American-Dream the turned in film audience’s ambivalent The non–Irish sympathies. actor Jon Voight, once which up own family- tohis season 5at never least, happens. of in toxic and his father, himself Mick in Irish the other words in to kill harder to exorcizeonly to to get past, try his rid of Catholic the church and episode in adegree of one, nostalgia with it pictures is of childhood the his of a figure heroic the by priest, of instead his staging Ray If priest. looks at redemption to obtain for by committed fathertrying his and crimes the of Catholicism, views Irish by to traditional showing Ray another twist amatterviewed as of What’s pride nostalgia. and more, series gives the into Irish being then a“consolingthe category”, ancestry ethnic Irish an which according to Negra Diane had contributed of image the to changing by roleoverturned the played by policemen Irish firefighters and on 9/11, burden which had been which needs eliminated, toful and becleansed concerning legacies the of ethnicity,otypes Irish presented ashame as church have re-awakened a number imagination popular of the stere in helpcannot feelingthe for The in revelations him. the sex scandals of muchand of success of the show the relies on empathy the audience the utmost the brutality), hero the hewith as nevertheless of series, stands the maims and too much, far kills from pure (he cheats drinks on wife, his Screening Irish-America edited bookthe Screening Irishness thereforeIrishness pivot apowerful accounting as series, the acts in However, one on insist should way series plays the the the also with Midnight Cowboy Midnight Barton (ed.), ScreeningR. Irish America, op. cit., p. 13. 21 , dir. John Schlesinger, United 1969. Artists, , is one, is of big of opposing series, the the assets cun his

in the words the in her of in introduction Ruth Barton to . 20 Although admittedly Ray is far Ray far is admittedly Although the American dream remains remains dream American the is highly highly is - - - - - 128 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today descent today. America in investigation of actual what an it as toence means beof Irish rather than Donovan violence, corruption, Catholicism, therefore backwardness– work Ray in attached to it–clichés the traditionally identities. all and Irishness sexual interrogations the putes, notwithstanding on characters’ wounded the cases of post-traumatic personalities, conflicted ing disorder, dis family evolutions–latest social source situations, afantastic of dramatic involv concerned,are prompt so are because they the reflect digest to and detect, series TV as authorsto far the as of forms popular –especially of culture increasing role the networks publicSyria, offer of life in social political and or Iraq, Afghanistan history, in wars the such terrorist the attacks, as identity.from events Irish other like in recent American Thesex scandals, Catholicinvolving the Church, of which inseparable–at is as least, today– like a set of aset signs meant like to beimmediately identifiedthe by audi - - - 129 IMAGINAIRES#22 How Popular Culture Travels Mikowski – Ray Donovan: Irishness in American Popular Culture Today