Last week we told you about Sopranos actor Joseph Gannascoli's controversial ads for a pool cue. Gannascoli, whose gay character on The Sopranos, Vito, was raped and beaten to death with a pool cue after being outed, appeared in the ads with the tagline "A Cue to Die For." Since then, the product has been pulled by the manufacturer, who says that the "to die for" slogan is used in all merchandise endorsed by Gannascoli.

Gannascoli talked about the controversy with The Oregonian and he doesn't acquit himself well. He says, "Now it's become ... personal because my money is involved. They have their panties in a bunch." He adds, "It wasn't done intentionally. I'm sure there are other issues GLAAD has to deal with that are more important than a fictional character. I've been supportive of the gay community, and it was my idea to make my character gay so, hopefully, we can reach an understanding."

GLAAD has more important issues to deal with than a high-profile fictional character who was ruthlessly beaten to death before he was gay, only to have that fact lampooned in a quick-buck marketing gag? I wonder if Gannascoli is aware of what GLAAD does -- fictional characters are a big part of GLAAD's concern. And as great as it is that Vito's storyline was handled realistically and sensitively, much of that could be credited to the show's writers. Gannascoli suggested to make his character gay, but I've wondered if that suggestion indicated an interest in depicting a gay character or just an angle to get more screen time for his character. This response leads me to suspect the latter.

There's a part of me willing to buy that the appalling message was a mistake. I've personally seen how an advertiser can fail to see how two ideas that seem innocent combine to say something very offensive. However, Gannascoli's remarks leave me less likely to seek out such a forgiving stance.

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Hey, remember when Jodie Foster did those ads for pinball machines after winning the Oscar for The Accused? No? Oh, right. That's because that's an unimaginably sick concept.

Almost.

Now that his Sopranos character has been whacked and the series ended (ruling out flashback or haunting opps), Joseph R. Gannascoli has got to find something to do. The actor, who played "Gay Vito" in the show's most prominent and mostly sympathetic gay storyline, ended his long run on the show on a high note, in terms of his character's visibility (having gone from background goon to juicy featured character).

So Gannascoli's recent acts and the low note they represent in terms of gay visibility are all the more disgusting. It seems that the actor, eager to capitalize on his 15 minutes of gay-induced fame, has lent his name (and Vito's signature) to a line of pool cues. Which would be a non-event, were it not for the fact that his character was beaten and raped with a pool cue after it was discovered that he was gay.

Just to be clear: this guy is cashing a check by shilling for a product that was used to murder and sodomize his character for being gay. It's gay-bashing merchandise, plain and simple: what, is Fred Phelps in marketing now? What's more, the pool cue comes with the tagline, "A Cue to Die For," suggesting that it would somehow be worth being murdered and raped with.

Shameless opportunism is tacky enough as it is, but this is just sick. And even if you remove the gay element from the equation, the subject matter is still highly inappropriate. It's not like this was a horror movie where the deaths are meant to be entertaining and laughed about around a billiards table.

GLAAD is calling for the company behind the cue to pull the marketing, but I think any goodwill Gannascoli may have earned from gay fans for his sensitive portrayal of his tragic character has been pulled already.