bada bing-satin dolls-sopranos

The Bada Bing! gentleman’s club survived six seasons as a hangout and a front for Tony Soprano and his friends in HBO’s The Sopranos. But a decade after the show ended, the real-life Bing has run into some serious trouble.

According to NorthJersey.com, Satin Dolls, the club where Bada Bing! was set, has been ordered to give up its liquor license due to, yep, ties to organized crime.

In a case of reality imitating art, state authorities said Satin Dolls’ liquor license must be sold or transferred and live entertainment must cease, because the business is being run by a convicted racketeer who conspired with the Genovese crime family.

“Illegal activity was glorified at the ‘Bada Bing’ in the fictional world of Tony Soprano, but it has no place in modern-day New Jersey,” state Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said in a release announcing the order. “It’s time to shut it down.”

Satin Dolls seemed to have embraced its “Sopranos” heritage, putting “home of the original Bada Bing!” on a massive sign and welcoming patrons who wanted to experience the same club where Tony, Silvio, Christopher, Paulie etc. spent so much time. Per NorthJersey.com, a makeshift memorial sprung up in 2013 after “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini died.

Obviously, Satin Dolls is not expected to withstand the loss of its liquor license. NorthJersey.com reports that live entertainment at Satin Dolls (as well as another club owned by the same family) must cease live entertainment by December 17, and the owners have until January 3 to sell or transfer the liquor license to a new party. The fate of the Bing depends on it.

[NorthJersey.com]

About Alex Putterman

Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.