In the Modern Family episode “Sex, Lies & Kickball,” while Alex (Ariel Winter) tries to convince her mother Claire (Julie Bowen) that she’s in a sexual relationship with Ben (Joe Mande), Jay (Ed O’Neill) hangs out with his best friend Shorty who’s in town from Costa Rica. But when Shorty stays at Jay’s house, he ends up spending more time with Jay’s wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara) than with Jay.
Shorty is portrayed by Chazz Palminteri. On Monday, the actor and New York native played Leah Remini’s father on Kevin Can Wait. He’s also known for his role as Angie Harmon’s father Frank Rizzoli, Sr. on Rizzoli & Isles, and in the films Bullets Over Broadway (Cheech, for which he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role), The Usual Suspects (Dave Kujan), and A Bronx Tale (see link above), which Palminteri wrote and Robert De Niro directed. A Bronx Tale is now on Broadway, too. Modern Family airs Wednesdays at 9pm on ABC.
