In 2006, five-term New Jersey (8th district) Congressman Bill Pascrell appeared as a guest on 'The Colbert Report.' Stephen Colbert asked him if he was really Italian. '100%,' Pascrell replied. Colbert jokingly challenged him, pointing out that his last name did not end in a vowel:
Pascrell: 'I know a lot of Italians that don't.'
Colbert: 'Let's hear one.'
Pascrell: 'Tom Sole.'
Colbert: 'What?'
Pascrell: 'Tom Sole. S-o-l-e.'
[Pascrell assured Colbert that many Italians had names that do not end in a vowel, but confessed that he couldn't think of an example.]
Sources
"The Colbert Report"
