Yes, it’s sad; he was a repected actor, and while I wasn’t a regular viewer of The Sopranos, he was a powerhouse in that show.
However, some wiseacres on Twitter have made the tactless joke that “he’ll come back as Gandolfini the White, hurr hurr” - really? That’s your contribution to the cultural conversation: a shitty LOTR joke? A local TV presenter made the same joke at Supanova Expo last year; when I chided him about it a week or so later on Twitter, he admitted it wasn’t the best gag.
It’s certainly not the most appropiate of jokes now. A man has died; surely a modicum of respect is the least we can ask for?
