Reality Twaddle, Mobster Edition

REALITY TWADDLE, MOBSTER EDITION

There are two kinds of people in this world; those who watch Reality TV and those who admit they watch Reality TV.

In admitting that I watch these travesties I will also want to qualify my admission.

Anyone who knows me also knows I have a real problem with what I have witnessed on Reality TV and my participation in viewing this preposterous behavior is usually by channel surfing happenstance.

My usual reaction as I stumble upon Reality Twaddle is as if I’ve just witnessed a horrible accident and cannot turn my eyes away.

Spending any time viewing these programs is torment and my mind will not allow the agony for any length of time, so I only gather bits and pieces, however this is more than enough to know what each and every show has to offer.

My dismay today involves Reality TV gangster exploits.

Fascination with mobsters has been popular since the days of Al Capone. His antics seemed to have entertained a 1930’s population reeling from the Great Depression.

John Gotti made it cool to be a mobster in the 80’s and he seemed to garner love and admiration with each new indictment.

Things just haven’t been the same for the Mob since Gotti was sent to prison for the last time. The “family” seemed to fall apart and mobsters became just plain thugs again.

Remember “Growing up Gotti?” The daughter of John Gotti and her sons were showcased on the A&E Channel for a time. Victoria Gotti shows off her spoiled children and her self-indulgent lifestyle in her extravagant mansion. As we watch we know everything she is and everything she has is a direct or indirect result of her father’s dirty money, stolen money, laundered money and blood money.

Sins of the father are tattooed on her forehead.

Reality TV was still in its infancy and I remember being so outraged at the program I actually wrote a letter to the network. I asked why, after years of comprehensive adult programming, would they showcase the daughter of a convicted criminal?

I never received an answer, of course. I guess they were too busy soliciting “Dog the Bounty Hunter” for upgrades on the Reality portion of their line-up.

Just when you thought Reality TV couldn’t sink any lower, we have “Mob Wives.” Comparatively speaking, “Growing up Gotti” was Masterpiece Theatre.
Since all the big time gangsters seemed to have disappeared with the last episode of “The Sopranos,” the VH1 network producers went trolling for mob stories and found mob wives.

The cast of characters include Renee Graziano, the daughter of Anthony Graziano. He is described as the “Consigliere” of the Bonanno family.
As I was clicking my way through the channels, Ms. Graziano was the first image I saw of this program. She’s one scary women and that’s all I should say about that.

Then we have Karen Gravano. She’s the daughter of Sammy “The Bull” Gravano. Remember him? I’ll bet the Gottis do.

Ramona Rizzo is the granddaughter of “Benjamin “Lefty Guns” Ruggiero. Al Pacino played Lefty in the movie “Donnie Brasco.”

Word constraints keep me from listing all the characters, suffice it to say all are connected to various thugs and convicts who have been involved in assorted nefarious shenanigans.

This is their claim to fame and the bases for this hit show and they do not disappoint. They cuss and spit more frequently than a drunken sailor, (my apologies to drunken sailors.) There are more network bleeps in the conversation than actual words, but really does it matter? They are not discussing rocket science.

They scrap and fight and pull on each other’s hair extensions. They tear and rip at each other’s clothes which I’m sure is keeping Fredericks of Hollywood in business. They feud and plot and its white trash run amok and everyone loves it!

OK, I admit that I have fun making fun of these shows but I also admit guilt. When the misfortunes and misdeeds of others is my entertainment, I am precariously close to becoming as uncivilized as the participants of the shows.

You will have to excuse me now. My ride is here to deliver me to an undisclosed location provided by the Witness Protection Program.

Until we meet again, twaddle on!