The Reality Of Growing Up Gotti
Commentary By Eleanor Meilinger
August 2, 2004
Tonight, August 2nd, on A&E a new reality series that takes an unprecedented look inside the home life of a family with a fascinating dynamic begins with back-to-back episodes. "Growing Up Gotti" premiers at 9:30pm ET and should get good ratings since there has been an enormous amount of media coverage preceding the series debut. Despite efforts to the contrary, much of it has focused on the family "connections" rather than the central point of this television show, namely the Agnello family. Perhaps the title of the series is confusing. The truth is that Victoria Agnello did "grow up Gotti" and her sons, Carmine, John and Frank, have also grown up amidst the controversy and scandal attached to their mother's maiden name. The Gotti name comes with a notoriety that is dubious at best.
Yet no one can deny that having lived so long with the investigations and scandals that are attached to the name, Victoria certainly has a right to trade on it in order to pursue her own agenda. She doesn't hide from the past - she just wants to focus on the present and future. This is where the "reality" kicks in.
Forget the things you think you know about this family. Outside of a small group of friends, no one has been privy to the "real" family secrets, as they exist today. Victoria Gotti Agnello has earned the right to be judged on her own merits. Her three sons are each unique individuals, influenced certainly by the family history, but seeking to help redefine the family legacy for the upcoming generations. Victoria grew up sheltered from the truth about the family business and carved out her own career as a best-selling author and journalist. She married her childhood sweetheart and brought her sons into the world believing that they would be raised in a life of privilege that was guarded by a strong moral base and good family values. She wholeheartedly denied the suggestions that her husband bore mob connections and that his lucrative scrap metal business was anything less than legit. In one fell swoop she had her seemingly perfect world shattered by the revelations that not only was her husband "connected", but he was also cheating on her. Left to pickup the pieces and hold the family together, Victoria has relied on her deep-rooted strength and innate intelligence to combat the newest onslaught of negative media attention. Her decision to throw open her doors to the very wolves that have hounded her for years may turn out to be a brilliant strategy or a catastrophic miscalculation. Either way, at least she will know that after this series concludes, the public perception of her household will have been one of her own creation.
The biggest challenge they face will be winning over the people who are determined to hold them accountable for the crimes committed by other family members. Nothing is sacred and everything they do or say will be fodder for the water-cooler gossips. Victoria's long career as a newspaper columnist may give her the upper hand in choreographing the content of the show but deep-rooted grievances and prejudice may just prove to be insurmountable barricades to the desired acceptance.
Victoria has chosen to expose herself and her family while they are at a crossroad, facing some very common situations under extraordinary circumstances. Being a single, working mother with teenagers is a scary prospect for anyone. Re-entering the dating world after 20 years is daunting. Launching a new business, selling your family home or championing a cause that is dear to you are all life altering events. Doing it all in front of the cameras is more challenging than anything they could dream up on "Survivor".
Here, Victoria and the boys must compete against unknown, unseen adversaries. Sometimes they will win. Others they will fulfill the hopes of many of their opponents and come out looking less than perfect. Unintentionally, "Growing Up Gotti" promises to mimic parts of some of our favorite reality series and this may prove to be the key to its success. Surely this show is bound to appeal to a vast audience, from young girls looking for the latest on the "Hotti Gottis", to numerous groups protesting the very existence of the series and hoping to see their worst suspicions verified, to supporters eager to see a much maligned woman overcome incredible obstacles and finally become accepted on her own terms. So far the press has run hot and cold, but they have already demonstrated that this venture has garnered tremendous interest. Whether people tune in hoping to see "The Godmother" (an image Victoria claims to be trying to dispel though the promos have led people to speculate otherwise) or "Lifestyles of the Rich and Clueless" or "My Three Sons" revamped for the 21st century, the fact is they WILL tune in. What they are sure to see is reality TV at its best - taking people at their most vulnerable and placing them under the microscope 24/7, then editing to offer the most intrigue, drama and pathos. Will it be different? This certainly isn't your average sit-com family. Will it be good? We'll find out tonight. Will we tune in next week? Judging from the offerings on the so-called major networks this summer, I'd have to say, "YES".
This limb of the Gotti family tree has so many points to ponder that it is bound to generate a following. Hopefully they'll wind up at the destination that Victoria was aiming for when she embarked on this adventure. We here at Reality TV Calendar are certainly looking forward to the prospect of being led in an entirely new direction and we'll keep you posted every step of the way!
Eleanor is a NYC girl managing her own "Mob" in the Pocono Mountains. She maintains her sanity by watching "Reality TV" and convincing herself that it is all "REAL".
She can be reached at ifyouaskme@msn.com
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