Let me begin by stating that I do not have any confirmation on this. It is purely my own conclusion but I would be willing to stake my reputation on it. Examined closely, all of the evidence is there. If nothing else, I WANT to believe it is true…
Victoria Gotti agreed to do this A&E series and allow the already fragile balance of her life to be examined 24/7 after turning down numerous other offers to tell "her" story.
In every pre-release interview we were fed the same notion: This show is meant to clear up all the misconceptions and negative stereotypes that exist about this arm of the Gotti family and Italian/Americans in general.
I was therefore baffled after watching the first 2 episodes and viewing the promos for the upcoming 2.
Where was the university educated best-selling author and columnist struggling to manage career, three teenage boys and re-entry into the dating world after 20 years? Where were the Honor Roll Catholic schoolboys eager to shuck the image of mini-mobster and forego the family "business" for careers in Law, journalism and culinary arts? What I was seeing was a re-enforcement of every cliché about mafia royalty and "guido" mentality -a derogatory term I know, but one I grew up with and I couldn't find a more apropos synonym in the dictionary. Could all of the "proof" have been creatively edited out and wound up on the cutting room floor? Was Victoria Gotti out of her mind?
Then I viewed the tapes again and I got it! I immediately developed a respect for this savvy woman and the brilliant strategy she used in letting this series be aired. Anyone who looks at this series with an open mind will eventually catch on to the secret. You will enjoy in being in on the joke and watching for clues to the irony. For those who watched with prejudice intact, you'll see what you wanted to and think you're so clever. The fact is - the joke is on you! Face it. If the family had come across as the Brady's or even the Bundy's you would have accused them of acting. If they had made this a tribute to all of the charity work Victoria does or the countless achievements she has made on her own terms you would have scoffed. Anything less than confirmation of your worst suspicions you would have turned it off - but you didn't!
Instead she is reeling you in with the comforting notion that all of your suspicions are about to be justified. Scratch the surface though. You ARE getting a glimpse of the REAL goods. You cannot help but like this lady, as she makes no apologies for her lifestyle or her rambunctious sons. Those of us raising teens will sympathize as she throws up her hands, at her wits end to control a gang that is 99% hormones and 1% logic. Does this make them bad? Definitely not. It makes them human. I'd hate to have cameras present in my home these days. I'd be taken away in a straight jacket and my husband in handcuffs. Pandemonium comes with the territory.
Victoria let us in on the secret in the first episode when she was giving us a glimpse of her job at Star Magazine. "We report the stuff that people REALLY care about."
Here is a person who is an expert on the tabloid mentality that exists in this country having experienced it from both ends. She grew up surrounded by a media circus and she decided to forgo a legal career to join the lions den. In addition to her reporting for the Star she worked at the New York Post for two years and on the tabloid TV show "Extra". Perhaps she learned the old adage from her father - "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer."
Look at the now infamous "ditch" sound-byte. It made great fodder for the press but judging from the 3.2 million viewers that tuned in to the premiere it certainly didn't hurt her ratings. Don't ever underestimate this woman. She has chutzpah and she's not afraid to use it. Want to get rid of comparisons to the" Sopranos"? Hide subtle parallels in your episodes. Anyone remember the fact that Carmela let Tony's beloved pool go to seed after she threw him out? How else do you explain why such a meticulous woman, who dresses predominantly in white, would allow such an eyesore on her property. The guesthouse debacle was passed off as remnants of a party that had taken place "a couple months ago" and discovered at that moment - sure it was. It's not like there hadn't been TV crews setting up for weeks and touring every inch of the property. The newspaper in the bathroom? Do you really think that has been sitting there for 2 years and it is the reading material of choice while on the commode?
This is reality TV at its best. Unscripted yes, but orchestrated by a puppet master. In most shows the manipulator remains unseen. In this case she is center stage. And loving every minute of it! (I hope.)
Time will tell if this subtley-disguised satire will work. The first episodes got tremendous viewership but it will be up to the Victoria to keep us coming back. Now that I "get" it, I can't help but look forward to watching her take the media and her detractors for a roller-coaster ride. I wish her luck and give her kudos for the courage it took to attempt such an intricate farce. Like it or not -this is entertainment!
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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