Growing Up Gotti
Production Source Reveals The Truth
By Eleanor Meilinger
October 1, 2004
I thought I signed off on this show but I have to admit, when I noticed that A&E planned to air a new episode following 3 repeats on Monday night, curiosity got the better of me.
After the second original episode of Growing Up Gotti, they listed the upcoming offering as one that would feature a follow-up date arranged by the matchmaker from Episode 1 and a cupcake binge that leads to a massive crisis, forcing Victoria to get a personal trainer and consider Botox injections. Looking at this synopsis now, I can't imagine why this stirred any interest, but I was caught up in the hype of the moment. That episode did not air then, or on 3 other occasions when it was scheduled. So when they showed previews on A&E all week I took the bait.
Needless to say, it was not shown this week either. What they aired instead was a new episode called "The Godmother". It was painful. I can't bring myself to recap it. I have been saying for weeks that the editing has become so erratic on this series that it was becoming impossible to make sense of it. In addition, I am amazed that ANYONE could sit down and view this finished product and consider it entertainment. If there are any girls that still looked at the "hotti's" as people to be idolized the illusion should have been shattered with this revealing glimpse at the trivialities of their existence. If Victoria truly did have any power she would have pulled the plug on this travesty a long time ago!
Finally, I have confirmation that my speculations have not been misguided. A source close to the show told me the following, which confirms what I had long suspected:
"I'm surprised that no one from the press to reality television fans has hit upon the real reason they run repeats and don't seem to have an entire "season" in the can. Having been VERY involved with setting up the production, I know for a fact that after many weeks, and many days of shooting, they just simply don't have enough material to produce the entire series.
Bottom line - the production was as big a disaster as this family, and A&E hasn't come clean to date."
That "long-awaited" episode is scheduled for next week - but I won't be watching. This family should disappear back into obscurity and drop the pretense of pseudo-celebrity. In this last episode Victoria claimed that everybody wants something from her. Add me to the list. I want her to take a real close look at what she has created because if this is the reality of their lives they are in dire need of a reality check!
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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