News

The themes that are portrayed in the news about the women in Mob Wives include violence and infidelity.  Violence is seen through all of the mob related arrests that have been made for many years for murder, theft and drugs.  Infidelity is shown through the mob wives’ husbands’ cheating on them.  There were a few articles about the “rats” of the mob and how their stories are finally being revealed to the public.  Overall, there is a negative connotation associated with all of the articles posted about Mob Wives.  I did not find a positive article which talked about any benefits of living this lifestyle. 

1.) September 28, 2011, Kerry Burke and John Marzulli. ‘Mob Wives’ Stars Karen Gravano, Jennifer Graziano Seen Getting Comfy with Slay Suspect , NY Daily News

Karen Gravano ,the daughter of ex-Gambino underboss Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano  and Bonanno crime family princess and producer, Jennifer Graziano were caught partying last week with a thug who is being hunted for a slaying outside a Chelsea club. Gravano and Graziano, who appear in the VH1 reality series Mob Wives, were photographed snuggling up against Manuel (Stax) Pinero at Mr. Chow’s last Wednesday. That was four days before Pinero allegedly stabbed Christopher Adames in the chest and groin outside the Juliet Supper Club in Chelsea early Sunday morning. Police said the men were involved in a dispute over a woman.

2.)October 25, 2011, Reality Tea. Mob Wives’ Carla Facciolo Calls Off Divorce! Back With Estranged Husband!, Star Magazine.

Star magazine is reporting that Carla has decided to hold off on her divorce to her ex-con husband Joseph Ferragamo in favor of reuniting with him. Carla herself confirms the news to the mag. “I didn’t like him much before,” admits Carla. “But now I’m beginning to like him again.” Carla had decided to divorce Joseph on the show while he was incarcerated citing they already had marital issues before he went to prison.

3.) July 6, 2011, Lindsey Dimattina. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Drita D’avanzo: I’m Definitely Going Through With The Divorce,Hollywood Life.

During the season finale of Mob Wives, star Drita D’avanzo found out that her husband Lee D’avanzo had an affair during his time between prison sentences. Because of this Drita decided to consult a divorce attorney on her options and refused to tell Lee that she was doing so. But since then, Drita has confronted Lee about his infidelities and decided to go through with a divorce.

4.) January 12, 2012, Joe Valiquette. Feds: ‘Mob Wives’ Dad Charged in NYC Racketeering Case , NBC New York.

DEA and FBI agents arrested four members of the Bonanno organized crime family early Friday for alleged crimes that include racketeering, gambling and drug sales. The father of a “Mob Wives” reality show star was also charged in the federal case. Vincent Badalamenti, identified as a member of the Bonanno crime family administration, Nicholas Santora, a Bonanno family capo, Vito Balsamo, an acting captain, and Anthony Calabrese, a soldier, were arrested and are charged with racketeering, extortion, illegal gambling, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, a law enforcement official said. Anthony Graziano was also charged. Graziano was already in custody on a prior conviction.

5.) January 28, 2012, Gena Oppenheim. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Renee Graziano “Doing OK” After “Panic Attack”, OK! Magazine.

Reports surfaced that Mob Wives star Renee Graziano had been rushed to the hospital just after her father Anthony “TG” Graziano was arrested by the FBI earlier that morning. An insider revealed to OK! that the reality star suffered from a “panic attack,” most likely due to the day’s events, but is now on the mend.

6.)February 10, 2012, John Marzulli. Kin of Sammy The Bull Gravano’s Victims Seek Profits From His Daughter’s New Book, NY Daily News

The outraged families of murderous mob underboss Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano’s gangland victims want a whack at the profits from his daughter’s upcoming memoir. The Daily News has learned they are enlisting the Arizona state attorney general to go after Karen Gravano’s earnings from “Mob Daughter.”  A woman named Laura Garofalo was 17 when her dad, Edward, was slain by Gravano in 1990. She wrote in a letter to the Arizona AG, “She continues to utilize her and her father’s criminal enterprises to lure viewers and generate revenue for herself and VH1,” Garofalo said. “It’s harrowing to hear Karen Gravano boasts week after week on her reality show ‘Mob Wives’ that violence is ‘in my bloodline,’ ”

7.)February 16, 2012, Denis Slattery and Janon Fisher. Daughter of Salvatore Gravano Says She’s a Victim Too, NYDailyNews.
The daughter of mob rat Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano, says she sees nothing wrong with making a buck off her tell-all book about growing up with a hitman dad as she feels she is a victim too and suffered just as much as the families of the people her dad killed.“This book is my reaction to my father’s lifestyle,” she said at her launch party at the downtown hot spot Greenhouse. “I’m trying to move past that. I didn’t commit those crimes. I feel that all the family members are victims, from both sides, both angles.”

8.)March 13, 2012, Author N/A. ‘Mob Wives’ Drita D’Avanzo, Carla Facciolo Talk Crime Family Lifestyle,Huffington Post

Drita D’Avanzo and Carla Facciolo talk about their lives as being associated with the mob. Carla has a harsher view of what a “crew” really is. “It’s an organization of people who do all bad things,” Carla adds. “You have to get involved with guys who are all into doing something bad. You do wrong things and that’s why you end up in jail.”But both women agree that
the “lifestyle” stops with them and vow to steer their children away from the glamorous but dangerous path.

9.) March 23, 2012, Justin Ravitz. Mob Wives’ Renee Graziano Breaks Down Over Ex’s Shocking Betrayal , US Weekly.

First, Renee Graziano’s ex-husband Hector “Junior” Pagan (with whom she’d recently reconciled) turned himself over to authorities for armed robbery and brandishing a weapon in a 2009 incident; hours later, her dad, reputed crime boss Anthony “TG” Graziano, was arrested for extortion and other charges. As it turned out, Pagan, 46, had actually made deal with the Feds to avoid jail time.

10.) March 28, 2012, Mary Billard. Silent Partners No Longer , The New York Times

This article is about how the woman originally came together and agreed to do the show.  The producer, Jennifer Graziano, sold VH1 on a voyeuristic mob show and the cast on her vision of showing the truth of the women’s lives in a way that wouldn’t transgress into betrayal. “I broke it to everyone like, ‘This isn’t about the men,’ ” she recalled in a recent phone interview. “It’s really how the lifestyle itself affects the ladies. And when men go to jail and leave their families behind, what the woman needs to do to support themselves and pick up the pieces.”

11.) March 29, 2012, Author N/A. ‘Mob Wives’ Star Under Fire After Using Gun On Reality Show, Fox News.

Family members of mob underboss Sammy “Bull” Gravano’s victims are pushing for an investigation into whether his daughter, Karen, broke the law by firing a gun on her reality show, “Mob Wives.”The move is the latest bad blood between the families and Gravano after they tried to block her from receiving earnings from her book, “Mob Daughter,” last month.