Guilty pleasure: Growing up Gotti.

It took me no more than 5 minutes of watching to turn that {?} off. Apparently there is no bottom to the level that TV will sink.

I have never watched any of the reality shows but for some very odd reason, this one appeals to me. I saw the first two episodes back to back just the other night and they were totally ridiculous. Haven't caught the latest episode but at some point this week I will. What is the appeal. Is it the gangster aspect? What?

I inadvertently caught the second half of the second episode last night - I thought it was time for Airline.

I loved watching the mother/son dynamics. Talked to some people at work, who to be p.c., are of the same ethnicity. They say it's very real to them. I was totally fascinated - it is sooooo different from my life experience. I was

I knew nothing about it until the Deborah Solomon interview with her in the NYT mag on Sunday. What a face she's got. In her sons, you can see what it used to look like, I guess. The hair can't be real past the clavicle length or so. You can see it go swoosh there and then there's a bunch more. She looks like Donatella Versace is her muse slash idol.

I have TV again but I'm scared of it, I don't want to get sucked back in. So haven't seen any of it.

Be afraid Soz. Be very afraid.

This weeks' episode features botox and collagen ejections. That'll probably end the curiosity for me.

I sorta feel like this show makes Italian-Americans look loud and low. I find it a bit offensive. This is the same reason wny I don't like the Sopranos. What do you guys think?

It's an okay show. It's like driving past a bad car wreck and not being able to stop yourself from looking.

Well said. But isn't that what all reality TV is like?

Absolutely. If you think back on it, Cops was the first reality show on TV.

Seems you're right.

You're absolutely right and, as a Black woman, I can completely empathize with Italian-Americans being sick and tired of seeing themselves depicted this way on tv and in film. I stopped watching the Sopranos because of that and altho' I'm intrigued by this new show, I haven't watched this latest episode yet and starting to doubt if I will for the same reasons. It's the same tired-ass stereotype served up on a very expensive, diamond encrusted platter.

It kind of startled me to have a couple of co-workers tell me they know people like that. And my next door neighbour dated a woman who looks phenomenally like Victoria. She used to pull up in a limo, accompanied by two bodyguards. One of them would go to the house to bring Joe out to her. Scary.

What's needed is a balance. Of course your Italian co-workers know people like that just like I know Amos, Andy and Kingfish, Fred Sanford and Florida Evans' and her ever-growing family living in the projects but I also know the Huxtables, the Jeffersons and the Parkers. I know all kinds of Black people and it's wonderful to see them all depicted in the media nowadays. But it didn't happen until Black people started raising hell and producing their own movies and tv shows. It seems like every group is forced to do that to avoid the stereotype. Look at "Designing Women" or "The Golden Girls". Both of those shows broke down the stereotypes of Southerners, women and being middle-aged and single and both of these programs were written primarily by women. A man simply wouldn't or couldn't imagine them beyond the stereotypes and understandably so. Same for minorities. A White male is not going to understand the life of a Hispanic female.

It's the balance that's lacking with Italian-Americans depicted in the media. Sure, there's the gangster ties, always, but there's also hardworking, lawabiding everyday people just like you and me.

Growing Up Gangsters
I am bewildered at the lack of moral outrage at this show. Doesn't it bother anyone that this woman is living in the lap of luxury with her psychopathic brother's blood money and aparently raising three future killers/gangsters/thieves/extortionists/thugs? Perpetuating a negative stereotype of Italian Americans is just one more reason to be offended by this show. To me, the overriding criticism of this show should be that it represents a complete lack of conscience by the media--anything for ratings and, ergo, money. I consider myself to be open and liberal when it comes to entertainment, but aggrandizing a real-life murderer and his clueless, bimbo sister is where I, personally, would draw the line.

ill admit there are everyday normal italians but then there is still alot of the loud mouth italians if u were to even no us u would understand that were not like wat we seem so stop makin asomptions

Well, I guess I didn't love it that much. I saw 1/2 of the 2nd episode, and haven't had the t.v. on since (except to catch olympic highlights). Since I haven't seen the Sopranos, and walked out of the first Godfather 20+ years ago, what I saw was a revelation to me.

Um, may I offer another perspective here? I grew up on Long Island and happily left the place decades ago. When I saw the first episode of this show, I thought, Jeez, I feel like I'm right back there again.

And I'm not Italian. My point is you don't have on Italian to be loud, argumentative and rude on LI. It goes with the territory...

I agree with you because I'm Italian as well...But I don't get the 'normal italians' part. There is no such thing as normal italians. Lets face it...We may not all be that loud but just people in general who come from long island are loud, open , and crazy. It comes with the territory, and there is nothing wrong with that...but you make a very good point ppl should stop making assumptions from what they see in the movies. Just b/c someone is Italian, it doesn't mean they are automatically in the mafia...ppl should just stop watching movies like that in general if they are gonna be so uptight about it!