Growing Up Gotti

I admit that some notorious criminals may hold a certain fascination to viewers of reality shows. I am even sufficiently endowed with a huge circle of friends of many 'preferences in entertainment' to grant you that even minor criminals (still murderous but less stylish, say) can grab your attention for a few episodes. I am far more dubious about people whose only claim to notoriety is being the wife / daughter / grandson of some petty hit-man. It's not their ignorance, cursing, rudeness or immense self-indulgence that puts me off. I can endure that if the people in question display ANY kind of talent, interesting quirkiness or even clinical schizophrenia. I cannot endure it for more than the 15 minutes I was exposed to by a not-all-that-well-meaning friend when it's a case of "Watch us! See how brainless AND rich we are. Look how it's possible to live on Blood Money and no talent whatsoever in modern America". It is idiotic but not in a funny way. And creepy but in a way that diminishes the humanity of the God knows how many victims these people founded their money, vulgarity and tastelessness upon. As a half-Italian good old fashioned communist girl I took particular offense at the implied witless remarks suggesting Italy is still ruled by the Mafia. That is only the South, so kudos for getting Naples right and Tuscany wrong. And general shame on you as to the cable A&E or "Bio." channel I saw this on. You used to be better. Not by any means good (except when borrowing British whodunits) but so much better than this purposeless, offensive yet somewhat strangely impossible-to-make-compelling farce.

I read the other user comment about this show being touching. When is that? All they ever do is yell and shout and fight with each other. She spends $100,000 on a graduation party for the boys and they look like

they hate her for it. Do they thank her? No. Do they give a nice speech about how we love our ma? No. When do they ever give a hug and kiss on the cheek? Thanks for all the great things ma? Never. She is always putting everyone down. Her assistant can't do anything right in her eyes. She goes on a couple of blind dates and she grills the poor guys and then calls her friends for help, "get me outta here!" This guys a loser. In Vikki's eyes EVERYONE is a loser, except her. I'm sick of it.

I really don't like this show at all. Mainly because promoting it as a reality show is false advertising, in my opinion. The only thing real about it is the fact that everything is really staged. Of course, I realize that other reality shows do this.. Shows like.. 'Surreal Life'.. 'Big Brother'.. 'Survivor'.. 'Tommy Lee Goes to College'.. 'Celebrity Fit Club' and many more.. But shows like these are based on the premise of putting people and celebrities in a created environment.. Then watching what happens. 'Growing up Gotti' is supposed to be a look at this family.. In their own environment.. A peek inside their daily lives.. But it isn't. New characters have been thrown in, and others taken away for entertainment's sake. Situations are clearly set up. And it is still boring and irritating. Victoria's narration is badly written. Clearly this is a desperate attempt to pull each episode together..somehow. Still, my biggest problem with this show.. The absolute deal-breaker is the fact that.. I don't find anyone on it the least bit likable or interesting. Ms. Gotti's 'job' can't be taken seriously. She comes and goes as she pleases..I can't remember seeing her do any work at all. I want that job. And those boys.. Spoiled, rude brats..and they just don't seem very bright at all. The show was funny because of the stupidity..at first. Now..its just an embarrassment. Please..someone..Make it stop.

I remember seeing ads for a new show called "Growing Up Gotti" on a couple of networks I watch. However, I only ever saw the end of the commercial and me living in a dark corner of the universe hadn't a clue who John Gotti was. It wasn't until after the first episode my friend felt it best to inform me.

"You have to watch this show, Victoria Gotti is my new role model. She's great, an older version of us and did I mention her sons are hot, hot, hot!"

Now, keep in mind my friend usually thinks anything that has two legs and is remotely cute is gorgeous, which is why I tuned into the show reluctantly. However the minute I saw "Mothers Day" I found a new favorite show.

Now, some people say the show uses sex appeal by the guys to keep viewers around which is somewhat true, I agree to an extent that they do, but that is not however, what makes them stay. No my friends, what makes you watch every week is how "real" this reality show really is.

Victoria and the boys are just being themselves. And when you might be outraged by the boys rude and crude behavior and think Victoria is to old for her antics you're secretly addicted. Come on, admit it, you know you want to. I swear it feels better once you get it out, trust me.

Did you not laugh when Victoria posed Luigi as a count? Did you not watch and wonder what Victoria had up under her sleeve as punishment for John and his tattoo? Are you not amazed at all the yelling and screaming over one little bottle of hair gel? We are a curious society and when we find something new and peculiar, we cling to it.

That is why my friends I was and still am sucked in and you probably are to.

I do not like Growing Up Gotti for the simple fact that Victoria and her three sons are very spoiled and rude. It is terrible that someone can pay people like this to air their lives over television. There are so many other people in this world who's lives would be so much more interesting to watch other than a bunch of ungrateful people such as the Gotti's. Why not have a reality show about a teacher or a police officer, those who are under-paid and over-worked. These are people who really affect the lives of people. What is happening to this world! I guess as a consumer, I am guilty of contributing to this nonsense by watching this stuff on television. It is just a shame how all the money goes to the wrong places.