Growing Up Gotti

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.

What is it about Victoria Gotti? She's got something doesn't she? I mean, she must have something, because she's become a household name long after all that Mafia and FBI stuff.

I remember her from, years ago, when she blurted out to a local newsman, "My father is the last of the Mohicans." Mind you, she said this as she was getting into her Cadillac and it was classic.

I knew then and there that she was not going to wind up making marinara sauce for the guys. She was an American original.

So, after years of wiretaps and heavy-handed prosecution, the whole government thing was one-upped by Victoria's quick-witted and memorable sound bites. Her off-handed remarks are more or less the Rosetta Stone for anyone who might find themselves thrust into the national spotlight for infamous reasons.

She's so darn intelligent and savvy, yet she surrounds herself with such dopey people? Luigi? What's his purpose? I hate to think that he's some comic relief thrown in by the producers. The guys she gets to chaperone her sons are morons -- she gets rid of them but it's always after the fact. Her gay friend is on the ball -- why not a little more about him? Yes, I like Victoria -- she's a good mother and a good role model for women in general. Don't bother me with Mafia stuff or that Daughter-of-a-Mafia-Don baloney -- watch the show and see what it means to be a mother with ultra energetic sons. Smart women and good mothers can come from anywhere -- don't watch this show with prejudice.

Victoria never hijacked a truck, but she might hijack your heart. Damien

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.