Husband of This "Mob Wives" Star Actually Is a Mobster
Alicia DiMichele, wife of a member of the Colombo crime family, will star on VH1's "Mob Wives" when it debuts this year -- with DiMichele and another Philadelphia mob wife replacing Karen Gravano, Ramona Rizzo and Carla Facciolo.
Not exactly breaking news, we know, but what is interesting is some other information posted on Gang Land News last week.
Namely that DiMichele's husband, Edward "Tall Guy" Garofalo, is "figuring to be a major star" in the upcoming season. DiMichele and Garofalo's former marriage is supposedly going to form a centerpiece of the show, according to three sources, Capeci reported, one of them being Karen Gravano.
Apparently, Jennifer has been trying to get DiMichele on the show for some time: According to Philly.com: "Back in January, South Jersey fashionista Alicia DiMichele sounded as if she wanted no part of a Philadelphia spin-off of VH1's "Mob Wives" - even though the hit reality show had reached out to her several times. [Whatever happened to the Philly and Florida spinoffs, anyways?]"
OK -- Karen said it, Jennifer Graziano and VH1 declined to comment, so who do you believe? Well, I for one find it hard to believe that Jen Graziano needs any help from a jailbird gangster who as far as I know has no experience as a television producer of reality shows. Indeed, the Tall Guy seems more familiar with the art of using a baseball bat to persuade people to agree with his thinking, which has been primarily devoted to organized crime. But Karen is claiming the Tall Guy has a beef -- after all his dad was killed by Karen's father, as Karen pointed out.
Not exactly breaking news, we know, but what is interesting is some other information posted on Gang Land News last week.
Alicia DiMichele |
Namely that DiMichele's husband, Edward "Tall Guy" Garofalo, is "figuring to be a major star" in the upcoming season. DiMichele and Garofalo's former marriage is supposedly going to form a centerpiece of the show, according to three sources, Capeci reported, one of them being Karen Gravano.
Interestingly, Alicia has legal troubles all her own -- though she apparently has already started filming for the TV show and only faces a fine.
According to E News Daily, she "is being asked to be re-interviewed about her employment, including her income from the TV show. The feds need this information in order to fine her for helping her husband gangster Edward 'Tall Guy' Garofalo steal thousands of dollars from teamsters pension funds."
According to E News Daily, she "is being asked to be re-interviewed about her employment, including her income from the TV show. The feds need this information in order to fine her for helping her husband gangster Edward 'Tall Guy' Garofalo steal thousands of dollars from teamsters pension funds."
Garofalo's voice may star on the show.
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"I'm a mother of three kids," DiMichele told the Daily News at the time. "I just don't want to be portrayed as something I'm not."
"But DiMichele - a rather attractive mom who happens to be married to a jailed New York mob associate - must have had a change of heart. She subsequently signed a contract to do "Mob Wives." Cameras have been following her in New York, South Philly and Las Vegas."
But it's her husband who Karen Gravano is blaming for the change in performers, if you can call them that, claiming the Tall Guy is the reason why she, and even the two others, was booted off the show. Garofalo "negotiated" to get his wife on the show -- and Karen and the others off, Karen told Capeci.
The name "Garofalo" is spilled across the pages of mob history. Ed's father, "Eddie the Chink," a mob-connected demolition contractor, was killed in the 1990s under orders of then Gambino boss John Gotti by an eight-member hit team led by none other than Sammy The Bull Gravano. (See it yet? But there's more.)
As for the Tall Guy himself, he seems to be a legitimate tough guy. The New York Post reported that "[i]n a scene right out of GoodFellas, mafioso Edward 'Tall Guy' Garofalo Jr. allegedly turned a truck driver’s face into a bloody pulp when he dared honk his horn while the Colombo associate was chatting with a family capo.
"With a build that’s a cross between an NFL linebacker and a commercial-grade refrigerator — and a fuse as short as Joe Pesci’s in the classic mob movie — Garofalo dislikes anything that can be interpreted as disrespect."
The Tall Guy is currently in jail awaiting sentencing -- he faces about seven years in prison -- having pled guilty last year to a gangland slaying also during the 1990s.
Yet it was the Tall Guy who, according to Karen, is secretly producing Mob Wives in that he secured his wife a role on the show -- while managing to oust the other three mob wives: Karen, Ramona and Carla.
Alicia DiMichele, left, with other mob wife Drita. |
She claims she met with DiMichele, who told her Eddie wanted her off the show. If you believe that, okay -- but tell me, why would he also want Ramona and Carla off the show? That trio didn't exactly get along with each other during the previous seasons. And why would Jennifer listen to him, considering she has relations all her own to Cosa Nostra.
It seems more likely that the three wives were dumped maybe to inject some freshness into the show, maybe because of ongoing feuds -- or maybe it comes down to the money, which is the usual reason -- while casting about for new ones. And Alicia sounds like she fits the bill. First, she's a hottie -- a "sexy mother of three," as Capeci reported. And she has legit ties to the mob.
Apparently Jen also gets Tall Guy himself, as well. As Capeci wrote: Garofola will be heard on the show via select tape recordings. An honest to God gangster will speak on Mob Wives! Now that's a first, and it goes a long way toward explaining why Jen may have really, really wanted DiMichele on the show: She gets a bona fide mob wife plus her former husband, a Colombo associate who has some brand recognition of his own in certain circles.
But, according to Karen, "they (Garofola and DiMichele) have a 23-year vendetta and they want it to play out on Mob Wives and maybe affect Danny's trial."
Danny is Daniel Fama, who will be on trial next year for being part of the hit team that killed "Eddie the Chink." That is an unfortunate mob nickname, let me tell you. And Karen, that's a bit of a stretch there, even for you.
The real mystery about all this is the Tall Guy's supposed desire to get his and his ex-wife's story on the show. A gangland source already has said that Colombo capo Teddy Persico "is not happy about all this," meaning the Tall Guy and his wife being on "Mob Wives," a show known for being widely hated by New York's Five Families.
So why would the Tall Guy put himself in such potential danger? Don't know. Teddy is not known for being the most reasonable and forgiving type.
Maybe the Tall Guy knows what he's doing. Or maybe Karen is doing a lot of postulating without proof, we don't know. We're only passing on what we read.
It seems like Drita, Renee and Alicia -- and we assume Big Ang -- are the mob wives from now on. However, Ramona, Carla and Karen still get to be mob wives if they want. Just not on television.
All very stupid
ReplyDeleteI like to bang her That's all she is good for
ReplyDeletenot even ,
Delete^^^ hahah
DeleteWOULD YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY THAT TO HER HUBSAND YOU IDOT
DeleteYes I would Fahg
DeleteWho knows for sure, but vendetta is a long standing tradition, a matter of honor itself, some have been know to last a century. So, it is not so far fetched that someone would have vendetta with anyone and everyone involved with the murder of their father. As far as the ladies ejected from the show, I'm sure they will be fine, and this might lead to another spin-off. It's a good way to keep the public's attention on something other than protecting their own interests from the real gangsters.... the U.S. government & politicians
ReplyDeleteI love this show. Its highly entertaining. And everyone likes a little drama in their life once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one because I absolutely love this show too!
DeleteBig Ang! God love her, she reminds me of my aunt Vena. I like the new spice additions. And Drita, you go girl with your bad ass self, keeping it real.
ReplyDeleteWho knows the real reason other than J Graziano..but as far as K Gravano, it could just be a vanity issue and wants it to be something else. Although my exotic tastes in women does find Karen attractive, she is nothing compared to Dimichele, looks wise. Classic girl hates better looking girl.
ReplyDelete