"Godfather of Pittsburgh" Set to Debut on A&E

A real, live Godfather?
The Godfather of Pittsburgh seems to be garnering interest among some readers.

One of A&E's four new reality series, “Godfather of Pittsburgh,” focuses on Vince Isoldi, an Italian-American who owns nightclubs and restaurants in the Steel City, where he has made friends and enemies, along the way. Eight one-hour episodes, are slated to premiere around now.

Here’s A&E’s Godfather of Pittsburgh announcement:

Pittsburgh is a town ruled by Vince Isoldi, a first-generation Italian American, who has built an empire of nightclubs and restaurants all in hopes of supporting his family. But getting to the top means making a lot of enemies and some of them are kin. While Vince is one of the most revered – and feared – men in the city, all bets are off when he comes home. Between his wife and sons, and his six brothers and sisters, the entire family relies on Vince for jobs, houses and everything in between. The “Godfather of Pittsburgh” takes a fascinating look at a truly original character who finds it hard to walk the ‘straight and narrow’ and still succeed in business.



Vincenzo Isoldi, born in Naples and raised in Pittsburgh – his family immigrated from Naples when he was 7 – is said to own numerous restaurants, nightclubs, properties and buildings in the area.

During the day, the Strip District is a bustling market district where you can find fresh fish, meat, poultry, produce, ethnic foods, and knick-knacks of all kinds at very affordable prices. At night, it becomes one of Pittsburgh’s top nightlife destinations with quite a few nightclubs and bars, including several following the trendy ultra lounge concept.

I don't usually run comments from readers of other sites, but this person, who used their name, but this comment seems to be pretty on target following a perusal of other comments:

Italian American Journal: "What a joke… A&E you wanna buy some swampland in Florida? Because guys were had. Other than his mother and one brother, he is and is surrounded by jokers including the has-been and wanna-be father inlaw. He did make money at the strip club for years when was the only all nude place in town. However, since other nicer clubs have opened over the past few years, Club Erotica has stooped to an all low, including the talent. Since they don’t need a liquor license, the place is an after hours cesspool for thugs, drunks and drug dealers. As an insider, I know first hand that every business he has been or is in are always huge failures, lost big money or had to shut down, by the hands and no brains of family members. His club in the strip has been remolded, renamed and relaunched at least 3-4 times at the cost of well of one million plus or more. They usually start out ok but not long after, the clubs always take a huge downward dive at the hands of family members or Vince himself. They can’t leave well enough alone with nice classy cliental and peaceful atmosphere but they always end up.pushing the good customers away by their own doing. They lower the standards, dress code, rules and so-on always by or at the request of a family member to accommodate the thugs/friends that always in time are the downfall. As far as running the city, he never has nor ever will. When it comes to having pull, I don’t think he could get you a warning from a meter maid on a parking ticket while holding a wad of cash. As an Italian American business owner myself and city resident, I’m insulted by the fact that anyone would refer to him as Godfather of Pittsburgh. You can take the boy out of the ghetto but you can’t take the ghetto out of the boy. Lastly, I’ll admit that has made some money (but lost more) and remember, money can’t buy class."

Comments

  1. Godfather? Please..... his a mob wannabe nothing else. The alone action he did was getting muscled for a piece of his night clubs and restaurants back in the day. The man's a con artist and a degenerate gambler. He burns down his business and cashes in with the insurance money that is mostly it for his criminal career.

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  2. I really do not like the comment from the guy who was quoted in the IAJ about " you can take the boy out of the ghetto" bullshit, my family came from nothing in east Harlem and the South Bronx and as an Italian I'm insulted. You are no bettet than me or anyone else who came from nothing

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  3. I didn't read it to mean it the way you did. I thought he was describing the general stupid view of the types that think that way.

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  4. He reminds me of that dude in Seattle, Frank Colacurcio.

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  5. You need knowledge before you make statements scarpo! You seem to want to look the part rather than get your hands dirty!

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