Shellackhead wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 7:29 pm
Hahaha she’s cute & if she’s 25 & he’s in his 40s then she’s definitely in it for the money & fucking a broke younger guy on the side
Thanks Shellackhead
Haha ,first The button mans daughter now this SMFH, Man I would never thought this stuff would happen 5 years ago ,Sammys Kids and gran kids, At least mad crazy money , Can there be money on this show MBA ?
The episode with his wife sitting there, and Tom visibly drunk, was pretty awkward. The Q and A's are starting to fizzle out a little, too, because John really isn't too forthcoming with a lot of things. On top of that, he refuses to answer things he doesn't have first hand experience on - which ultimately, is a good thing - but doesn't make for much of a Q and A when he just repeats that he doesn't know, or no comment, etc.
Looking forward to see where they take the show. It's funny that they've managed to steer clear (by design) of the rat-grifter drama, which I think gives the show a lot more legitimacy - but at the same time, will interview and shout out people like Gunner and Luisi.
I know John's got a lot more stories... again, would rather hear him just riff and tell random stories about the day-to-day, stories about back in the day, stories about the Castelle crew, etc. versus Q and A sessions ... but if anything has a shot at more monetization potential, it's getting people involved and engaged, so I get it.
The Q and A is fine with me... they do an okay job filtering the questions.
I question the ethical decision to put Pennisi's daughter on a while back, but that's their business and I didn't mind the interview itself. I don't need to see her friend do a cooking show, maybe that's just me, but the daughter was sharp and added more dimensions to Pennisi's story (the point of the show).
The last couple pages of this thread are a good example of why not to show your wife off on a mob podcast, haha. No idea why you'd bring her on just to sit there with nothing to say... she's distracting and it's not like you need her to sell the show. Half the viewers probably just got done looking at porn anyway and don't need Tom LaVecchia's wife as incentive to watch someone talk about capos and consiglieres.
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The thing Pennisi has to his advantage is his membership and understanding of the life. He can keep this show going a long time because as a former member he can always offer his take on new indictments and other info that hits the public.
The reason all of these associates are caught up in drama with each other is because they were running out of stories. All of the associates except Calandra have tried to say that the mafia doesn't matter, how they're the real tough guys, how they could have taken out the entire mafia if they wanted, etc. After a certain point, people really don't give that much of a shit about the weight of drugs you trafficked or who you robbed and beat up, so these guys either have to start lying or beefing on each other to maintain interest. People can watch black gangbangers and get the same stories, probably even more interesting in some cases.
What gives a made member the advantage is they can continue to talk about current events from the POV of a made member. If a new Lucchese or Gambino bust comes down in 2022, Pennisi is going to have hours of new material just giving his take on it. He's already done that with Philly. Are stories about his ~5 years as a member going to run on fumes at some point? Sure, and maybe they already are after doing 30 podcasts in 30 days. But look at what someone like Franzese has managed to create with just a few fumes left.
Anyway, I find it interesting watching how these different guys try to build their "brand".
Yeah LaVecchia throwing his wife on the show seems like a desperation move, and I’m not sure why he needed to make it **UNLESS** his wife felt left out and wanted to show off that she’s a smokeshow. Which I’m not even mad at. Kudos to her. And to him.
I also think it’s smart of LaVecchia and Pennisi to mostly avoid the rat drama going on with all the other guys. Because A) it looks tacky and B) there will 10000% be more informants down the line. Why put it out there that you like drama and are messy? I feel like the MBA show is much more likely to pull in other guests simply from the fact the hosts aren’t constantly calling other people fake ass punks.
Last edited by Amershire_Ed on Tue Jul 06, 2021 5:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
B. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 5:06 pm
The Q and A is fine with me... they do an okay job filtering the questions.
I question the ethical decision to put Pennisi's daughter on a while back, but that's their business and I didn't mind the interview itself. I don't need to see her friend do a cooking show, maybe that's just me, but the daughter was sharp and added more dimensions to Pennisi's story (the point of the show).
The last couple pages of this thread are a good example of why not to show your wife off on a mob podcast, haha. No idea why you'd bring her on just to sit there with nothing to say... she's distracting and it's not like you need her to sell the show. Half the viewers probably just got done looking at porn anyway and don't need Tom LaVecchia's wife as incentive to watch someone talk about capos and consiglieres.
--
The thing Pennisi has to his advantage is his membership and understanding of the life. He can keep this show going a long time because as a former member he can always offer his take on new indictments and other info that hits the public.
The reason all of these associates are caught up in drama with each other is because they were running out of stories. All of the associates except Calandra have tried to say that the mafia doesn't matter, how they're the real tough guys, how they could have taken out the entire mafia if they wanted, etc. After a certain point, people really don't give that much of a shit about the weight of drugs you trafficked or who you robbed and beat up, so these guys either have to start lying or beefing on each other to maintain interest. People can watch black gangbangers and get the same stories, probably even more interesting in some cases.
What gives a made member the advantage is they can continue to talk about current events from the POV of a made member. If a new Lucchese or Gambino bust comes down in 2022, Pennisi is going to have hours of new material just giving his take on it. He's already done that with Philly. Are stories about his ~5 years as a member going to run on fumes at some point? Sure, and maybe they already are after doing 30 podcasts in 30 days. But look at what someone like Franzese has managed to create with just a few fumes left.
Anyway, I find it interesting watching how these different guys try to build their "brand".
You are right. These former LCN associates are different from former LCN made men. These ex LCN associates talk about being an example to children, now they are are talking about fighting each other. That weirdo JC wants to fight Hootie.
It kills some of these guys that they were never made. To make up for it, they brag about being smarter, tougher, and more deserving than most made members and eventually some of them start making up lies about being proposed for membership or even made in secret ceremonies. Steve Lenehan was an early version of this online but instead of YouTube it was the mafia boards.
You can tell Calandra still admires made guys after all these years. He's said outright that all of the Bath Ave kids wanted nothing else in life but to become made guys. Contrast that with these other associates on Youtube who say "I didn't want to be made anyway," "I was bigger/better than the mob," etc. meanwhile you can taste the bitterness of never having been a member. The exception with Calandra seems to be Franzese, but only because Franzese lies about his cooperation.
If you wanna see someone’s heart break live on TV, watch the Arilotta+Luisi interview with Alite and Borello when Luisi essentially says “without a button, you’re a jerkoff”. And Borello tries to change the subject of the conversation to how some earners don’t have to put in work and therefore aren’t “real gangsters”. He basically tries to imply that associates that put in work mean more to the borgata than guys turning in fat envelopes, and Luisi (whose own membership isn’t exactly on the firmest ground) essentially laughed and said “sure, kid”.
Luisi could tell that Gene was trying to get everyone to talk shit about Franzese and said “no, yeah, I heard what you said about that guy...”.
Yeah we've come a long way from the first mob podcast beef, where Gene Borello called Franzese out for using words like caporegime only to be put in his place by both Franzese and Pennisi. Innocent times, haha.
That's one of the problems with the guys like Lindbloom, Alite/Borello, and Russo -- they trash and downplay the mafia and made members, then try to act like they have the inside scoop on what goes on inside the organization as much as a member would. Sure the mafia sucks at being a secret society and gossip spreads throughout Howard Beach, but there is a difference between a made guy casually mentioning that someone is a skipper or made member to an associate he knows vs. actually attending members-only meetings and going through the protocol. Pennisi has made that clear, and so do guys like DiLeonardo when they talk.
I wish Gravano would get more into the politics and protocol. We know from some of the lesser known parts of the Gotti tapes that John Gotti was much sharper on that front than many people realize (talking about ways to get around the rule for electing a new consigliere, etc.) and Gravano must have been as well. Would rather hear Gravano talk about high-level Gambino politics than forcing himself into the plot of Murder Machine.
Meanwhile Paulie Tanso watches on, the only made member on any of these shows who never flipped. The meek shall inherit the mob podcast world.
B. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 5:27 pm
It kills some of these guys that they were never made. To make up for it, they brag about being smarter, tougher, and more deserving than most made members and eventually some of them start making up lies about being proposed for membership or even made in secret ceremonies. Steve Lenehan was an early version of this online but instead of YouTube it was the mafia boards.
You can tell Calandra still admires made guys after all these years. He's said outright that all of the Bath Ave kids wanted nothing else in life but to become made guys. Contrast that with these other associates on Youtube who say "I didn't want to be made anyway," "I was bigger/better than the mob," etc. meanwhile you can taste the bitterness of never having been a member. The exception with Calandra seems to be Franzese, but only because Franzese lies about his cooperation.
Yes B. You nailed it better then any psychoanalysts or clinician could , These guys are PTSD and OCD over not being made and or ratting , Hootie and Gene , luisi ,Steve Lenehan and others are case studies for Mob induced psychosis, and narcissistic personality disorders,
B. wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 6:31 pm
I wish Gravano would get more into the politics and protocol. We know from some of the lesser known parts of the Gotti tapes that John Gotti was much sharper on that front than many people realize (talking about ways to get around the rule for electing a new consigliere, etc.) and Gravano must have been as well. Would rather hear Gravano talk about high-level Gambino politics than forcing himself into the plot of Murder Machine.
I'm with you, the politics and protocol are the topics i most want to hear about.
he was on Vlad tv and still only has around 6k subscribers.I really dont think they are making money from YT only by those $500 zoom calls.YT is very hard to make money from,there's no specific number, 2 videos have 1 million views but 1 video makes more money because the people watching are 18-45 demographic vs a video who has over 50s men.A YT channel that reviews video games is much more valuable for ad space than a mob channel because the vast majority of people into video games will go out and buy electronics and the latest equipment and games vs mob channel who alot of them are older men.Sammy and MF have the most subscribes from the mob genre 300k and 500k sub but im willing to bet some guy who talks about video games with 50k subscribers makes more money
bluehouse wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 8:08 pm
he was on Vlad tv and still only has around 6k subscribers.I really dont think they are making money from YT only by those $500 zoom calls.YT is very hard to make money from,there's no specific number, 2 videos have 1 million views but 1 video makes more money because the people watching are 18-45 demographic vs a video who has over 50s men.A YT channel that reviews video games is much more valuable for ad space than a mob channel because the vast majority of people into video games will go out and buy electronics and the latest equipment and games vs mob channel who alot of them are older men.Sammy and MF have the most subscribes from the mob genre 300k and 500k sub but im willing to bet some guy who talks about video games with 50k subscribers makes more money
They said they don't make money from it, they just want the show to break-even. Socialblade is pretty reliable if you want to see how much money MF/SG pull down. Pretty good for the work they put in.
