Friday, June 3, 2011

Mob Wives: Victoria Gotti Sr. - A Mob Wife With Class, Part 1



Victoria Gotti, Sr. is the widow of the late John Gotti, Sr. aka the Teflon Don. She was interviewed by CBS in October, 2006. I thought it would be interesting to hear the perspective of another mob wife, the wife of the Gambino crime family Boss. I was quite surprised by the video to be honest. After watching several episodes of Mob Wives and recalling the show “Growing Up Gotti,” this mob wife is definitely a refreshing change. Soft spoken, and without the use of a single profanity, she answers questions about her family in a sincere and honest manner.

When she is referred to as a mob wife, she shakes her head no. She was not a mob wife, she was “a wife, a mother, an artist.” They discuss her son’s, John Gotti, Jr’s, mistrial. When she got the call she said she cried. Having him home again meant everything to the family. She says they are a normal family. She worries that her son is “hunted prey” and that every time he leaves might be the last time she sees him. She explains that her children were brought up in a very strict home and that she is old fashioned in many ways. Her kids were punished when they did something wrong.

She will be the first to admit that her son made a lot of mistakes and he paid the price, he went to jail for seven years. But he is finished with the mob and she knows in her heart he is done. She says that the lifestyle beat him up emotionally, physically, mentally and he is gray in his early forties. The mansions people talk about are heavily mortgaged. She admits he has an income from wise investments he made, but doesn’t reveal where the money came from. And, she says, her son is an amazing father.

Victoria Gotti says she was a street kid. She had it hard, her parents separated, but it help to toughen her up for the future. She wishes she had the kind of father her son is to his kids. Her husband loved her, protected her and respected her. He would go out all day and take care of his business, but when he came home at night he left all that behind him and he never discussed it at home.

She raised her children a certain way, her daughters were raised to be ladies. Then she starts to choke back tears of anger. She says a “liar” in court said her daughter was discussing mob business with her son -- it never happened, says Mrs. Gotti. Her daughter is willing to take a lie detector test and let the person who lied do the same. It’s just an insult to her daughter to accuse her of talking mob business with her brother. She is very protective of her children.

She talks about how her husband, John, would come home for dinner and while he was eating she would look at the newspaper and then look at him and ask, “Johnny, should I be afraid of you?” and he would just laugh. He didn’t talk about the mob and she wasn’t interested in hearing anything. But some time later they would be at odds because she never wanted her son to be in the mob. She thought her husband felt the same way.

John Jr. would get into trouble over the years, she says, but she would discipline him and if her husband was around she would get between the two of them because her husband would go crazy. She insisted on doing all the discipline herself because her husband was out most of the time. She told him this was her job and if she needed his help she would ask him. And she recalls that many times her husband John would tell her that he could see that his son wanted to be in the mob and “it wasn’t gonna happen.” So, later on, when she picked up a newspaper and saw that her son was a marked man, that there was a contract out on him, she was totally blindsided. Her whole world shattered, she was stunned, she couldn’t concentrate, she was in a constant state of disbelief. She went to see her husband, who really didn’t answer her questions, but adamantly denied that any harm would come to their son.  Part 1 is about 9 minutes long.



What's your take on the widow of the Teflon Don?  Does she remind you of the Mob Wives we watch every Sunday on VH-1 8pm/ 7pm Central?

Video Credit: CBS Broadcasting Co.

5 comments:

Jnettemariee said...

She seems like a smart, classy women from what I've seen on this clip. I was very intersting to watch, and I look forward to the other clips. I've been curious how the Gotti's compared to these ladies. Thanks Chiara

Linda said...

I totally believe that she believes everything she said. I was not there. I don't know the history. But I believe she is a wizened Renee and Drita of sorts; I instantly liked her in the video and respect that she took control of her kids when Gotti was unavailable. I would love to see the Mob Wives 15 years from now to see how they have evolved. Great interview!

Mister Sister said...

I believe I saw this when it aired. I watched "The Gottis" when it was on. She is quite classy - yet, she knows what her husband was, and spent that money. I believe she was more of a recluse that our "Mob Wives". Victoria's show was terrible- and showed how spoiled the boys were, but, showed there were expectations for them. Just like anyone else, they have their sins, we have ours- I imagine they can't fathom the one they are sleeping with kills. How could they?
Does anyone know if her father was a Mobser?
Ro - former Love

Chiara Soprano said...

Very glad you enjoyed the interview, I did too. I will be posting part 2 today. Unfortunately there were only two parts. Ro, I have no idea if her father was a mobster, that might be worth looking into son time soon. She said she had a hard life and I don't think she had "luxuries so I am leaning towards no. I think it was a great way to compare her to today's mob wives. She is like an older Carmela Soprano!

Anonymous said...

You can learn a lot about parents through their children and I have to say, the Gotti family is not nothing what has been written about them in the media. Victoria Gotti and brother, John Gotti Jr. Are very intelligent and mature. If you haven't read Victoria Gotti's book, (she wrote five, choose any one book) you need to. She's not some bimbo claiming to be an Author. She really is an Author. She writes her own book and let me just say, Authors nowadays are stupid. Victoria is a classic, old school Author. She is well read and knows how to bring you into her world with words. I was shocked. In fact, I don't see her as Victoria Gotti, John Gotti's daughter. This woman is all her own woman. If I were lucky enough to bump into Victoria Gotti walking down the street, (I'm not that fortunate) I would say to her, "Ms. Victoria, you are one damn good writer!" That's it.
As for brother, John Gotti, I saw an interview of him and I do recall the media always putting this man out as some dumb airhead who got by with his father's blessing. Well, when I watched his interview, he is Super Intelligent and very mature for his age and clearly, he did not need his father to make a life for himself. It is very clear that John and Victoria Gotti Sr. have done very well for their children. They made certain their children were educated. These are things you don't hear about but it's very clear that John and Victoria had raised their children well. These children were very loved and well educated.
Good Job John and Victoria Sr.

Sincerely,
Rosalie Marie