Mob Wives Chicago: No Season Two Rest In Peace?

Pouring for the homies of Mob Wives Chicago

Word has been passed down to us that there will be NO season 2 for Mob Wives Chicago.  Right now I really don't want to believe it.  Frankly I can see why with the lackluster numbers & Facebook unfriending drama unfolding during season 1.  In spite of my not really being fond of all the cast members, I wish them all success.  Yes, I am sad for each of the ladies of the Mob Wives Chicago.  A season two would've been great for each of them.  However, I have no doubt most of the women will be just fine.  Nora Schweihs has her Master's Degree & wine to cuddle up next to each night.  Renee Fecarotta has Eye Candy & her pretty daughters.  Leah DeSimone has her hair, eye shadow & most importantly her delightful parents.  Christina Scoleri has her daughter & (I'm sure by now) dish soap.  Pia Rizza has Bella & her survival attitude that will keep them afloat.

Mob Wives Chicago may be as dead as Al Capone.  However, I'll keep hope alive for all the women.  I also am hoping Mob Wives Florida is picked up by VH1 & green lighted for production soon.  I think Kimberly Gambino and her personalities friends would be a treat to see on the small screen.  Rumors are flying around about the casting.  However, once I caught a glimpse of Mrs. Gambino on The Big Ang Show, how could Jennifer Graziano pass up on a Gambino with sex appeal & major personality?

Recently, it's been brought to our attention that the production leak was indeed a hoax.  The author was allegedly written by a young man named Jeff who is no stranger to spending time in jail.  It seems he, if I have the right Jeff, beat the mother of his child breaking her spline.  What a winner!

Rest in peace Mob Wives Chicago, every time I grab an handful of Garret's Popcorn I'll think of the most confusing cast of friends & not really friends ever.  How about that!

Photo credit: Our Bookie

Mob Wives Chicago: Production Theory, Rumors or Fact?

UPDATE: This is a hoax. It was the work of an individual named Jeff.

Recently an alleged member of Mob Wives Chicago production team reached out to us.  Whenever this happens I get all warm & fuzzy inside because it's usually the good stuff.  An added bonus is they tend to be articulate & refrain from telling us what & how to blog.  They're always smart enough to realize we don't give f*ck what they want.

The informant makes it clear he/she is not a final decision maker.  We are one of three sites he admits to monitoring.  I have a feeling Hollywood Life & Reality Tea are the other two.  The sources goal is either to make us look like complete jackasses, piss off Jennifer Graziano and/or give the Mob Wives Chicago fans & viewers some logical tidbits of information to quiet the social media hysteria running amuk.  We will never truly know.  However, we decided to give you the juice our way.

When you see ... I've omitted information out of respect for certain individuals & the process.  My site, my call and I'm good with it.  If you are not, I suggest you refrain from reading any further.  Everything in orange is the informant's words, not mine.

We were told there were some major obstacles in casting Mob Wives Chicago.  With Mob Wives Jennifer Graziano knew all the players & the dynamics.  She knew who was who on & off paper.  Mob Wives Chicago was a different story.  The informant shares, "With the anchor Mob Wives, we had all the information needed to cast women that were relevant and definitively connected to the "mob". The creator had extensive life knowledge of the people involved and was therefore able to confidently cast those women with an understanding that their stories, connections, and ongoing lifestyles would stand the test of not only the viewers, but perhaps more importantly, the "mob" itself, NOT THE CASE in regards to MWC."

The source also claims there was a direct linkage to "The German" through a family member of one of the Mob Wives of Staten Island.  The other Windy City mob wives were in production's radar by research, inside calls & contacts.  The informant shares, "The problem with that was that the show had already been pitched, accepted, and slated for a season and time slot. This created a scramble to cast the show and begin production."  

The informant confirms Nora's claims that she is the one who recommended Pia for the show.  Additional research confirmed Pia's legitimate connections to The Outfit.  Production learned her ties ran much deeper than they believed originally. Pay-dirt!

He/she believes production's 1st misstep was the casting of Christina Scoleri.  I laugh learning this & think, 'Tell me something I don't know.'  He/she states Christina didn't have a job & could meet time requirements.  Christina's father could only be confirmed of having a criminal record. The source continued, "... it was evident that he was a petty thief. This guy may have grown up around and had conversations with "mobsters" but he was not connected to the "mob" by any stretch of the imagination. She claimed that he was a thief and a fence for the "mob". ANYONE who knows anything about the "mob" can easily tell you that the "mob" needs no fence. If they want electronics they don't ask a small time crook to break into cars or homes as his record reflects. The "mob" will roll the whole G*d damned store or better yet, hijack the ship the goods are sailing in on! Needless to say, Christina Scoleri perpetrated a fraudulent story and is not connected with the "mob" by any means whatsoever.  She was actually the last one of two to even be offered a contract as we saw this train wreck coming long before it happened. Our original intention was to only allow her on the show part time, as a supporting cast member. What changed that was Christina's desperation to remain on the show and increase her role, and with it, her paychecks. She was willing to do anything..... regardless of friendship or how it would look for her public image.  Anyone who wonders what I'm talking about with this, just remember how no one could make any sense out of her antagonizing Pia and Nora in the pilot episode nonetheless physically fighting with Pia. She would do anything the production team asked her to do. She had no morals, no loyalty, and no concern for her image. While she served our intended purpose for the season, it is the unanimous view of all involved that she is of no use moving forward. She has no story, she has no connections, she had no job coming into MWC and rest assured she no longer has a job with us either. I mean seriously, the franchise is called MOB WIVES and that denotes an affiliation to the "mob", either directly or through their saturation in the lifestyle. Christina Scoleri has neither."  One has to love the loyalty aspect of people. Go Mob Wives Chicago!  Let's all say ouch together.  Here we go all together 1-2-3:

OUCH!

Christina recommended Leah in order to have a friend to defend her & someone in her corner. "Leah was cast after heavy lobbying by Christina.  Her father, Wolf was a pleasure to work with (as was her lovely mother).... What made a strong case for Leah were her characteristics. We knew that a strong faction of viewers would fall in love with her and we were correct in that assumption. Unfortunately, not enough people tuned in each week for Leah to develop into quite what we expected her to. We like Leah. Everybody wants her to stick around. We are trying to figure out in what capacity...

Renee Fecarotta with Jennifer Graziano

Renee was cast based on her family ties through her uncle for the most part. We dismiss previous claims from a relative that her connection to her uncle is bogus. Believe me we do our research. Any claims that Renee had nothing to do with her uncle are born of personal resentment and do not reflect reality. She also has other "mob" connections, some of which were explored during filming, such as her ex.  Renee has tested well and we have very strong positive feedback on her which gives us many reasons to want to continue working with her. More on that later.

Okay it's later:" Wow this individual has a sense of humor too! The source goes on to tell us Mob Wives Chicago will not be having a reunion, which everyone including Leah's hair knew.  He/she goes on to explain, "... we do not need to rehash much of the failed.... relationships that have caused this show to be more of a hindrance than a path to success for the franchise. This show is NOT done, but this cast as you know it is toast. Christina is axed, bottom line. She has no story and has been an embarrassment on social media. Leah is likely to be a part of a season 2 or other avenues we will explore. Specifically, these avenues will be travelled by Renee and Pia. Aside from Season 2 of MWC, we have options with Renee in regards to Eye Candy (the people love it). We can make a show based entirely on her connections, Eye Candy, and her family life. Viewers loved Renee and we will continue to capitalize on her success."  The source made it clear it's his/her opinion about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in regards to Ms. Fecarotta.

Sidebar: I have to share I think Renee Fecarotta is a great find for reality television.  She's not my cup of tea per her judgmental ways and attack mode switch on camera & online.  Online she attacked Big T telling him never to contact her daughter again.  He denied ever contacting Giana.  Giana asked her mother to stop.  She did finally!  Weeks later,  Renee attempted to correct Underboss over his parody.  Yes she's a genius.  Then eventually Renee & Giana went full on Twitter attack when we posted about the saint of all saints Octtavio Volpe.  What can I type?  The apple don't fall far from the tree.

The source continues, "Nora is finished. While she was amazing in terms of being completely volatile and provided plenty of comedic relief, she was a terror to work with. Constant whining, endless issues, and a healthy dose of no one having any idea what she was even thinking half the time have left everyone (well almost everyone) with the resolve to end her story and with it, her tenure on MWC. This is where many of you get the notion that the show has been tied up, because we provided an epilogue for Nora's plot-line. Notice however, we really only tied up Nora herself. She's gone, at least in any major capacity moving forward." O-M-G no Nora, how in the hell are we going to do The Battle of the Eyes Two?!

Back to why you're reading, "Pia on the other hand has actually exceeded our expectations. Our viewers loved her. We expected her to be a hit among males, but in actuality Pia tests strongest among females. People look up to her. This is in part due to her story on the show, but more so due to 2 other factors: her accomplishments career wise while the show was airing and after, as well as her being the only star to remain positive on social media. She ignores vulgar displays and talk on Twitter when under attack from Nora and Christina. You know who else was great at that? Drita D'Avanzo and Karen Gravano. "  Now I don't know how long this individual has been on Twitter.  We all know DriZILLA has lied time & time again about us being Ramona & Karen or Karen & Ramona running our site.  And Karen has gone HAM a time or two on Twitter.  I admit neither of them took it to the beyond bitter & dumb levels that Christina did.  So kudos to Drita for now being my second to the least favorite mob wife.  She's moving on up!  The source goes on to share their opinion that image is everything.  They also share we may be seeing a friend of a cast member become a mob wife in the future.  The woman tested very well and her mob ties are indisputable.  They also share we may or may not get to see more of Giana Volpe.  Oh boy I just can't wait! [insert eye roll]

News Flash: Your father plead guilty. It's public record. Thank you!

The source finally wraps it up with the following, "I hope this insight can be of use and relief to at least some fans of MWC and Mob Wives franchise. We understand the need for a better time slot and a better season period aside from summer. This is not by any means an easy issue to resolve. We do take into consideration the competition that this show was up against in season one and will look to slate it better upon its continuation. I mean seriously, the Olympics, Big Brother, BET Awards, Yankees-Red Sox games, and other award shows made it extremely difficult to find our viewer base. Just trust that we know what we’re doing here. We’re pretty good at producing great shows around here. We all know we fell short with season 1 of MWC, but we WILL get it right. Trust."

I don't trust anyone besides Chiara & Underboss.  I don't know this individual from a roach on a food truck.  Hell do I think this is real? Yes.  Would I bet my last $5 bucks on it? No.  I will share the individual is quite astute with great organizational skills when writing.  They suggested we take this information with a grain of salt.  I decided to eat a donut & fart instead.  Let's all hope this information is legitimate and there will be a season 2 of Mob Wives Chicago.  I did try to reach Jennifer Graziano for comment twice.  Neither time did I have a chance to question her about this information.  However, that broad don't be giving up nothing anyways!  *shrugs* She is a busy lady, oh well.  

Mob Wives Chicago: No Talk of Reunion Show

Mob Wives Chicago, It's A Wrap!

No Episode 111 Reunion Show

I have been waiting, like most fans and viewers, for word of a Mob Wives Chicago Reunion Show. Reunions shows typically follow a week or two after the finale and rehash all the drama that was aired during the season. But to date, I have not heard that a Reunion Show is in the works for season one of Mob Wives Chicago.

I have been thinking about this for a couple of days now. As I sit here behind my computer, I am disappointed that a Reunion Show hasn’t been mentioned and may not take place. I wonder why? Surely there is something that can be rehashed in an hour show?

Someone made an observation to me and it made sense. If you look at the finale, it seems that all the lose ends were tied up with a big red ribbon. Everyone’s problems and issues were sort of resolved. Christina, for example, has gotten her divorce out in the open and taken a step towards independence with her internship. Renee has full custody of Isabella and has made peace with Giana about her father. She has even taken the first step into working things out with Dave. Nora has closure because she now knows it was her father in the grave and she was able to cremate the remains and give him the burial she felt he deserved. Even her wine, “The German,” was set to come out as the show wrapped up lose ends. Pia has given up pole dancing and has turned to a more respectable way of earning a living. She certainly made the most of this opportunity to capitalize on the exposure the show gave her. And Leah’s situation with her mom’s health unfortunately cannot be resolved as quickly. Fighting cancer is a long battle and an emotional roller coaster. I know Leah will be at her mother’s side, loving her, supporting her and encouraging her. But what about the friendships between the women?

So what is left to rehash on the reunion? What about the friendships between the women?  If you follow Twitter, you can’t even figure out who is friends with who any more. If I knew, I would tell you. All I can be sure of is that Leah and Pia have gotten close and support each other. Leah and Renee are at each other’s throats. And, the “Taylor Street” girls, Leah and Christina, are also angry at each other, I don‘t know why. It’s all very confusing. I would have thought that would have made for a great reunion show because obviously something went down off camera, after the last episode was filmed. They never said what caused the blowups, and I for one, would love to hear the whole story from the all the horses’ mouths.

What do you think? Do we need a reunion show? Is there enough controversy here for a season two? As Leah often says, “stay tuned.

Mob Wives Chicago: DNA Results “Inconclusive”

The DNA Results!

You are/You are not, the father!

As we saw in the finale of Mob Wives Chicago, Nora’s father was exhumed and samples were taken from the body for DNA testing. The results were said to be "inconclusive." I was surprised at that because I felt DNA was highly reliable. Many readers and viewers had questions as to what the term “inconclusive” means and why such results were reported. I decided to look into the DNA matter and see what the scientific literature has to say about this topic.

Most times, DNA testing produces “conclusive” results, regarding the issue of paternity or an issue requiring identification of an individual, when there is a match. DNA results can also be “exclusive” and be used to eliminate a person, when there is clearly no match. However, there are cases where the results are “inconclusive” and the reasons for this vary. An inconclusive result means the person cannot be included or excluded, based on the sample tested...no definitive answer.

According to one source, the DNA recovered from an exhumed body is not always successful. “Recovery of DNA from exhumed remains is reasonably successful, however, not guaranteed.  Generally a number  of  different  sample  types  are  collected,  in  the  event  that  one  does  not  yield  suitable DNA. Arrangements for sample collection can often be made through a funeral home or whoever exhumes the body. Recommended sample types include the following: Fingernails, Tissue Section (1 cm), Tooth, or Femur.” Often it is recommended that DNA be taken from the tooth pulp or bone marrow, where it tends to be better preserved. 

The reasons for an inconclusive result are either there was an insufficient amount of sample collected, or the quality of the sample used was too old or degraded. I don’t know which types of samples were collected from the body of Nora’s father for analysis. I can’t be sure if the inconclusive results were due to too small a quantity or poor quality or other reason. Maybe they used degraded tissue instead of tooth pulp or marrow from the bone.

However, what I do know is that DNA testing has become more and more sensitive over recent years. They have a DNA test called PCR (polymerase chain reaction) which allows a small sample to be made larger by multiplying DNA pairs several times over. There are other far more sensitive tools also being used. I was reading a 2007 study, for example, where the World War II remains of 27 people, found in a two mass graves in Slovenia. DNA was removed from teeth and the femur bone and was analyzed for identification purposes. The DNA was compared to that taken from 69 potential relatives. Out of the 27 samples processed, 15 revealed full, conclusive results, the other 12 only partial results. So, for more than half of the bodies, which were buried over 60 years, results were able to be obtained. (Link STUDY)

This is just a very brief explanation, there is much more to DNA testing than I could ever understand or explain. But for those of you with inquisitive minds like mine, this a basic answer with a little “extra” information.

Quote: chromosomal-labs.com

Mob Wives Chicago: Finale Recap, Ep 111

Wolf talks to Leah about her mom's condition

Pia visits Renee, and Renee can’t wait to hear about her meeting with Nora. Pia says she hardly had a chance to say anything before Nora went running out the door. Renee says that is typical of Nora. Pia asks about Giana. Renee tells her that she did not tell Giana that she spoke to her father, who she feels is trying to turn her against Renee. Renee says when he started talking she just screamed at him and now she is worried how Giana is going to take it when he tells her Renee went ballistic. She is afraid she is pushing Giana away. Pia asks about the Boston trip with Dave. Pia senses Renee’s heart isn’t into her relationship with Dave. They both agree Renee needs to focus on Giana first.

Leah and Wolf meet in the park. Leah says her mother is depressed and not doing what the doctors say. Leah wants her to fight. Her heart is weak and they had to stop the chemo treatments. She doesn’t want her mom to give up. Her father says that’s her choice. Leah thinks he is being harsh. Leah says, as hard as it is, she can come to terms with losing her mother, but she says she would rather die before her father. She worries about his health. Her father wants her to be strong, it’s natural that parents die before their children.

Nora and Christina get together. Nora says she met with Pia and it was unproductive. Nora says she couldn’t get a word in edgewise. It was an unintelligent conversation. She is done with Pia. The exhumation is due to happen soon. All the documents are in order. She is almost afraid of the final day because she has been waiting for it so long. She is full of anxiety and fear. She wants her dad to rest in peace with a cremation and a proper burial. It’s the hardest day and best day of her life, at the same time. It’s been eating her up, all the anxiety. Christina is scared for her, she may have a mental breakdown.

Christina goes to see her therapist and needs to catch up. She has good news about meeting with the designer and getting an internship. The therapist is impressed and calls it a huge accomplishment. She asks Christina about her friends. Christina says she has made up with Pia and feels like she has grown and come a long way. She feels she can do anything now. She can focus on the future and move on.

Nora consults with her lawyer

At Nora’s apartment the doorbell rings and it’s her dear friend, Julie, from Florida. She has come to be with Nora for the exhumation of her dad. Nora just wants to know the body is there and that an autopsy is going to be done. It will take three to four hours to bring up the casket from the ground. Only Nora can be there. The phone rings, it’s the cemetery and they say they can’t exhume the body because her brother didn’t sign the papers. She says 30 days have passed and legally they can move forward without his signature. She thinks this is an attempt by the government to stop the exhumation because they have something to hide.

Renee and Giana get together and immediately Renee tells her that her father called her. Renee is finding it hard because she doesn’t know how Giana will react. She tells her she didn’t let Ottavio get a word in. She says all she could think of was all the hurt he cause Giana and it made her snap. Giana says she understands to a point. She doesn’t think her father deserves to be in prison. Renee tells her that she did love him at one time and Giana deserves to have him in her life. Renee says it wasn’t all bad and she doesn’t want to fight with Giana any more. She promises not to bad mouth her father to her any more. Giana is happy about that.

Nora is tired of the cemetery giving her the run around. She gets a court order, with the help of her lawyer. This injunction allows the cemetery to proceed with the disinterment.

Pia and Renee are riding in a limo. Renee has rented a boat for the girls so they can hang out and chill. Leah and Christina are meeting them at the boat. Pia and Renee do not want to hear a word about Nora. Leah and Christina are hoping for fun and no drama. Leah tells Christina that she feels bad that Nora isn’t there with them. Christina tells her it’s the day of the exhumation. Leah says she would do the same thing as Nora. They both think it’s crazy, but hope she gets her answers.

The grave site is covered after body was removed

The morning of the disinterment has arrived. Nora is numb, but she has been waiting four years for the truth. She worries about what she will see and what the outcome will be. She gets there and see chains and locks on the cemetery gate. She’s upset, but all of a sudden the gates open. She goes to the gravesite to find an empty grave. The casket has been removed before she arrived. There is just a hole in the ground. She is upset that she didn’t see him go in and now she wasn’t there to see the casket come out. They told her the body was taken to the crematorium. Nora is worried they will cremate him before she can see him. She hears a siren from the car behind her. Before she arrives at the crematorium the police pull her car over for trespassing. They tell her she doesn’t belong there and handcuff her.

Luckily none of the mob wives were blown overboard!

Back at the boat, Pia and Renee go on board and Christina and Leah are not far behind. The drinks are being poured. They have all been through so much the past few months. Now they want to have a little fun. They are happy to see each other. The captain introduces himself. The water is very rough and it’s very windy. The ladies can barely stand up on the boat. In fact, the wind keeps blowing them down and they are all falling on each other. The alcohol doesn’t help either. Renee climbs up on a higher part of the boat and the others are screaming for her to get down. Leah says it always ends up being a screaming match with this crowd.

The viewing is about to take place

The police let Nora go. Nora is still upset that she didn’t see the casket come up. She arrives at the crematorium where they are going to open the box to see if the body is viewable. The funeral director tells Nora she can’t see him, he is decomposed and it’s not healthy. He tells her his condition is too bad and that all the parts of his face are gone. He tells her to trust him, but Nora doesn’t trust anyone. He says there is enough tissue to do a DNA test. A pathologist comes to examine the body and to try to identify him from pictures.

Back at the boat all the ladies are getting along and laughing about how much they learned about each other. They got through it all and came out as friends. “How bout that!” says Christina. They actually missed each other. Leah decides to say what’s on her mind. She says she hopes one day Pia and Renee will be civil to Nora. Pia and Renee are stunned and say she is beating a dead horse. Leah wants peace and for everyone to get along. Then Christina tells them this is the day of the exhumation. Pia and Renee do not comment.

Dental records give Nora closure and truth

The pathologist arrives hoping to make a positive identification of the body from photos. He says it doesn’t look like “The German” because he is so thin and had lost a lot of weight. He says he will take some samples of DNA to test, to get to the truth. They have to hold off on the cremation for a couple of weeks until the results come back. They can’t cremate him without a positive ID. Nora can’t wait. She insists on viewing the body herself to try to identify her father. But, she soon says she doesn’t know, he is too skinny. She will not have closure until the DNA results are in. The show ends…but the results are in. They are written on the last screen for us to see. The DNA tests came back INCONCLUSIVE. However, the dental records confirm that it is indeed “The German” who was in the casket.

MY TWO CENTS

The end of season one came too soon for me. It took a good five or six episodes for me to get the know all the women in the cast. Now it’s over. They all started out on a level playing field, as far as my opinion goes. But, opinions change and get shaped over time, with each passing episode. It can’t be helped. Like all viewers, I can relate to some women more than others. After watching all of season one, I can say that the two mob wives who were most consistent to me were Pia and Leah. Nora is a little too complicated to get a good take on. Renee and Christina well, my blogs speak for themselves. Let’s get into the finale…and my final thoughts, until the reunion!

Renee is most concerned about Giana being hurt by her father. She even cursed me out on Twitter and called me a “dumbass” for writing a blog about her baby daddy, Ottavio Volpe. This is my rebuttal. Renee chose to procreate with Ottavio. Renee chose to allow the storyline and her daughter to be aired on national television. Renee is the one who bad mouthed him time and time again. The way I see it, both she and her baby daddy hurt Giana, not me. She was offended that I did a blog on him to provide readers with the details of his crime, as reported in U.S Court of Appeals documents? I have done factual blogs on all the fathers and husbands of all the wives and children of the cast, because there is great interest in the men behind these women. He was just the last one on the list. Renee’s twitter account says, “If you can’t handle the truth then stay the f*** home.” Maybe that’s what Renee and Giana should do, if there is a season two? Either that or bring on the truth! The truth about her uncle and her baby daddy to start with.

Christina is thrilled to be an intern for two days a week with a designer. Interns don’t normally get paid, they are there to learn. However, that interview was a dismal failure. No resume, she was unprepared to answer questions of any kind. Still she was “hired.” Why do you think that is? I think maybe it’s because the designer, Anastasia, is getting some free publicity from the show. Is Christina really working there now, or was that all for our benefit, so we can see she has made some progress? Her storyline is weak at best. Here’s an idea or two for season two. Let’s get Christina a professional resume. How bout that? Let’s send her back to college for a couple of refresher courses in designing. How bout that? Let’s let her design a few pieces to take with her as samples of her work. How bout that? Maybe she could watch project runway and learn the names of current designers, like Alex Perry. How bout that? Other than that, what else can she contribute?

Nora got her closure. That made me happy. Now that she has put her father to rest, she can move on. However, there was too much chaos involved in the whole disinterment process and especially what was aired last night. I thought the editing could have been better. Too many details needed to be shown. In a previous episode I swore the Nora was told they had all the signatures of her siblings, and last night they state that the brother never signed. I was a little confused. And, when did Nora bring the cemetery the injunction issued by the court, because they already had the grave opened and casket removed? Why would they do that without her being present? I guess it’s because it would have had to be a two hour episode all about Nora.  But, I am glad she got her answers and now has closure. This was a ground breaking event, not just at the cemetery, but for reality television. Jennifer Graziano, executive producer and creator, is to be commended for dealing with real issues and showing another situation that has never been done before on reality television, again!

Pia is still upset with Nora. I don’t blame her. The argument is still fresh on her mind. She tried talking to Nora and couldn’t get a word in. What more can she do? I find Pia is making the most of the opportunities being provided to her as a cast member. The photos from her shoot turned out great. Her agent, Deana Morales, is getting her plenty of exposure and lucrative assignments. Most recently she signed on to represent Cold Steel Vodka. I find Pia to be a positive force on the show. She took a lot of verbal abuse from Nora before standing up for herself. She also was able to put aside her differences with Renee, who as Nora pointed out, said her fair share of ugly things to Pia. She patched things up with Leah right away. And she even got over Christina pulling her hair out. It takes a pretty big person to get past those things. So what if she isn’t ready to forgive and forget with Nora right now? Nora hit her with the lowest blows and is impossible to talk to.

And Leah. My heart goes out to Leah. Her mom being diagnosed with breast cancer, just as she was starting to film the show, had to take it’s toll on her. I didn’t see her getting too much support from the other wives either. They were all wrapped up in their petty arguments. I know what it is to watch a parent get weak and sick from chemotherapy. I’ve seen the pain. I know how it feels to watch them get thinner and thinner until they die from cancer. It changes you. It’s sickens you. It saddens you. It’s all you can think about. Where was her support? Pia was the only one who met with Leah and her mom so she could help them from the benefit of her own experience. Maybe there should have been more compassion for Leah filmed? So many of us have been down her road and can relate to what she is going through. I don’t think Leah had the energy to fight or put up with all their BS, because she was emotionally drained with her own, real, personal crisis.

So that’s my take on the finale and season one. I am hoping for word on season two. I would like to see more of these ladies. I love to blog about them. The good and the bad. Let’s all write to VH1, let’s tweet them too and demand a season two! They could and should add a couple of more wives to spice things up! What did you think? Let me know.

Mob Wives Chicago: Recap “Walk Away Renee” Ep 110

It's an emotional moment for Leah.

The day comes for Leah’s breast cancer walk for her mother. Renee and Pia show up first. Leah insists there will be no BS today. Leah wants them all to walk together. Nora and Christina are running late. Pia says she can ignore Nora. Nora is committed to being there for Leah. Renee immediately complains that she doesn’t want to be in the same group as Nora. Christina says Leah wants them all in one group, and they should be able to do this for Leah. Leah is feeling overwhelmed. She is walking in honor of her mother with her dear friends. Nora says Pia and Renee walk arm in arm like two lesbians…two nitwits. Renee can’t stand the sight of Nora or the sound of her voice. Pia and Renee lag behind the others. Christina and Nora think it’s bad of them not to show support to Leah. Leah says Pia and Renee disrespected her and her mother. She will never forget it.

Renee and Pia should have made more of an effort for Leah.

Pia and Renee go for botox. Pia needs a little before her photo shoot. Renee likes Pia because she is not a phony. She respects that. Pia also enjoys spending time with Renee. They both feel Nora said things to keeps them at odds with each other. They talk about why Leah and Christina don’t understand how badly Nora treated them. Renee thinks Pia should talk to Nora and get it all off her chest. Pia says she has tried this before and got nowhere.
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Christina, Leah and Nora meet. Leah tells them her mom is done with treatments. Leah is pissed at Pia and Renee for going off on their own during the breast cancer walk. Nora is glad they are together because now the three of them can sit and have a normal conversation. Leah is annoyed that Pia and Renee have nicknames for each other. Pia calls Renee “Nee Nee.”  Leah and Christina want to know if Nora can talk to Pia and get answers as to why she hit her.

Great photo shoot, Pia!

Pia and Deanna go to the photo shoot. They will be taking professional photos of Pia, and Deanna tells her she has to look sexy and sophisticated. These pictures are what will get her ahead, they are everything. Pia struggles with all the posing, smiling and holding her breath. It’s hard work. Renee shows up and says Pia is awesome. Pia is now feeling more comfortable. She trusts Renee to tell her the truth. Renee is proud of Pia and says she has a big heart and is sweet. Pia appreciates Renee’s compliments. It builds her self esteem. This is Pia’s opportunity to turn her life around.

Leah and Christina go shopping. They are looking at dresses and Christina comments they each dress is made from different fabrics. She loves them. Leah tells her to ask for the designer’s card. She thinks Christina could make them. Christina asks for a business card and says she will call the designer. This may be a way for her to get back into fashion design.

Renee gets a visit from Dave, who moved out after the police incident at the store. They have a heart to hear talk. He didn’t like it that she brought her brother into their problems. Renee says her brother has always been there for her. She blasts Dave for not being there for her the past four years during her custody battle. He never even went to court with her one time. He says he gets it and understands. He apologizes. He says he avoids drama, but he should have been there for her. She doesn’t know how they can bounce back. He says he has a weekend trip planned to Boston, if she wants to go to try to work things out. He wants them to get away from everything. He tells he to think about tit and kisses her goodbye.

Pia and Bella get manicures. Bella is turning 16 and says she wants a car. Pia says she has saved her 11 year old car for Bella. Bella asks her about the photo shoot. She is concerned about what Pia was wearing, she thinks it’s revealing underwear. Pia says Bella’s approval is very important to her. She tells her the pictures were all done very tastefully. They will have to see how they turn out.

Christina's interview

Christina goes to see the designer of the dresses, Anastasia. She is very young. Christina tells her she loves her designs and wants to be an intern. Anastasia agrees to interview Christina and asks several questions. Christina is having a hard time answering. In the end, Anastasia agrees to give her a chance. Christina is excited to learn and start at the bottom.

Leah tells Pia exactly what's on her mind!

Leah is pissed and wants to meet Pia. Leah comes right out and says what is bothering her. She hates it when Pia calls Renee “Nee Nee.” She says it sounds phony, like she is kissing Renee’s ass. Pia says this sounds ridiculous. Leah says I’ll tell you what’s ridiculous, you and Renee disappearing in the crowd during the breast cancer walk. Leah wanted everyone together. Pia says what’s the problem, they showed up and walked. Pia asks Leah if she is going to talk to Renee? Leah gets even more pissed off because it sounds like Pia is implying that she is afraid to talk to Renee. No way is Leah afraid of anyone. She tells Pia she will talk to Renee. Things do not end well at this meeting.

Pia and Renee go to the store to shop for Bella’s birthday present. Pia calls Renee “Nee Nee” and then says she can’t call her that any more because of what Leah said. Renee gets pissed . Pia says instead of being jealous and getting angry, they should all be happy that Pia and Renee are getting along. Renee tells Pia about the issues between her and Dave saying she has enough on her mind without all this petty BS. Renee confides in Pia that she doesn’t know where her relationship with Dave stands, it’s at 50/50.

Christina and Nora meet. Christina tells Nora about her trip to the boutique and her meeting with the designer. She adds that she will be interning there 2 days a week. Nora tells Christina that everything is ready for the exhumation, they are just waiting for the permit. Nora says she is done with Renee, but will give Pia one more chance to explain herself as to why she hit her. If not, then she will be out of her life too.

Pia and Bella are at home when Deanna drops by with the pictures from the photo shoot. She pulls out several large photos, one at a time, and Pia is in shock. She never expected them to turn out so good. Bella really likes them and says they are tastefully done. Pia says she is doing all this for Bella. Deanna is glad that Pia is happy with the end results and says she will start using the photos to line up work for Pia. Bella thinks they might even be in magazines and she is so excited for her mom.

Renee packs her suitcase for her weekend with Dave. She feels she owes him this trip to see what might happen. At the same time she is skeptical because their relationship is hanging by a thread and it can’t be fixed in one weekend.

Leah and Pia meet again. Pia tells Leah she felt insulted the last time they talked. Leah says she is real and honest and says whatever she needs to say. Leah says things should have never gotten so heated between them. They were both off that day. Pia tells her that Nora lies about her and assassinated her character. Pia tells Leah she plans to meet with Nora to tell how offended she is by her remarks.

Nora and Pia get together. Nora’s objective is to find out why Pia hit her out of the blue. Pia wants to know why Nora keeps talking about her behind her back and calling her names. They sit down face to face and Pia begins talking. Nora immediately cuts her off. Pia says stop talking about me to people.

Nora asks why did you hit me? Pia says because you called me a whore and call me names behind my back. Nora says no, you hit me because you are afraid of Renee. Pia starts to answer and apparently her finger goes up in the air. Nora says she is walking out because Pia is waving her finger around, and then she does. Pia says she knew this wasn’t going to go right. Nora says Pia is a liar. Pia says she is done with Nora. Nora is pissed because Pia can forgive Renee after all the terrible things she said, but she won’t forgive Nora. At this point they are done with each other.


MY TWO CENTS

I’m dizzy from trying to follow all these one on one meetings this week. I would have preferred if they had been all locked up in one room and not let out until they settled their differences…oh wait, that’s called the Reunion Show, my bad. Anyway, I am trying to figure out how to lay this out without creating more confusion!

The Breast Cancer Walk.  Let’s begin with this event that has finally arrived. Leah has been going through a huge personal ordeal for months with her mother’s diagnosis and treatment. It’s been months. She mentioned it to me back before the show aired. All she wanted was the support of her friends and cast members on that day. They didn’t have to love each other, just put their differences aside, ignore each other and walk the walk. I don’t think it was a lot for Leah to ask at a time like this. Nora had Christina’s support and Pia and Renee had each other, so no one was an odd man out. But they couldn’t do it. I understand Pia and Renee’s issues with Nora and, under any other circumstances, I would not have agreed to be around her, but this was different. They made a commitment to be there for Leah, they knew what was involved and they should have put on a good front for her on that day. By backing away on their own, they made it obvious they didn’t want to be part of the group. I think that was wrong because this wasn’t about being with Nora, it was about supporting Leah and her mom. I found that to be disappointing. Leah handled it very well, and said what she needed to say to Pia, after the fact. I’m glad they worked it out too. I love Pia and Leah.

Pia’s photo shoot was amazing! What else can anyone say? The final product looked sexy and classy, just like Deanna said they would. I can’t imagine how Bella felt to see her mom transformed like that? The pictures made her look like a magazine model. They were so professional, if we didn’t know better we would have thought they were ripped out of a magazine. They speak for themselves and have lead to many opportunities for Pia, including the new deal with Cold Steel Vodka! To me it sends a very positive message out to fans of the show. No matter how difficult your life has been in the past, you can always turn things around and move in a positive direction. A great lesson for Bella to witness too.

The whole idea of Christina getting into fashion designing is great. It’s her passion in life and she should pursue it by all means possible. However, Christina’s meeting with the designer, Anastasia, seemed a bit contrived to me. Unless editing botched up the interview process, Christina was not well prepared to answer basic questions. I didn’t even see a resume. Anastasia look surprised by Christina’s request to intern with her, but the cameras were there shooting for a reason, right? I don’t know if this was done for the “show” or if it’s for real, but it struck me as scripted. More could have been done to make Christina better prepared for the interview. For example, in addition to a resume, I would have loved it if Christina had brought some of the designs she says she loves to sketch at home. Or better yet, Christina could have brought a dress she created herself. It would have given the designer an idea of her skills and potential. Still, I hope something comes out of it for Christina and that it opens doors for her in the fashion industry. I offer these suggestions to Christina for her future interviews and wish her the best of luck. “How bout that?”

Renee and Dave, what can I say? There is no passion there, period. I don’t think she will be ever able to get over the fact that he didn’t support her during her custody battle for Isabella. If you can’t count on your significant other to be there for you during hard times, why the hell do you need them at all? It seems that he is not only a silent partner in the business, but also in their personal relationship. A weekend away isn’t going to fix what’s broken. I’m not even sure couple’s counseling will work. It would depend on how serious they both are at working through their issues. The way Renee talks, it sounds like she is pretty much done.

I have to say, it looked like Nora behaved well on the breast cancer walk (except for the lesbian comment). I was glad to see that she kept her commitment to Leah despite her issues with Pia and Renee. However, when she gets together with Pia to talk about their differences, she doesn’t let Pia speak. The second Pia opened her mouth, Nora shut her down. Nora just wants answers, Pia was trying to give them to her, but Nora really didn’t want to hear the truth. The truth is Pia hit her because of the vile things Nora said. Nora knows better and she said them deliberately to hurt Pia. The words came first, Pia’s fist came a distant second. Pia overlooked Nora’s comments many times before she had had enough. What does Nora say about that? Nora says, if Pia can forgive the nasty things Renee said about her, then she should forgive her. That’s logic? It’s Nora’s logic. It’s not working. She can drown her sorrows in her new wine, The German,” very soon.

In wrapping up, I’d like to wish all the Mob Wives good luck. My prayers will continue to go out to Leah and her mother, for a fast recuperation and a good prognosis. I wish Pia continued success in her career off the show. She is off to a great start! I hope Christina gets the opportunity to live out her dream of working in the fashion industry, and I sincerely mean that. “How bout that?“ As for Renee, I think she already knows the status of her relationship, and she deserves better than she is getting. And Nora, best of luck with your wine! If there is a season two, you can tote it around everywhere you go, like Ramona Singer on Real Housewives of New York. You can watch RHONY and see how it’s done.

REMINDER: Next week, August 19th, is the scheduled finale of season one of Mob Wives Chicago. If you have missed any episodes and want to catch up you should try to do so this week. Remember that I spoke to Jennifer, while it was taping, and she told me it’s “on FIRE!” I can only imagine what the hell happens, but wild horses couldn’t get me to miss it!

Mob Wives Chicago: Recap “Shift Happens” Ep 109

Renee has lots of issues

Renee and Giana meet at Renee’s apartment and talk about Giana’s visit with her father. Giana says the visit was good. Renee brings up her letter to Giana and Giana doesn’t know what to make of it. She tells Renee that she and her dad have different stories. He says when he came to see her as a child, Renee would call the cops on him. Renee says he was in jail and many times would say he was coming and then never show up. Renee is upset that Giana seems to be siding with her father. Renee tells Giana that her father made up having leukemia just so people would feel sorry for him. Giana gets angry, she doesn’t believe this story. Giana feels sorry for her dad because he is in prison and she is concerned about his feelings.

At Christina’s house her ex-husband is there. She says he is a good guy, but a little irritating. She asks him if he talked to their daughter, Daniella, about their divorce. He says she knows about the divorce. He asks Christina if she is looking for work. She tells him she is going back in to designing clothes.

Pia, Leah and Renee go to yoga class to release negativity. Leah took a shower and she “don’t wanna sweat.” Renee wants to talk about the walk for Leah’s mom. She says Nora makes her sick. Leah respects that. She tells them she talked to Nora and Nora told her the horrible things she said to Renee and Pia were true. Leah says she wanted to hear what Nora had to say. This upsets Pia and Renee. Renee thinks Leah is playing both sides. Leah says she isn’t saying Nora is right, but how long can this go on?

Renee and her brother, Frankie meet for lunch so she can vent. He says she looks pissed. She feels she is getting taken advantage of at the business, by Dave. She feels he is pushing her out of Eye Candy. Frankie wants to talk to him, but Renee wants to handle things by herself.

Nora meets Leah, one on one. Everyone is against Nora and Leah wants to give her a chance. Nora asks about Leah’s mom. Leah’s says her immune system is down. Nora can relate to Leah because her father died of cancer. They also share that they have close relationships with their fathers in common. Daddy’s little girls. Their fathers are also their best friends. Nora says she needs closure and needs the body exhumed so she can see if it’s him. Leah thinks it drastic, but she understands and respects how Nora feels. Leah tells Nora to call any time, she is supporting her.

Pia appears to be well rounded!

Renee and Pia meet up to spend time together and they go shopping. They are annoyed with Leah for siding with Nora. Pia is also annoyed that Christina insists Pia was involved in Renee taking her phone and texting Nora. The tables are turning. Pia and Renee get along now and actually like each other. They are trying on clothes and bathing suits and they both look great. When they go to pay, three of Renee’s credit cards won’t go through. She blames Dave, he is the only other one with access. Pia asks if he cancelled the cards? Renee is pissed and says, “It’s on!”

Leah plans a golf outing for all the girls. Maybe they can all work out their differences before the breast cancer walk for her mom. Renee wants to have a good time. Leah can see Christina is getting irritated. Pia and Renee act like nothing is wrong and that bothers Christina. Christina feels they are ignoring her. They all decide to go for drinks.

Nora calls her friend Julie. She says her sister agreed to the exhumation so everything is moving along and coming to an end. Nora asks Julie if she can come to Chicago and be there for her. Julie agrees to come and hold her hand through the disinterment.

Leah has enough on her mind without all the petty BS!

Pia, Renee, Christina and Leah go out for drinks. Christina seems to have a chip on her shoulder from the golf course. Leah tells them that her mom doesn’t want them to wear the T-shirts they made because it makes her feel dead and gone. Renee says she doesn’t want to be around Nora. Christina and Leah come to Nora’s defense. Pia and Renee cannot believe that they are being sucked into Nora’s web of lies. Christina suddenly says that she doesn’t know Pia after all these years. Christina says when Pia hit Nora it changed everything. Pia thought she worked everything out with Christina and they both apologized, but Christina’s apology meant nothing. Christina says Nora never talks about Pia and Renee. They get back to talking about Renee taking Christina’s phone and Renee says she would do it again. They start yelling at each other to the point that Pia is embarrassed and Leah is trying to stop them. Leah says she is tired of being a referee and they should “kill each other and get it over with.”

Christina and Nora talk about her outing with the girls. Christina tells Nora that Pia and Renee are close friends now. She tells her about how she exploded over the phone texting incident and Renee was in her face about it. Nora says she should have broken Renee’s finger when she had the chance. Christina feels closer to Nora since she was beaten up by Pia and Renee. They end by talking about Nora’s wine, which is due to be out soon.

Pia meets with Deanna, a life coach, because now that she is leaving the club she needs to revaluate her life, move forward and start over. Deanna does image consulting and feels Pia would do well in modeling. “Sexy sells.” Pia doesn’t want to be looked at like a “dancer.” She wants a different image. Deanna says she will still be sexy, but in a classy way. There will be a photo shoot and it will open new financial avenues for Pia. Pia knows it’s all a risk, but she is willing to take it.

Renee makes plans to meet Dave for dinner at a steak house. They need to have a heart to heart conversation about their personal and business relationships. Dave is late and Renee calls him on her cell…it goes to his voice mail. As she sits there waiting, Renee is getting embarrassed and the waiter keeps coming back to check on her. Finally, her blood starts to boil, as she realizes she has been stood up.

At Eye Candy, Frankie is inside the store and Dave is outside waiting for the police, who he called. By the time Renee gets there, the police are there telling her brother Frankie to leave. She says she is the one who asked him to meet her there. The police ask Frankie to leave and not come back unless Dave is gone. Renee asks Frankie to leave. She is embarrassed, disgusted and humiliated. Renee tells her brother she can’t have any confrontation at the store. She says she thinks Dave is trying to control her with the business and he is trying to take it away from her. Eye Candy is her dream and she isn’t giving it up.

Renee is waiting for Giana’s father to call so she can talk to him about filling her daughter’s head with lies. Renee wants to know why he is polluting her mind with lies. He is making her suffer more than she already has. She tells him he left his daughter to go to Florida and play his con game. He has done the damage. He was never their for his daughter. He wants Renee to work with him. Renee isn’t buying it. She feels he is telling Giana lies to turn her against her mother. They will never see eye to eye. Renee wants him to tell Giana the truth, that he is lying and that he is a deadbeat dad. The phone goes dead as Renee talks a little too long.

MY TWO CENTS

Well, seems like not much has changed as the storylines continue into this week. I need a score card to keep track of who is friends with who, and who is unfollowing me on Twitter, from minute to minute. Let’s see what trouble I can stir up today?

Pia is sticking up for herself and I’m glad she isn’t backing down where Nora is concerned. She is doing positive things to change her career and image. I just wonder why the show, Mob Wives Chicago, wasn’t mentioned as one of those things. Certainly the exposure of being on a national reality series has to be opening up doors for her and we know she was filming at the time. Maybe the producers decided that the show was a given or too obvious? In any case, I wish her lots of luck, but she may not need much. I have been viewing some of the pictures from her photo shoot on Twitter and Drita better move over in the modeling department. Let’s just say that Pia is well rounded and knows how to fill out a swimsuit. 

Nora is still in tight with Christina. She has an ally in Leah too, for now. They seem to have bonded over their relationships with their dads. Personally, I wouldn’t trust Nora too much, she seems to blow hot and cold in her friendships. She started off with long time friends Pia and Renee and that’s over. Now she is in with Christina and Leah, the Taylor Street girls, who had no use for her and didn’t trust her a few episodes ago. I think I might need some of that new German wine to help me figure out just how that happened?

Christina still makes no sense to me. She was up in arms in episode one because Nora called Pia a “whore,” but now she doesn’t mind the hurtful things Nora said to Pia and Renee. She is upset because they attacked Nora and hit her. Didn’t she attack Pia and pull her hair out over a lot less? Christina whined to Leah that Pia and Nora “unfriended” her on facebook over the incident. Then what does she do? She “unfollows” me on Twitter because I tell the truth about what I see on the show. It strikes me as being somewhat hypocritical. Maybe what I write is negative, but it’s what I see, I’m not making it up. In fact, if anything, I have restrained myself from being overly critical because it’s a new show and I wanted to give it a chance. 

Renee has a lot of issues. Thank God she has gotten full custody of Isabella already. Now she has to deal with Dave. Frankly, her reaction to the credit cards was way too subdued. How many times has she overreacted to situations in previous episodes? Now, when she has good reason to flip out, she remains calm. Maybe it’s the editing? If anyone cancelled three of my credit cards I would have a stroke, that’s all I know. I do hope she doesn’t lose her store and works things out with Dave as far as the business goes. I think their personal relationship has hit rock bottom. The trust seems to be dwindling to gone. 

Renee’s issue with Giana and her father, Ottavio, are heating up. I really understand Renee’s concerns about her daughter’s relationship with her father, who is serving a life sentence for murder. Unfortunately, Renee picked him and had a child with him. Giana feels she wants/needs a relationship with him. The more Renee fights it, the more she is seems to be pushing Giana into her father’s corner. Giana becomes defensive and protective of her dad, which in turn irritates the hell out of Renee. Renee has given her daughter everything and probably feels this is a slap in the face. I would feel the same way. I don’t know who is telling the truth, Renee or her ex, but in this storyline I’m backing Renee 100%. Actions speak louder than words, and Renee has proven herself as a good mother. 

Update: In yesterday’s blog I said Giana “unfollowed” me on Twitter. We discussed her issues on twitter last night. She said I was being negative. She thought I had referred to her as a “minion” and said that she attacks everyone. I assured her that it wasn’t me and found the source that she may have confused with me and our blog. If anything, I have had only nice things to say about her. We settled the misunderstanding amicably. I almost feel like I am on the show, friends one minute and not the next.

Let’s get to Leah. Maybe I’m not the only one who is having trouble with her alliance with Nora? I had to think long and hard about this one. I think I understand what is going on here, having been through a similar situation myself. It seems to me that Leah is emotionally and mentally exhausted from worrying about her mother’s health. She has no energy left for these petty fights. All her efforts are going into helping her mother fight cancer. The last thing she needs or wants is to be in the middle of ridiculous arguments about text messages. She needs the support and understanding of her friends, but they seem oblivious to that and keep creating drama. Leah is well aware that Nora said hurtful things that should NOT have been said. But, I also think that Leah doesn’t want to fight with Nora or anyone at this point. She needs calm and stability in her personal life so she can focus on what is important, her mother Nora showed her some understanding and compassion and Leah responded in kind. Sometimes, when someone is in crisis, they have to put everything else on the back burner to deal with that crisis. That’s what I see Leah doing. For how long she can remain calm or walk away from the petty drama, I don’t know. I just know I am keeping her and her sweet mother in my prayers.

What do you think about this episode? I’d love to know, we read all comments!

Mob Wives Chicago: Recap “Daddy Issues” Ep 108

Chris tells Renee Never mind the T-shirts for the breast cancer walk, you used my phone to text Nora!

Leah and Christina go shopping for supplies to make T-shirts. Leah’s mom has started chemo and the girls are doing a breast cancer walk in her name. Christina wants to get all the girls together at her house to make the shirts. Pia and Renee will be invited. Leah wants to invite Nora too. Part of Leah feels sorry for Nora. Christina is glad Leah is becoming more accepting of Nora. Leah says this is all about her mother.

Giana and Marco talk. Giana tells him she met with her mother and told her she doesn’t want her going with her to visit her father. Marco asks why? Giana doesn’t want to take the risk that there will be trouble, so Marco agrees to go with her. Giana wants to get at the truth to what happened between her parents. She doesn’t know who to believe and needs answers.

Nora meets with an attorney to see what is the next step in the legal process to exhume her dad. Nora tells him the status of her situation up until the present, so he is up to date. He is going to help her with the petition for disinterment. She says the funeral director was not helpful. Nora wants to see her dad’s body in the casket and also if he had an autopsy. The lawyer agrees with her. Nora is happy with him and she is relieved. She wants to cremate her father’s remains and spread the ashes in the ocean in Florida.

Renee, Giana and Marco are at Renee’s house. Giana thinks Renee is jealous of her close relationship with her father. Renee is annoyed that she has to take care of Giana’s dog while she makes the trip to see her dad. Renee is not happy about the visit to the prison either. And, on top of all that, Renee has another court appearance regarding the custody battle over her younger daughter, Isabella. Renee is torn because she wants Giana to have a father, but she doesn’t trust him because he is a con man. Giana gets emotional. Renee gives Marco a letter for Giana, to give to her when they are at the prison.

Leah and her Mom are meeting Pia, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor. Pia arrives. Pia offered to talk to Leah and her mom because she went through the same thing. Leah and her mother appreciate it. Leah explains how hard she took the news of her mother’s diagnosis. Pia really wants to help them and offers to let them talk to her mom about what she went through. It seems Leah’s mother and Pia’s mother have many old friends in common from Taylor Street. They have a nice chat. Leah is sick of all the fighting among the ladies because her mother’s illness has put a lot of things into perspective for her.

Leah invites Nora to the breast cancer walk. She thinks Nora needs friends. Leah tells her they are making shirts with the other girls. When Nora hears that Renee and Pia will be at Christina’s house, she declines to go. But, she says she will support Leah and go to the breast cancer walk.

Pia and Bella go for ice cream. Pia tells Bella she won’t be dancing any more. She is leaving the club. She has some money saved and she wants to explore other options. Bella wants to go to Europe for her 16th birthday, but Pia tells her that’s too expensive and they have to budget right now. Bella is 100% supportive of her mother.

Marco and Giana drive to the prison to visit her dad. She explains why her father is in prison. Her father planned to rob a rich woman with his friends and they ended up brutally murdering her. Giana has trouble processing that. Giana also feels her mother lied to her, her whole life, about her father.

Christina and Leah have ice cream. Christina tells Leah a somewhat confusing story of how Christina, Pia, Renee and her brother are all in one place. Somehow, Pia calls Christina to the back and Christina sees Renee with her phone texting Nora. Christina is upset that Renee would take her phone and text Nora. Leah calls it harassment. Christina seems to think that Pia and Renee are working together to get back at Nora. Leah is concerned about the T-shirt party because the women are still at each other’s throats.

Marco give Giana the letter that Renee handed to him before they left. Gina reads it. The letter is very supportive and loving. Giana gets very emotional. At the same time she is confused because it doesn’t sound anything like Renee.

At Christina’s house, it’s time to make the T-shirts. Leah is there first. Christina is determined to support Leah. Pia and Renee arrive together. It doesn’t sit well with Christina that Pia and Renee are thick as thieves. They all begin working on the T-shirts and ask Leah about her mom. Leah says her head is shaven because her hair was falling out. She is afraid to visit her mother because she starts crying. Renee tells them that Giana is visiting her father in prison. Pia understands Renee’s resentment. It’s hard when a daughter is visiting and supporting a man who mistreated her mother and left them to fend for themselves. Leah announces that Nora will be going to the breast cancer walk. Pia and Renee do not want to be around her. Christina feels they are harassing Nora.

Pia tries to explain her issues with Nora. Nora keeps saying Pia danced for 15 years and it’s not true. Pia adds, “No one calls me a whore!” Christina doesn’t trust Pia any more. She really thinks Pia and Renee are in cahoots over Nora. Renee admits she took Christina’s cell phone and texted Nora. Renee insists that her name was in Nora’s text message. Christina says Renee’s name was NOT in the text message. They start arguing and screaming at each other. Leah is upset. Renee says it was a funny joke and she would do it again. Christina isn’t buying it and she is pissed. Leah says that this is all petty BULL SH*T and this whole get together is about her mother, so STFU!

Nora and Desiree are back at the wine and bottling location. She tells Desiree about her meeting with the funeral director and that everything is moving fast. Nora feels that the exhumation and her father’s wine may be ready at the same time.

Renee has to go to court over her custody battle for Isabella. This is the day of the final decision. Renee is mentally exhausted. Renee found a great lawyer and she hopes this will be the last court date. She says this has been more like a war and her daughter belongs with her.

Nora meets with the funeral director who is going to help her with her dad’s exhumation. He asks her why she is doing this, and Nora explains the entire situation to him and that she needs closure. She wants to give her father a proper burial. The director says she may not be able to view the body after so much time has passed. Nora insists that she needs to see it. He says he needs the permission of all the siblings and that he will call them. Nora is concerned that they may not cooperate.

Congratulations to Renee! She gets full custody of Isabella!

Renee is relieved! The Judge ruled in her favor and granted her full custody of Isabella. It’s over! She can’t wait to tell Isabella. The next thing on Renee’s mind is Giana and her dad.

Giana and Marco talk before she visits her father. She is nervous. Marco is supportive. Giana is strong, but emotional, The setting of the prison is upsetting for her. She says she loves seeing her dad, but she chokes up when it comes to saying good-bye to him. She feels bad for him. They put him in cuffs and frisk him before taking him back to his cell. She is always relieved to see him, but sad to leave. She talked to her dad and says that her mom and dad have two different stories and she is leaning towards believing her father’s version.

MY TWO CENTS

Instead of “my two cents,” this was more like a “penny for your thoughts” episode. Nothing unusual happens, nothing new happens, just a continuation of past issues in a relatively calm manner with little drama.

Leah is always the voice of reason and consistent, that’s why viewers relate to her. I love Leah’s mother. I hope she is doing well and we get to see more of her on future episodes. I’m surprised Leah didn’t smack Renee and Christina for arguing over the damn text message. That wasn’t the time or the place to hash it out. Leah needed support over her mother’s health issues and they are arguing over nonsense. I’m torn over Leah’s compassion for Nora. On the one hand, she has been the one most distrustful of Nora and Nora proved time and time again that Leah had good reason not to trust her. On the other hand, this feeling that she wants to include Nora in the breast cancer walk is confusing to me. I would think she would want less stress around her right now, and having Nora there could stir up a lot of trouble.

Pia and her daughter, Bella, are wonderful together. I don’t know why all the focus has been on Pia’s dancing and not her parenting. Obviously, as a single parent, she has done something very right with this beautiful, young lady. You can see how close they are and how hard Pia has worked to give her daughter a good life. Pia strikes me as a good and loyal friend. She wants to be there for Leah and her mom to help in any way she can. What’s not to like about Pia?

Am I the only one confused by Christina’s about face with Nora? She did a 180 from the first episode to the recent episodes. I still haven’t figured out why. In the first episode she was very pissed because Nora called Pia a “whore” a couple of times. Since then, Nora has said many more hurtful things to Pia and Renee that were much worse than that. Christina is wanting everyone to give her a “free pass,” a “get out of jail card,” and forgive and forget. Why? If Nora had said the same things about Leah’s dad that she had said about Renee’s, would Leah have let her walk out of that restaurant? If Nora said to Christina, “you’re a whore and I hope you lose your daughter!” would Christina still be defending her? If she said it to them, she can turn on Christina in a heartbeat. Pia and Renee were Nora’s lifelong friends, who helped her many times, yet she turned on them in a very vile way. I’m not sure Christina can explain why she is taking this position in a way any of us can understand. P.S. I still love Christina! Her comments and attitude are hilarious.

I know I have been hard on Renee so far. This week I am going to cut her some slack. Was she wrong for using Christina’s phone to text Nora? Yes, that was wrong. She should not have picked up Christina’s phone and used it. However, I didn’t see what she texted her, and nothing she could have texted could have been as offensive as the things Nora said to her. I think it was done on impulse. Renee wasn’t thinking at the time and just did it. A knee jerk reaction. So what? Who cares? It was certainly not a huge enough deal to create a scene at the making of the T-shirts party. If Christina was so upset and “violated,” she should have called Renee before the T-shirt party and addressed it with her. Another thing, I think Renee has every right to be concerned and upset over Giana bonding with her father. Here you have one parent who has done everything in their power to raise a daughter and provide her with life’s necessities and values; and another parent, a criminal, who is incarcerated for a brutal murder, who is being somewhat “idolized” and felt sorry for because he is “locked up,” “in cuffs,” “frisked” and not free to enjoy the sunshine. Maybe Renee just would like some of the compassion and appreciation that Giana so freely gives her father? We know Giana loves her mother, but we don’t hear her expressed it, like she does for her dad. Her mother worked hard and suffered to be both mother and father to her all these years. I think that’s what Giana isn’t getting about Renee’s reaction.

Last, but certainly not least, we have Nora. Nora is back on track with her father’s disinterment and her wine. Things are moving along on both those fronts and there are just a few episodes left. We should all get tingly and some closure soon. Make sure you all have your own bottle of wine at home, so you can have a glass during the finale!

Follow me on Twitter for all the latest blogs and Mob Wives news @Chiarasoprano1

Mob Wives Chicago: Recap “Sticks & Stones” Ep 107

Pia and her beautiful daughter, Bella, chat

Christina describes the party as the “sh-t hitting the fan.” Pia pops Nora in the head and Christina says, “What the f*ck? Is this a circus?” All hell breaks loose. Nora yells at Renee that she was raped by her father and says Pia got gonorrhea and is a whore. Nora yells out, “the truth hurts!” Pia calls her a disgusting, disgraceful human being. But, Christina feels bad for Nora. Meanwhile, Renee and Pia start bonding over Nora’s verbal attacks on them and Renee says, “I’m not f*ckin’ psycho stupid!” Christina believes it’s not fair for two people to go at Nora. Nora leaves the party, saying she is not fighting with two hookers. Pia says she feels for her daughter because the things Nora said could end up hurting her. Christina walks out too.

Pia and her daughter, Bella, have to have a talk about what happened at the party. Pia feels she needs to explain it to her before she hears things from other people. Pia tells her that her grandfather, Vince Rizza, sold drugs, resigned from the police force and then became a bookmaker. Bella knew some things, but was disappointed to hear the details. Pia says she wants a better life for Bella. She tells her daughter about the fight at Christina’s party and that Nora said disgusting things. Pia tells Bella she had to punch her in the face. Bella is shocked to hear that, but comforts her mother when she starts crying. Pia worked hard to raise her daughter and Nora is trying to hurt her with her words. Bella hugs her mom and tells her she is proud of her no matter what anyone says. She says what her mother does for a living doesn’t bother her, and she understands why she had to dance.

It's clear Nora doesn't like to fight, so STOP insulting people!

Christina meets Nora to see if she is okay after the party. Nora thanks her for saving her life the night before. Nora’s face is “scarred up” according to Christina. Nora tells Christina she believes she was ambushed and that she should have never come back to the party. Christina feels bad for inviting her. Nora really thinks that Pia and Renee got together and planned to ambush her. Nora warns Christina to be careful because it could happen to her. Christina vows to be there for Nora, she feels Nora is fragile and broken. They hug.

Renee fills brother, Frankie, in on what Nora said about dad

Renee meets with Frankie, her little brother, to tell her what Nora said at Christina’s party. He has always been her protector. She says she asked Nora what did she ever do to her. Renee is crying and her brother is wondering what more she has to say. Then Renee tells him, “Nora said that daddy molested me.” She tells him she said it in a disgusting and evil way. Renee cries. She is very upset that Nora would tell such a vile lie about her dead father. Her brother is stunned and doesn’t know what to say. He says Renee did so much for Nora, and helped her and then she turned on her. Frankie says this hurts him badly. He asks Renee if he should contact Nora about this.

Leah meets Christina at her home. Christina tells Leah she met with Nora, her face was badly bruised and she feels responsible. Christina starts crying over it. She asks Leah to support Nora. Leah answers, “you can’t talk sh*t to people.” Nora said things she shouldn’t have said. You can’t expect people not to hit you when you say unforgivable things about them and their family. Leah adds, Nora can’t fight so she should keep her mouth shut. Leah says she wants to be a peacemaker, but after what Nora said, can there ever be peace?

Pia meets Christina and they talk about what happened. Pia says Christina is the one who told her to confront Nora about what was bothering her, so she did. Christina says she didn’t have to hit her. Pia answers, “she said things that are going to affect my daughter, wouldn’t you have popped her too if she said it to you?” She tells Christina that Nora said that Pia does sexual favors for money. Christina says she has feelings for Nora and it was wrong the way she got beat down. Pia says she is going to suffer the backlash for her disgusting mouth. Christina thinks Pia crossed the line by hitting Nora.

Nora and Desiree talk about the party. Nora says Renee was screaming at the top of her lungs and Pia popped her for no reason. Nora describes them as fighting like dogs in heat. Nora says she felt ambushed. Nora is done with Renee and Pia, she is done with the drama and wants positive things in her life. The wine is ready to taste and they are both excited.

Leah says, "She got what she deserved!"

Christina, Leah and Renee meet to discuss the party. Christina confronts Renee and Renee apologizes for fighting at her party. Christina tells them that she met with Nora and that she said she felt ambushed. Renee tells her that Nora said horrible things. Leah agrees with Renee. Renee says she isn’t going to let Nora lie about her dead father and she curses up a storm. Christina says she is friends with both of them, she has compassion for Nora and isn’t going to take sides. Renee tells her there is no excuse for what Nora said. Leah adds that she got what she got because she crossed the line. Leah and Christina do not see eye to eye on this, and both of them get heated. Leah says, “she deserved what she got, she was looking or trouble!” Renee says that Nora called her the “C” word on Nora’s party bus and no one said anything to her about that either. Renee says she is glad she got to know Christina better now because she knows where she stands.

Pia and Kamila go shopping for new bras for her new boobs. Pia announces that she isn’t going to dance anymore. She doesn’t want the stigma of her dancing to affect her daughter. She says she has to move on, she can’t dance forever. Pia says she is going to meet Renee because she feels she deserves an apology for all her insults and judgmental attitude.

Christina and Leah meet. Leah says Nora was out of line. Christina gets that Nora was wrong for saying what she did. And Leah insists she got what she deserved, period! She implied that Renee’s father molested her. Christina thinks that Nora fights with words, not fists. Christina wants Leah to give Nora a chance and get to know her. She asks Leah to join Nora and her for a meeting. Leah says she will hear Nora out as a courtesy to Christina, but she doesn’t care what she has to say.

Pia is not 100% happy with Renee, but will give her a chance.

Pia and Renee meet to talk one on one. Renee says she is glad they talked at the party and she tells Pia she feels she was influenced against her by Nora. She admits she never gave Pia a chance. Renee understands why Pia had to dance and admits she was wrong for judging her, but then adds 15 years of dancing? She thinks Pia could have stopped and done something else. Renee says she took care of her daughter without dancing. Pia says everyone does what they have to do. Then Pia tells her she stopped dancing. Renee is glad to hear it and says she wants to help her. Pia decides she is going to give Renee a chance and they toast to new beginnings. Pia still doesn’t trust Renee 100%.

Nora and Desiree go to the wine tasting of The German. Nora loves it. She says tasting it made her feel like her dad was inside her, tingling. She wants to sell if or $15.99 to $17.99 a bottle. It’s a Pinot Noir. Nora fills the first bottle.

Pia and Christina meet and Christina has an issue to discuss. Christina says Renee apologized for fighting at her party , but Pia never did. Pia says she is sorry she fought at the party, but not for hitting Nora for what she said. Pia said she met with Renee and they decided to put it all behind them. Christina wants to know how Pia can forgive Renee for everything she has said and not hit her, but she is so angry with Nora and hit her for what she said? Pia says it has to do with the fact she was good friends with Nora. The Pia tells Christina she is quitting the club. Christina says she thought “Pia would be stripping until the hospice came and got her.” Christina wants to make sure that Pia isn’t quitting because she is afraid of Renee or of being judged.

Leah hears Nora's side, but can't see past the bruises.

Leah, Christina and Nora meet. Leah wants to hear Nora’s side of the fight. First, Nora tells Leah she heard the news about Leah’s mother and she is sorry. Then they get into the issue of the fight and Leah tells Nora that she would have gone for the kill, if Nora had said to her what she said to Renee, about her father. Nora says she can’t hit people. Nora tells her Pia’s knuckles were in her face and she has scratches. Leah says she was angry with Nora, but after seeing her face, she just wants to give her a hug. Christina now feels angry about Pia, doesn’t trust her and feels she is the troublemaker.

MY TWO CENTS

“Sticks and stones will brake my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That is a line we were all fed as kids to help us get over teasing from other kids, but it’s not true. Words do have the power to hurt people, just ask anyone who has been verbally abused. The scars from physical abuse heal, but verbal abuse causes long term, emotional scars. Besides that, if you say something vulgar to someone, they just might use a few “stones” or fists and brake a few of your bones. Better to go by the expression, “if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.” And that’s what Nora should do, say nothing! Because as far as I can see, she can’t fight or won’t fight, but she does a hell of a lot of provoking. Now for the show!

The show is topsy turvey. Everyone who was enemies when it started are now friends and those who were friends are now enemies. We need a play by play to follow along.

So now Christina, who really disliked Nora at first, because she called Pia a “whore” several times, is now her defender and protector. Christina thinks it was wrong for Pia and Renee to go after Nora. This is the same Christina who went after Pia in the first show, and pulled her hair out, over a lot less than Renee and Pia heard said about them. The same Christina who has said, when she is angry, she doesn’t know what she is doing. Well guess what? Pia and Renee were good and angry and they had every right to be. Nora hit below the belt and she doesn’t stop. She has called Pia a “whore” time and time again, and says that she really makes her money by doing sexual favors, not dancing. On top of that she implies that Pia has/will get gonorrhea? Where does that all come from? As for Renee, first she tells her she hopes she loses her daughter, and then yells out in a crowded restaurant that her dead father raped her every day of her life? Are you kidding me? I am not a person who gets physical and would never raise my hand to someone, but I never had a “friend” talk to me like that either. I don’t condone fighting, but it’s obvious to me that Nora was pushing both Pia and Renee over the edge, knowing full well what would happen to her if she did. When you decide to behave in a certain way and consequences follow, you can’t complain. Nora gets people too angry to use words and all they have left are their fists. And now, for Christina to side with Nora and call Pia a troublemaker??? That makes no sense to me whatsoever, unless editing took out something critical that we didn’t see. Christina was ready to go after Nora for Pia in the first episode and now Nora can do no wrong?

Pia and Renee, who were both good friends of Nora’s and couldn’t stand each other at first, are now bonding over their common enemy, Nora. They both know how it feels to suffer from the very personal and unforgivable insults hurled at them by Nora. I really think what drove them to get physical is that Nora didn’t just attack them, but their loved ones. Pia was worried her comments were going to affect her daughter and Renee’s daughter and father were both attacked. I know I say Renee likes to fight a lot, but I am going to say that in this case she had good reason to attack and so did Pia. Enough is enough! Besides that, they both feel betrayed by Nora. They have said many times how they have helped her in the past, so her words cut like a knife and Nora knows it.

Here I am going to interject something that needs to be made clear. We have heard twice on the show that Pia was pole dancing for 15 years. Last week, on Twitter, Pia tried to correct that, because she says she pole danced for 3 years, not 15. This week it came up again on the show. Whether this is due to editing, I don’t know, but the record should be set straight. We all want the truth and I think Pia knows how long she danced better than anyone. Three years.

Now, as for Leah, she is the voice of reason. I love Leah! She says what I think. Nora deserved what she got for saying what she said. It’s like yelling “fire” in a movie theater. When people hear certain things that are going to react instinctually. Nora likes to hurt people with words, so she shouldn’t complain if they use their fists to hurt her back. Her weapon of choice is her mouth, their weapon of choice is their fists. When Nora is confronted about the things she said, by Leah, she insists they are true. Will we ever get to the bottom of it this season? I don’t know. But true or not, if Renee was in fact molested by her father AND I AM NOT SAYING SHE WAS, that is not something to be yelled out in her face, in a crowded restaurant. Period. Whether Nora was told that in confidence or made it up, it was a very hurtful and unforgivable thing to say. I think what I respect most is that Leah did not agree with Christina and made no bones about telling her so. At the same time, even though they really disagreed about the fight, they were able to discuss it without causing a war between themselves. That is a real friendship. And as tough as Leah comes across, she really has a compassionate heart. After she sees Nora, she can’t help but feel bad for the beating she got at the party. But, I think Leah knows deep down, if Nora had said anything about her father like that, she would have made Nora look a lot worse than both Pia and Renee put together. There is no question in my mind about that.

P.S. About the wine, The German, I have to say that I was very surprised that the wine is a French "Pinot Noir" and not, for example, a real German Riesling wine. Just a small thing, but it bothered me. As for Nora saying how the wine made her feel when she tasted it...not touching that with a 10 foot pole.

Where do things stand now, in case you are confused? Christina befriends Nora and is good friends with Leah (always), but has lost Pia and Renee. Pia and Renee have a truce/new beginning, as they commiserate over Nora’s verbal attacks. Leah will never trust Nora, bruises or not, but is sympathetic to Pia and Renee’s issues with Nora. Got it? Well don’t memorize it, it may all change next week. Stay tuned!

What did you think of the show? It really held my interest and went very fast last night. Leave a comment if you have time, I’d like to hear your point o view. Thanks!