Mob Wives Chicago: Where Are The "Artie Buccos"

I watched the Sopranos HBO series and rewatched it and rewatched it. I never saw Artie Bucco turn away anyone in the mob when they came to eat at his restaurant. No, as I recall, he always gave them his best table at Vesuvio’s and brought out many complimentary dishes for them to try while they were deciding on what to order. So how about a plate of that famous Osso Buco a la Bucco or Ziti al Forno? And for dessert?  A nice, homemade sfogliatelle (shfooyadell). 

The restaurateurs in Chicago would be wise to take a welcoming page out of Artie’s book! Instead they turn away our Mob Wives of Chicago and their guests. The angry Italian-Americans are not sitting still for the filming of Mob Wives in the windy city. They vow to protest all eateries that allow mob wives to eat and/or film there. And here I thought this was a free country? What was I thinking? They aren’t being very civil about their feelings either. They dislike the negative stereotype and the glorifying of the lifestyle. The word has traveled far and wide about their complete distain for the show and the mob wives. It’s all over the internet, it’s all over the newspapers, the citizens of Chicago are all buzzing about it. So what, who cares? Aren't there more important things to worry about than entertainment?

I don’t think VH1, Jennifer Graziano or any of the new mob wives are losing any sleep over this ongoing development at all. “Let the angry Italian-Americans protest 24/7,” they must be saying to themselves, behind closed doors, as they laugh and clink wine glasses. Who are these protesters hurting? They aren’t hurting Mob Wives Chicago. If anything they are helping to promote the show to those who haven’t watched or heard of it (hard as that may be to believe). They are raising viewer interest and heightening their curiosity with every word they utter. The publicity they are giving the show and the mob wives themselves is priceless. Meanwhile, the restaurateurs who refuse them service are losing business and publicity for themselves. I don’t know how many times fans of the show have asked us to tell them where the mob wives are eating in a particular show so they can go themselves and check it out.

Yesterday, the protesting made front page headlines in the Chicago Sun-Times. Headlines that were picked up by the internet and spread around. Who cares if it’s negative publicity? Surely not Jennifer Graziano, who did the town of Chicago a big favor by bringing her production team there. "All publicity is good publicity," so they say. And to date, I have not heard of one cast member, one film crew member, one executive producer and creator crying the blues because they are going hungry from the lack of restaurants willing to let them in to eat a meal. Apparently, there are still some "Artie Buccos" left in Chicago who welcome the mob to enjoy a delicious Italian dish. What do you think of the attitude of some Italian-Americans in Chicago?

Tutti a tavola a mangiare! Buon Appetito!