BY DC CUEVA
If you sift through the pile of press releases, cast bios and clippings this blogger compiles on the shows I watch & cover and use as research material for this site, you'll find that there are a small handful with something in common. Two competitors from the past year & a half's trilogy of The Challenge come from there... so do three members of MTV's most-popular series ever. It even links them to people outside this bubble such as Martin Sheen, Alyssa Milano, Christina Aguilera, Method Man, Bebe Rexha and Pete Davidson, who seemingly had a most-eventful 2018.
They were all born on that largely-forgotten part of New York City known as Staten Island. This is where Real World alums and later Challenge staples Marie from St. Thomas and Nicole from Skeletons in Chicago call home. Vinny and Angelina from Jersey Shore also call this secluded island of sorts home, where Mike The Situation was born, and it's also home base for fashionista Victoria from season 1 of Ex On The Beach, as well as the Wu-Tang Clan. And yet, it has long been forgotten by the bright lights of Manhattan and everything else in New York City.
Now, after seeing some of its natives go onto MTV Reality shows -- and following in the footsteps of other shows from parent company Viacom, Staten Island is now home to the latest new MTV series to generate a bit of controversy even before its first expanded look at the show and its cast were released. Ironically enough, the show has a link to another much-loved show on MTV's older sibling, and whose ancestors date back to one of the darkest eras in modern American history.
Tonight, MTV will welcome its viewers to this often overlooked part of the Big Apple, and offer a look at those breaking away from their past and who are Made In Staten Island.
The New York City area - the latest city in this country, officially comprises of the Big Apple and its five boroughs, plus New Jersey to the west & south, Long Island to the east, the Hudson Valley to the north, and stretching into Stamford, Connecticut. More than 8.6 million people call the city itself home, and nearly 24 million overall when the entire Tri-State area is accounted for. It is, by far, the largest metropolitan area and media market in the United States, and the place where everything is as grand as it can possibly get.
Tucked away in the southernmost part of both this region and of the entire state is Staten Island, whose official name in the New York State record books is Richmond County and the Borough of Richmond, though it's rarely even spoken of outside of county facilities. Despite stretching over 58 square miles of land, Staten Island is often looked at as "the forgotten borough," given that those who live here feel like outsiders in the eyes of City Hall - and many times over the years they've attempted to cede from the City itself, all of which have come up empty.
By contrast with the other four boroughs whose population number in the seven figures, only around 475,000 people call Staten Island home. This island's primary source of traffic comes from Brooklyn through the majestic Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, once the world's largest suspension bridge and the gateway to New York Harbor for ships coming in. It's the only borough not connected to the New York City Subway system, and residents must rely on its famous free ferry for their direct trips to Manhattan without having to beat through all the traffic.
At its heart, Staten Island is a hard working community that feels more like midtown America than the urban feel of its cousins on the other side of the Harbor. When not on MTV, Nicole and Angelina work as EMT's in the Fire Department of New York, and where firefighters and those who work in law enforcement make up a good number of this island's residents. It's seen as the most conservative of the five boroughs, and where the GOP sees this island as key to its election campaigns.
Staten Island is the city's only borough without a major detention center run by the City Department of Correction. The city's largest landfill once resided here, but after it held debris from Ground Zero after 9/11 will eventually become site of New York's second largest public park after Central Park. And it is the only borough where the minority make up the area's majority, with 65% of its residents being non-white, 20% of them were born outside the U.S., and where a third of those with European ancestry are Italian... the highest proportion of Italian-Americans anywhere in this country.
Everyone in and outside Staten Island has an idea of who Vinny, Angelina, Nicole and Marie are, but not everybody who watches MTV knows about Karen Gravano. She was one of the key figures in VH1's Mob Wives, which for six seasons followed the lives of women who called Staten Island home, but whose family members were arrested and put behind bars for alleged crimes connected to the Mafia. The series featured her, Drita D'Avanzo, Carla Foacciolo, Renee Graziano and the late Angela "Big Ang" Raiola, among others, as they went about their business in the City.
Gravano's father is Sammy "Big Bull" Gravano, a former member of the Colombo crime family and later an underboss of the Gambino mob who helped to bring down the family's boss, John Gotti, as part of a deal where he confessed to being involved in 19 murders. He was part of the group that gunned down the boss of the Gambino mob, and after a further history of crime and cooperating with authorities was in 2002 sent behind bars for operating a large drug ring that, over a year ago, was released following a 17-year prison sentence.
Karen split time between the Big Apple and Arizona to be close to "Big Bull" while he was serving his long prison sentence in the desert. And not only is she is executive producer of this show, Karen also happens to be mom to a daughter who may be the only one in the cast to not be born in the Big Apple -- she was born in and grew up in with her mom in the desert before going home for school -- is the link between her original Mob Wives series and the show that will bring the MTV audience for the first time to, what's also known to locals as, "The Rock."
Made In Staten Island is described by MTV as "a coming age story that follows a group of rebellious young adults and their families as they struggle to break away from the temptations of the criminal lifestyle they were born into." When show promos started airing, it was likened to the iconic movie The Godfather and led to the island's residents starting to revolt on their place being put into the negative limelight once again, and also getting the ire of Mayor Bill de Blasio. But those promos were seen as scare tactics to what the show is really about: the group of hustlers having to battle each other as well as the odds to find a way to step out from the shadows and alter their place's reputation. As the presser adds, "These friends will either choose wisely, or fall prey to the mistakes of past generations."
MTV head honcho Chris McCarthy says of the new show, "In many ways life on the Island has such a different texture than the rest of New York. We get to see another side of these kids who are very scrappy." And the cast might fit the stereotype those in S.I. and in the Big Apple have been dreading and makes for the reason why they aren't looking forward to tonight's premiere... but as MTV.com notes in writing the bios of the cast below, they are unique in their own way, and they also have some fascinating backstories to them too.
Tucked away in the southernmost part of both this region and of the entire state is Staten Island, whose official name in the New York State record books is Richmond County and the Borough of Richmond, though it's rarely even spoken of outside of county facilities. Despite stretching over 58 square miles of land, Staten Island is often looked at as "the forgotten borough," given that those who live here feel like outsiders in the eyes of City Hall - and many times over the years they've attempted to cede from the City itself, all of which have come up empty.
By contrast with the other four boroughs whose population number in the seven figures, only around 475,000 people call Staten Island home. This island's primary source of traffic comes from Brooklyn through the majestic Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, once the world's largest suspension bridge and the gateway to New York Harbor for ships coming in. It's the only borough not connected to the New York City Subway system, and residents must rely on its famous free ferry for their direct trips to Manhattan without having to beat through all the traffic.
At its heart, Staten Island is a hard working community that feels more like midtown America than the urban feel of its cousins on the other side of the Harbor. When not on MTV, Nicole and Angelina work as EMT's in the Fire Department of New York, and where firefighters and those who work in law enforcement make up a good number of this island's residents. It's seen as the most conservative of the five boroughs, and where the GOP sees this island as key to its election campaigns.
Staten Island is the city's only borough without a major detention center run by the City Department of Correction. The city's largest landfill once resided here, but after it held debris from Ground Zero after 9/11 will eventually become site of New York's second largest public park after Central Park. And it is the only borough where the minority make up the area's majority, with 65% of its residents being non-white, 20% of them were born outside the U.S., and where a third of those with European ancestry are Italian... the highest proportion of Italian-Americans anywhere in this country.
Gravano's father is Sammy "Big Bull" Gravano, a former member of the Colombo crime family and later an underboss of the Gambino mob who helped to bring down the family's boss, John Gotti, as part of a deal where he confessed to being involved in 19 murders. He was part of the group that gunned down the boss of the Gambino mob, and after a further history of crime and cooperating with authorities was in 2002 sent behind bars for operating a large drug ring that, over a year ago, was released following a 17-year prison sentence.
Karen split time between the Big Apple and Arizona to be close to "Big Bull" while he was serving his long prison sentence in the desert. And not only is she is executive producer of this show, Karen also happens to be mom to a daughter who may be the only one in the cast to not be born in the Big Apple -- she was born in and grew up in with her mom in the desert before going home for school -- is the link between her original Mob Wives series and the show that will bring the MTV audience for the first time to, what's also known to locals as, "The Rock."
MTV head honcho Chris McCarthy says of the new show, "In many ways life on the Island has such a different texture than the rest of New York. We get to see another side of these kids who are very scrappy." And the cast might fit the stereotype those in S.I. and in the Big Apple have been dreading and makes for the reason why they aren't looking forward to tonight's premiere... but as MTV.com notes in writing the bios of the cast below, they are unique in their own way, and they also have some fascinating backstories to them too.
Bios Courtesy MTV.com
● KARINA SEABROOK/"Kiki": "Known as the “Staten Island Princess,” Karina walks into any room and her presence is known, but don’t let her polished beauty fool you; with her Mafia bloodline and an attitude to match, she is not to be messed with. Like her grandfather Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, she believes in complete loyalty -- until you cross her. Karina has been dating her boyfriend Paulie for over two years, and their on-again, off-again ways drive the group crazy. They each have fiery tempers and a jealous streak to match, so there are constant fireworks. Unlike everyone else in her crew, Karina has known a life outside the “Island.” She grew up with her mom in Arizona and sometimes dreams of getting away from the gossip and scrutiny of Staten Island, and with her grandfather finally out of prison, she may have another reason to return to Arizona."
● PAULIE FUSCO: "Paulie’s a true Staten Island hustler always trying to make his way to the top. He’s desperate to build the life he’s always dreamed of while staying off the streets he grew up on. At 11 years old, Paulie lost his father, and his mother struggled financially to raise four kids on her own. Paulie has always dreamed of becoming a Manhattan millionaire and making his way off Staten Island once and for all, but with no high school diploma, he finds himself bussing tables to make ends meet. Paulie’s love for his girlfriend Karina has kept him out of the street life after she warned him that she would not put up with criminal behavior, but his former street-life persona always finds its way back into his relationship and causes explosive friction between him and Karina."
● KAYLA GONZALEZ/"KG": "Kayla is the muscle of the crew. Having taken down three girls with one punch, she has a reputation for never backing down from a good Staten Island street fight. Her friends have crowned her the “Ronda Rousey” of the forgotten borough, but after spending the night in jail for viciously attacking a girl and facing a possible six-month bid in Rikers Island Correctional Facility, Kayla is eager to turn over a new leaf and stay out of trouble for good. The tempers and temptations of the Staten Island streets leave Kayla constantly battling to keep on the straight and narrow."
● CHRISTIAN PATTERSON/"C.P.": "CP is a lover and a fighter. He might be fiery and temperamental, but he’s got a smile that can light up a room and a swagger that makes all the girls swoon. CP’s currently facing prison time on assault charges and finds it hard to break the pattern of the street life he grew up in. His father is currently serving a five-year sentence for drug charges at Marcy State Correctional Facility in Upstate New York. CP was once homeless living on the streets and relying on the generosity of friends and family. He has learned to build a wall around his heart when it comes to romance, and he values his family and friend circle over everything. Unfortunately, if he doesn’t learn to control his temper, he may land himself in the worst possible place: jail."
● DENNIE AUGUSTINE: "As the Staten Island voice of reason, Dennie does things her way. Developing thick skin is second nature when you grow up on SI, and Dennie has learned to use her wit and charm to get her out of any situation. She prides herself on her confidence and wild personality. Dennie likes to love hard and party harder, which makes her the most popular party girl in the circle. Her Staten Island quirks and hilarious one-liners keep everybody laughing. She’s the self-proclaimed mediator of the crew and is constantly struggling to break the bad habits of their criminal pasts."
● TAYLOR O'TOOLE: "Taylor is as no-nonsense and straightforward as they come. She’s a “guy’s girl” with no tolerance for attitude or disrespect. Her gorgeous twin brother Joe is her partner in crime, and between the partying, fights and the arrests, these two 21-year-olds have made their way through the Staten Island streets. After one “no regrets” summer, and five nights in Rikers Island, Taylor is now a felon charged with assault and battery. Currently on probation for her violent crimes, one more arrest will land Taylor behind bars for seven years. Working to stay out of trouble, Taylor is currently in a mandated treatment program, attending beauty school and living with her straight-laced boyfriend. Taylor hopes to make it off the Island to Manhattan to start her career as a hair stylist."
● JOE O'TOOLE: "Taylor’s twin brother Joe’s handsome chiseled face and romantic streak have everyone calling him the charmer of the South Shore, but he’s still figuring out how to be an adult and make the right choices. Joe knows he should follow the path everyone else in Staten Island is on -- join a union and get a city job and a pension -- but the fast money from the street is always a temptation. At only 15 years old, Joe was forced to grow up quickly when he became a teenage father to his beautiful daughter who is now five years old. He wants nothing but the best for his daughter but also wants to live the party life of the rest of his crew. Joe has a big personality and wears his heart on his sleeve, but he’s never been known to keep an opinion to himself, which has landed him in more than a few altercations on the Staten Island streets."
For Karina & Paulie, they take on the role of being the show's couple, although their relationship might be a bit more twisted than what we've had lately with Paulie & Cara Maria, as well as Alex & Juliette on Siesta Key. Their Staten Island love affair began two years ago and have dated on and off ever since which, despite not having the public fancy of those two couples until now, has nonetheless driven the clique crazy, especially with fiery tempers and a streak of jealousness too. But believe it or not, Made In Staten Island is not their first MTV go-around.
In 2017 when the channel was just starting to be relevant again, Karina & Paulie appeared on a episode of a show called Promposal, a My Super Sweet 16 for those who have elaborate plans of wanting to surprise their high school boyfriends/girlfriends with the invitation of bringing them to senior high school prom. There as then 17-year-old's and dressed up like an Oscars Best Actor nominee, he brought her to the One World Observatory at One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan to pop the magic question. She eventually got to say yes... but it was what led up to it that offers background to what will be a big story to follow in their return engagement.
Those who watched their one prior MTV appearance before this one saw a relationship as toxic, complicated and unpredictable back then as it will be this winter. They were mixed on their future plans after getting their high school diplomas, such as the argument in the clip below of them on the beach wanting to face their problems head on rather than let it go into the ocean.
And that's not all when it comes to past on-screen appearances: a rapper who's dominated the scene the past year has been 6ix9ine, who first came to fame for his all-out rap style and strong persona starting when his debut single earned him a platinum record, his maiden mixtape debuting in the Billboard Top 10, and a collaboration with Nicki Minaj making him mainstream. But after his debut studio album Dummy Boy dropped at #2 on the charts, he was arrested for racketeering and firearm charges that may see his career end before it really takes off, facing a possible life jail term.
Last summer, "Tati" was 6ix9ine's lead single off of Dummy Boy, and in the video below, Karina and her BFF, Victoria Huertas, appeared in the track's accompanying music video while filming of Made In Staten Island was rolling along.
The last time MTV featured those who call its seat of government home was six years ago, when it documented a totally different but similar group of ambitious millennials living in the Washington Heights neighborhood in northern Manhattan. The diverse group of Audubon, Reyna and company got to live, laugh and pursue their diverse passions in uptown north of the skyscrapers in one of those rare instances where aspiring dreams took precedent over drunken drama.
There will be a moment similar to the premiere episode of what happened Uptown to what will take place in the Island: a reunion of a dad and his son behind bars in Upstate New York. In the Heights, aspiring baseball player Jimmy and girlfriend Eliza drove up north to meet his dad who was serving a prison sentence... for Staten Island, C.P. will take the trek to an upstate jail to see his dad who is also serving a jail term - this time on drug charges.
Since Made In Staten Island was revealed to the public last month, understandably everyone in America's biggest city have had their say... but tonight sees the show's big premiere. What they will see will either be the continuation of their island being put into a negative spotlight, or a new light being shone on people breaking out of the past and into their own in the latest in coming-of-age stories that MTV loves to document. The cast and its Mob Wives creator hope that it's the ladder that will prevail as this all begins tonight.
- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
● PAULIE FUSCO: "Paulie’s a true Staten Island hustler always trying to make his way to the top. He’s desperate to build the life he’s always dreamed of while staying off the streets he grew up on. At 11 years old, Paulie lost his father, and his mother struggled financially to raise four kids on her own. Paulie has always dreamed of becoming a Manhattan millionaire and making his way off Staten Island once and for all, but with no high school diploma, he finds himself bussing tables to make ends meet. Paulie’s love for his girlfriend Karina has kept him out of the street life after she warned him that she would not put up with criminal behavior, but his former street-life persona always finds its way back into his relationship and causes explosive friction between him and Karina."
● KAYLA GONZALEZ/"KG": "Kayla is the muscle of the crew. Having taken down three girls with one punch, she has a reputation for never backing down from a good Staten Island street fight. Her friends have crowned her the “Ronda Rousey” of the forgotten borough, but after spending the night in jail for viciously attacking a girl and facing a possible six-month bid in Rikers Island Correctional Facility, Kayla is eager to turn over a new leaf and stay out of trouble for good. The tempers and temptations of the Staten Island streets leave Kayla constantly battling to keep on the straight and narrow."
● CHRISTIAN PATTERSON/"C.P.": "CP is a lover and a fighter. He might be fiery and temperamental, but he’s got a smile that can light up a room and a swagger that makes all the girls swoon. CP’s currently facing prison time on assault charges and finds it hard to break the pattern of the street life he grew up in. His father is currently serving a five-year sentence for drug charges at Marcy State Correctional Facility in Upstate New York. CP was once homeless living on the streets and relying on the generosity of friends and family. He has learned to build a wall around his heart when it comes to romance, and he values his family and friend circle over everything. Unfortunately, if he doesn’t learn to control his temper, he may land himself in the worst possible place: jail."
● DENNIE AUGUSTINE: "As the Staten Island voice of reason, Dennie does things her way. Developing thick skin is second nature when you grow up on SI, and Dennie has learned to use her wit and charm to get her out of any situation. She prides herself on her confidence and wild personality. Dennie likes to love hard and party harder, which makes her the most popular party girl in the circle. Her Staten Island quirks and hilarious one-liners keep everybody laughing. She’s the self-proclaimed mediator of the crew and is constantly struggling to break the bad habits of their criminal pasts."
● TAYLOR O'TOOLE: "Taylor is as no-nonsense and straightforward as they come. She’s a “guy’s girl” with no tolerance for attitude or disrespect. Her gorgeous twin brother Joe is her partner in crime, and between the partying, fights and the arrests, these two 21-year-olds have made their way through the Staten Island streets. After one “no regrets” summer, and five nights in Rikers Island, Taylor is now a felon charged with assault and battery. Currently on probation for her violent crimes, one more arrest will land Taylor behind bars for seven years. Working to stay out of trouble, Taylor is currently in a mandated treatment program, attending beauty school and living with her straight-laced boyfriend. Taylor hopes to make it off the Island to Manhattan to start her career as a hair stylist."
● JOE O'TOOLE: "Taylor’s twin brother Joe’s handsome chiseled face and romantic streak have everyone calling him the charmer of the South Shore, but he’s still figuring out how to be an adult and make the right choices. Joe knows he should follow the path everyone else in Staten Island is on -- join a union and get a city job and a pension -- but the fast money from the street is always a temptation. At only 15 years old, Joe was forced to grow up quickly when he became a teenage father to his beautiful daughter who is now five years old. He wants nothing but the best for his daughter but also wants to live the party life of the rest of his crew. Joe has a big personality and wears his heart on his sleeve, but he’s never been known to keep an opinion to himself, which has landed him in more than a few altercations on the Staten Island streets."
In 2017 when the channel was just starting to be relevant again, Karina & Paulie appeared on a episode of a show called Promposal, a My Super Sweet 16 for those who have elaborate plans of wanting to surprise their high school boyfriends/girlfriends with the invitation of bringing them to senior high school prom. There as then 17-year-old's and dressed up like an Oscars Best Actor nominee, he brought her to the One World Observatory at One World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan to pop the magic question. She eventually got to say yes... but it was what led up to it that offers background to what will be a big story to follow in their return engagement.
Those who watched their one prior MTV appearance before this one saw a relationship as toxic, complicated and unpredictable back then as it will be this winter. They were mixed on their future plans after getting their high school diplomas, such as the argument in the clip below of them on the beach wanting to face their problems head on rather than let it go into the ocean.
And that's not all when it comes to past on-screen appearances: a rapper who's dominated the scene the past year has been 6ix9ine, who first came to fame for his all-out rap style and strong persona starting when his debut single earned him a platinum record, his maiden mixtape debuting in the Billboard Top 10, and a collaboration with Nicki Minaj making him mainstream. But after his debut studio album Dummy Boy dropped at #2 on the charts, he was arrested for racketeering and firearm charges that may see his career end before it really takes off, facing a possible life jail term.
Last summer, "Tati" was 6ix9ine's lead single off of Dummy Boy, and in the video below, Karina and her BFF, Victoria Huertas, appeared in the track's accompanying music video while filming of Made In Staten Island was rolling along.
The last time MTV featured those who call its seat of government home was six years ago, when it documented a totally different but similar group of ambitious millennials living in the Washington Heights neighborhood in northern Manhattan. The diverse group of Audubon, Reyna and company got to live, laugh and pursue their diverse passions in uptown north of the skyscrapers in one of those rare instances where aspiring dreams took precedent over drunken drama.
There will be a moment similar to the premiere episode of what happened Uptown to what will take place in the Island: a reunion of a dad and his son behind bars in Upstate New York. In the Heights, aspiring baseball player Jimmy and girlfriend Eliza drove up north to meet his dad who was serving a prison sentence... for Staten Island, C.P. will take the trek to an upstate jail to see his dad who is also serving a jail term - this time on drug charges.
Since Made In Staten Island was revealed to the public last month, understandably everyone in America's biggest city have had their say... but tonight sees the show's big premiere. What they will see will either be the continuation of their island being put into a negative spotlight, or a new light being shone on people breaking out of the past and into their own in the latest in coming-of-age stories that MTV loves to document. The cast and its Mob Wives creator hope that it's the ladder that will prevail as this all begins tonight.
- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
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