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Dr. Drew
Interview with Cast of `Mob Wives`
Aired October 01, 2012 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST (voice-over): Violent cat fights, family feuds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re actually on time. Shocking.
PINSKY: Single parenting, drama during weekend getaways and run ins with the law -- these are just some of the thing that TV "Mob Wives" deal with. They fight, drink, squabble, make alliances, air dirty laundry and then they make up long enough to take a breath and do it all over again.
Tonight, we will pull back the curtain and talk about life in the big family. Big Ang, Renee, Karen and Ramona are all here taking your questions.
Let`s get started.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: All right. First up, I`m going to speak to none other than Big Ang, Angela Raiola. She now has her own show on VH1. She`s author of "Bigger is Better." This is her book. "Real Wisdom from the No Drama Mama." That`s her book right there.
OK, Angela, I`ve got a bunch of questions for you.
First of all --
ANGELA "BIG ANG" RAIOLA, AUTHOR, "BIGGER IS BETTER": Hi, Doctor!
PINSKY: How are you? You seem happy to meet with me today. In your book, you said you freak out around doctors. How you doing with me so far?
RAIOLA: Listen, I love you, Dr. Drew. I`m very excited to be here with you.
PINSKY: All right. Excellent.
Now, a bunch of things -- I read your book, Ang. I read it and a bunch of things jumped out of me. First of all, you`re very forthcoming about the amount of plastic surgery and your enthusiasm for it. Tell people about that.
RAIOLA: Listen, what`s wrong with plastic surgery? Whatever makes you look better you should get. You feel good about yourself. Go for it.
PINSKY: The other thing I`ve learned about you from reading the book is you had a real run in with the law at one time. You really did have a problem. Yes, tell people about that.
RAIOLA: OK. In 2001, I was arrested for selling cocaine. I was under house arrest for four months. And it was the worst mistake of my life.
PINSKY: I understand you didn`t like house arrest at all.
RAIOLA: Who likes house arrest?
PINSKY: And you say -- Ang, I`m trying to reconcile a lot of things. This is one of the reasons I want to talk to you guys. You don`t seem like a -- you`re the no drama momma. Were you at one time in middle of the all the drama?
RAIOLA: Yes. I didn`t like it.
PINSKY: And did the run in --
RAIOLA: I was trying to make everybody talk, and, you know, get past all these issues.
PINSKY: Like what? What issues?
RAIOLA: It didn`t work out too well.
PINSKY: Like what issues?
RAIOLA: Issues they have with each other.
PINSKY: This is all the ladies on the "Mob Wives" we`re talking about, right?
RAIOLA: Exactly. Yes.
PINSKY: So you`re the peacemaker in the group.
RAIOLA: I was trying to be the peacemaker. But as you could tell, it didn`t work out.
PINSKY: It didn`t work out well. OK. And you`re a single mom now, right?
RAIOLA: Yes.
PINSKY: And your daughter is as I understand a special ed teacher, is that correct?
RAIOLA: Yes.
PINSKY: And I want you to know I have actually visited your place of business, the Drunken Monkey, and introduced myself to your daughter. She seemed very lovely.
RAIOLA: I know. I was sorry I missed you.
PINSKY: And does she work there at night while she teaches during the day? Is that how that works?
RAIOLA: Just one night a week, on a Friday.
PINSKY: So I caught her one night there. Let`s take some calls to see what people want to talk to you about.
That`s what I`m excited about. I know you have a lot of fans out there. I`ve got full disclosure here -- my wife is a giant fan of your show. She sort of got me watching your guys` lives. I`ve got questions and I`m sure other people do too.
So, let`s go to Michael in Wisconsin. Michael go ahead.
RAIOLA: OK.
MICHAEL, CALLER FROM WISCONSIN: Hi, Dr. Drew. I`m a big fan of all your guys` shows. I wanted to know, Big Ang, what made you want to get such drastic surgery done to you? Like was it a personal choice or did you feel unbeautiful growing up?
RAIOLA: No. I had it done 25 years ago. I always had big chest. After my kids, they fell. So I had to fill them back up.
PINSKY: How many chest procedures did you have?
RAIOLA: I had three, `85, `95, 2005.
PINSKY: And where are we at now? What`s your sort of dimensions?
RAIOLA: That`s it.
PINKSY: But what are the --
RAIOLA: That`s anymore you want me.
PINSKY: In your book, you specify your dimensions. I got 36J or something. Is that right?
RAIOLA: Oh, 36J. That`s jumbo. Jumbo.
PINSKY: OK, let`s go to another. Maria in California -- Maria.
MARIA, CALLER FROM CALIFORNIA: Hi, Dr. Drew. Hi, "Mob Wives".
My question is a comment. What type of -- I`m not understanding why we continue to make any type of publicity for these type of programs. I`ve seen the program, and from what I`ve seen, it brings no social awareness, nothing positive in that program. All I see is a lot of drinking and a lot of violence.
PINSKY: What do you say, Ang?
RAIOLA: Well, that`s real life. That`s how people are. They drink, have fun, and they fight in the New York world.
PINSKY: And, you know, it`s hard -- I feel like we`re sort of looking in through the looking glass at the life you guys live. Let me ask a simple question -- when we do we --
RAIOLA: This is the real life. This is how real life is in New York with single parents and Staten Island girls. I don`t know where you come from, but that`s how it is here.
PINSKY: OK, let`s go to Toni in Pennsylvania -- Toni.
TONI, CALLER FROM PENNSYLVANIA: Hey, Ang. It`s Toni, Ang. Love you, sister. I just want to say you`re the bomb. I love you.
RAIOLA: Hi, Toni.
That`s my family. She`s crazy. Hi, my love.
TONI: I love you, Angela! You got to come to the hideout where I live!
RAIOLA: OK.
PINSKY: Bye, Toni.
Let`s go to Janine in New York -- Janine.
JANINE, CALLER FROM NEW YORK: Hi.
PINSKY: Hi. What`s up?
JANINE: Hi, how are you? Angela --
PINSKY: Here she is.
JANINE: Who`s your favorite family member?
RAIOLA: What?
JANINE: Who`s your favorite family member?
RAIOLA: I can`t hear them.
PINSKY: She`s asking who is your favorite family member? Do you have a family member named Janine, I imagine that`s who`s calling.
RAIOLA: Oh, that`s my sister. She`s calling. That`s my sister.
PINSKY: OK. Ang, here`s the deal. How does it feel to be somebody that is sort of galvanizing like you are? I mean, on one hand, we have people saying your show serves a bad function and shows misbehavior and the other people idolize you.
RAIOLA: Listen. There`s haters in this world. You know, that girl must have no life and be very jealous. Of course, she probably sits in the house and has no friends unlike me.
I have plenty of friends and I have a good time. Sorry if they don`t like it.
PINSKY: OK. Now, Ang, stay with me. I`m going to add in next Renee Graziano. She`s going to talk about issues with domestic violence versus some of these issues you guys talk about on the show.
There`s Renee right now. You can call her 855-373-7395. Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RENEE GRAZIANO, MOB WIVES: (INAUDIBLE) one more time. I`m going to have one phone call. They`re going to find you floating, you mother (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
My advice, take your one nut and go (EXPLETIVE DELETED) home because you got four sitting in front of you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: Renee Graziano joins me now.
You`re not one for pulling punches, my dear. Thank you for joining us.
Let me ask Renee -- is this you guys first time doing live television? Are we getting a first here or have you done much live television before?
GRAZIANO: I`ve done it before, but this is my first time doing it with you, so I`m super excited.
PINSKY: OK. And Renee and I have actually met. Kerri Kagan of VH1 set us up on a dinner and we broke bread. She was lovely and very kind, to me and my wife.
Renee, so you all look great tonight. What do you guys want people to know about yourselves that you don`t get from the show? The show "Mob Wives" on VH1 is sort of highlighting tonight. But what do you want people to know that they don`t see on that program?
GRAZIANO: I think for me, this season, people are going to find out a lot more about me than what they`ve already seen. And they will make sense as to why I`m a little dramatic or over emotional. So for me, I`m going into season three letting everybody know a little bit more about myself.
But I think for the viewer, what they should know is that we`re very loving women. We love our children and our families all the way. That`s what you`re supposed to do when you have a family. And so, if we`re a little over the top, we`re a little over the top.
PINSKY: And there`s sort of a code you guys live by that evokes a certain amount of aggression. I think that`s the part that people sort of look at and go, huh? Because they`re not -- outside of Staten Island may not be accustomed to that. Is that accurate?
GRAZIANO: I`m aggressive. I`m definitely verbally aggressive. I`ve always been.
But I think a lot of women are. I just -- we`re just on television, so you`re seeing us be verbally aggressive or a little bit physically aggressive because we`re on camera. But I think there`s a lot of people across the board that could be that aggressive. Maybe we need to tone it down a little bit. Or maybe I need to tone it down a little bit.
PINSKY: Ang, you want to comment on that too?
RAIOLA: Listen. We`re not out to hurt anybody. They don`t like the show, they shouldn`t watch it. We`re just having a good time. Sometimes it gets a little out of hand.
But by the end of the show, we straighten it all out.
PINSKY: Ang the peacemaker. What I find striking --
RAIOLA: We have very big hearts.
PINSKY: I know that about you guys. Here`s the part that breaks my heart. Is that you guys -- some of you guys have been mistreated by men, abandoned by men. You would think you would bond together as women. Instead, I see you guys kind of fighting. Isn`t that kind of -- am I right to feel a little bad about that?
GRAZIANO: Well, I completely understand why you do feel the way that you do. And I personally believe that not all women can get along, especially if there`s some sort of violation between the women. I don`t think that everybody has to get along, although we should. But sometimes you bond better with one than you do with the other.
PINSKY: Let`s take some calls, guys. Here`s Gioia in New Jersey.
GIOIA, CALLER FROM NEW JERSEY: Hi, Ang. Hi, Renee.
GRAZIANO: Hi.
RAIOLA: How are you guys?
Renee, I want to tell you that you and I used to I.M. on Facebook all the time. I didn`t realize what you were going through. And I was going through a really difficult time and you got me through that. I thank you for it.
But I`m going to back these women up. I grew up in Bay Ridge and I live the life just like they did. Unless you walk a mile in their shoes, you have no right to judge them.
We`re Italian. When we were younger, we were sheltered from what our fathers did. We thought our fathers were going to work -- garbage men, plumbers, this that and the other thing. People think really that, you know, oh, they know their father`s in the mob.
You know what? It`s like Ang said, you don`t like it don`t watch it. But this is how girls in Staten Island and Brooklyn act. We band together. We protect each other.
I mean, Karen`s father used to come give me espresso every morning when I was waiting outside in the freezing cold to go to work. You`re not going to judge people that I`ve been associated with in the same circle and think you`re going get away with it. I back them up all the way.
PINSKY: Gioia, in fact, I think it`s a little bit different as I understand it. Ramona and Karen are coming in in a few minutes.
And, Renee, the three of you at least were sort of royalty in a way, weren`t you? Ang, I know you had a different kind of life. I`ll talk to you about that in a second. But you guys led princess lives in your early adolescence didn`t you?
GRAZIANO: I definitely -- yes, some sort of a princess life. But it wasn`t -- now that I`ve grown, I realize that really wasn`t a princess life that I think any girl should lead. But yes, there was some sort of royalty --
PINSKY: Was it mob royalty?
GRAZIANO: There you go. I didn`t want to say the word. Yes. I believe that`s what it was.
And I definitely -- I did it. I did it from being driven to school in limousines to being walked into nightclubs as if I was someone that was so important. So for me, I think that, yes. That mob royalty. I lived it.
PINSKY: And, Ang, you did not though. I was reading your book. You spoil your kids to try to compensate for what you didn`t have, right?
RAIOLA: I didn`t have much. I had seven brothers and sisters. My father used to run numbers and my mother was a bartender. So we had nothing.
I took care of my family. Didn`t go to school, cleaned the house and helped my mother. So I struggled kind of. I`ve been working since I`m 15.
PINSKY: And then, Renee, you expected a certain kind of life. Then men kind of derailed that, didn`t they? Men didn`t treat you right.
GRAZIANO: No. I`ve experienced, unfortunately, some -- well, not some. I`m a domestic violence survivor. So, no, I was definitely not treated the way my father treated me. And not that I -- I think I definitely had a sense of entitlement which is where I was wrong. But I don`t think I deserved the abuse that I received.
PINSKY: No. No woman deserves physical aggression or abuse. That`s one of the things I know that we want to shine a light on tonight. I think, Renee, you particularly want to talk about that. So we`ll get into that.
And later on, we`ve got Karen Gravano and her BFF Ramona Rizzo here. And real stories. More from Big Ang and Renee.
There they are. Hi, ladies -- 855-373-7395.
KAREN GRAVANO & RAMONA RIZZO, MOB WIVES: Hi.
PINSKY: Be right back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAZIANO: They`re taking my dad! The feds are taking my dad! And there`s nothing I can do. And even though I`m ten minutes away from his house, I can`t get there fast enough to say good-bye. I can`t save -- I can`t save my family. And I feel so helpless.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: That was a very difficult moment for Renee on VH1 program "Mob Wives".
I`m joined by Renee and Big Ang. Renee is taking a deep breath to watch that footage again.
You guys, thanks so much for joining us today. I appreciate you guys coming from Staten Island. You`ve been great.
We`re going to keep taking calls. First, Jayme in Florida -- Jayme.
JAYME, CALLER FROM FLORIDA: Hey, what`s up?
PINSKY: Jamie.
JAYME: Hello.
GRAZIANO: Hi, Jayme.
RAIOLA: What`s up?
JAYME: Hey. Oh, my gosh. Big Ang, I love you. Renee, oh my God. OK.
RAIOLA: Thank you so much.
JAYME: My question is -- Renee, when you got the plastic surgery, how long was the recovery and was it like crazy? Like, was it crazy?
GRAZIANO: My first procedure unfortunately, the recovery took longer than expected due to certain complications. My second surgery was a complete success and I was up and about within, like, three days.
PINSKY: It seems like plastic surgery is common place in Staten Island. You guys embraced that like make up or something, or clothing.
RAIOLA: Listen to me.
PINSKY: Go, Ang. I`m listening.
RAIOLA: Plastic surgery is common all over the world.
PINSKY: Yes, that`s true.
RAIOLA: Not just us. OK. Let`s get that on the map. Everybody I look at has plastic surgery.
Look at everybody on TV. Hello. Why do they just keep focusing on our plastic surgery? Let`s look at everybody else.
PINSKY: I agree with you, Ang. I want to focus on the domestic violence Renee had to go through.
Renee, what you want people know about that story? What happened to you? Or can you talk about it?
GRAZIANO: I experienced the violence with my ex-husband actually from the beginning. And I think as a young girl, you always hear oh, if he raises his hands he loves you more. It`s an unfortunate situation that women actually believe what they`re told when a man says, oh, I`ll never do it again. Or, you know, I only did it because I love you.
That is total nonsense. And if they raise their hand once, they`re most likely going to raise it again. For me, I`ve dealt with the physical violence for -- I was with him for 23 years.
And I think -- but maybe seven years of the relationship while he was in prison is when I wasn`t dealing with it. So I`m a survivor. And I am here for anyone that needs me to help them back up. I want to pay it forward, because God has definitely taken me above and beyond.
And I believe that as a woman, I`m here -- I have to help. It`s my responsibility.
PINSKY: Let`s take another quick call from Kristin in Alabama -- Kristin.
KRISTIN, CALLER FROM ALABAMA: Hi, Dr. Drew. Hi, "Mob Wives".
RAIOLA: Hi.
GRAZIANO: Hi.
KRISTIN: I just wanted to say that I`m calling from Alabama, so I`m speaking for the Southern girls who love, love, love your show. And keep doing what you got doing. And forget all the haters. They`re going to hate anyways. Just keep doing what y`all doing. I love y`all.
PINSKY: Well, Kristin, this is what I want to point out. These women are big personalities and they sort of have big lives that are being followed here. Maybe as Renee said they`re being amplified by the cameras stuff. But it really bothers me when people on shows like yours, maybe Renee, either you can comment about this, are sort of treated by the public as some sort of cartoon character. This is really your lives.
GRAZIANO: One hundred percent this is my life.
(CROSSTALK)
PINSKY: Go ahead, Ang. Finish it up.
RAIOLA: Everybody`s been treating me great, like I`m some great big movie star everywhere I go. So I don`t know what`s going on. They`re running after me, Big Ang, Big Ang.
PINSKY: Now, it`s turned --
RAIOLA: More people like me than dislike me.
PINSKY: Fair enough. All right. Next, more from the VH1 show, "Mob Wives." We`re going to be joined by Karen and Ramona. You can call and talk to them as well. We have all four ladies.
Number is 855-373-7395. There they are. Call in. More questions after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All of a sudden it`s like a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) stampede to the other side of the room.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I see blood on my hands. No, no, no. Now I`m really mad.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ramona should not have gotten involved. Period. Case closed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who hit you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Derek! I want him now!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: Joining us from New York are from VH1 mob wives, Ramona Rizzo and Karen Gravano. Karen is author of "Mob Daughter: The Mafia, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano and Me." There is her book, which have been doing quite well.
OK, ladies. Thank you for joining us. That`s quite a scene we reviewed there for you. Again, full disclosure: you guys are my wife`s favorite personalities and television show. And she`ll be -- when I get home, she`s going to -- I`m going get a tongue-lashing for not having asked you questions that she wanted answered. So, I hope I ask the right things.
But let me start first with Ramona and let`s kind of -- again, I want people to seeing you guys as real human beings. Ramona, you had a terrible story with your kids. I`m not sure people are aware of that. Can you -- can you revisit that a little bit for us?
RAMONA RIZZO, "MOB WIVES": I can tell you as much I could at this point.
PINSKY: Yes.
RIZZO: I was basically held in another country, which was Jordan, from my children`s father. I mean, there are certain aspects and certain ways that he wasn`t allowing us to come home. So, it was really a troublesome time and it really took me all kinds of different ways to try to find the way out. And, I also had Karen trying to help me. I also had Jennifer, the executive producer and the creator of the show, trying to get me back home. But in the end, it just was basically on me and being creative and thank God and knock on wood, I got to come home.
PINSKY: And you got your kids.
RIZZO: I have all four of them. Thank God.
PINSKY: And then, Karen, you too have been through some crisis in your life. Can you revisit some of what`s in the book for us?
GRAVANO: Basically, I grew up the daughter of Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. And, I mean, my story is just out there. I mean, father was the underboss of the Gambino Organized crime family, which was the most powerful crime family in New York. And then, he cooperated with the government.
And at that point in my life, I kind of felt like I was shunned by my community. I felt like an outcast. And I eventually got into my own problems and trouble. And, the reason why I wrote the book is because I really come to terms with who I am, everything I`ve been through in my life. And I kind of had closure.
So, it was just -- you know, everything that you go through in life, even -- whether you`re attached to this type of lifestyle or any other lifestyle, as long as you remain strong, you have a good support team. I had friends like Ramona and Renee and people that really had my back and Jennifer through all this. You can make it through any situation.
PINSKY: And you guys keep mentioning Jennifer. Jennifer is Renee`s sister, the producer of the "Mob Wives" show. And, did you guys also have some domestic violence history? did you suffer at the hands of men?
RIZZO: When I was out there, unfortunately, that did take place. It never had taken place in the United States. And I guess, you know, my ex- husband, you know, maybe (INAUDIBLE) grew a set of balls over there because I didn`t really know anybody. So, it was kind of hard.
PINSKY: And Karen, you?
GRAVANO: No, I wasn`t. I think any time you grow up in this lifestyle, there is a sense of abandonment or stuff that we went through, but I would not say any kind of domestic violence, no.
PINSKY: OK. So, abandonment -- again -- this is what -- the stories of the "Mob Wives" I keep getting kind of sad when I watch you guys attacking one another because it feels to me that really the first aggression started with the men, didn`t it?
GRAVANO: I would say that --
PINSKY: Go ahead, Karen.
GRAVANO: I`d say that all of us definitely have a strong bond and a sisterhood because we`ve all been through similar situation. But I feel like the way Renee grew up, Ana (ph) grew up, Ramona grew up, we grew up with loyalty and that`s something that`s very big to us. So, when you see us arguing our fighting, it`s about our strong beliefs and what we believe in.
And, at the end of the day, when you have people that have your back, you know what loyalty is. So, I mean, I think what you`re seeing on the show is, yes, we`re arguing and we`re fighting, and I want to say we do love hard and we fight hard. But, we also are in situations that are very real. And you know, again, it relates back to the whole loyalty issue.
PINSKY: Renee, you keep shaking your head vigorously through this whole conversation. Do you want to add something to that?
GRAZIANO: No, I`m agreeing with Karen, because I think the issue what people miss is, you`re watching just what they`re allowing you to watch. But what you don`t understand about us women is the fact that we are very - - we love so hard. And if someone violates someone in our family, any way, shape, or form, is when you`ll see us attack.
PINSKY: All right.
GRAZIANO: Otherwise, we`re actually really good fun loving women.
PINSKY: All right. We`re watching pictures of that right now, Renee. Kelly in Ohio. Kelly, you have a comment or question for us?
KELLY, OHIO: Hi, ladies. I would like to say I`m a huge fan. I think that you`re very real. I know there`s been a lot of negative publicity, a lot of negative talk about what you do, but I do see a lot of the good that you do. Say you give a lot of good advice especially about women with domestic violence issues.
I`ve had to deal with that myself. And I`m proud of you guys for bringing light to that. And I think it will be awesome of you guys, I don`t know if you have or if you could, maybe work with women, expand your sisterhood, you know? Because a lot of us in this nation are dealing with the same thing. And I`m very proud of you for bringing light to it. And I`ve dealt with that myself also.
PINSKY: Listen, we have Rihanna and Chris Brown. These are headline kinds of stories. These are common stories in our country. I agree with you completely. Renee has approached me about different organizations. They`re interested in reaching out and becoming more of a voice to support women who are going through this for sure.
You see them all shaking their head. We`ve got more. Call us. Call the "Mob Wives." 855-373-7395. We`ll take a quick break. Be right back. Don`t go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Out of everybody in the bar, he had to go after the biggest drama queen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got a mother? How would you like someone disrespecting your mother? She`s a woman. Don`t disrespect woman.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PINSKY: Big Ane, Renee Graziano, Karen Gravano, and Ramona Rizzo are here. They are the "Mob Wives" from Vh1. They have kindly joined us this evening. And Ramona, first, I think I`ll call out to you. Hold up your cell phone, will you? It just kind of -- I saw you making a call earlier and it kind of frightened me a second.
RIZZO: You`re very nosy.
(LAUGHTER)
PINSKY: You got brass knuckles on your cell phone.
RIZZO: Yes. It`s very cute. It`s a cute accessory. I`m an accessory trick. I don`t really need them, but it just goes with the whole persona. You want me to send your wife a set?
PINSKY: If it came from you, yes, categorically (ph) effect. She was twittering a minute ago that she wanted you guys to know she`s making tomorrow an Italian dish. It`s an all Italian night in our household. And she says hi, Renee.
So let`s go to calls. Suzie in Minnesota -- Suzie.
SUZIE, MINNESOTA: Hi, Dr. Drew. Hi, Mob Wives. I think you`re all beautiful to begin with. I notice that sometimes your smile kind of looks artificial. Are you really internally happy with your life?
PINSKY: Who are you asking that to, Suzie?
ANGELA "BIG ANG" RAIOLA, AUTHOR, "BIGGER IS BETTER: I am.
PINSKY: Big Ang is.
SUZIE It`s for all the women.
PINSKY: Let`s go through them. So, let`s Karen -- Karen is going to answer. Karen, what`s the answer? Go ahead, Karen.
GRAVANO: I`m completely happy in my life. I think everybody has ups and downs. But at this point in my life, I`m happy. I mean, I`ve internalized everything that I went through. And I`m trying to turn a negative into a positive. I have a beautiful daughter. I have a beautiful family. I have great friends. So, yes, I`m in a very happy place.
PINSKY: OK. Ramona?
RIZZO: I mean, I`m happy in life, too, but just sometimes when you have to smile for the camera or you have to do an interview, there might be other things that you really can`t speak upon or might be going on in your home. I have four kids. You know, everything all the time isn`t always perky.
So, who might have an issue -- or you know what it is? Or it might be having just maybe a down day and I`m not going to really sit there and be like Debbie Downer and tell everybody about it. I just got to keep smiling if that`s what they want.
PINSKY: And Renee?
GRAZIANO: I wish I could say that I`m happy all the time, but unfortunately, for me, internally, I`m dealing with some major issues in my life which we`ll see in season three, and all the girls have been a great help. And hopefully, we can turn my frown upside down into a permanent smile.
PINSKY: Renee, but the one thing you have that I`ve noticed is you have a great son. I don`t know the other ladies` children, but we see your kid, and that speaks volumes about what you`ve been able to do as a mom.
GRAVANO: She has a great son.
GRAZIANO: Thank you so much. Thank you. A.J. actually is working along with me for domestic violence as an advocate for children. He -- I`m working with children that are victims that see the abuse. And A.J. has been such a great part of it for me. And I`m so proud of my son as a young man. So, thank you, girls, very much. And we -- A.J.`s just a wonderful young man.
PINSKY: And Big Ang, I have met your daughter. I know that she`s a great teacher and also working very hard herself. You`re very proud of your son in your book, I read. Let`s go to call. Mikki in Florida -- Mikki.
GRAZIANO: Hi.
MIKKI, FLORIDA: Hi, Dr. Drew. Thanks for taking my call. Hi, Mob Wives. Love you all. Big fan. I have a couple questions. First of all, I`d like to say thank to all of you for putting your stories out there. I think you`re an inspiration to all the women that are surviving domestic violence.
GRAVANO: We appreciate the support.
MIKKI: I have two questions. Number one, I`d love to know what hair products you guys use on your hair because your hair always looks so gorgeous. I`m a hairstylist. And number two, I`d like to know from Karen or from Jen if we`re ever going to find out about Mob Wives Chicago.
GRAVANO: Well, I`ll answer the hair care products first.
PINSKY: all right. Karen, go. This is very important. Go ahead, Karen. Vitally important.
GRAVANO: I use every kind of hair care. So, I go to the store and whatever is there, I just pick up and run out. So, I`m not one -- I`m not loyal to one hair care product.
RIZZO: Same thing here. I could use everything from motion to the most expensive to the most cheapest thing. We`re just product whores.
PINSKY: Renee, are you a product whore, too?
(LAUGHTER)
GRAZIANO: I`m laughing because I -- what`s ever in the shower goes in my hair. God blessed me with some really great hair.
PINSKY: Ang?
RAIOLA: I go get blowouts twice a week.
PINSKY: There you go. There you go. Amanda in Texas -- Amanda.
AMANDA, TEXAS: Hi, Dr. Drew.
PINSKY: Amanda.
AMANDA: Hi, Mob Wives. I love you all. My question is kind of for the whole cast, but more Karen.
PINSKY: Let`s start with Karen.
AMANDA: Will we get to see Miss Toni Marie?
GRAVANO: Oh, I can`t answer that question. I mean, I know that she has a Twitter and stuff like that.
PINSKY: Help us understand what that means, Karen. What does that mean? I don`t know what that means.
GRAVANO: Toni Marie is actually a friend -- a family friend of mine. And, she actually was married to someone that I call my uncle. Someone -- he`s not a blood uncle, but he was someone very close to me. So, stay tuned for season three of "Mob Wives."
RIZZO: And she was also on "I Married A Mobster."
GRAVANO: Yes. Toni Marie was also. She was actually married to Mikey Scars who was a very good friend to my father.
PINSKY: And before I go to break, Renee the caller before asked about Mob Wives Chicago. Is that something your sister is involved with?
GRAZIANO: The mob wives franchise is my sister Jennifer`s. She is the creator and the executive producer. And I think we can look forward to Mob Wives across the board.
PINSKY: How hard was it for your sister because we`ve watched that footage of you hearing about your dad being taken away to prison? How hard was it for your sister? Was she in the room behind the camera while you had to go through all that?
GRAZIANO: That actually was un -- that literally was unfolding as it was happening. So, Jennifer`s decision was based upon me, which I told her if this is what we came to do, we`re going to finish it. And it was very hard for her because this is her father as well. But I think when she saw me have -- I literally was having an emotional breakdown. It was very hard.
But we came to do what we`re doing, and it`s the truth. it`s My reality as well as Karen`s Ramona`,s Angela`s. We`re here to show you what this lifestyle is.
PINSKY: Ladies, hold on. We`re going to take a break. More calls. 855 -- there`s the breakdown you were talking about. We`re watching it now. Her sister, Jennifer, is literally behind the camera while this is all going down to her family. That`s stunning to me. It must have been very difficult. More calls after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: We are back with the women from Vh1`s program "Mob Wives." And so far, there`s been no fighting and no drama on our set, ladies. Thank you very much. Although, Ramona did bring out her brass knuckles. I`m just saying.
RIZZO: I don`t need them for this group. And this group, we all get along. And that`s what you really -- if you watch the show closely, you will see the difference between people that were just friends and the difference between people that are family. She can piss me off. Renee can like really make me annoyed, but I will never raise my hands to her.
Actually, she`s the only girl that I think in this world will get a free pass that if she ever wants to do something to me, I probably would sit there and bite my tongue, hold my breath, and just walk away. Love you, Renee.
PINSKY: -- would work out so well.
Let`s go to Christina in New York. Christina, what do you got?
CHRISTINA, NEW YORK: Hi, Dr. Drew. Hello, Mob Wives. My name is Christina. I was born and raised on Staten Island. And I have two questions for the ladies. As someone who grew up, you know, with Italian immigrant parents, I was kind of raised on the other spectrum. And I`m just curious. I have two questions.
The first one is, do these ladies realize Karen, Renee, that your representation of Italian women upsets a lot of Italian people? And number two, you say this is the life -- you know, this is your life. My question to you is, what have you done to change that life? Is there any way you could have separated yourself from this and moved on from it?
PINSKY: Who would like to answer that? Karen first.
GRAVANO: I would like to answer that one first.
PINSKY: Go ahead, Karen.
GRAVANO: First of, I`m only representing myself. And I`m not trying to represent a whole community. I`m representing myself. And if people don`t like it, they don`t have to watch the show. And absolutely, I`ve worked very hard to change myself. I came back to New York against all odds. People didn`t want me to come back. They didn`t want me to write a book. If you read my book, you`ll see that I`ve learned from my own mistakes.
Not only just the lifestyle that I grew up in, which I do not condone. I understand. This men to me are fathers and families, so I love them. But I`ve also taken what I`ve seen as wrong and tried to make my life better. Yes, we fist fight. We argue on TV, but if you watch the show, I`m not aggressive to where I attack. Anybody first.
I do defend myself. And that`s something I`ll never change. If I`m ever attacked, I`m going to defend myself, but I continue to push forward in a positive direction. I`m working on another books, and you know, I`m working with organizations and foundations and stuff to put a positive light.
And I think, if you read my book, you`ll see that people become victims of their society. And that`s what I felt like I was. And I was able to break that cycle for my daughter, for my nephew, and move past it.
RIZZO: Every nationality fights. And people really just need get to over this and just stop saying we`re embarrassing Italians. And if (INAUDIBLE) having a fight, we`re basically just trying to protect ourselves and defend ourselves. You know, certain people on the show are not even Italian. So, you really need to just sit there and get your straight -- you know, your facts straight.
PINSKY: OK. Let`s go to Tracy in Nevada -- Tracy.
TRACY, NEVADA: Hey, Dr. Drew. It`s good to talk to you again. Hi, Mob Wives. I love your show. Really quick. I`ve been through domestic violence. He hit me once, never seen him again. I divorced him. My dad taught me right. My main concern is the lady that downed, Big Ang, my favorite of all.
If I could put on the screen, that`d be great. She is the bomb. You know, Big Ang, I had a car accident. I`ve had plastic surgery. I`ve done everything like you did, lived the same life you live. And I lay in bed and I go God I just wish I could be like Big Ang again and dance and shake what the doctor gave me.
And you know, you`re just an inspiration for me. So that lady that called earlier and downed you, Maria, whatever her name was, you know --
(CROSSTALK)
TRACY: You have a perfect influence on me.
(CROSSTALK)
TRACY: -- and shake what the doctor gave us. I love you, Big Ang.
RAIOLA: Oh, let`s go. Thank you.
PINSKY: OK. Take another quick break. We`ll be right back after this with more calls.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PINSKY: We are talking to the mob wives from the Vh1 program. Ladies, with my last few minutes with you guys, I want to thank you so much for being kind enough to join us here and being gracious with my callers. I want to mention your books again.
Karen`s book is "Mob Daughter: The Mafia, Samuel "The Bull" Gravano and Me," and Big Ang`s book "Bigger Is Better: Real-Life Wisdom From the No Drama Mama." And you should be aware that Twitter is lighting up for you guys. Most of it is --
RIZZO: Oh, I can imagine.
PINSKY: Most of it is I love you, guys. I love you, guys. I`m so proud of you. A.J., your mom is so great. So, there`s a lot of support out there in the Twitter dome. Let`s go to a call. Marie in New York -- Marie.
MARIE, NEW YORK: Hi, Dr. Drew. Hi, mob wives. I just want to let you girls know that the show is very inspiring for me, the younger generation of women that`s out here, because we have our men, you know, I have a husband in jail right now. And it`s very inspiring to see how you guys get by.
It`s inspiring to us the younger generation to see that you guys get through it. You know, we can`t help the situation we`re put in. Violence is there, everything`s there. Whoever thinks the show is fake, it`s not. It`s real. I know it because I live it myself. And I just wanted you --
RIZZO: You can`t help who your heart loves, so you`re just going to go with it.
GRAZIANO: Keep your head up and stay true to yourself.
MARIE: If you have any advice for me, because I got a two-year-old and a three-year-old. My husband`s locked up because of the lifestyle and all that good stuff. If you guys have any advice --
RAIOLA: Keep your head high.
(CROSSTALK)
RAIOLA: Take care of your children.
PINSKY: Go, Renee.
GRAZIANO: First off, I will definitely include you in my prayers. And I -- you need to keep your head up. And things will change. If you change them, things will change. Just be as positive, and that`s coming from somebody who`s been through it all. Keep positive and keep going. One foot in front of the other. You`ll get there if you want to go.
PINSKY: And not to be a Debbie downer, but what`s wrong with being a law-abiding citizen? Is that something out of favor (ph) these days?
RIZZO: Sure, you want to be that. But also, Dr. Drew, you can`t, sometimes, control who you`re in love with. So, you just got to be true to your heart and just sometimes just kind of swallow the mistakes your loved one has made. They made their bed, they`re lying in it. They`re going to jail like a real man.
And when push comes to shove, you can`t let anybody talk down to you because you may love somebody that`s in jail or your husband is doing time or your man is doing time --
(CROSSTALK)
RIZZO: Yes. Just do what your gut tells you and just -- just, you know, be with him if that`s what you want to do.
PINSKY: Kelly in Lousiana.
GRAVANO: Stay focus. Take care of your kids and move forward.
PINSKY: Kelly really quick.
KELLY, LOUSIANA: Hi.
PINSKY: Kelly.
KELL: Hi, Dr. drew. My question is for Renee. You always used to be the mediator at the group and an excellent mother to A.J. And she`s in the negative spotlight a lot because her lifestyle is exposed. What do you do to keep everything positive not only for yourself but for your son?
PINSKY: Good question.
GRAZIANO: Honestly, I pray a lot to God and I just ask him to show me which way to go. And luckily for me, he`s always lighting a way. As far as A.J., I`ve been truly blessed with A.J. and together him and I are a team and we`ll get there. And just stay positive. We got to stick together.
PINSKY: Are there any last words of wisdom or advice maybe Ang from you you`d like to give out to people out there before we have to go?
RAIOLA: I say do what you want. Keep living because life is too short.
PINSKY: And Ramona, Karen, one more thing, any last words you`d like people to know about them before we have to sign out.
RIZZO: You just have to make yourself happy and just be good around the people that love you and you love them and that`s all that really matters. All the negativity, block it out like, you know, dead wall.
GRAVANO: And don`t care what other people think about you. Stay focus and stay true to who you are and the people that truly love you will always be there.
PINSKY: And Renee, last words.
GRAZIANO: Just stay true to who you are and thank you, Dr. Drew, for having us on.
PINSKY: Thank you, Renee, Thank you, Ladies. Vh1 Mob Wives, be sure to tune in. Susan, my wife, I`ll be home to talk to you about this. I`m sure you want a debriefing (ph). Thank you all for watching. Thank you guys for calling. I`ll see you next time. And I have a reminder for everybody that Nancy Grace begins right now.
END
