Mafia Wives - The Future Of Media Is Here!
From Variety: "VH1 has found its own real housewives -- all of whom are married to the mob. Cabler has given a 10-episode order to "Mafia Wives," the first collaboration between the Weinstein Co. and Ben Silverman's Electus."----------------------------
Finally, thanks to Ben Silverman and Harvey Weinstein, the future of media is clear. I think "Mafia Wives" will prove to be their finest hour and, most likely, their legacy. Congratulations guys.
Ben (from Variety): "Clearly, it's the world of 'The Sopranos' coming to life in a reality environment." High standards, Ben, but I would expect no less... and the show is right in VH1's wheelhouse, if I may add.
I certainly hope this means we'll get to see real life Mafia Hits and a lot of violence (to accompany all that built in product placement that Electus will bring to the project).
I think I know why Ben was brought in by Harvey to help produce. If, for whatever crazy reason, this show gets canceled, I can imagine how the conversation between Harvey and Ben will go:
Harvey (on the phone): Hey Ben! Ben (Eurotrash music thumps in the background): Huh?!
Harvey: I got a call from VH1, "Mafia Wives" is canceled - I would like you to tell the "Mafia Wives" in person.
Ben: We can't cancel "Mafia Wives" - their husbands are violent criminals, they'll come after us. They need that $20,000 a week we pay them for money laundering.
Harvey: It's over, Ben. This was your dumb idea. You tell them.
Ben: It wasn't my--
Harvey: Shut up, Ben. Do it! And give me Barry Diller's number, I need to pay the light bill.
Five minutes later, Ben makes a call:
Ricky Van Veen: Hee hee heeee!! Ah-oo-gah! You've got Rickaaaiiiee--!!
Ben: Cut the shit, Ricky. I need you to do me a favor. You know that show "Mafia Wives" - it's canceled. There's a meat locker downtown where we have our production meetings, go down and tell them the show is toast.
Ricky Van Veen: No problema, hip master B!
-----------------------------------------
At least, I THINK that's how it would go.
I can't wait for this show. And if it works, I certainly hope we'll see more wives of violent people. It's just great television. Maybe "Serial Killer Wives", "Terrorist Wives", "Dentist Wives" - it's just an endless brand and really plays into Ben Silverman's vision of the future of media.
Ben, dude, you are hitting on all cylinders.
Jill Kennedy - OnMedea0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Mafia Wives - The Future Of Media Is Here!.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://mankabros.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/jpgordo/managed-mt/mt-tb.cgi/595
3 Comments
About Jill Kennedy
Jill Kennedy is an Ivy League MBA / refugee from Lehman Brothers.
Manka Bros. (and the Manka Business Channel) hired her (for a very low sum) to cover the world of media (not the world of Medea) in her own words without corporate interference.
About Medea
Medea was a real bitch from classical mythology - as most famously dramatized by Euripides.
She was a sorceress and wife of Jason, whom she assisted in obtaining the Golden Fleece. When Jason deserted her, she chopped up their children. One could say, Medea acted as rationally as a major media company.
Tips, Scoops and Smoking Guns
I'm afraid. I'm very very afraid. I love the trickle down from Harvey until Ricky Van Veen (who is he?) is the one to tell the Mafia Wives.
While Mafia Wives may seem like a new low in reality television, there are other shows that are way worse. Anything with a Kardashian for instance.
A very good point, Fred.