'Made In Staten Island': The mob ancestry of cast includes names like Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano
MTV's latest Staten Island installation 'Made in Staten Island,' is all set to release this month despite immense backlash from the islanders who are fed up with the negative representation of their borough and another stereotyped reality show glorifying the mafia history of the land. Coming from 'Mob Wives' star, Karen Gravano, the upcoming show follows her daughter, Karina, and her six other friends, almost all of whom have familial ties to the mob.
However, the most noteworthy name, as well as the most familiar one in the series, is Karina's grandfather Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, a former Gambino crime family underboss. If you have followed crime news in the past years then the name surely rings a bell. In 2017, Sammy "The Bull" was released from prison after serving nearly two decades for his role in a drug ring.
He is the man known to have helped bring down John Gotti, the Gambino crime family's boss, by agreeing to testify against him and 36 others mobsters in a deal in which he confessed to involvement in 19 murders. Prior to his confession, Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano had managed to stay underground for five years. In 1985 Gravano played a key role in the murder of a Gambino boss Paul Castellano, along with John Gotti and three others. He was elevated to the title of an underboss, but he eventually had a change of heart and sided with the government to turn against the Mafia boss of the time.
The news is not the only way to keep up with 'The Bull' Gravano. He has a lot of mentions in popular culture starting right from the 1994 film 'Getting Gotti,' to songs by Kendrick Lamar and The Game. Besides, Gravano is also mentioned in the HBO Series 'The Sopranos.'
Now, in 'Made in Staten Island,' with his granddaughter as the star, Gravano's name and presence will very much be present. Gravano's life is not unknown to those acquainted with the stories of American crime families. Born in Brooklyn in 1945, Gravano fell into crime at an early age and came to the attention of the Mafia when he was just 13-years-old.
When local gangsters saw him fight with several bullies who had stolen his bike, one of the gangsters remarked that Gravano had "fought like a bull," and hence, he was forever known as "The Bull." But his life after serving a long sentence is still unknown, so, the new reality show may share his insight on his life too, for the show is produced by his daughter with his granddaughter is the star.
In the series' trailer, Karina narrates "We grew up surrounded by the mob. But now, we are trying to find our own way," and now we know what that means.
Besides Karina, the six other kids, namely; Paulie Fusco, C.P, Kayla Gonzalez, Dennie Augustine, Joe O’Toole, and Taylor O’Toole are seen navigating their lives out and away from their Mafia bloodline. In the first episode, we see CP, a self-described "lover and a fighter," fighting his own criminal battle for attempted murder charges, while his father is locked in prison. One of his best friends, Kayla, has her own court trial going on.
MTV's synopsis of the show reads that these kids will "battle the odds (and each other) to step out from the shadows and change the reputation of the place they call home. These friends will either choose wisely or fall prey to the mistakes of past generations." But definitely, there is no second Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano in the making, who not only testified against one of the leading crime families of America but also outlived his enemies, to freedom and renewed popularity.
‘Made in Staten Island’ premieres Monday, January 14 on MTV.