Being in the middle on a reality show like Mob Wives can be a sticky situation. You may be able to get all sides of the story by being cool with everybody and there’s a chance you could play peacemaker, but eventually, if neither side wants to be cool with each other, you’re going to have to make a choice. Whichever way you choose, you’re about to make yourself a bunch of unnecessary enemies and possibly lose longtime friendships, so I can see why so many “floaters” decide to wait before siding.
From the first episode of Mob Wives season 2, you knew that Renee would wind up in the middle of the firestorm to come between Team Drita and Team Karen. Renee’s arguably the glue that holds Mob Wives together, as she has strong, long-term bonds with every cast member, history that has to be weighed whenever something does go down. With Big Ang just praying for daylight in the darkness that is about to envelope Mob Wives, Renee could easily shift the balance of power to one faction with her vote of confidence. But we’re not quite at the day of reality reckoning, with Sunday’s episode of the show just throwing the gauntlet down for things to come. It felt like a major beginning, Renee’s decision to get involved in the drama likely facilitating multiple huge standoffs to come in the show’s remaining six episodes. The entire hour, she kept bouncing from one group to the next and back again, getting recounts from Carla and Karen’s encounter in the restaurant and what it meant going forward; you had to feel for the woman, as I don’t know how I’d handle four of my friends going at one another, especially since she revealed that the drama had been exacerbating her depression. Renee may have decided to put herself first when she got her surgery, but dipping her toe in the murky waters of Mob Wives messiness shows that she’s not quite there yet in terms of putting herself first and keeping herself there. It’s noble to want to take stress off of your friends, but is adding it to your already heavy load the best idea?
Also not the best idea is Ramona continuing to run her mouth, only this time talking about Renee and Junior. It’s one thing to make ugly, close minded comments about Drita’s nationality, family, and personal life, because Drita can more than hold her own; it’s picking at someone going through a lot that I have a problem with. The only way that Ramona gets brave is when she’s going after someone she deems as being “weaker”, whether it be the emotionally exhausted Renee or ganging up on Drita at Renee’s party (and making her name your every third word thereafter). She gets at Drita for “not having balls”, but how much balls does it take to flap your gums about somebody when they’re not there or to hit them when they’re being held? That’s not tough, that’s cowardly and all this false bravado from Ramona and Karen needs to come to a head sooner or later. They’re the schoolyard bullies that walk around with their chests puffed out, pushing the “nerd” or the quiet kid to the ground, and it’ll take someone they’ve been bullying standing up to them before they’ll be taken down a notch or twelve.
It doesn’t help matters that Karen and Ramona both get amped up by simply talking about another person. (They really reinforce each other’s lunacy, to the point that I don’t know if they’re time traveling in from another Mob Wives episode and I missed that on their introductions.) Since they never leave one another’s side, they’re in this weird state of arousal/paranoia the entire time they’re on screen, so getting one (or both) to calm the hell down for 5 seconds is looking less and less likely the deeper we get into season 2. Hopefully the screaming match Ramona gets into with Renee in the next episode knocks some sense into her head because you can’t keep messing with vulnerable people and not expect them to hit back.
Which makes me excited for the “spa party”, as Renee getting in the same vicinity as Ramona can only mean her gossip can be aired out quickly. (Instead of being debated for weeks on end and all.) Plus, Carla will be there to back Renee up, so Karen and Ramona won’t get her all to themselves like they got Drita earlier in the season. The terrible twosome thrive on gossip, using it to fuel their rage (even when Carla said she heard the same type of things they were hearing), but they’ve yet to have all the talking they do be used against them. Shows like Mob Wives are all about the back-and-forth, the constant “victories” and “defeats” of your favorite alliance and Kramona have done all they can to ensure that they didn’t have to battle. Now that Ramona’s talked about the wrong lady, a lady tired and scorned and over the BS, it may be time for a little comeuppance.
Like Renee, some may find the fighting and drama to be too much too often, but to me, the Mob Wives Royal Rumbles are a way for these women to escape their much more harrowing real life circumstances. If they’re constantly focused on the other girls and who said what, they don’t have to deal with thoughts of divorce, of loneliness, of survival. They don’t have to be confronted by the horrors that the life brought them, so moving from death and separation to the latest rumor floating around Staten Island keeps a certain amount of “juice” in their life without being too real, so to speak. The Mob Wives generally do a good job at holding it together through all their adversity, no doubt aided by the distractions of the show, but you have to wonder how long they can keep it up before their real lives catch up to them and they have to deal with some pretty heavy stuff. Until that day comes, look for more nicknames, hair pulling, and, yes, gossip from some of the most fascinating ladies on reality TV: the Mob Wives.
Thoughts, Quotes, & Observations:
-“Polygons and sh-t.”
-“But if she wants to come, come motherf-cker, ’cause I’ll be waiting.”
-“I can cry, but at the same time, I want to pack guns.”
-“My house is the core of conflict.”
-“You’re Carla. You’re not Drita.”
-“Ramona’s like a raccoon. She’s always in my trash.”
-“I’d like to start this conversation by saying you’re f-cking late as usual.”
-“Listen to me. I’ll take a beating. I don’t give a f-ck.”
-What did you think about Mob Wives: The Sitdown? I thought it was really fun and reminded me of a less campy Watch What Happens Live. We didn’t learn a lot of new information, minus Big Ang’s location during the episode (Puerto Rico, winning $1000 gambling) and bra size (Double F), but there was some clarification on events in tonight’s episode that I enjoyed. It’s just nice to see these ladies laugh and cut up for once.
-Drita apparently cursed 22 times on Sunday’s Mob Wives, the most out of anybody.
-Renee’s currently in the hospital after suffering a panic attack over news that her father had been arrested. All thoughts and well wishes to you, Ms. G.
-If you want a shirt with a Drita-ism on it, check out her new website.
-Big Ang ringtones have been popping up. Here are a few, from me to you. Make your phone sound like the Godmother of the Mob Wives.
-Big Ang used to deal cocaine. (I know!) Learn about her past and Operation White Heat right here.
-Renee’s facial expressions tonight were hilarious. I’m sure she’s seen and heard a lot in her day, but she looked beside herself while watching Karen and Ramona rant about Drita.
-There’ll be no new episode of Mob Wives next week due to the Super Bowl. Until the next installment hits on February 12th (!), head to the comments and let me know how you’re enjoying season 2 so far.
