Archives: May 2012

May 24th, 2012 | 10:00 am by (@lizburrito)

The Reunion Interview: Regrets, Drita Has A Few

Drita D'Avanzo Mob Wives Reunion

Usually when I ask someone if they have any regrets from the past season of whatever reality show they’re on, they give me a line about moving forward, not having any regrets, and learning from their mistakes. But Mob Wives star Drita D’Avanzo knows that there were a couple things she could have prevented this season or done differently. Like attending a certain celebration of life party and throwing a punch while she was there. However, one of the reasons Drita says she loves reunion shows is because she gets to explain herself, and what she doesn’t explain on air, she puts out there in this interview I conducted with her just before the reunion filmed. She’s not one to cling to regrets though, she has too many amazing opportunities and friendships to relish and enjoy, as she discusses below.


Do you feel different at this year’s reunion compared to last year?

Yeah, I do feel different, the last reunion left off with the rooftop issue, so going into it I felt bad. Now, Karen and I went over that, so it’s good, but in a way we have to review so many things on stage that pissed us the f— off again, that could put us back to square one. Hopefully it doesn’t. Read more…

May 23rd, 2012 | 9:56 pm by (@lizburrito)

Charity Shea Gives Us The Scoop On The Adventures Of April This Season On Single Ladies

Out of everyone on Single Ladies, the character of April Goldberg may have gone through the most dramatic, life-upending ordeals, from an affair to a subsequent divorce to quitting her thankless job. We spoke to Charity Shea recently on the set of the show to find out what we can expect from April this season, because we’re rooting for that girl and we hope she gets at least some aspect of her life on track. Watch what Charity had to say in the clip above, and tune in to the premiere of Single Ladies on Monday, May 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
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May 23rd, 2012 | 5:12 pm by (@lizburrito)

The Mob Wives Chicago Supertrailer Is Here

“The mob is Chicago.” So begins the supertrailer for Mob Wives Chicago. If you thought the women of Staten Island were tough, wait till you meet their Windy City counterparts in “the lifestyle.” We’ve gt a stripper, we’ve got several daughters and nieces of “alleged” mobsters, we have the daughter of a rat, and we’ve got a Boy George hat. Basically, we’ve got everything you could ever want in one four minute video. Check out the clip above which is your first look at what to expect from VH1′s newest series, which debuts on Sunday, June 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
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May 23rd, 2012 | 12:18 pm by (@lizburrito)

Denise Vasi Is Not A Morning Person, And Other Important Things To Know About The Single Ladies Star

Denise Vasi‘s waistline is about as big as like, the smallest part of my forearm, so when she tells me that not only doesn’t she diet, but that she has a habit of eating cupcakes in her sleep (only to realize it when she wakes up to find the evidence), it’s one of those things that makes you hate her for having such incredible genes and love her for being so funny about it. The new star of Single Ladies has always been likeable though, the first time we spoke, she admitted that she’s just a normal girl, shopping the 5 for $25 rack at Victoria’s Secret just like the rest of us. When I talked to Denise this time around, not only did she mention the sleep-eating, but she called herself a “klutzo” and “not a morning person,” but she also assured me that she’s not stressing about fans of the show comparing her to Stacey Dash.

Last time we spoke you had just arrived to Atlanta. Now that you’ve been here a couple of months, what’s changed?

I feel like I’ve finally found a balance between work and me time. Finding those quiet moments, that really helps. We all know each other a lot more now and we kind of know each others little things and when to approach each other, like “Denise is not a morning person.”
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May 23rd, 2012 | 11:00 am by (@lizburrito)

The Reunion Interview: Carla Facciolo Is No Longer The Quiet One

Renee Carla Mob Wives Reunion
Carla Facciolo was the quiet, reserved one last season on Mob Wives, but she definitely started to speak up this season. Carla managed to forge a peaceful relationship with both Karen and Ramona, despite her best friend’s difficult history with both of them, and she also opened herself and her relationship with her ex-husband Joe for all to see this season.

I feel like we saw more of you this season, you definitely became more outspoken than in season one.

Yeah, I had to start speaking up a little more. I am who I am, I’ve always been like this, but I saw that if I didn’t speak up, they’d try to make me look like this character I wasn’t. So I was like okay, I have to speak up and voice my opinion now.

You kept getting into it with Renee, I felt, because you were so forthcoming with whatever was going on with her in her life.

Yeah, and we cleared the air and then stuff would come up again, it was like, oh my God. You know, I had had enough and I exploded a little.

So what’s your relationship now with everyone, now that the season is over?

At this moment, of course I’m very close with Ang and Drita, and me and Renee are very good right now, we’re very cool. Karen and Ramona, I’m distant from. I don’t have a problem with Karen, and Ramona and me are not the best of friends, we just deal with each other. Read more…

May 23rd, 2012 | 10:17 am by (@lizburrito)

Royce Reed Recaps Basketball Wives Episode 14: How Old Are We???

Royce Reed Recaps VH1.com

It’s time once again to welcome Royce Reed back to the blog so she can tell it like it is. For the past two seasons of Basketball Wives, Royce has recapped every episode, all the highs and lows, and given us her completely honest and unfiltered opinion. We’re thrilled to have her back for season four.

OK HERE WE GO!!! AGAIN, THIS IS MY BLOG AND I SAY WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT AND HOW I WANT. IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT DON’T READ IT.

First things first…HOW OLD ARE WE? No, seriously…I’m not saying I’m perfect but even I (the one who cries in the park with her father) didn’t find it funny to put dead fish in someone’s room. One could understand (kinda) if we were in high school, even college, to hide eggs in someone’s locker or dorm room as a ritual for a freshman or neophyte member of the cheerleading squad or dance team. But to take chum into a five-star RESORT bungalow and hide it in places even the housekeepers wouldn’t be able to clean is ignorant and disrespectful. Not disrespectful to Kenya alone but to the island as well as the resort. It was tasteless and nothing anyone can say will make that situation “funny” or okay. My father owns and runs a travel agency, and when he saw that, he was embarrassed. I’m just thinking about how much money was spent on that cleanup and not one of them gave a damn because it wasn’t on their dime. Some things aren’t meant to leave the movies. Some things aren’t meant to be done in real life. But I digress because maybe my sense of humor is different than theirs or maybe I just simply grew up in that part of life. Maybe it’s just me but if you were THAT BORED in TAHITI…yes TAHITI, then maybe you should’ve gone in your bungalow on the ocean and read a book like Kenya was doing before she admitted to y’all she was low-key crazy… :shoulder shrug: (Sidebar: I am shocked she didn’t notice the stench, or maybe she just thought it was supposed to smell like that.)
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May 22nd, 2012 | 4:49 pm by (@lizburrito)

Take A Tour Of The Set Of Single Ladies With Travis Winfrey And Janell Snowden


When Janell Snowden from VH1 News visited the set of Single Ladies recently, she got a personal tour of the set from Travis Winfrey, better known to fans as Omar. Last week on Big Morning Buzz Live, she showed off the highlights from her tour, which included stops in Charity Shea‘s trailer, the wardrobe closet (“Where the magic happens!”), to the set of the store where Omar, Raquel, and occasionally Keisha work.

The second season of Single Ladies premieres May 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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May 22nd, 2012 | 11:49 am by (@lizburrito)

Evelyn Lozada, Chrissy Lampkin, Tamar Braxton And Kandi Burruss Land The Cover Of Vibe And Reveal Some Secrets

Evelyn Lozada Chrissy Lampkin Kandi Tamar Vibe Sexy Issue
So this is what that top secret photo shoot was all about. Chrissy Lampkin, Evelyn Lozada, Kandi Burruss and Tamar Braxton all grace the cover of this month’s Vibe Magazine (the sexy issue!) and inside is a no-bulls— interview where the four women address the controversies around all of their shows and what it’s like to be a reality star and role model.

First, Evelyn is asked how she feels about Star Jones who has publicly spoken out against her spinoff, Ev And Ocho. Evelyn responds “Actually, I like the petition and I like the controversy because I’ve learned controversy is good. But I think she’s irrelevant. And she’s using our coattails to get relevant again. Nobody gives a f— about her.”

When Chrissy is asked later whether or not she knew Love And Hip Hop would blow up to become what it is, she said “I knew when they put that punch and kick in the trailer that would catch people’s eye. People watch reality TV for train wrecks. People wanna excuse their own bulls— and tune into yours…I was easily angered because I signed up for something that was supposed to be about girl power and women embracing each other in this crazy world of hip-hop. I thought it was gonna be more of a support thing instead of Gladiators,” she says, calling out the producers for orchestrating arguments. “They would always bring somebody to challenge me. I would knock ‘em down and they would bring somebody else. [The producers] would go as far as telling the new girl, ‘Chrissy thinks she’s Queen Bee around here so we need you to step up because nobody here has a strong enough personality. We need you to shut it down.’ They were feeding people this negative energy from the door. I have no reason to lie.” Read more…

May 22nd, 2012 | 11:00 am by (@lizburrito)

Single Ladies Star LisaRaye McCoy On Breathing Life Into Keisha, And Overcoming That Rumored Drama On The Set

LisaRaye McCoy is returning for a second season on Single Ladies, and like her character, Keisha Greene, she is a force to be reckoned with. From the way that she carries herself to the way she speaks, she comes off a little bit imposing (like a gal could take lessons on how to be a real woman from her), which is why it was kind of sweet the way our interview started. We were on the set of Keisha’s bedroom and LisaRaye pulled up a patch of bed and sort of patted at the seat next to her and told me it was time for “girl talk” to make me feel at home. Our first topic was the B2B Mixdown which she’s hosting in St. Thomas this weekend, but soon enough, we got to the juicy stuff. Last season, it was rumored that LisaRaye clashed with then-costar Stacey Dash, and when I bring up the fact that the vibe on the set seems different this season, she started to answer that question saying “I’m trying to be politically correct, but also very in-your-face like LisaRaye is,” before getting into why she needs to maintain that balance. But beyond that balance between politically correct and in-your-face, she was just honest, funny, and down to business. Like the real woman she is.
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May 22nd, 2012 | 10:21 am by (@lizburrito)

Jennifer Graziano Talks About The Big Ang Spinoff, Mob Wives Chicago, And Changes To The Original Show

Jennifer Graziano Mob Wives
Season two of Mob Wives (original flavor) is winding down, with the final part of the reunion set to air on Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT, and Mob Wives Chicago will kick into full gear when it premieres on June 10 at 8 p.m. That means that show creator Jennifer Graziano will barely get any vacation time this summer (she also has Big Ang‘s spinoff in the pipes). Graziano spoke to The Hollywood Reporter recently to talk about all three shows, the casting process, and what’s next for our favorite ladies. Here are some of the highlights of the interview, which can be read in full here.

On casting Big Ang and her rise to fame: I did know going into this that Big Ang was a star. I’ve known her since I was a kid, and I always had her in mind, but what I wanted to do was build the brand around the initial four women who had real close, authentic relationships…And I think from a casting perspective, you always want to have something up your sleeve for the following season. Ang was my magic trick.

On why she chose Chicago for her next show: Even though Chicago is one of America’s major cities, it’s still is very much Midwestern. There’s that kind of laid back feel with the women. Although their mindset and their values and their “mob mentalities” are very much the same as New York, they just live their life a little bit slower and a little less aggressively. But for the most part, in terms of their beliefs and those “everybody keep your mouth shut” type of values, they’re very much the same…I just wanted to go next to a city that had that big mob backdrop — the history that’s somewhat still alive.

On making changes to the original show: Like I said, I always have something up my sleeve and I always want to be able to pepper something in so I’m thinking maybe. I’m not saying the original cast will change but there may be some addition.

On her plans to branch out into scripted series:Right now I’m in development on a series that is… I don’t want to say a spin-off, but it’s a “What happened before they were mob wives.” It’s set when they where 19-20 years old and what was going on in those days. I have a couple of other scripted projects in development as well.

On what we can expect from the Big Ang spinoff: There’s going to be a couple of characters added to her show that are really going to make a splash. So I think that this show is going to be much different than Mob Wives in the sense that it’s going to be a lot more lighthearted and a lot more colorful and fun. Given the circumstances of what’s been going on with Mob Wives and the intensity, I’m looking forward to some of that colorfulness.

[Photo: Getty Images]