What It Was Like to Be In the Mob 

Most depressing thing about mob life is how do you enjoy that easy money if you are constantly looking over your shoulder for not just the law but everybody you know?

Watching a Weird History video is an offer I can't refuse.

Am I the only one that watched these movies and thought, "This is not a glamorous life style. You always end up dead."?

I remember what Michael Franzee said about the ranks. "You were either the brains or the muscle, rarely is anyone both."

I think Donnie Brasco did a good job of showing how awful mob life could be.

Do I wanna be in the Mafia? No. Absolutely not. I like my paychecks on time, my cars without bombs underneath and my head lead free.

My dad as a child heard and saw 2 mob hit victims in the alley behind his house in Chicago. He also played with the son of a mobster (we are not Italian) growing up. My grandmother was always skeptical and afraid for his safety but the boy was a good kid and my grandfather allowed it. My grandfather was in construction and the mobster had a plumbing company and he often hired my grandfather for jobs. Then as my dad became an adult the son he played with took over and made sure my dad's business venture was successful too. No bribs ever needed. He did it cause they were great friends. As a child we would go to Naples Florida to stay at their really nice condo and I would play with the mobsters grandkids who were about my same age. Super nice family, all those grandkids are now very very successful and we are happy for them. None have mob ties. We'll maybe one as he is involved in Chicago politics.

My Sunday dose of "Don't hate your life!" You guys rock

My eldest sibling had a classmate who’s father was in the mob. They had a driver who would pick them up and drop them off at school every day.

Also when a guy stumbles into your restaurant bleeding from a gunshot wound DO NOT waste any aprons on him.

The rule “you had to be full blooded Italian” wasn’t always that way. It became that you had to be Italian on your father’s side.

This guy's subtle humor is impeccable 🤣

A friend of mine's Dad used to own a bar in Chicago. The mob put in 3 pool tables in the back and would collect that money as the protection payments. One day he is complaining while they are getting the money about how the pool tables are bad news, they cause fights and such. The mobster says "no, the pool tables stay, just tell us who's causing trouble"... His Dad was all "oh, no. I am exaggerating, its fine, yes, we'll keep the tables..."

If you think Goodfellas paints a glamorous picture of the mafia, watch it again.

You don't actually have to be 100% Italian, your father has to be Italian. There was a time when you had to be 100%, but that changed in the late 70s/80s.

You forgot to mention that once in the mob, you can only eat gabagool exclusively

I love listening to Michael Franzese talk about being an ex mobster. He has some great stories .

The Godfather film turned 50 years old this year. Greatest film of all time.

Harry Potter could be a great mafia boss He always catches the snitch

I was once married to a man whose father and uncles (and grandfather) were "connected". I have dark reddish-blonde/brown hair and green eyes. I was advised to NEVER tell my FIL about anyone who hurt my feelings or physically touched me in an aggressive way because that person would "disappear". When the grandfather passed away, we were told some of his friends couldn't come to the funeral mass ... "you know why". While my husband wasn't himself "connected" he knew which branch the elders were connected to. He confirmed that connection and it scared the Dickenson out of me and made me very careful of what I said - even after the divorce. I read an article years later about mob arrests in one family and called my ex to make sure his kin weren't arrested or involved in the arrest. Yes, I essentially was married to the mob for a time in my life. At least once (my second husband's family was from the next town over in Sicily). I am STILL very guarded about what I say regarding those American families. I also for a time was a Junior Underwriter for mortgages on houses on Staten Island. I did very well with those gentlemen and met a great many at a Christmas Party for the loan officer and myself (the loan specialist who handled the other mortgages was not invited). I wound up with VERY good tickets to see Cats in the Winter Garden Theater before it closed. We're talking fourth or fifth row from the stage.

Goodfellas is my favourite mob film. Gotta rewatch it soon.

My father was an associate. We'd have lots of money, then no money, then money again..etc. It gave me a skewered view of money management. He went to prison , came out, late night phone calls, guns, some violence but few and far between. I'd pick up envelopes from his friends, nice guys, There was one older gentleman who'd come to the house. Always brought cake or pastries and drove an old beat up station wagon. Short slightly built. I came later to know that he was a fearsome killer. You'd never think it he was a nice guy too. For the most part it is a crappy life and it made me think that that's what life is all about I never had a normal life and I can't fathom going to work and getting married and having a normal life so to speak and I'm not knocking it it's just not in me even though I wish at times it was. Anyway I'm rambling it actually was pretty boring I just wanted to say that

Fun fact, to join a mob you do NOT have to have the makings of a varsity athlete.

How do you live with the daily fear that you could be killed at any time?? Couldnt live that way im anxious enough lol

I read way too many mafia romance books without actually knowing much about them. The disappointment I felt when I did my research and found out all mafia bosses are old men. 💀💀

Thank you! You made my Sunday a bit better. 😊

Sadly...when I was 16...unknowingly I became an “associate”... How, you ask? By taking a job at a Mafia-owned restaurant. After several weeks of very low paychecks...I was like...WHAT THE F?!! Turns out, they were docking my pay for taking an hour lunch (which I never did...working the evening shift) and no pay for working past midnight (which I always did). 1981... I was literally bringing home $2/hr less than minimum wage....grrrr! Thanks for the video...awesome! Cheers, JerBear Charlotte USA

We’re pretty sure one of my grandpa’s ex girlfriends was connected to the mob somehow. There were a lot of odd things about her. Money that seemed to come from no where, her mysterious son that was never around, the hush-hush nature about the rest of her family. It was all really odd.

I watched the Godfather trilogy several times. I appreciated the films as tragedy stories, just as good as any tragic play Shakespeare wrote. I knew all along that mob life is a life nobody should aspire to. I also observe that when anything is scary or tragic (horror films, films about the mob), there are always comedic parodies. I've enjoyed films such as "Analyze This" and "The Freshman".

How about a video on the history of face hair? The story of Beards, mustaches, goatee, sideburns, ect. The styles worn and the story behind it all.

I'd like to hear weird stories from the immediate aftermath of WW2. My high school basically skipped 1945-1952 except to say the Iron Curtain went up.

Fantastic video keep it up your doing amazing job

Mob refers to the NY area. The Outfit from Chicago had control of Vegas as seen in the movie "Casino. Mafioso refers to the southern US , New Orleans and Florida.

The life of a mobster is something I could never live. You gain it all at the beginning just to lose it all at the end, I couldn’t take it. Heading to The Food Channel Next!! Keep it up.

I've got 2 famous mobsters in my extended family... one was killed at 50, one died of alcohol related liver issues in his late 50s. My ol man was an associate who moved lots of yayo in the 80s/90s.

Another car bomb hit was Danny Green, who proved to be a pain in the neck for the Cleveland Mob. Two bombing attempts and a failed shooting later, they brought a New York specialist in and bombed someone else's car to get Green.

Another interesting and informative video. Keep them coming 🙂

Oh to be a good fella....

I worked for a lawyer in my 20s and one day a guy came over(dressed like a typical mob, and he was a real one) and made a proposal (I don't remember what) but the lawyer refused, two days later in the afternoon we saw 4/5 guys coming in the office and started to make noise and being aggressive, my friend the lawyer told them to f. o. and after smashing a few things they left and never came back, I suppose they had a offer it could be refused 😂😅

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster...” "...Until I accidentally cut my finger and saw a drop of blood. Since then, I've been terrified of violence and I'm now a priest who helps those most in need. May God bless you all"

Man, that's something. Interesting. It's like in Goodfellas, The Irishman, Casino, and other mob films.

I don't think it's worth it at all. You'd always have to be looking over your shoulder, live in secrecy, have no real relationship to your kids and live with the guilt or shame of the things you've done in life. You'd have to be a fool, cold blooded sociopath or criminally insane to desire that kind of life. Only the highest ranking members make good money and the lower down the food chain you are, the less you make. Maybe that's why it's usually the bosses who get assassinated by their own members who then assume power.

Wow, i have never watched a video so close to the upload. 7 minutes! Great video!

Since all of these segments are top notch with the best narration, so I check thumbs up right after I press play.

I love Weird History Sunday

The mafia in Italy actually banned its member from wearing those track suits because it made law enforcement easily tell who is who.

I thoroughly enjoyed your video!

Just subscribed to your channel!! I enjoyed the content and the sarcasm spin when narrating!!🇺🇸🇮🇹👉💥💥💥💥😳

Honestly do like the slower paced plotless ones like good fellas, the irish man or godfather where it seems like we follow peoples lives and crime just makes it interesting.

If those on the bottom rung, the subhuman class, in the Mob are called "associates" it certainly explains much about all of the "associates" that you see in retail - low pay, hard work, and no chance for advancement. Speaking of linguistic tricks, is it really necessary to distinguish politicians from other criminal specialties? It has been said that the Italian Mob modeled its structure on that of the Roman Empire. So too, the government of virtually every modern nation borrows much from imperial Rome. Coincidence? Probably, I'm very cynical.

A+ video! Fascinating topic and history, a very complicated social network!

2:41 “A wise guy Uber” lmaoooo 😭

I forget where I read this, but it has been said that the Godfather films were about how mobsters saw themselves, while Goodfellas was about what they were really like...

4:20 I think Chazz Palminteri's story would've been worth bringing up for a second, even though we wasn't a gangster

Weird History did it again and has given an upload we can't refuse

I subscribed because you seem so Intelligent on the topic thank you For information...

I'm making my way up in the Housekeeping Mafia. Soon i'll be a maid man.

I think in my younger years I would’ve absolutely did it but I’m 36 now and I can’t imagine I would’ve lasted that long there.

I was waiting for this video to come out

No thanks. The stress with that job... I'd have an ulcer my first day. Great episode, love the channel!

You don't get paid if your a member..the boss doesn't "pay you when the job is done". You have to make your own money and a percentage always gets kicked up to your captain who kicks it up to the boss

go watch former mob capo Micheal Francese. he'll tell you all about it.

That was brilliant thank you

How about doing an episode for Victorian inventions that we still “use” today? Candidates include: Shaved ice/snow cones (1850 - at least in America; Japan already had kakigōri for centuries, I think) Jelly candies (UK Jelly Babies, which the Doctor likes, was invented in 1864 and originally called “Unclaimed Babies”) Espresso machine (1884) Milkshake machine (1884) Pizza Margherita (1889)

A low level "mob" guy tried to intimidate me once years back, claiming that I owed him some money which I really didn't, it was the girl I was dating at the time and her drug problem, a few of them pulled up to my property once, I went outside and fired off several rounds with my AR-15 in their direction. I never seen a car reverse that fast in my life! I never heard from them again after that. I broke up with her after, Idk what became of her though. It's not like the movies, most try to intimidate you, but if you fight back, they leave you alone. Not worth the risk.

On a side note: the Mob Museum in Vegas is a great place to visit!

Thanks for this! 🚓

What artist painted the surreal images you shared at about the 6:20 mark? Those are amazing!

You hear the one about the Chinese godfather, he made em an offer they couldn't understand. Yes I stole that from uncle june

"being in the business aint nothing like it used to be" . Damn right! Now you got to attend congress , fundraise campaigns , kiss babies and do TV interviews with CNN justifying your future crimes while denying your past crimes . 😆

Have you guys ever done a motorcycle club episode? I was in that world for a while, I think it would be a good video!

This video made me an offer I couldn't refuse. So, I had to watch it.

This sounds pretty much like every job I’ve ever had, and to my knowledge, I wasn’t in the mob.

Mafia. Once you're in, you're dead if you get out. Ask Tommy Angelo.

Nice! Yakuza episode next please!

Last night I was scrolling Netflix and came across Goodfellas, I haven't seen it in a while so on it went, funny your video today is on mobsters lol

went to school with the grandson of the head one of one of the 5 families.. i found out years later.. we got along really well lol he was funny as hell and just a cool guy

It's not just Italians who have organized crime. Nearly every country and nationality is involved: Chinese, Japanese, Russians, Irish, and Mexicans, to name a few.

Who's the artist that painted the men working. There amazing, and I would love to see more of their work. Something about them

I'm happy an analyze this reference made it in

i heard from my mother his grandfather was in the mob. He had to go to jail

beautiful illustration style

New sub over here.

My grandfather back in the 40s in nyc was given the opportunity to join the mob but he never joined. He kinda looked like a mobster from pictures ive seen of him, but he was too nice of a guy

Gotta say for these goons...whether good or bad, you reap what you earn and deserve what you get in the end

Amazing MOB History 🤌🏾☺️

Got a lot to learn about how things are/were done.

Captains are bosses of particular soldiers and associates, not bosses of a geographic area or manner of crime. I’m not aware of a family that has only 10 members. In NYC the Bonannos have something over 100 members and the Genovese, traditionally the largest, has around 300. There are probably thousands of associates among the five families. Soldiers and associates aren’t paid in the sense that you imply. They may be set up in shylocking or gambling but it is their responsibility to earn. As you say the money flows up, not down as is usually the case in traditional businesses.

A lot of the "paintings" look like art generated by AI. Most likely Midjourney, DallE or Stablefusion

Back in the early 70's I lived in the New Orleans French Quarter close to Bourbon Street. I went to a Catholic School, and was good friends with a kid who's dad was somewhat high up in the mafia. Like this video says everyday was not some exciting hit or pile of money come in like in a Hollywood movie. There was an every day grind like most people. My friends dad never came up to me and said he was in the mafia, but his name was mentioned more than once in the Times Picayune as "allegedly" being associated with the mafia. He liked me because any friend of his son was a friend of him. Other than the FBI trying to get him on Rico statutes his day was pretty much the same grind as all other people with nothing too crazy happening most of the time.

Those paintings of the hijackings are awesome. Who did them??

You guys should reach out to Michael Franzese. His some of his direct experience as a capo is a bit different. He’s a great storyteller

In the late 70s, I was in a Greek Restaurant in Chicago for a late lunch; it was nearly empty. While we were enjoying our coffee, two large men in suits entered carrying a briefcase. Someone locked the restaurant doors and the men sat down with two men that were already there. They put the briefcase on the table and opened it. We all looked away. They unlocked the doors and the men left all in about 2 minutes.

“You’re only as good as your last envelope”- Silvo Dante.

I always think to the Sopranos episode “House Arrest” towards the end when Tony walks into the back room of the pork store. Silvio and Paulie are talking about moisturizer brands over making tomato sauce, Chris and Furio are playing cards, and Big Pussy is smoking a cigar reading the newspaper. Tony asks “so what’s been happening ?” and Pussy just replies “nothin”

I'm writing a story about a young man whose family forces him to be part of their gang due to his bookkeeping skills. He's miserable the whole time. This is not a life anyone rational would want.

Can you do a what was it like to live in Mexico during the revolution as a civilian or the rebels

This is gonna piss off a lot of people on Long Island

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE ARTIST WHOSE WORK IS FEATURED THROUGHOUT THIS EPISODE? Their work is fantastic! 🤩🤩🤩

I love that "Analyze This" reference. Analyze That was funnier in my opinion.