Pia Rizza
emme: Hi Pia, how are you?
Pia: I’m good, thank you.
emme: Why did the producers want to do a Mob Wives Chicago when there was already a Mob Wives New York?
Pia: The mob actually started in Chicago. [Jenn thought it would be the perfect place to expand the Mob Wives empire.] She [Jenn Graziano] probably would’ve started here, but since she grew up in New York, she started in her hometown.
emme: How did Jenn Graziano seek out your group of friends?
Pia: One of her friends in New York knew a man from Chicago who knew a lot of people. And he contacted Nora Schweihs first who contacted myself. Jenn contacted Renee [Fecarotta Russo] on her own. Then I asked Christina Scoleri if [she wanted to do the show.] Renee, Nora, and I were cast first, and we needed a fourth girl. It just seemed appropriate to go to one of my girlfriends, so I asked Christina.
And how do all of you girls know each other? Did you grow up together?
Nora I’ve known because her father and my uncle knew each other. Some of my family members knew Nora. I met Nora 10 years ago through my cousin and other friends. Renee, I just met, and Leah I’ve known for 20 years. Christina, I dated her brother- in-law. I met Christina like, 10 years ago.
Why did you decide to do the show?
My uncle told me if there ever was a chance for me to make money on who my father was [to take the opportunity.] [My dad] wasn’t a good person and he left my mother and I with nothing. [The show] is basically revenge on him. I wanted him to know the disaster he left behind in Chicago. How his actions affected my life, my mother’s life, people’s lives, I don’t think he understands the magnitude of his selfishness.
Has he seen the show?
I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to my father since I was 10-years old.
Wow. I know in Chicago the show has caused controversy, especially with Italian- American groups. What do you have to say to people who aren’t fond of the show?
My family was also a part of the Italian- American society. I haven’t decepted anybody. We’re just telling our story just like everybody else has told their story. The show is basically about how our lives have been affected individually. It shows the other side of this world, not the glamorous side, how Hollywood has shown it. It shows how women have suffered through it, how children have suffered through it. I don’t think the American public sees the downside. We’re putting the message out there that this is not a glamorous lifestyle. Hollywood has glamorized it and we’re not glamorizing it.
I read that a lot of restaurants weren’t allowing you to film your show at their restaurant.
There’s a story behind that. It wasn’t because they didn’t want us, it was because the time frame wasn’t right. It was a busy time for them, and they couldn’t disrupt their other patrons. It wasn’t because we’re horrible or anything like that. We needed a quiet area, we couldn’t have music on, and a lot of restaurants couldn’t provide that situation. So that’s why we weren’t allowed to film [in certain restaurants]. It had nothing to do with us hating us. At that time frame, we couldn’t do it!
"Mob Wives Chicago" Cast
How have people in the Chicagoland area responded to you?
Everyone has been very gracious towards me. Everyone has been very sweet to me. People told me that they love me on the show, and I haven’t been treated any different from the way I’ve been treated my whole life. I’m very happy, but I also keep to myself and I don’t bother people.
How have your friends and family responded to the show?
Everyone has been very supportive. I did ask my family before I decided to do the show if they minded. Everyone has been supportive. I can’t say a bad thing about anything. I haven’t had any negative experiences with this.
Where does everybody live in the city?
When I was filming the show I was living on Lake and Wells, but now I’m looking for another area to live. The only one that lives outside of the city is Christina. Everybody else lives in the city. I’ve never lived in the suburbs in my life. I’m a city girl!
Was it difficult expressing your emotions on TV?
It was very difficult because this is the first time in my life that I had to talk about my father. I kind of suppressed those feelings. So, it was difficult. I opened up. I finally told everybody who my father was. I finally realized what insecurities I’ve had in my life because of who he was. You start realizing the people who were there for you, and the people who weren’t there for you. It’s a release of negativity.
How do you deal with negative comments on Twitter and Facebook?
I don’t. I ignore them. I’m not going to do it. If you have to sit down and say negative things about somebody on Twitter, how unhappy are you with yourself? You’re really taking a lot of time out of your day to sit there, log onto your computer just to tell me some hateful thing? Would I ever hate on somebody so badly to take time out of my day to [do that]? I’m not that unhappy with myself. That’s how I look at it. I feel sorry for them.
I think it’s ridiculous that people would do that. It’s like, get a life!
I can’t understand somebody would be hateful towards somebody they don’t even know. So I just block them!
Can you describe a typical day filming?
Very hectic! I wake up in the morning, try to eat, get dressed. It’s a very emotional process, up, down, up, down. After one scene, I would have to leave for another scene and film with other girls. It’s very hectic and very emotional. But, it was worth it because I got to know myself a little bit better.
Was there ever an edit that you felt didn’t portray you correctly?
At the Ritz Hotel! You have to be careful what you say, and how you say it, and that’s what I tried to do when I was filming.
Where was the first episode filmed when you and Christina got into a fight?
It was at the Ritz Hotel downtown.
Was that fight hard to watch back?
It was very hard to watch back. I’m really not a drinker, and all of us were drinking.
What reality shows do you enjoy watching?
I love the Kardashians! I like Real Housewives of New Jersey, Jerseylicious, Jersey Shore, Love and Basketball, and Basketball Wives I like too!
Since I’m from Chicago as well, I was curious, what is your favorite restaurant in Chicago?
I have so many, and I know so many people. Being from Chicago you know Chicago is very small and you know a lot of people!
What’s your favorite clothing store in Chicago?
I like all of them! (laughs) I don’t know, I shop everywhere. I take my daughter to Forever 21, I’m in and out of Oakbrook mall- I shop everywhere!
So are you a Cubs or Sox fan?
The love of my life, my uncle, was from Bridgeport and I grew up in Lincoln Park. I have to go with the Sox.
Do you think there is going to be a next season of Mob Wives Chicago?
I’m hoping!
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