This season of Mob Wives has Natalie Guercio in the spotlight with her on-again, off-again friendship with frenemy Renee Graziano and accusations of her being a rat.
VH1 recently caught up with Natalie to find out if she thinks she and Renee can ever get back to square one, what exactly she does for a living and what she makes of the new cast member Natalie DiDonato.
First, things first, can you tell me about your job a little? Like what do you do – are you the world’s sexiest undertaker?
I am not a licensed funeral director, I am still a student. I help run my family’s business. All the technical and medical things – that’s not my job. My job is to make sure that the funerals go as planned: I set them up, I do the arrangements, make a lot of phone calls, I pay the bills. I’m basically like a COO of the company. My grandfather is the owner – he’s the CEO, president, founder – he’s everything. I’m just helping it to keep going, keep it open, keep the doors open. I have to finish my schooling to get my license and go from there. The funeral business is a 24/7 business – the phones never shut off. Being on the show is a bit of a challenge – instead of working full-time like I was – I had to work part-time.
This season of the show has you in the hot seat with your former friend Renee. Were you surprised how far left your relationship with her has gone?
I’m not too much surprised. I know she has her own opinions about me and it comes off to be a bit of a jealousy. A lot of jealousy. [Laughs] I would hope that working together it would change but as of right now, well, you’ll just have to wait and see what happens with the show
Do you think there’s hope that you can get past the drama with her and ever be friends again?
I think there’s hope. I always have hope and time always heals for everyone. So, maybe eventually down the line in the future it can be worked out. We just have to develop a form of respect for each other and see how it goes from there. I’m able to film with her; I’m able to be around with her – it’s not an issue for me
This season you’ve been called everything from a rat to a cop-caller and, of course, “Ratalie” countless times. What do you make of all the name-calling?
I find it hysterical. I think it’s really funny, I get a good kick out of it. [Laughs] It doesn’t bother me much at all – I’ve been called worse.
Drita and Big Ang have both come to your defense against Renee and Karen – were you surprised that they were willing to standby you?
I didn’t think it was a surprise, at all – real knows real! Real people know real people. And they know I’m being honest with them and with what’s been going on, on the show with Renee and Karen. They’re very bitter and angry with me, and jealous of me, so they want everyone to be against me. They don’t want me around and they’re trying to get me out and there’s no reason. I’m not a bad person and I’m not doing anything wrong. Drita and Ang see that and they have my back just like I would have their back in any situation – which I have.
You’ve mentioned that you think jealousy plays into the “hate” against you – what do you think Karen and Renee are jealous of?
I don’t want to you to toot my own horn but – I’m young, I’m pretty, I’m witty – that could pose a threat to these women. A huge threat, especially with Renee – she can’t stand to be around pretty girls and not get the attention herself. What else would you think it was? It’s my youth! From what I’ve been seeing repeatedly, they try to act a lot younger than what they really are – my youth and presence around them drives them crazy
What do you make of the addition of Natalie DiDonato? Did you guys run in the same circles at all in South Philly?
[Her having the same first name] is just a dig to me. That’s not a competition. I look at her as a Natalie knockoff – don’t be misguided by the impersonation [laughs] She is totally not an issue to me. I don’t know her and she doesn’t know me. We do not travel in the same circles. I have very few select friends at home in Philadelphia and I stay with a very small circle. I’ve always concentrated on my son, work and school. She’s not a friend to me by any means – I just think she wants to be me because why else would she come on the show and have such a hard, strong opinion about someone you don’t know? The funny thing is because before she even came on the show she was one of my fans. She was following me and London on Twitter and Facebook.
When it comes to friends – Alicia DiMichele was your real life friend? How is she doing? We caught up with her over the summer after her verdict.
She’s home with her kids and she just opened another business – a sneaker store. She’s doing a lot of things – she has a new clothing line coming out and she’s really happy. She’s in great spirits.
Do you think she would ever return to the show?
I know she would return if there was more of a positive – if Karen wasn’t on the show – I know she would come back. It all depend, but right now she’s happy. She just wants to be with her kids. She wants to be available for her kids when they need her, because her husband’s not home. They need her full-time.
So, recently there was an altercation involving London and he was pretty badly hurt – how is he doing today? Is he okay?
London is not okay. He’s still recovering; it’s going to be a long process – healing physically mentally. It’s going to be a long road until we see anything done, justice wise and for his scars. It’s going to take a while. We have to keep his spirits high and surround him with positivity.
Don’t miss Natalie and all the ladies on all new Mob Wives, Wednesdays at 9 PM ET/PT.