Carrying pizza and donations for families hurt by the partial government shutdown, four cast members of MTV's "Made in Staten Island" visited City Councilman Joe Borelli's office. It was supposed to be a peace offering hours before their new reality show launches.
"We wanted to show that we’re definitely tied to the community. We want to give back and then hopefully we can give him some pizza and maybe he could watch the episode tonight and see that he kind of jumped the gun by judging a book by its cover before he ever read it," said Karen Gravano, the show’s Executive Producer.
Borelli wasn't in the office for the publicity stunt.
But the South Shore lawmaker has said plenty about the show, which focuses on young adults who all have ties to organized crime and crime families, but are trying to steer clear of the criminal life themselves.
Last month, after MTV announced its launch, Borelli tweeted, "This can't be serious. This is embarrassing. I don't even know what to say."
Gravano appeared on VH1's Mob Wives, and now her daughter, Karina Seabrook, will be featured on the new show.
Gravano's father, notorious mobster Sammy the Bull Gravano, was recently paroled.
"He screwed up his life and he’ll be the first to tell Karina to talk to people younger to say, ‘Hey don’t be like me; don’t follow in my footsteps,’” Karen Gravano said.
Councilman Borelli isn’t the only elected official with concerns about “Made in Staten Island.” On Monday, Mayor de Blasio weighed in, going so far as to suggest that the show be canceled.
"These stereotypes, they are ridiculous and they’ve been around a long time and they've got to stop,” de Blasio said. “It’s 2019, stop treating Staten Island this way."
An online petition wants MTV to drop the show, or at least drop Staten Island from its name.
As for Borelli, he says he has plans and won't tune in for the debut, but he did say, “I wish them luck.”