VH1 recently announced that their popular reality series Mob Wives would be returning for a fourth season December 5, but the show will have a whole new look as the network injects some Philly blood into the cast! Returning from Season 3 are fan favorites Drita D’Avanzo, Angela “Big Ang” Raiola and Renee Graziano; but gone are Karen Gravano, Carla Facciolo, Ramona Rizzo and Love Majewski. Replacing those four ladies for Mob Wives: New Blood will be Philadelphia fillies Natalie Guercio and Alicia DiMichele Garafola.
We plan on profiling both Alicia and Natalie, but we can only do one at a time so we will start with Natalie, seen in the promotional photo above on the right. Here’s another shot of just Natalie:
Mob Wives creator and executive producer Jennifer Graziano talked about the “New Blood” from Philadelphia, explaining that “Philly and New York mobsters, just by nature of proximity, have mostly been known to be friendly with one another.” She then adds, “And in most cases, it is no different amongst the wives … The new women were an organic addition to our existing cast as even Natalie has New York roots and ties to some ‘friendly faces.’ Natalie’s spitfire ways and Alicia’s personal story about getting arrested and ‘going down’ with the mob offers a new perspective on what it means to ‘live the lifestyle’ or to be a ‘mob wife.’ We are looking forward to a fresh, new and rejuvenated season!”
So let’s get to know Natalie, shall we?
Natalie Elise Guercio, who appears to go by the nickname “Vegas,” is a super damn fine (see bikini photo above) 30-year-old mother of one from Philadelphia, Pennsylavania where she is CEO of the family business, the Carto Funeral Home — which also happens to reportedly be “The Family” business in that it “has a history of being the reputed go-to-spot for mob-related burials in South Philadelphia,” according to the VH1 press release announcing the new cast.
Natalie Guercio’s son Nunzio (seen with mom Natalie above in May), who is named after his grandfather and founder of Carto Funeral Home, Nunzio Carto, Jr., was born on March 5, 2004. It’s not clear who Nunzio’s father is, but according to Natalie’s VH1 bio, she has been “attracted to street guys all her life,” so I’m guessing he’s one of those. (My guess is that we will be meeting him on the show at some point.)
Prior to giving birth to Nunzio, and prior to taking over the family funeral home, Natalie enrolled at Empire Beauty School in 2003. She graduated in 2004, the same year Nunzio was born, and started working as a freelance hair stylist & makeup artist.
Natalie would eventually reconsider pursuing a funeral home career, and in 2010 she enrolled at American Academy’s McAllister Institute of Funeral Service. According to her LinkedIn profile she took over the CEO duties at Carto Funeral Home the same year that she started at American Academy: 2010.
As far as Natalie’s relationship status, the network release states, “Natalie’s currently trying to date someone a little less connected… at least for now.” That person who is a “little less connected” appears to be a hunky club aficionado named London Rene’ from New York City (sen in the photo above with Natalie). According to Natalie’s Facebook page the two first met at the Trump Plaza Beach Bar in Atlantic City in 2008. Natalie fondly recalled the meeting in a wall post:
I walked passed u, u spilled ur drink to get my attention ;)~ We sipped patron, pulled fire alarms ;D became the closest of friends, and now 41/2 yrs later, You Are The Love Of My Life, My Heart, My Best Friend…. & I’m the Happiest I have Ever Been…. Bc of U… I Love U♥
Here’s a photo of London getting ready for a night out with his intimidating prep table included:
As I mentioned above, it is unclear who the father of Natalie Guericio’s son Nunzie is. I’m not sure if it is the same man, but according to Natalie’s Facebook she became engaged in January of 2009 and married on July 20, 2009. That’s five years after Nunzie’s birth, so I will just assume this is someone else — and perhaps another source of drama for the upcoming season. And if he isn’t, somebody will be according to this post from Natalie on January 24 of last year:
Y CAN’T AN X STAY AN X ??!! Y ARE U STALKING ME?????? STOP ASKIN AROUND ABT ME, CALLIN ME, STOP TEXTING ME, STOP DRIVING AROUND MY HOME, AND STOP F***ING W ME AND GUYS AT THE CLUBS THAT TRY TO TALK TO MEEEEE!!! YOU ARE DEAD TO ME!!!! Y ARE U STALKING ME???!!!!! BUT IM THE CRAZY ONE???!!!!!! RESPECT MY WISHES N B A MAN AND STOP UR CRAZY STALKER SH!T!!! GET A LIFE!!! WHAT A LOSER!!! I GUESS THE GRASS ISN’T GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE, BUT IT IS FOR ME AND IM VERY HAPPY, THAT’S HOW IM GOING TO STAY!!!!
!!L O S E MY N U M B E R!!
!!! S C U M B A G !!!
That must be an example of what VH1 mentions when they say, “while this sexy Sicilian siren gives off a cool first impression, under the surface she is pure fire—prepared to burn anyone who gets in her way.”
UPDATE – Natalie responded to our story on Twitter by first pointing out she is 30 (I erroneously listed her age as 34 originally, based on online records) and then explaining the “stalker” situation:
@starcasm @MobWives @VH1 @DritaDavanzo haha that's great! I'm 30 & that post was to my x he cheated when he came home from jail. Hate liars!
— Vegas (@NATALIELISE22) November 12, 2013
To keep up with Natalie, here links to her social media accounts:
Natalie Guercio Facebook page
Natalie Guercio on Twitter: @NATALIELISE22
And here’s a little more about what viewers can expect from Mob Wives: New Blood from the press release with one last photo of Natalie:
NEW YORK, NY (NOVEMBER 11, 2013) – For three seasons, fans have come to know VH1’s hit series “Mob Wives” as one of the most in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is reality programs on television. And the show’s upcoming fourth season, coined “Mob Wives: New Blood,” promises to be no different when returning cast members Renee Graziano, Drita D’Avanzo and “Big Ang” are joined by a duo of new ladies. Alicia DiMichele and Natalie Guercio may hail from Philly, but their New York ties run deep. “Mob Wives: New Blood” premieres on VH1 Thursday, December 5, 2013 at 10:00 PM ET/ PT.
VH1’s “Mob Wives: New Blood” is a docu-soap series which follows the lives of a group of (“according to the federal government”) associated women at a crossroads, struggling to establish their own identities and carry on while their loved ones do time for mob-related activities. Along the way they battle their friends, families and each other as they try to do what’s best for themselves, their children, and their future.
At the end of season 3, Drita had finally decided to let her husband Lee back into her life – and also their two daughters’ lives. Renee and her son AJ were mending their relationship following Renee’s stint in rehab. And Ang, ever the ‘godmother’ to the group, was trying to do her best to remain neutral and not take sides. But when the new girls hit the scene and shake things up – how will the dynamic between the women be affected?
