We reported last week that the sister of Mob Wives star Angela “Big Ang” Raiola has started a petition to save the Staten Island mural in memory of Big Ang after her landlord informed her it was going to be painted over because some people found it offensive. Word of the potential demise of the mural got back to Big Ang’s co-star and close friend Drita D’Avanzo, and she shared a video expressing her frustration. Oh, and in a separate video, Drita talks about her near-death experience at the hands of gangsta Prospect Park squirrel!
First up, Drita addresses the Big Ang mural, stating that the landlord claiming the mural is offensive is just plain “bullsh!t.” (You may recall that Drita recorded a tribute song to Big Ang titled “Big ANGel,” and she filmed the music video in front of the mural.)
Here’s Drita:
“I didn’t even know that that’s what was said, that people find it ‘offensive,'” Drita reveals. “First of all, that’s bullsh!t. That’s a lie. If you want to paint over it, just say ‘I would like to paint over it.’ Don’t make up a story that people find it offensive.”
Drita then explains that the mural is not only not “offensive,” but that it has become quite the tourist attraction. “Actually, people travel from everywhere, all over — and I know this for a fact because they come to my store after. And I’m talking from all over — all over the world! Mob Wives airs everywhere. People from the UK…and they go there and they take photos. It’s an amazing thing.”
“I don’t know why — I mean it doesn’t make any sense. It should never be painted over. It’s absolutely beautiful — I’m sure you saw it — and everybody loves it! People travel to see it.”
Drita then concedes that, in the end, it is the property owner’s decision. “Listen, to be real, it is his building, he could do whatever he wants. I’m hoping the petition helps. Maybe it will help him change his mind.”
“Ang was everything,” Drita says of her friend. Ang was bigger than life, and Ang was [famous?] before she was famous, and we miss her so much.” Drita is obviously emotional as she concludes the clip by saying “It’s hard to talk about.”
On a much lighter note (or maybe not), Drita posted a recent video recounting her harrowing run-in with an overly aggressive Prospect Park rodent!
OMG! I love Drita so much! “You know when I really started buggin’? His tail, like, touched my toe!”
Something tells me we will be seeing Drita’s “WHAT?!” expression in animated gif form for years to come:
