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WORK TITLE: Mobshot: My Life and the Mafia
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Brentwood
STATE: CA
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born New York, NY; married; children: a daughter.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and hair stylist. Works at Claudio D’Italia Hair Salon, Los Angeles, CA, beginning c. 2009.
WRITINGS
Author hosts a podcast based on Mobshot.
SIDELIGHTS
Vince Ciacci is a hairstylist in California with a violent past and a criminal history. Ciacci writes about his past in two books, first in Almost a Wiseguy with Bob Puglisi and then in more detail in the audiobook Mobshot: My Life and the Mafia. In both books, Ciacci recounts his life, beginning with his youth in the “Little Italy” section of New York City. The only child of immigrant parents, Ciacci writes that both his mother and his father were troubled and had addictions. His mother was an alcoholic, while his father was a gambler. Ciacci recounts how he was often bullied as a child until he exploded in anger one day and violently beat up an older kid. He writes that, after the violent confrontation, he came to equate power with rage and realized that both would gain him respect.
Ciacci soon was a juvenile criminal, shoplifting and committing a variety of other robberies. He recounts how he and a group of friends would go to a local park and steal things like furs. After they had the stolen item, they would all run in different directions with the one who had the fur holding it close to his chest, a ruse that hid which one of the kids actually had the stolen fur. Ciacci soon graduated to armed robbery. At the age of seventeen, he was caught and sent to the Coxsackie Reformatory in upstate New York. Incarceration only made Ciacci, who had developed an unmanageable temper, more brutal, leading him to serve his entire three-year term.
By the time Ciacci got of prison, around the age of twenty, he began working for “made guys,” that is, men associated with the Mafia. He committed armed robberies and also worked at loan collections. Ciacci’s goal was to become a Mafia insider. It turned out, however, that Ciacci was seen as too unstable by the Mafia bosses. He often flew into unpredictable rages and had developed a dependency on drugs and alcohol. Eventually Ciacci, who had become addicted to heroin, moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1977 in hopes of reforming himself. Nevertheless, Ciacci continued using and selling drugs and committing other crimes.
In an interview posted on the Southern California Public Radio website, Ciacci recalled that one impetus for turning his life around occurred one night while he was high on heroin and drinking Jack Daniels when he wrecked his car, twice. Both times the police came but did not arrest him, even though he had drugs he was selling hidden in the car. The second accident left the car wrecked. When a friend dropped him off at home, his wife was horrified. About two weeks later one of his customers talked to him about his drug and alcohol problem. Something clicked for Ciacci, and he began to investigate going to Alcoholics Anonymous. “That’s what I call a ‘God shot,'” Ciacci told Southern California Public Radio website contributors Erika Aguilar and Kevin Ferguson.
The other major factor that convinced Ciacci to reform his life was the birth of his daughter. Ciacci became a hair stylist and successfully left his past life behind him. “I live a pretty calm life now, so the favorite thing I like is smoking cigars and watching good movies,” Ciacci noted in the Southern California Public Radio website article. A contributor to the Addiction blog called Almost a Wiseguy a “well-written story,” adding: If you’re an addict in recovery it’ll give you hope.” Ciacci narrates his own story for his audiobook Mobshot. A Publishers Weekly contributor remarked: Ciacci “presents his life as is, without apology, and often ends his stories with a self-deprecating chuckle.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, September 4, 2017, review of Mobshot: My Life and the Mafia, p. 89.
ONLINE
Addiction, http://addictionblog.org/ (August 12, 2014), review of Almost a Wiseguy.
Southern California Public Radio Website, https://www.scpr.org/ (July 11, 2014), Reformed Mobster Vince Ciacci Now Cuts Hair in Brentwood.”
About Vince Ciacci
“Mobshot” is a true crime story unlike anything you’ve ever heard…by turns harrowing, violent and chaotic. But unlike most true crime stories, this one ends in redemption. The journey is well worth taking.
Vince Ciacci was born in Little Italy, New York City, the only child of Italian immigrant parents. His mother was a controlling alcoholic, and his father, a barber, was a degenerate gambler.
As a child, Vince took to the mean streets of Manhattan, where he was bullied on a daily basis…until the day he exploded in a fit of rage and laid a devastating beating on an older kid. From that point on, his destiny was set: Rage meant power, and power meant respect. Or so he thought.
Vince became a juvenile delinquent, committing robberies until, at the age of 17, he was sent upstate to the Coxsackie Reformatory. That’s where he learned some of the brutal ways that defined much of his life. Because of his violent tendencies, he wound up serving his entire three-year sentence. When he got out, he started working for “made guys,” putting down scores, including armed robberies and loan collection.
Vince learned about the inner workings of the Mob, and his goal was to become a Mafia insider, to “get his button,” but he never made it. The rage that had made him a “tough guy” would explode in unpredictable ways, and his drug and alcohol habit made it even worse. In the end, not being “made” probably saved his life.
In due time, he wound up in Los Angeles, where things got even weirder. During this time, Vince wound up in some mind-blowing situations, most of which should have put him behind bars. Somehow he always escaped the consequences of his actions.
Today, Vince Ciacci is a men’s hair stylist in Brentwood, one of L.A.’s most fashionable neighborhoods. How he got there is a hell of a story.
“Mobshot” is produced by L.A. radio personality Gary Bryan. Additional editing and production by Kevin Couch and Jack Bryan of Radio Genius Productions, LLC.
Reformed mobster Vince Ciacci now cuts hair in Brentwood
When Vince Ciacci grew up in New York he found a life of crime and aspired to join the Italian mafia. After cleaning up his lifestyle and having a daughter, he realized that being a made man was not the life he wanted to live. He now works in a hair salon in Brentwood and co-wrote a book describing his exploits titled "Almost a Wise Guy." Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC
When Vince Ciacci grew up in New York he found a life of crime and aspired to join the Italian mafia. After cleaning up his lifestyle and having a daughter, he realized that being a made man was not the life he wanted to live. He now works in a hair salon in Brentwood and co-wrote a book describing his exploits titled A picture of Vince Ciacci when he first got his cosmetology license in the 1970's sits next to his current license at Claudio D’Italia Hair Salon where he works today. Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC
When Vince Ciacci grew up in New York he found a life of crime and aspired to join the Italian mafia. After cleaning up his lifestyle and having a daughter, he realized that being a made man was not the life he wanted to live. He now works in a hair salon in Brentwood and co-wrote a book describing his exploits titled Vince Ciacci says goodbye to his client, Anthony Gilardi, after cutting his hair at Claudio D’Italia Hair Salon in Brentwood. Ciacci has shared many of his gangster stories with Gilardi over the 15 years they have known each other. Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC
When Vince Ciacci grew up in New York he found a life of crime and aspired to join the Italian mafia. After cleaning up his lifestyle and having a daughter, he realized that being a made man was not the life he wanted to live. He now works in a hair salon in Brentwood and co-wrote a book describing his exploits titled Vince Ciacci cuts Anthony Gilardi's hair at Claudio D’Italia Hair Salon in Brentwood. Ciacci has been cutting Gilardi's hair for 15 years after meeting him at a party. As a young man Ciacci wanted to be a wise guy but drug addiction and a tempter forced him into rehab and away from a life of crime. Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC
When Vince Ciacci grew up in New York he found a life of crime and aspired to join the Italian mafia. After cleaning up his lifestyle and having a daughter, he realized that being a made man was not the life he wanted to live. He now works in a hair salon in Brentwood and co-wrote a book describing his exploits titled Vince Ciacci takes a break from work at Claudio D’Italia Hair Salon to talk about his past life of crime as a young man in New York City. He co-wrote a book about his exploits titled "Almost a Wise Guy." Benjamin Brayfield/KPCC
Erika Aguilar with Kevin Ferguson | Off-Ramp® | July 11, 2014
At Claudio D'IItalia hair salon in Brentwood, you might be able to get a haircut by Vince Ciacci – a barber with a rough past. He was shoplifting from toy stores at 12, snatching purses at 15, and by the time he'd grown up he was robbing stores, dealing drugs—all the trappings of the mobster lifestyle.
"I live a pretty calm life now, so the favorite thing I like is smoking cigars and watching good movies," said Ciacci.
He's worked at his current salon for five years, but he's been in Los Angeles since 1977.
On how he first got involved in crime:
"We were great shoplifters. We had a crew of guys that'd distract the proprietor while we were taking everything but the kitchen sink. We used to do that a lot. We used to go into candy stores. I remember, there was a place in New York called Schwarz... ...they had these miniature tanks made out of steel. We'd go in there, we'd take all of the tanks... ...I always stole, I don't know what it was. I always had the tendency to steal."
"Then we started robbing purses. We had three or four guys, we'd go on Park Avenue. We were fast, too. We'd split like an octopus! One guy would grab the fur, press it against himself, and then the three of us would be running. They didn't know which one had the fur!"
"[After that,] I went into armed robbery, jewelry stores. Stuff like that."
On where his accomplices are now:
"They died 10 years ago, from heart attacks. Because I was worried about putting real names in the book. I inquired about them, and 'Oh yeah, he's dead. He's dead.' You know, back East they eat the wrong stuff, they smoke. And then you got to worry about the FBI watching you all the time. So I was lucky, I came out here and God had another plan for me."
On when he decided to give up crime for good:
"That's what I call a 'God shot.' I was at this girls house, I was giving her coke to sell and she was throwing heroin my way. This was the one night that she came on to me. I was so high on heroin that went I went to make love to her I fell off the bed and she just pushed me and said 'You disgust me.'"
"I took a bottle off Jack Daniels, drank half a bottle just to keep my heroin high up. I jump in my brand new car. And when I'm shooting home, I hear something—the car hits the divider and sparks are coming out. I'm saying 'Oh, my poor car! Look what I did.'"
"I had a rocker panel built on the car, where I kept guns and drugs. You know, when I saw the French Connection I said 'Hey, this is a good idea!' So I see the flashing lights, and I said 'I'm done, man.' The cop gets out of the car, I don't know what he said to me or what I said to him, but he starts changing the tire of my car. He doesn't do nothing!'
"So I go home. I go down Lincoln and Montana and make a left, and I hear an explosion. What happened is I passed out; my foot must have gone down on the accelerator and went right through the light, hit a parked cadillac. I hit [the Cadillac] so hard, it hit the car in front of it. Guess what? The cops come again. The car was like an accordion, but the rocker panel was untouched. And that's where the drugs and the guns were. The cops come again—they don't arrest me!"
"They wanted to tow the car, I said 'I got friend in the tow yard, he'll take care of the car.' And they went away. I got my friend to tow it and I looked at my wife and she was petrified. And I said 'I'll buy another car tomorrow, no big deal.'"
"And then, two weeks later, one of my customers made me aware that I had a problem with drugs and alcohol. And I investigated it. And that was my role to starting to turn my life around."
Mobshot: My Life and the Mafia
Publishers Weekly. 264.36 (Sept. 4, 2017): p89.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Mobshot: My Life and the Mafia
Vince Ciacci. Blackstone Audio, unabridged, 8 CDs, 9 hrs., $34.95 ISBN 978-1-538-41085-1
Ciacci, a wiseguy turned podcast host, proves an entertaining guide to the life of crime he left behind in this collection of episodes of the podcast Mobshot. Listeners follow Ciacci from petty theft, through armed robbery, drug deals, and into the depths of alcoholism. By his own admission, given the choices he made in life, he ought to be in prison or dead. Even when he attempted to change his ways by moving from New York City to Los Angeles, he couldn't escape his underworld lifestyle. As he states, "wherever you go, you take you with you." It was through the birth of his daughter and his embrace of AA that Ciacci was finally able to turn his life around. Ciacci's colorful New York accent sounds like he's straight from central casting. His delivery is casual and captivating. He presents his life as is, without apology, and often ends his stories with a self-deprecating chuckle that seems to suggest he can't believe his past himself. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Mobshot: My Life and the Mafia." Publishers Weekly, 4 Sept. 2017, p. 89. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A505468151/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=d3f841a8. Accessed 22 Apr. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A505468151
Struggling with addictions: BOOK REVIEW
Addiction Blog
Published: August 12, 2014
Struggling with addictions: BOOK REVIEW
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Addicts CAN hit rock bottom and rise up again. How do we know? Through their numerous accounts and storytelling. Here, we review an addict’s story, and refer you to a new book for inspiration and a fun tale. Because, if anything, relating to another addict can help anyone struggling with addiction.
Struggling with addiction – Can you really run your life around?
”As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. ”
The famous quote from the movie Goodfellas actually pretty much sums up the main plot of a book that recently came across our desks, ”Almost a Wiseguy” by Bob Puglisi. The book tells the story of Vince Ciacci, an Italian guy growing up in New York, whose dream was to become the mafias made man. Speaking the mafia language, a made man is a guy who has earned the trust and respect of the mafia, and become a fully initiated member with all honors. For our main character, the path to reaching this goal was through crime, drugs, alcohol, and doing things he’s not proud of: doing harm to himself and the people around him.
The author, Bob Puglisi, is known for writing screenplays and its easy for the reader to a kind of get impression that you are watching a movie while reading the book. But, this is not Mario Puzo, and this book is not The Godfather… but it is a true story, and the author, with his easy narrative, paints a good picture drawing the chapters of Vinces life.
So, what does the path from addiction to recovery really look like?
Becoming an addict: When and Why?
Of course, the reasons why would someone start drinking, using drugs or engage in any kind of addictive behaviour are different for different people. But the reasons that are driving this story are the main characters personal insecurities:
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low self esteem, developed in early age
lack of love and acceptance from the parents
constant desire to prove something
feeling of inadequacy
We think that many people can relate to these reasons which compel addiction. The feeling of low selfesteem is recognized frequently in teenagers, and the ability to overcome it in the best possible way is part of growing up. Unfortunately, a lot of people lack the proper guidance or a real set of values and can suffocate their feelings with drugs and alcohol in order to feel tough and strong. The rage and attitude that are normal in teenagers can lash out in the form of crime and violence, instead of sports, or art. Thats exactly what happened to Vince.
Prison life: Helper or enabler?
Crime is close friend to an addict of any kind and on the path of building his mafia career, our hero ends up serving a sentence. Ideally, prison is an institution where -while taking the punishment in hard living conditions – one has a chance to revise his/hers own life and the mistakes that resulted with doing time. But on the other hand, prison is a place where you can easily find colleagues in your niche that will actually enable the bad behaviour that took you there.
So, the question that may arise is: Is jail the right solution as a punishment for addicts or addiction induced crimes?
The main character in the story had a chance to straighten up by serving as help in the kitchen and doing a good job at that, guided by his willingness to be a better person and his stubbornness to do a good job even if that means cleaning pans. But his prison connections after he did his time and his insecurities brought him right back into digging his own hole. Hungry for the high life, he started doing drugs again, became highly addicted to heroin, as well as to alcohol and women.
Sobering up: Are treatment programmes enough?
No.
No one can ever guarantee that any program or medicine will necessarily cure addiction. In fact, as a psychological illness, addiction is something that its in your head. YOU are the core of the program, the main force, the source of all the help you need. Addiction recovery tip #1: The first step towards treatment comes from YOU.
The take home lessons
If we can take home few lessons from this book, supporting the previous statement, those would be:
Find a motivation that comes from your heart. What would make you a better person?
Find a strong, genuine support, lean on your program sponsor, even though youll feel hate for this person during the hard periods.
Make yourself useful, it helps toward building your self esteem.
Keep your goal in mind, while sharing your experiences with people in your groups. You’ll see how powerful a little support from someone in the same situation can be.
You are given a second chance? TAKE IT!
All of the above are lessons taken from Vinces redemption song. A recovering alcoholic, recovering drug addict, recovering mobster wannabe, he found the strength to feel better about himself mostly because of the love for his daughter. For her, he reshaped his set of values, and he made it thanks to a little help from his friends.
Why we recommend this book
Read this book. It’s an easy, well written story that will not take you a lot of time. If you’re an addict in recovery it’ll give you hope. If you have a friend or family member that needs help, it’ll motivate you to help them. It is not a guidebook, it is just a story, and if anything, it will be a fun read.
Do you have an experience to share or any advice for people that want to change their lives? Feel free to discuss it below in the comments section, we are looking forward to your opinion. And we will try to respond to all legitimate queries or shares.