Michael Franzese

And listen, our laws here in the United States, if you were standing next to somebody when they murdered somebody else, you could be charged for murder the same way to them. So I'm not saying I was in that position. I'm just saying that's the law. So why talk about it? Number one. And number two, murder is ugly. You know, it's ugly. And you don't ever want to talk about it. I mean, I don't.

And listen, our laws here in the United States, if you were standing next to somebody when they murdered somebody else, you could be charged for murder the same way to them. So I'm not saying I was in that position. I'm just saying that's the law. So why talk about it? Number one. And number two, murder is ugly. You know, it's ugly. And you don't ever want to talk about it. I mean, I don't.

If I were to do something like that, I wouldn't be proud of it. I'm not trying to throw my chest out and say, hey, look what I could do. Guys go to war. They kill people all the time, you know, in defense of our country or defensive. So, I mean, it's not like, oh, God, you know, nobody. I mean, murder happens every single day. Who wants to talk about it?

If I were to do something like that, I wouldn't be proud of it. I'm not trying to throw my chest out and say, hey, look what I could do. Guys go to war. They kill people all the time, you know, in defense of our country or defensive. So, I mean, it's not like, oh, God, you know, nobody. I mean, murder happens every single day. Who wants to talk about it?

Oh, yeah. Well... When you come in today, here's what happened. I leave there. A captain and a family picked me up and took me to see the boss. Now, unfortunately, Joe Colombo was assassinated. He was shot, seriously wounded. He lingered for about seven years, and then he died as a result of these wounds. So a new boss took over, and he's passed away now. And I sat with him.

Oh, yeah. Well... When you come in today, here's what happened. I leave there. A captain and a family picked me up and took me to see the boss. Now, unfortunately, Joe Colombo was assassinated. He was shot, seriously wounded. He lingered for about seven years, and then he died as a result of these wounds. So a new boss took over, and he's passed away now. And I sat with him.

This was about two weeks after my father sent word downtown that he was proposing me to be part of that life. You can't just go up to somebody and say, I'd like to join. Somebody has to propose you, vouch for you, say you have what it takes. There's a lot of nepotism in that life. A lot of fathers brought their sons in, their nephews, whatever. So in my case, it was my dad that proposed me.

This was about two weeks after my father sent word downtown that he was proposing me to be part of that life. You can't just go up to somebody and say, I'd like to join. Somebody has to propose you, vouch for you, say you have what it takes. There's a lot of nepotism in that life. A lot of fathers brought their sons in, their nephews, whatever. So in my case, it was my dad that proposed me.

And so I sat with the boss, and he said to me, here's the deal. You want to become a member of our life. Your father sent the message. Is that true? And I said, yes. He said, well, here's the deal. From now on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you're on call to serve this family, the Colombo family. That means if your mother is sick and she's dying, You're at her bedside.

And so I sat with the boss, and he said to me, here's the deal. You want to become a member of our life. Your father sent the message. Is that true? And I said, yes. He said, well, here's the deal. From now on, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you're on call to serve this family, the Colombo family. That means if your mother is sick and she's dying, You're at her bedside.

We call you to service. You leave your mother. You come and serve us. From now on, we're number one in your life before anything and everything. When and if we feel you've deserved this privilege, this honor to become a member, we'll let you know. That's it. And do you accept that? And I said, yes, I do.

We call you to service. You leave your mother. You come and serve us. From now on, we're number one in your life before anything and everything. When and if we feel you've deserved this privilege, this honor to become a member, we'll let you know. That's it. And do you accept that? And I said, yes, I do.

And so for the next two and a half years, I was in like a recruit pledge period where I had to do anything and everything I was told to do, prove myself worthy. It could have been something very menial, a lot of discipline in that life, a lot of authority, a lot of alleged respect. You had a meeting at 8 o'clock. You weren't there at 7.30. You were late. You can never be late in that life.

And so for the next two and a half years, I was in like a recruit pledge period where I had to do anything and everything I was told to do, prove myself worthy. It could have been something very menial, a lot of discipline in that life, a lot of authority, a lot of alleged respect. You had a meeting at 8 o'clock. You weren't there at 7.30. You were late. You can never be late in that life.

I don't care what the situation is. You had a meeting at 8 o'clock. If there was traffic and you were concerned, come the night before and sleep in the car. You can never be late. No excuses. You know, drive the boss to a meeting, sit in the car three, four, five hours. God forbid you leave. You go to the restroom, get a newspaper. He comes out. You're not there. Oh, my gosh.

I don't care what the situation is. You had a meeting at 8 o'clock. If there was traffic and you were concerned, come the night before and sleep in the car. You can never be late. No excuses. You know, drive the boss to a meeting, sit in the car three, four, five hours. God forbid you leave. You go to the restroom, get a newspaper. He comes out. You're not there. Oh, my gosh.

We could have had trouble. You were the getaway driver. You weren't there. I know I did that once and I paid the price, you know, for it. That's very serious stuff. You paid the price. Well, paid the price. In other words, I got a real good tongue lashing. I'll tell you, you know. You know, just stuff like that.

We could have had trouble. You were the getaway driver. You weren't there. I know I did that once and I paid the price, you know, for it. That's very serious stuff. You paid the price. Well, paid the price. In other words, I got a real good tongue lashing. I'll tell you, you know. You know, just stuff like that.

They kind of put you on the shelf for two weeks, you know, to make you understand the seriousness of what you did. So you never do it again. You never repeat your mistakes in that life. If you're smart, you want to, if you want to, number one, want to survive, and number two, you want to move up. You never repeat your mistakes. So, you know, things like that.

They kind of put you on the shelf for two weeks, you know, to make you understand the seriousness of what you did. So you never do it again. You never repeat your mistakes in that life. If you're smart, you want to, if you want to, number one, want to survive, and number two, you want to move up. You never repeat your mistakes. So, you know, things like that.