Did someone say Couponing???
Posted on 12/27/2012 6:50:42 AM PST by PJ-Comix
The Amish Mafia reality show claims to show a small group of “protectors” within the Amish community who drive cars and blackmail bishops.
And its complete fiction, critics say.
Amish Mafia, which is being billed as a reality show, debuts on the Discovery Channel in December. It explores the world of Lebanon Levi and his gang of three men, Jolin, John and Alvin, the Patriot-News noted.
The show starts out with a disclaimer that the Amish church denies that the group exists, and the episode then goes into interviews and re-enactments of the gang as they drink, drive cars, and gamble. Experts who understand the Amish community say that the Amish Mafia reality show is nothing like reality at all.
“When I first saw the trailer [for the show], I thought maybe it was a ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit on reality television because it was so far fetched,” said Donald Weaver-Zercher, a professor at Elizabethtown College and expert on the Amish. “My sense is this Amish mafia is about as real as the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in The Office.”
Another expert said after studying the Amish for 20 years, he’s heard nothing about a mafia or anything even resembling it.
But the Amish Mafia reality show may be trying to cash in on a suddenly popular religious group. In April, National Geographic aired a 10-part series called Amish: Out of Order, that showed people who had left the search. TLC aired a similar show in September, Breaking Amish, which followed four Amish and one Mennonite who moved to New York City and experimented with drinking, drugs, and sex.
The Discovery Channel acknowledges that the scenes in the Amish Mafia reality show are re-enactments, ABC News notes, but claims the stories are all true.
I’m hoping they NEVER come back with “Extreme Couponing.” The result of that show is that it made couponing more difficult. Yes, I still get great deals but you really have to do a lot of research and planning. I remember when BOGO coupons were common and now we rarely seem them any more. I blame the show.
:: this Amish mafia is about as real as the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in The Office. ::
Soooooooooooooooo...why do I have a ream of Dunder Mifflin copy paper on my desk and a full carton in the supply cabinet?
Reminds me of an old joke..
What is this, “Clip clop, clip clop, bang bang, clip clop, clip clop...”
An Amish drive by shooting.
You guys are mostly right, but the “discovery” channel wants us TV sheeple to think they are a pure documentary informative medium without a ratings care in the world.
The truth is the only real “reality” show that comes close to reality is Survivorman and even Les stages for dramatiic effect.
Did someone say Couponing???
The only reality show worth watching is Duck Dynasty.
In Discovery Channel's popular television show "Amish Mafia," the lead character, Lebanon Levi, is portrayed as a sort-of Amish Vito Corleone.
"Lebanon Levi is the cops," another character, Esther, says in one of the episodes. "He is the courthouse, he is the bank and he is the insurance company."
Karin Meacham is making the most of her Lancaster city store's 15 minutes of fame — delivered in an unmarked envelope by "Amish Mafia."
Visitors to Art & Glassworks, 319 N. Queen St., are greeted at the front door by a sign bearing a photo of Levi and the faux warning — "This store is protected by Lebanon Levi."
"We're just having fun with it," said Meacham, who owns the store along with her husband, Gary Ziffer.
Meacham said Ziffer made the sign after a recent episode of "Amish Mafia" in which one of Levi's henchmen, Alvin, is seen exiting Art & Glassworks carrying a plain white envelope.
As that clip is playing, Levi talks about how he makes money by collecting rent from various properties he owns in "the community."
In exchange for that rent, Levi says he provides protection to the store owners — although he never indicates what they might need protection from.
The main Art & Glassworks sign over the store's front door is not visible in the show clip, but there's no mistaking the storefront, with its colorful trim and windows filled with glass artwork.
"The scene before, they were talking about how they protect Lancaster businesses, and then the next scene is they're coming out of our store with an envelope," Meacham said.
"I went, 'Oh my gosh, that is the funniest thing I've ever seen. Our store protected by Amish?'"
Spoiler alert here — Meacham said she does not actually pay protection money to Lebanon Levi.
Nor does Levi own the building.
County property records show Ziffer and Meacham have owned their store building since 1989.
Meacham and store worker Jackie Kissel remember the scene being shot last summer, but they played no part in it and didn't know at the time what the footage was for.
They've already had that episode. I'm not kidding.
I actually did have a good idea for a reality show episode in which everyone except a few know it is fake. You know Tony and Tina’s wedding? It’s supposedly an Italian wedding reception where the bride, groom, and most of the guests are actors. Folks paying to attend know what the deal is but just want to have fun. However, there is a large group of folks out there that DON’T know it is fake. Mainly people from other countries or new arrivals in this country like my wife and in-laws. I would love to take my wife and some of her relatives, especially her wild Cousin Chile who has never been to the USA to a Tony and Tina wedding in Las Vegas and tell them it is a wedding reception for a distant relative of mine. The “Reality” show cameras would then focus in on the reaction of my relatives since they would actually believe it is real. Could be VERY FUnnie. Cousin Chile is like a romeo (he has girlfriends all over the Andes) so it would be FUn to see his reaction when Tina the new bride flirts outrageously with him.
“The Discovery Channel acknowledges that the scenes in the Amish Mafia reality show are re-enactments, ABC News notes, but claims the stories are all true.”
Fake but accurate.
I’ve done a bit of casual bartering and I find the “deals” made on this show are laughable. The only reason I would take something in barter was either that I wanted it for myself or knew someone who wanted the item.
But then this is television entertainment and little more so reality won’t intrude too much into the “reality” shows.
“Oh, maybe an episode of the Amish Mafia knocking over a stand selling cheap Chinese Amish Mafia imports.”
I’m embarrassed to admit...I watched that episode.
I’m proud to admit...that’s the only one I’ve watched.
BTW, I wish there had been cameras on the scene on me a year ago when I attended a Venezuelan mountainside wedding of a relative of my wife's. It turned out to be hilarious. First of all the priest, Padre Roberto, was kind of like a comedian, cracking jokes during the ceremony at the family resort. I liked that so after the ceremony I said to Padre Roberto "Tu eres como un sacerdote payoso." Oops! It didn't come out like I intended and was somewhat insulting which I didn't mean at all. I meant to compliment his humorous style. Suddenly Padre Roberto dropped his smile and glared at me angrily. That really unnerved me so I tried to get on his good side by sitting next to him at the reception and hoping my Spanish didn't sabotage me again. Anyway, after a few drinks Padre Roberto and I got to be good friends (I think). Also as a result of attempting to get on Padre Roberto's good side I had too many drinks and got muy borracho. Then it was me who was acting like a payaso. I danced wildly with the women and acted in such a way that my wife angrily took me aside to a private room and read the riot act to me. The room had a balcony and everybody was yelling for the crazy American to rejoin them. I solemnly vowed to my wife that I would behave. I lied.
One thing that surprised me was that the bride was rubbing against me Lambada style while we were dancing. I thought maybe she was a stripper or something so I asked her what she did for a living. Physics professor. I chuckled because I thought she was kidding. I later found out she wasn't.
Then I started goofing around with the professional DJ there and his female assistant. They were the only ones (other than my wife) who were NOT amused with my antics which included drunkenly doing the tango with chairs.
As I later told folks I was at one point dancing with 5 women at the same time or perhaps it was only 4 women and I saw one of them double.
Oh, and my wife was horribly embarrassed by my antics but, hey, I had a great time. Would have made for great reality TV.
Is Dan Rather working for the Discovery Channel? BTW, I saw part of the movie "Gasland" last night as well. Guess what? FAKE. It turns out the water was flammable long before they had fracking there. Natural methane.
Amish behaving badly is always entertaining. The left can’t afford to allow the notion that anyone might actually be true to their principles.
That’s not a dopey reality show. It’s a dopey UFO show.
Yeah? Next you will tell me Honey Boo Boo is not real....
Freegards
LEX
btw...Amish Mafia is entertaining who the heck cares if its real...
Like Amish Mafia is fake
Congress is real?
Seriously?
Freegards
LEX
Bingo
"Who are dese people?"
He was genuinely confused so I told him:
"These are very religious people who wear black clothes, speak an old type of German language, and the women cover their heads."
The Chinese guy's face suddenly lit up as if he were enlightened:
"Ah! Dey are Yooish!"
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