Italian Group Protests VH1's 'Friggin' Wedding'

By Jon Lafayette
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Italian-American group Unico National is accusing VH1's My Big Friggin' Wedding of exploiting
and stereotyping young Italian Americans and is asking the network to dump the
show.

"Stereotyping and slurring young Italian Americans means big, big
bucks for bottom-feeder networks like MTV and VH1," said Andre' DiMino,
chief media executive and past national president of Unico, which also
protested Jersey Shore.

Unico directly criticized executive producer Sally Ann Salsano, whose
495 Productions makes both shows.

"No one does this better than Salsano, who's done more harm
to the perception of young Italian Americans than everyone before her,
combined, "DiMino said. "It's hard to believe, but Salsano actually
tops the damage she did to the Italian American community with Jersey Shore with her newest pile of
garbage on VH1," DiMino said.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.