"I'm not saying it was aliens, but it was aliens."
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.
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.
Re-enactments of FICTION. I watched several hours of "Amish Mafia" last night and while it is entertaining it is also laughably fake. I mean would a real "mafia" allow cameras to record them selling liquor without a license? In real life, the state authorities would shut that operation down pronto. And that Merwyn guy from Ohio? So over the top ridiculous that you just have to laugh about it.
Swedish Mafia? Or how about a show called “Monk Mafia” in which a group of Benedictine Monks protect their territory for the sales of their brandy.
The Discovery Channel.
The same network that brings us ‘Moonshiners’.
"Moonshiners" where the cops are desperately looking for the Moonshiners yet all they have to do is turn on the tube to find out who and where to bust them.
Reminds me of a Weird Al song.
I do barter and you have to trade for stuff in roughly the same value range. Like I sometimes trade a couple dozen bottles of body wash for a bottle of Grey Goose.
I do have to admit I like the sound of the name of the Amish boss guy: Lebanon Levi. I hope that is not fake.
the whole purpose of these shows is to denigrate people who follow their faith.
Meanwhile, the Amish, who don’t own TV’s, wonder what the heck we’re taking about.
Bingo! Told my wife this last night. It’s all part of the commie agenda.
No one expects the Amish Inquisition?
I’m predicting a HUGE tourist boom in Lancaster, PA. Gullible tourists will want to meet Levi and his Amish Mafia. Want to bet that there will be tons of Amish Mafia trinkets for sale in that area? Oh, maybe an episode of the Amish Mafia knocking over a stand selling cheap Chinese Amish Mafia imports.
Those who assign “reality” to so-called “reality TV” are way short of the requisite number of brain cells for meaningful functionality. They’re the ultimate in trash TV.
I remember one scene that had me laughing in Shipshewana. In his backyard I spotted a guy decked out in Old Order Amish black clothing sitting atop a power lawn mower.
These so-called reality shows are a hoot. I like the Moonshiners for their utter incompetence. They work so hard and produce so little and all in secret with only the television audience watching.
"I'm not saying it was aliens, but it was aliens."
I think we are in for a lot of inadvertent laughs when the next season of “Barter Kings” starts up again. BTW, you can get great deals via bartering but it takes a bit of time and would look boring if you broadcast the negotiations. As an example, years ago I bought a Sony tape recorder at a yard sale for 10 bucks. Then I traded it for an Olivetti Ball Electric typewriter about a week later. Then about a week after that, I traded it for roundtrip plane tickets from L.A. to Fort Lauderdale (this was back when you could travel under someone else’s name without being immediately arrested). Yes, it was a great deal but you would have loooong periods of dead screen time in between. Those barters don’t all conveniently happen in the space of a day.
So THATS where that “Aliens” internet meme came from!
I’ve seen the picture a thousand times; “I’m not saying it was aliens, but it was aliens.”, but never knew it was from some dopey “reality” TV show.
Thanks!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.