A Mafia Wife Life Podcast Is Coming to the Small Screen

This podcast from the makers of Bring It On and The Wedding Date takes an in-depth look at one of history’s most fascinating mob women: Anna Genovese. The businesswoman who ran drag clubs in New York was the second wife of Vito Genovese, an Italian-American mobster who ran the Gambino crime family.

The podcast creators spent four years searching for information about her, such as when she was first mentioned in a 1910 census record and her alleged connections with drag queens who wrote to her from New York City. They also visited the site of her first husband’s murder, interviewed a mobster at a cigar bar and dug through books to uncover any other crimes she may have committed.

She was an unflappable, fearless mother to her daughter despite having a violent criminal past that included being shot. Additionally, she remained faithful to her husband as his legal guarantor, never leaving his side while in prison.

But she was also a lesbian and had numerous illicit sexual relationships, some of which occurred while her husband was in prison for other crimes. According to her granddaughter, Gwen Saunders – a cashier at one of her clubs – and Jackie (known as Duke), the drag king, were two people she enjoyed dating illicitly.

Her questionable past was revealed during her divorce lawsuit against her husband, to which he countered with claims that she left him for another mobster’s better offer. Despite this, she still testified against him before a jury and gave an emotional eulogy at his funeral.

A captivating tale, told through compelling podcast episodes by Bendinger and Seligman, is being brought to the small screen thanks to HBO’s announcement that they are adapting their podcast into a limited series about the legendary mafia wife.

On her podcast, she tells her story with such candor that you almost don’t believe what she has to say. It provides a raw and emotional look at the consequences of making the wrong choice in life – even when that choice comes at a cost.

But it also offers an honest, open look at a world that’s often seen as inherently evil and dangerous. And this kind of story has the ability to get under your skin without resorting to highbrow, snobbish commentary like we often see on television news programs.

Mafia Wife Lives is a documentary-style true crime podcast with an uncanny ability to keep listeners engrossed. Its carefully constructed structure fits its subject perfectly, while the short audio clips used to tell the story mix up information and transport listeners right into each episode’s character’s head.