Joey Merlino Is Coming to Netflix
Plus, a major murder milestone over the bridge in Camden.
A young Joey Merlino sporting quite the sweater in the upcoming Netflix docuseries Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia (image courtesy Netflix)
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Joey Merlino Is Coming to Netflix In the Docuseries Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia
Netflix just keeps churning out shows in the true crime docuseries genre, because bingers seem to have an insatiable appetite for murder, misdeeds, and general mayhem. As I write this, the new Netflix docuseries Mafia: Most Wanted is the fourth-most popular Netflix TV series in the United States, at least according to what my Netflix home screen tells me. And next month, Netflix is back with another docuseries about the mob. This one focuses on Joey Merlino.
Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia debuts on Wednesday, October 22nd. The show chronicles the all-out mob war that took place in Philadelphia in the early ’90s between mob boss John Stanfa and the flashy up-and-comer Merlino. Or, as Netflix puts it, the series “unpacks a Shakespearean saga of shifting allegiances, family betrayal, and deadly vendettas in a true-crime story that changed Philadelphia and the American mob forever.”
Merlino hasn’t responded to a request for comment on the docuseries, and it’s unclear if he actually participated in it, his participation not a huge stretch given the fact that unlike many mobsters and former mobsters and reputed mobsters, he doesn’t exactly shy away from media attention.
(Image courtesy Netflix)
The one former Philly mobster who is most definitely in the series is John Veasey, a hitman on Team Stanfa who wound up becoming a “rat,” as Merlino would put it, testifying against Stanfa. Veasey is no stranger to publicity. The 84-year-old Stanfa is serving a life sentence in a Massachusetts federal prison; no word on if he gets regular delivery of gabagool up there like they do in the movies.
You can watch the trailer for Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia here. For more on Merlino, read the interview I did with him earlier this year. Like I said, he is not afraid of the press.
Over the Bridge
I know I spend a lot of time talking about how much homicides are down in Philadelphia, contrary to the narrative that’s out there. But Philly has nothing on Camden. Yes, Camden. The city on the other side of the Ben recorded exactly zero homicides over the summer. It’s the first time Camden has seen an utter absence of summer homicides in 50 years. But, hey, let’s call in the National Guard anyway, amirite?
Meanwhile, In Delco…
I was driving in Delco on Wednesday and a couple of times wondered what the hell the smell was that was in there air. It smelled like, well, crap. And it turns out this is a thing.
By the Numbers
3: Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices up for retention in the upcoming general election in November. They are all Democrats. MAGA is mounting a major effort to get voters to push the “NO” button on retaining them, and Democrats are beginning to fight back. This may turn out to be the most important button you can push this time around.
8: Homers the Phillies hit on Wednesday night, defeating the Marlins 11-1 and clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs. That homer tally ties the franchise record. Also of note: Three of those home runs were hit by Edmundo Sosa. That’s the most ever for a Phillies shortstop.
1,000: Whole Foods and Target stores where you can now find Zahav’s award-winning hummus. And it sounds like more Zahav products are on the way. Now if I could just get a damn table there on a Friday night at 7 p.m.! (Pro-tip: If the Phillies make it to the World Series, you will suddenly see reservations at some of Philly’s finest restaurants dropping like flies, so as long as you are a traitor who doesn’t mind missing the game…)
Local Talent
Spruce Street Harbor Park closes out its Summer Sounds Concert Series this Saturday with a performance from Philly punk legends The Dead Milkmen. So now would be a good time to brush up on the lyrics to “Punk Rock Girl” and “Bitchin’ Camaro.” Bonus: It’s a free show!
