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Live Tweet With Bobby Johns During the Series Premiere of American Gypsies Tonight!

Posted by Meg Gleason of National Geographic Channels in American Gypsies on July 17, 2012
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Photograph by National Geographic Channels/ Jeffery Niera
Photograph by National Geographic Channels/ Jeffery Niera

In the season premiere of American Gypsies, we meet the Johns—a prominent Romani, or Gypsy, family from New York City. Patriarch Bob’s health is failing, prompting rival brothers Nicky and Bobby to start battling for leadership. Old-school Nicky wants to stick to tradition, but Bobby wants to integrate with American society and allow his daughters to take part in a local acting recital. Then, when a rival family encroaches on Nicky’s psychic shop turf, he calls his four brothers into a violent confrontation, landing the whole family in Romani Court.

Tonight, watch American Gypsies: Rivals at War with Bobby Johns at 9P ET. Bobby is the second oldest of the five brothers, and insists that family is everything. Bobby’s got respect on the street, connections in the community, and is always looking for money-making opportunities. And while he respects his culture, he’s not above bending the rules. Follow Bobby on Twitter at @americangypsies for live commentary during the east coast premiere and ask him questions. Check out the clip below for a little taste of what’s to come tonight on the season premiere.

If you thought they only told fortunes, then you don’t know Gypsies. Tune in tonight at 9P ET.

 

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Comments

  1. Jennifer
    Florida
    July 17, 2012, 8:40 pm

    American Gypsies is TERRIBLE!!! If tonight’s episode is any indication of how the season is going; NatGeo really needs to rethink their line up of shows!

  2. Stormee
    Tennessee
    July 18, 2012, 5:13 pm

    I’m confused over the fact that the grandfather, the grandmother, and Uncle Nicky are so against anything that isn’t Rom, then why did they agree to do the show?
    Isn’t that exploiting “the children”?
    And of course,the young men don’t mind getting married young: Chris told Val that he can still go out and “have his thing” on the side after he’s married.
    Only thing I’m getting from this show (And maybe I’m wrong) is that the females have no choice in their lives and the males get everything :The wives, the kids, the “thing on the side”, and the respect.
    Yet, Bobby’s wife is in Europe for business???
    How is that working since one daughter can barely read ?

  3. Nicole
    las vegas
    July 18, 2012, 9:11 pm

    Loved it! I love that Bobby is trying to make his daughters happy and he is still a proud gypsy. I also found it ironic that everyone gave him grief about it. They all agreed to be on a reality tv show, essentially revealing some of their culture to the outside world. Kind of hypocritical.

  4. David
    North Carolina
    July 18, 2012, 11:03 pm

    @Jennifer I totally agree with you. It just seems they will put anything on these days. Also I believe the show is a very bad influence on Gypsies. I feel sorry for this family.

  5. Nitta
    NY
    July 19, 2012, 7:55 am

    I think this show is a better portrayal of the gypsy culture in comparison to “my big fat gypsy wedding.” “My big fat gypsy wedding” makes the gypsy culture appear to be classless, uncivilized trash. Thank you Ralph Macchio for shedding light on the real gypsy subculture.

  6. Keith
    July 19, 2012, 1:28 pm

    Its amazing how much the Gypsy culture is against anything American, but they dont seem to have a problem with American money, cars, businesses and living here. Their kids are driving 50,000 dollar Cadillacs. I wonder were they got their clothes? I bet it wasnt Rom.

  7. Stormee
    July 19, 2012, 2:18 pm

    This is how I see it:
    NIcky is like Sonny Corleone : Hot-headed, hot-tempered, and just rushes in. Thinks that by yelling the loudest will make him get the respect he refuses others.

    Bobby is like Michael Corleone: He wants something more out of life for his kids besides the scams. They keep “pulling him back in”.

    The other brother,Erik, is like Fredo :He just wants things to run smoothly but is willing to let others handle the grunt work but he wants the power.

  8. sabrina
    florida
    July 19, 2012, 4:25 pm

    I love the show! Gypsies have been looked down on for centuries.speaking as a gypsy it is not “americans” we don’t like it’s anyone in general that is not rom.Do your research before you you post something and sound stupied.

  9. Precious
    NY
    July 19, 2012, 8:45 pm

    This is what bothers me. National Geographic wants us to see the gypsy culture but what they are portraying are only lies and I am assuming these people are getting paid well to do what they do best…….and that is con anyone they can. Here are the lies from last night…the kids are not home-schooled..their parents are not educated and most cannot even read so how are they teaching the kids. The kids are married by 15 (some even younger) so so much for continued education. The men do not own car dealerships…..they do body work in parking lots ripping off whoever they can. The women are not psychics….they are con artists and some make big bucks off the suckers who believe them. Most are on welfare because they cannot get good jobs and guess why not???? because they are not educated and they do the same harm to their children as the generations before them did to them. Most are on Medicaid, food stamps, etc. When a girl gets married (which by the way is not a legal marriage) they live with their mother-in-law and give the first child to her (I would think it might be because they are too young themselves to raise kids or an insurance policy that the daughter-in-law won’t leave). They hate Americans but all the men go out on weekends to American clubs and most have American girlfriends on the side. This series is bull. It is just another way that the gypsies have conned the Americans and National Geographic fell for it hook. line and sinker.

  10. Chad
    San Antonio,TX
    July 19, 2012, 9:33 pm

    After watching the show, it pisses me off these people are in our great country. If they don’t like Americans, then leave AMERICA! They all drive around in expensive cadillacs (made in America) and talk smack about people that aren’t like them, that makes them Un-American. Their obviously liars and thieves. NYPD needs to go in and bust up their scam shops and the FBI needs to put them under counter terrorism surveillance! As long as there are people like this in New York, I will never spend a dime of tourism money in a city that lets these douschebags roam the streets! Keep those scumbags up there, their not welcome in Texas!

  11. Stormee
    July 19, 2012, 9:50 pm

    Sabrina, if your post is directed at me, I no time did I say or assume anything about Roms. I was speaking on how this particular family is being portrayed. Since every other word out of their mouths is “Don’t trust the Gadje/ Gorga”, “We keep to ourselves”, I find it odd that it was stated that they feared outside influence would exploit their children, yet they agreed to have these same children ON the show.
    If you took offense, then I apologize because that was not my intent.

  12. Erin
    NYC
    July 19, 2012, 10:51 pm

    Dear Sabrina,
    You spelled STUPID wrong. So before you accuse others of being stupid, “you should do your research” with a dictionary.

  13. Erin
    NYC
    July 19, 2012, 11:40 pm

    This show is disgusting. I live in NYC, and I’d just like to thank the show for promoting ALL the NYC business’s that this anti-american culture patronize; Purity Diner in Park Slope, Paul Mole Barbers on the Upper East Side, Fayrooz in Queens, (and etc). Please STAY OUT of these business’s they are Rom-mafia ran, and of you patronize these places, you are supporting ANTI-American and anti-women rights! I feel AWFUL for Bobby’s daughters! The girls are HOME-schooled and they can see what their BS future holds unless they do something else! They ALREADY want out of this culture- the little girl said so herself that she wanted “the money and the opportunity” that the men have. :(
    Then, this so-called “court”?! They made the guy move his business b/c it was against ROM LAW?! WTF? HOW are these
    “business’s” operating in the United States? Do they pay taxes? I’m guessing not. Shut them down!
    This show makes me SO mad. I also was sick inside when the Rom gang destroyed that mans home-and then the man BLAMED THE YOUNG WOMEN!!! Pointing in her face that it was her fault.
    This culture is horrible for the United States and horrible for New York City. I see zero benefit to it enriching anyone’s lives. This is archaic and primitive to banish their daughters to a life in the kitchen and birthing bed. Yes, I know they “have a right to freedom of religion.” But they are brainwashing their children to think it is okay to be this way and it just isn’t.
    The show itself is COMPLETELY contrived and scripted. You can tell by the way the little girls were speaking to their Grandfather “oh, but don’t you love us more than Rom tradition?” Wake up people! Everyone on any reality show needs to be microphoned and businesse’s need to give consent for camera crews to enter. (look it up).
    In closing, I think this “TV Show” was a contrived family effort to get Bobby’s daughters on TV so they can be “discovered” and become child actors. If it isn’t, and they are “so true to their Rom culture” why are the children and women even seen on camera? What a POS waste of American money.

  14. Woody
    Cleveland
    July 20, 2012, 1:05 pm

    Great show. I can’t wait to see American dirtbags and American criminals next. Get this scum off the air. This is awful.

  15. Bill
    Fl
    July 21, 2012, 8:39 pm

    NETGEO was one of my favorite tv channels I thought I was learning things about people places and a variety of fun and interesting things and believed all of it .American Gypsies seemed to be something interested in.So I downloaded it. It started out very interesting, as I expected.Then it became a hey wait a minute WHATS GOING ON HERE! Does Netgeo think it’s viewers are MORONS ….The Johns whole family is in an uproar that 2 girls want to take acting classes . While the whole darn family Is on tv acting . I thought this was supposed to be a REALITY SHOW . My question is does netgeo think it’s viewers are all Stupid morons or has netgeo lost all its integrity just to make a buck OR did it ever have any at all? have lost respect for netgeo since I meet the Johns!

  16. fred
    cincinnati
    July 21, 2012, 10:17 pm

    .

  17. JD
    MD
    July 21, 2012, 11:29 pm

    @Erin – Amen!!! I love a good intelligent verbal smack down!
    The horrible oppression of women in this culture is heartbreaking. Selling daughters off to marry?! Disgusting.

  18. kr
    nu
    July 24, 2012, 8:45 pm

    Apparently Bobby and some others want to live their lives differently if this helps them let’s give them a shot. There are good and bad in every culture.. I am so happy about the way he is with his children. I hope they can live their lives. They can still hold onto traditions of family sticking together.

  19. jp
    texas
    July 24, 2012, 10:27 pm

    I’ve had it with all these stupid reality shows! Swamp people, randy the fashionista, baby pageants etc etc and now american gypsies. Nat geo, tlc, discovery and history channel are now crap thanks to these shows. I think bobby is a great person for wanting the best for his daughters and nicky is a complete piece of crap. I miss actually being able to learn something from these channels, now its all mostly crap. I miss beyond 2000, next step, natgeo exlporer etc..shows that were actually interesting and educational.

  20. MadG180
    Las Vegas
    July 24, 2012, 11:09 pm

    I really don’t see how or why these people are on tv .I have know gypsy and their family from school yes school, they don’t get their daughter married at 15. I can’t say in the 15 yrs I have know them that in any way they are like, these people at all. The people at NGC did not do their homework. These so called gypsy or rom are not anything but bad actors. I am asking people not to judge the gypsy on these people. They are not like this they are normal. They are not against Americans they are part of America.We all have traditions and our own beliefs but these are not the gypsy I know and trust. These people need to get off the air. This is a awful show it is all make believe none of it is real. These are terrible money hungry people, these are not the gypsy.

  21. Priscilla
    July 25, 2012, 1:02 am

    @Chad Theres a HUGE Romany population in Texas. LOL

  22. CJ
    New York
    July 26, 2012, 1:01 pm

    First off-there is no such thing as “Reality TV”. Never was. Whatever is filmed (with willing participants) is pared down and EDITED to highlight the nastiest, bi**chiest, most dramatic moments. It’s supposed to be good TV. Good for the advertisers. If they keep paying for airtime, NGC will keep it up.

    Second, it’s hard to learn about any culture, or even take their stories seriously when their “best moments” on camera are up-close and screaming. And yes, in this show there is that irony of don’t exploit the children-but put them on a “Gaja” TV show.

    National Geographic: stop spending your credit on sensationalist brain candy. We already have enough soap operas. We need NGC to live up to it’s (past) reputation of intelligent human interest reporting.

    People: Stop supporting advertisers who buy ad time during shows you don’t like. Then, stop watching the shows.

  23. Precious
    NYC
    July 26, 2012, 6:50 pm

    Ok. I watched the second episode. I am so pissed off. Did anyone catch the coming attractions? One of the gypsies had an affair (with another gypsy woman) and the gypsy guys said it was a disgrace to their culture…why didn’t he have an affair with a guyshe (I know its misspelled but phonetically) if he wanted to have an affair. That just goes to show you how stupid they are to have something like this filmed. The Americans are watching this and they as much said American women are nothing to them. Also, did anyone catch in the first episode when Bobby said his wife was in Europe. I knew right away that was a lie. Last night he said they were separated. Here’s news….when they get separated the women don’t get the kids. The women are so afraid of the men they leave their children behind and you know, if a woman leaves her children behind, she is scared to death of the man and/or his mafia family. This show is really getting on my nerves. Nicky who preaches so much about the culture is probably the biggest offender. I am waiting for that to happen. The real estate agent who showed the store is most likely doing it for publicity since the gypsies are notorious for not paying rent and staying until they are evicted which can take upwards to a year especially when they cry in landlord/tenant court that they have no where to go and no money. They keep getting extensions. Real estate people know this. That is why Bobby said they don’t usually tell real estate people they are gypsy.. Did anyone notice the attitude on the younger daughter. They think the world revolves around them. Another episode of nothing but bull.

  24. Stormee
    July 28, 2012, 11:41 pm

    Watched the second episode (Still trying to figure out why but I digress).
    I have to say, out of all of them, I like Bobby. At least, he seems to care for his family.
    But, Nicky……..can we find out which country his family originated from so we can send him back since he is ADAMANT that he is NOT American?

  25. priscilla
    July 29, 2012, 10:17 am

    @stormee We are ROM. We dont have no country of are own to go back to the world is our country but were proud American gypsies. We will follow are culture wherever we go.

  26. Precious
    NYC
    July 29, 2012, 2:52 pm

    Wow Priscilla…..I guess you have a little education since you can type but your grammar is awful and you misspelled words. Bet you have your parents to thank for that. I hope you do not do the same to your children. By the way, gypsies originated from Pakistan and migrated to Armenia and Persia. I would think you would know that. You can find that on any site by using the search word “gypsy” but then again you would have to know how to read, something gypsies do not think is important. They would rather just con people for a living and collect welfare and food stamps which the Americans, who have an education and working for a living, are paying for.

  27. Stormee
    Tennessee
    July 29, 2012, 10:04 pm

    Priscilla, that may be true for you and your family, but Nicky clearly said on this episode that he WASN’T an American. Now, if he truly feels that way, then he should go back to a country that his family originated from.
    I, personally, don’t believe that every one who has Rom or gypsy blood in them is a bad person. And there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with being proud of your culture… unless that culture subjugates women & forces females who aren’t old enough to have a driver’s license into a marriage. Sorry. Culture or no culture, it’s wrong.
    And Nicky is an obnoxious thug whose entire reason for being seems to be making sure EVERYONE knows he’s all about his family’s “traditions”, even it means coming across as a bully.

  28. anthonym
    pa
    July 30, 2012, 3:39 pm

    pull the plug. do not understand why they agree to go public if they as Nicky says are secret and traditional. on the flip side its interesting . I always wanted to know more about the PEOPLE besides the negetive images I heard for so long

  29. Chad
    San Antonio,TX
    July 31, 2012, 10:53 am

    Priscilla, there may be some here in Texas, but they wouldn’t dare go around spouting how un-American they are. We take patriotism seriously! If they did, me and some “friends” would pay them a visit and “sort it out”!

  30. Precious
    NYC
    August 4, 2012, 9:29 am

    Saw this weeks episode. Everyone who “liked” Bobby, think again. “If NIcky wanted to have an affair why didn’t he do it with a gaje”. Hmmm sounds to me like they not only treat their women like crap they have an even lower opinion of American women. What to say about Nicky. He is all about preserving the culture. Fooling around with another gypsy’s wife is probably one of the lowest things that a gypsy can do. So much for your big mouth Nicky. Hope your feel like the ass you look like on TV. Well most gypsy men aren’t as low as Nicky. They go out and party all the time and cheat on their wives constantly. They attached themselves to American women who have no idea that they are just low lives out for a score so they can brag about it to other gypsies the next day. This is a tribe of “Alpha” males who let the women support them. They are not showing this on NG. They hardly show the women at all. The women are not much better. They are busy conning people out of their money with the premise that they are physics when really they are just good con artists. I read an article that said there were supposed to be more episodes then there are but the producers got tired of the gypsies not showing up on time and just taking off to Florida without any notice. Are you surprised NG? They are not showing you their true lives. They are probably getting a big paycheck and when they are not on air they are laughing at the stupid Americans who filmed this crap.

  31. john rogan
    miami florida
    August 7, 2012, 10:03 pm

    I love the show!!!! Having grown up with gypsy freinds I know alot about the culture. Anyone who watches the show can see what a great guy Bobby is. He’s a fantastic father and seems to have more good sense than any of the other brothers. I’m not trying to put any of them down Bobby just seems like the smartest one and a natural leader. They would be wise to let Bobby lead the family when god forbid the time comes. He just seems like a great guy who is stuck in a culture that is frowned apon. People like Nicky give their culture a bad name because of the stupid immature things that he does. Bobby is wise beyond his years and comes off as a true gentlemen. He’s smart enough to uphold family traditions while realizing that some of them are hocus pokus and can be forgotten. He wants the family to evolve so that they don’t get left behind. Nicky would run the family into the ground if given the chance. He thinks he’s tough but he’s as soft as cotton candy.

  32. gloria gomez
    california
    August 12, 2012, 1:28 am

    I love this show. I love Bobby. He is the only one on the show who know how to speak Nicky language. I dont feel sorry for any of the ppl on the show. They have lived this life for many many years, the girls know whats going on when they turn 15 or 16. I am not saying it is right for them to be married so young, its their way of life. It will take as many years to adjust to american culture, just like any other culture who had to adapt to the good old USA. The Johns must stick together to perserve there customs. I enjoy the show alot. Cant wait to see again. I would like to see a second season.

  33. Karen
    NY
    August 31, 2012, 12:46 pm

    I absolutely love this show!!!! The Johns are larger than life!!!! I wish everyone on the show all the best and just wanted to comment that it’s too bad that Bobby just started to think about the happiness of his daughters now instead of when his oldest daughter had to marry at such a young age. She does seem to be happy and her husband seems like a really good (young) guy. I for one would LOVE to see a second season. I enjoy the show very much. PS Bobby all the best in finding someone special – I’m sure it will work out

  34. Deborah
    CT
    August 31, 2012, 8:02 pm

    I LOVE BOBBY!!!!!!!!! <3
    Bobby is so handsome and beautiful and has a heart of gold! I wish he was MINE! I WATCH THE SHOW JUST TO SEE HIM!!! I'M IN LOVE! no joke..for real!
    Lucky woman that gets him!!!!!!

  35. GAJE : (
    ct
    August 31, 2012, 8:28 pm

    I WISH I WAS A NICE GYPSY GIRL FOR BOBBY !

  36. Deanna
    NY
    August 31, 2012, 9:50 pm

    I love this show, and I really hope they have a second season. It’s wonderful to see a group that really values their family and their traditions. Not sure what all the haters are on about, as I can think of at least 2 or 3 other cultural groups where women don’t have much say, and are expected to marry young. I also don’t think that they mean any insult when they refer to themselves as “not American”. I believe that when they say that they are confusing their ethnicity and their nationality, since gadje refers to a non-gypsy and is not a term for American.

  37. K BZ
    September 4, 2012, 11:22 am

    Are Erik and Joey married?

  38. Pat
    Brooklyn n.y.
    September 8, 2012, 7:50 pm

    Love the show,look foward to watching it every week. I love Bobby he’s like a big teddy bear.I just want to squeeze him.
    Did Bobby find a new girl friend or wife yet. I am a american italian 40 year old lady,and i would love to meet Bobby.
    Keep making new episodes it is a great show,thanks ngc.

  39. Mike
    Romani
    September 16, 2012, 9:36 am

    How come on the last episode the red helicopter’s number was 666 I think it was H666U or maybe U666H wtf

  40. Louisa
    IDAHO
    October 10, 2012, 11:56 pm

    All of this is very interesting. I could write a book about all of the issues discussed above,and shown in the program. You all make good points about the obvious ‘ironic’ contradictions.
    Read Peter Maas’ book,”King of the Gypsies”,which is true,based on the true story of Steve Tene Bimbo, who wanted to (and tried) leave the Romaniya. The movie,1978 , of the same title, the Gypsies hate and it does have a tragic and sad flaw towards the end of the film, but is accurate regarding the buying/selling of young girls for brides ,’American Gypsies’ of the late 40′s to 1969. The tragedy in the film is the vitsa’s apparent disregard for the girl’s horrid death, caused by her own father ( who has a brain pickled by alcohol). All the Gypsies I know and all the books by Ian Hancock and Ronald Lee, Gypsy writers/experts/leaders all describe the movie as evil,and the film as even worse. Well, let them object. There is a lot of accurate information in the book,and also some in the film as well indeed. The film focuses mainly on the tragedy of the brideselling of girls,in my opinion. The best part too is Stephane Grappelli playing Gypsy violin , and the music and the scenes at the beginning of the film. All star cast helps tool, way back in 1978- introducing young Eric Roberts, with Shelley Winters, Susan Sarandon,Judd Hirsch, Sterling Hayden and a young 12-13 year old Brooke Shields,playing Tita. In spite of flaws it is an interesting film-ABSOLUTELY,irregardless of what the Gypsies say about it. And, for your information, the ‘Johns’ familya and their wider group, or kumpania (company) are infamous and notorious,and also are not omnly in New York City. Many of these people pretend to be basically based somewhere,either NYC of some other city, but the wife especially,and sometimes other family members too, travel to and spend time at other family-run ‘ofisas’,ie fortune-telling establishments. I knew one family based in Riverside CA,with links in Las Vegas and New Jersey- the mother of the family would travel to the ofisa in Vegas,where she would fill in and work, as the bujo (bait and switch) woman, the con-artist psychic/palm reader/card reader,and the older adult daughters would rotate ‘here,there,everywhere’,wherever their family’s ofisas were. And so it goes. A seemingly
    harmless palm reader/card reader psychic lady in a small town in southern Wisconsin where she mostly lives generally, actually has close links with her wider family’s ofisas in Maryland, NYC,and Chicago. There was another woman based in Delaware who had domiciles and ofisas in NYC and PA as well, along with her relatives…. These women go for ‘visits’,and work and con and sometimes also terrorize people-usually very vulnerable,sad women (but sometimes hurt,sad men too) who are not only recently divorced, but also relatively recently bereaved. I have talked to women terrorized out of many many thousands of dollars. Many times the older (usually older) Gypsy woman pretends to be a ‘true friend’ really wanting to ‘help people’. As a b ase I recommend people watch the film ‘King of the Gypsies’ -can be gotten off internet for 5 bucks; it is at least interesting in spite of its ghastly ending and flaw regarding Tita, the n get Maas’ book for the true story. Even though it is out of date in some ways- eg see the changes in cars, the ‘interesting clothing’, the great music and dancing, much remains true.
    the Johns are a a flashy notorious family,as were the Tene Bimbo family back a time. I hasten to add many have converted to heartfelt sincere Christianity through a kind of pentecostal denomination.Many are sincere. Many are not.Some cannot sustain a Christ-faith-filled life, due to the fact the fact they have no other way to earn a living than their cultural Romaniya way,ie the bujo, the pudehaa (not sure about spelling, a romance fraud of a young Gypsy with an old American=total thievery),the other psychic scams and terrorizing threats,car dealings etc often dishonestly,and then the very dishonest body-work, driveway asphalt scams etc etc.
    Basically usually it is considered ok by the men for the men to cheat (hey like Tony Soprano-ugh) on their Romani wives.But very bad form to cheat with another Gypsy. But hey, life goes on like that everywhere really in every culture and subculture, doesn’t it? Even if hidden and lied about- hey iot happened in Old Testamant times even…… Gadjikane woman are considered unclean but ok to cheat with!!
    It is true. Money, ‘lavay’, means more to them than anything except perhaps their children…….one wonders.
    There is a lot more to write, but it is late,and I have already written too much. But yes, Bobby John is gorgeous !
    I would not say no to him.