The Logo Channel debuted a new docu-reality show called In the Big House this summer that features the Verdi family.
The series follows a former mobster coming home from prison to find his family running a gay bar named Fubar and an openly gay son, Louis Verdi, bringing home his boyfriend, Joey, to meet the clan.
Drama ensues as the family learns to live under the same roof and have their lives taped.
Windy City Times spoke with Louis, the outspoken son of the group, about life and love in L.A.
Windy City Times: Hello. Do you go by Lou or Louis?
Louis Verdi: I guess a lot of my friends call me Lou, but many people call my dad Lou so then call me Louis to differentiate.
WCT: Got it. That would be confusing In the Big House. So you are named after your father
Louis Verdi: Yes; the funny story is that he calls me Louis Jr., but my mother says we can say that because we have different last names. When I was a baby he made my mother put "junior" on everything.
WCT: What has your relationship been like growing up?
Louis Verdi: I didn't know my dad my whole life. As early as I can remember he was in jail. Occasionally, I would get a phone call, like, if my sister told him I was really sick then he would threaten my mother about taking care of me, so it was always a bad thing. We never had any kind of relationship.
WCT: So this is fairly new, then?
Louis Verdi: It is completely new. I just didn't reach out anymore. Years ago my ex boyfriend told me to try to build a relationship with him and send him a birthday present. Our birthdays are close together. He never thanked me and that really hurt my feelings. That was only a couple of years ago.
WCT: How did everyone wind up moving in together?
Louis Verdi: My mother was in a 25-year relationship. When it ended, she had put nothing in her name and it was hard for her to get work. She has a brain aneurysm and is not as healthy as she would like to be. My sister asked her to come live with her.
Same thing with my dad: He never got back on his feet, being in and out of jail.
WCT: How did this turn into a television show?
Louis Verdi: My sister pitched a show about her talent agency. They were going to do something about people moving to Hollywood and trying to make it in the business. We met our producer that we have now during the sizzle reel for that. She loved our family and thought that should be a reality show.
WCT: After watching it, how do you think it turned out?
Louis Verdi: I thought it looked great. At first I was still hesitant about it, [and] the show wasn't going to have me in much. My mom and my dad hate each other. Watching the first episode I thought it came out positive, and I was nervous about that.
WCT: Did you have a party to watch the first episode?
Louis Verdi: We did. We had a party to invite our close friends but then so many people brought people. It wound up being a lot of fun. It was, like, 200 people there or more. It was crowded but everyone stayed quiet for the show. It was fun watching it with all of those people. I had a panic attack before watching the show air! I had never had one before.
WCT: From the anxiety of what it would turn out like?
Louis Verdi: Yeah; I had people from high school Facebooking me that I hadn't talked to in 10-15 years. It didn't hit me until people started reaching out to me that I don't talk to anymore.
WCT: Now you are a star. I saw you on Andy Dick Live. I didn't even know he had a show.
Louis Verdi: We didn't, either! Someone that comes to Fubar asked us to be on it. It is a web-based thing I think owned by a billionaire that lives here. Janice Dickenson and "The Situation" from Jersey Shore have shows on it, also.
WCT: Where did the name Fubar come from?
Louis Verdi: "Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition" is what it stands for. It was an old war term.
WCT: Do you think business will be booming now that it is in the show?
Louis Verdi: I think so. It has always been busy on Thursday night but things have been slowing down in the past year. The bar is 13 years old. The gay bars used to extend past Fubar but now two just closed a year ago that were past Fubar. It is about five blocks from the other gay bars that are right next to each other. It is a destination spot. People have to want to come to Fubar. I feel like everyone here knows the bar.
WCT: Do you work there?
Louis Verdi: I do. After the show aired everyone told me that I couldn't work there anymore. I did a reality show with my family and they are not paying me all of this money to do it. I still need to work and we still own this business so I will be there. I feel like nothing has changed. I really do.
WCT: We will see after eight episodes! This was filmed a while ago?
Louis Verdi: Yeah; they actually finished editing the first two episodes before we finished filming in mid-June.
WCT: Until you watched the first episode did you know your boyfriend was covering for your dad's behavior?
Louis Verdi: I had no clue. I didn't even know the conversation that Joey and my dad had until I actually saw it on television. I had asked Joey about it but he was weird about it. The way it looks on TV is that I was talking about it all the time.
I was more worried that Joey didn't like me for me. We would date a month and we would be all into me then he would say we are better as friends. He did it three times to me. I feel like this time is different. I was very on guard with him, and my sister knew that. He had met my sister before, but never my mom or dad.
WCT: How is it going with Joey?
Louis Verdi: We are great. We are inseparable now. We met on an app called Grindr. On it, he was only 2,000 feet away!
WCT: You were counting the feet! [Both laugh.]
Louis Verdi: Yes. He is younger, being 24, and [having been] in a four-year relationship. He didn't get a chance to be single. He really has to think about things. I do them. I can tell he really likes me. He just felt it was going too fast. Now it is so different.
WCT: I am happy to hear that. Have you ever been to Chicago?
Louis Verdi: I have never been. Oh my God; all of my friends are bothered that I have never been there and think I would love it. I heard the gay bars are great.
WCT: Come do some research about Fubar here at the bars then.
Louis Verdi: Sounds good to me!
Watch Mondays on Logo for more of In the Big House. For listings and details visit www.logotv.com .
