Mafia's Greatest Hits

Joe Colombo, a notorious mobster, pursued fame and money with great zeal, yet he also devoted considerable determination to campaigning against the harassment of Italian‑American communities in the 1970s. The programme traces how his dual pursuits of criminal enterprise and civil advocacy intersected during that turbulent decade.

The Maverick Mobster is an episodic programme that centres on a single, well‑known figure from organised crime. It is presented as a self‑contained episode, rather than a multi‑part series, and its focus is tightly bound to the life and actions of one individual. The narrative follows the mobster Joe Colombo, charting a path that intertwines his craving for public attention and material wealth with a vigorous effort to combat the discrimination faced by Italian‑American communities during the 1970s. While he pursues the trappings of notoriety and the financial rewards that come with his criminal dealings, Colombo simultaneously dedicates himself to a campaign against the prejudice that targets his ethnic group. Colombo’s dual motivations are portrayed as equally strong; his desire for fame and money is presented as a driving force that runs parallel to, rather than separate from, his activism. The episode underscores how his personal ambition fuels, and at times complicates, his determination to challenge the harassment of Italian‑Americans, making his story a study in contrasting aims. In its concise format, the programme juxtaposes the world of organised crime with a civil‑rights struggle, showing how one man’s pursuit of wealth and notoriety can coexist with, and even propel, a broader fight against ethnic discrimination in a turbulent decade.