Don Vito is Dead. Long live Don Vito.

I like Don Vito, the "character" played by Vincent Margera (Updated: not Vincent Mangera) on MTV's Viva la Bam. Unfortunately, the character has been banned by the courts (or, more accurately, Vincent Margera has been banned from portraying the character).

Now before you get outraged about the power of the courts over TV, consider that Margera was convicted for groping a fourteen year old while signing autographs. Instead of saying he was drunk out of his mind or on meds, his lawyer defended his actions, in court, by saying he was playing a character. Not good.

Conviction: 10 years probation. The victim testified she was shocked at being groped, so we can assume she didn't give consent (not that she could have in Colorado).

Obviously, Margera never would have been convicted of groping while signing autographs if he hadn't become famous in his nephews "reality" series Viva la Bam.

Richard Hatch, in jail for tax evasion, is the other example of felons that wouldn't have become felons had they not become famous.

Reality TV, and criminal actions, can cost you your freedom...

The conviction in October caused Margera to collapse violently in the courtroom and yell, "just kill me now" ! Reality is better than fiction (or reality TV). Still, it is remarkable that more reality TV "stars" haven't behaved badly.