Reality TV is becoming a family affair for the Wahlberg family. Best known for spawning superstar actor Mark and actor/singer Donnie, the clan is now taking over the A&E network. The family's first reality show, Wahlburgers , premieres its third season Wednesday night on A&E and follows Donnie and Mark's brother Paul, a chef, as he operates a chain of Wahlburgers restaurants, co-owned by Donnie, Mark, and Paul. Donnie's reality show with new wife Jenny, Donnie Loves Jenny, also premieres Wednesday night and features the newlyweds adjusting to married life. Mark Wahlberg appears in the hilarious promos for Season 3 of Wahlburgers, but how often is Mark actually at Wahlburgers?
The rapper formerly known as Marky Mark has appeared in several episodes of Seasons 1 and 2 of the show and was present at the opening of restaurant in 2011, so he's clearly there sometimes. The New York Observer noted last year that "What’s actually surprising about Wahlburgers is how often brother Marky Mark stops by [Wahlburgers] to sample his brother’s wares." Even McCarthy has made appearances on the show. The original Wahlburgers restaurant is located in Hingham, Massachusetts, right outside of Boston, which is where the Wahlberg family hails from.
We can't really predict how often Mark is going to get a hankering for one of his bro's cheeseburgers, so instead, in honor of Season 3, let's look back at what we've learned about Mark from Wahlburgers.
Mark Wahlberg's Relationship With His Mother
In the very first episode of the series, Mark boasts that he's the baby of the family and that he he believes he's the favorite son of their mother, Alma, who even had a nickname for him: Monkey. He also carried around a beloved toy monkey during his childhood that Alma tried to throw away several times, but each time Mark threw fits in order to save him (even as an adult in the clip above).
The Real Johnny Drama
Whether you watched the HBO series Entourage or not, there are two things you probably know about the series: It was based on Mark Wahlberg's experiences as a star on the rise and there's a character that goes by Johnny Drama (played by Kevin Dillion). Well, that character was totally based on his real-life buddy Johnny "Drama" Alves, who Mark has worked with — and who looked after Mark since he was 17.
Fun fact: Alves auditioned for the fictional role of Johnny Drama on Entourage and didn't get the part. He did, however, get to work on the show as music supervisor.
Mark is Competitive With His Brothers
Mark, Donnie, and Paul are close — and naturally in competition with each other. They try to best with each other in golf, basketball (above), and motherly affection (aww).
It's a healthier way of expressing their brotherly love than when they'd beat each other up when they were kids. “We used to take Mark and throw him from bed to bed using the other bed as a backdrop,” Paul said during one episode. “Then he got bigger and it was payback time."
What will we learn in Season 3? I guess it will depend on how often Marky Mark stops by, eh?
