John "Red" Shea on Whitey Bulger's Brother Being One of Massachusetts' Biggest Politicians (Part 1)

Watch the full interview now as a VladTV KZbin Member - www.youtube.co...
Part 2: • John Shea on the Kille...
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John "Red" Shea, a former associate of notorious mob boss Whitey Bulger, discussed his upbringing in South Boston, a neighborhood famously known as "Southie." Shea spoke about the diverse community, which housed politicians, doctors, lawyers, and gangsters in close proximity. Notably, Whitey Bulger's brother, Billy Bulger, stood out as one of Massachusetts' most prominent politicians during that time. Reflecting on his childhood, Shea described a rugged environment where everyone had to be tough, with many resorting to carrying baseball bats in their cars. Growing up amid such turmoil, Shea recounted how his older sister took him to a local gym to learn boxing at just five years old after handling neighborhood bullies herself. He highlighted the impact of Boston's racial integration attempts during the 1970s, where public schools bused children between predominantly white and black areas, a strategy Shea claims disrupted education and created a "Lost Generation."
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[@lionsbarbell65]

Grew up down the street from this guy in southie. He was always polite and friendly to us kids and my nana. Never knew he was who he was until I was older. Glad to see him doing well.

[@Shayminn]

This man taught me the importance of having INTEGRITY & I'm proud & honored to have him as a friend. His book also is one of THE BEST I've ever read☘️💯

[@brucehallett1989]

I agree. I read it in a detox facility when the book just came out.

[@ChadwickO2004]

Southie now is transplant financial bros and sorority girls from SEC schools paying 4k a month in rent

[@Wbe1000]

lol yup

[@E.C.2]

Is there any section of Boston where White people still have an ethnic neighborhood?

[@BoyoOg-s1d]

​@@E.C.2outside,they got gentrified

[@JimDolan-ry5td]

All old school American enclaves are now gone. Black Harlem, Italian Bensonhurst Brooklyn, Southie Irish Boston. The last true tough ghettos in America you could say were Brooklyn, Compton, Watts, East Oakland up until the early 2000s. Now it's all gentrified and all kids from those neighborhoods are soft. Southside Chicago, Detroit and Newark still have those kind of neighborhoods but it is just now a wild ghetto. All ghettos in America at one time, no matter what your culture was had some sort of upstanding neighborhood protocol. That's been gone forever.

[@E.C.2]

@@JimDolan-ry5td We know,simply wondering if Boston had any White European ethnic enclaves still standing? White Women stopped having children,2023 was a record breaking low birth rate and record number of abortions. Our population is going to plummet in 10 yrs.

[@johnfonseca6135]

Good dude. Laborer foreman at job I was at..treats his guys good.

[@user-us3fz1qz3h]

Union steward

[@rodinowright6591]

0:19 the accent in his voice sounds like every Scorsese movie 😂

[@mikemullane5064]

He made 1 Boston movie

[@SeamHead33]

​@@mikemullane5064 lol exactly. This guy doesn't know the difference between boston and ny accents

[@Kidman-l3q]

You work for 42yrs to have $2m in your retirement, Meanwhile some people are putting just $20k in a meme coin for just few months and now they are multi-millionaires I pray that anyone who reads this will be successful in life...

[@sperosjerry]

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[@NawafRaj]

I have been seeing so many recommendations about Mrs Katie Walters, she must be really good.

[@Ethel_Callens]

How...? Am a newbie in crypto investment, please can you guide me through on how you made profit?

[@Gabbstrucker]

I'm glad to write her tay I do hope she will help handle my paycheck properly.

[@Gabbstrucker]

Can I start with as low as $1000

[@JIMDUNNA7]

He is 2 years older than I am and I grew up in Southie too. Growing up " Red " Shaa was known for being a very good boxer

[@bookerforte]

He got that boxer lisp

[@blackdonte24]

If he were that good, he would've turned pro and been known outside of Southie.

[@anonymousanonymous6796]

@@blackdonte24 some people dont care to be boxers, back then they didn't make that kind of money the way they do now

[@ChangWufei]

Man's went to a segregation academy

[@eagleclaw1179]

Old colony projects here

[@TheAvargas687]

These are the guys you definitely dont fuck with real gangsters right there , southie projects is no joke in those days , these guys will put all these so called gangsters in new york to shame ,

[@bostonmike5981]

Yeah D st and Old Colony were definitely hardcore back then.

[@jamesfarley7227]

These dudes are real gangsters. They literally took control of the Government.

[@donaldb93]

💯

[@patsully2413]

They are absurdly dangerous people.

[@THEUNONUMBER]

The government is literally a gang

[@ghostwalk2446]

"Real gangsters" don't snitch for law enforcement or kill innocent women, Bulger was a rat coward, nothing more

[@gbrooks958]

Whitey was a CI anybody can be a gangster when u telling the feds on the competition smh whitey was a 🐀🐀🐀🐀who grew up with a fed

[@russell8318]

I read most of the book in Billerica, but went to seg, so i had to give it back to my friend. It was a good book.

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

Middlesex, I've heard the screws are real PR!(KZ

[@russell8318]

@Ryan-hl4ur some, just like anywhere

[@russell8318]

@Ryan-hl4ur Most of them are pretty chill. You get a few that suck.

[@WilliamAnnette-z6p]

Cmon Vlad u gotta do your homework. Boston wasn’t the first city to bus kids. They were the last city that the schools were divided. So they had to try something

[@Sunnyboy-rz9bo]

That’s why all the videos and color while everybody else is in black-and-white you’re totally right

[@joojoobaw]

He asked the question, but it was the guest who said it was “pretty much” the first city

[@ZekeMan62]

They didn't "have" to do anything.

[@GR8119]

I met him, he asked me one day "get my khakis out of my khakis". I kept asking what does that mean?? He said for my CAHH, idiot!! Then I realized, I said "Oh, you want your CAR KEYS out of your khakis????'

[@Atreyuwu]

Underrated comment lol.

[@GR8119]

@Atreyuwu 🤣🤣🤣

[@jordancarlin9687]

This guy makes Brett Brown sound like Sir Anthony Hopkins

[@DTTWOPP]

One of the only real gangsters vlads ever interviewed

[@thismothafuckasaid7304]

Ya, only him & Joey Merlino. Crazy bc they were on different levels, yet outta all those people they're only two who didn't corporate

[@dankoval6151]

Red Shea Is the truth. Great interview. Post the full version.

[@bostonmike5981]

I met John way back in the day when he drove a little red BMW. We had a mutual friend Ritchie D. Red was one Hell of a boxer in the 1980's and a standup guy.

[@felsonj]

Vlad would improve his interviewing significantly by simply refraining from saying "OK" in response to *everything*

[@brettweidner4305]

he is by far the worst interviewer on youtube

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

They take a lot of pride knowing their kids have the guts that most men don't have. Getting in a ring & fighting in front of ppl.

[@sindileshakur5238]

I’ve been waiting for John red shea interview I read his book back in school

[@brucehallett1989]

Awesome book. I read it in detox about 15 years ago.

[@stefanmales3293]

Finally a real gangster on Vladtv

[@PJ-po6xy]

Ignoring all the 1000 black ones, cornball 🤡🌽🌽

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

5yrs old's not surprising, especially back then but even 15-20yrs ago there's a boxing show in South Boston. The "Southie-Day show." It's amateur fights for younger kids.

[@ZtothaO]

Yesss get more Boston gangsters on Vlad Thank you

[@MyNewYorkCity.]

Never $ɲïtch3D 😂😂😂

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

They took kids from Roxbury & put em in Southie schools, kids from Dorchester & Southie in Bury schools. Madison Park HS, on Malcom X blvd was suppose to be built in 66'. It wasn't built until 75'ish.

[@vladtv]

Watch the full interview now as a VladTV KZbin Member - kzbin.infojoin

[@Urconnect]

This guy sounds like Goodfellas narrator😂😂

[@blazayblazay8888]

THESE PEOPLE WILL NEVER CHANGE

[@JNas-e1g]

What are you even talking about? He's telling his upbringing? You want him to lie ? Your a clown. If a white person said you people about black people they would be looked at as racist. So why is it cool for you to say that unless you for real hate white people and don't care who knows it

[@CBPunisher1900]

Tough times make tough men.

[@supremegodemperordonaldtru3563]

​@@CBPunisher1900Tough men went and fought in actual wars like WWs. Not these bottom of the barrel scum 🤡

[@blazayblazay8888]

@ BUNCH OF ANIMALS

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

OH! These people? What's that suppose to mean? I want an apology! I'll tell ya, you ppl are unbelievable.

[@tonyv.8286]

Busing was a complete disaster. Rich suburban judge made poor white kids bus to poor black neighborhoods and vis versa. Screwed up a generation of kids.

[@jeffmejia1573]

I remember the time when if you were not from Southie, you did NOT go in there, especially if you were not Irish.

[@Jovial_1]

I read John’s book on 10 block. Almost 2 decades ago.. not really a new book, Vlad. 📖 ⛓️

[@KfGentX]

John Shea is Solid 💪🏾

[@JoeK-r3f]

Excellent

[@Vitog2024]

Vlad your a cornball and a half . You introduce the quests in such a snake way 😂 funny guy

[@skiman5289]

Stand up Massachusetts 💪🫡💯

[@mizzo_beeto]

Mill City!

[@McBB-Ray]

Imagine it's 2025, and you're some young punk, wannabe gangster, and you come across this guy. No idea that he is THE REAL DEAL.

[@minibikemadman]

This guy is stand up ..I've been lucky enough to meet him a few times.

[@TorrianMcGraw]

VLAD IN HIS TRUE ELEMENT NOW 👍

[@jacobterronez5309]

Title is wild

[@user-q7e4nbd5mjki8frj]

Vladimir: "And I wanna point out, never snitched" that sounds so fucking corny

[@mr.hester5671]

Vlad just casually glossing over the racism and hypocrisy… the Irish was considered less than white and ostracized… yet they still didn’t want their kids going to school with Black kids smh 😂😂😂😂

[@Leroy-df3ee]

Why would they want their kids to be sent to schools in other parts of the city? It's ridiculous. SMH.

[@mr.hester5671]

@ no way in hell would I have allowed my children to be subjected to such ridiculous behavior… they would have gone to private school

[@Leroy-df3ee]

@ You are a racist then.

[@EvelynKantor-Lugo]

Racism is evident but classism is at the root.

[@Leroy-df3ee]

@ Put the pipe down.

[@KP43-08]

5:35 they’re still doing that here in Boston!

[@nopressure9486]

Thought he got Steve Kerr on this bih mid season 😂😂😂

[@otarzan]

Finally someone who made it out without snitching 🙌🏽

[@Animal14722]

Seriously... probably one of the only dudes who made it in and out without folding

[@cmz5847]

Accent is crazy hahaha

[@RobVerdone]

He's 100% right about forced integration and government corruption! That's also how Federal Hill Rhode Island was too only with Italian Mafia. A true Mafia neighborhood! 💪🇮🇹💪🇮🇹💪🇮🇹💯

[@Wbe1000]

New book? Shits been out for 20 years lmao

[@BrownBananaGaming]

There is a WGBH archive video on here of him boxing as a kid

[@WilliamAnnette-z6p]

A new book ? It’s been out over 20 years. And he isn’t a mobster he was a drug dealer. lol. Vlad former doesn’t do any homework

[@Sunnyboy-rz9bo]

You can still be a mobster that sell drugs most of them did Lucky Luciano they also sold heroin and prostitution

[@BowlofFigs]

Exactly was nothing but a drug dealer who paid Whitey to operate , he was No Mobster there's not one picture of Red Shea with Whitey anywhere .Have Kevin Weeks on the Show he'll tell ya the TRUTH about Shea !

[@jjrne6]

I beat one of the Long brothers out of the Southie gym in Golden gloves. Tough kid from huge Southie boxing family. If you were from that area you had to be tough especially back in the day

[@jdolo4670]

This who Tommy from Power based off of 😂

[@antoniosantiano898]

Nah he ain’t a wigga

[@BattleRapVisual]

HES NOT LYING ABOUT WB BROTHER... HE HAD TO MUCH POWER IN MASS

[@tonyv.8286]

I think he fought micky ward or Gatti. Close fight if i remember correctly.

[@bostonmike5981]

I think they fought each other as amateurs, but not pro, unless they did some type of exhibition bout I didn't know about. Pretty sure Red only had 3 pro fights and won all three.

[@bostonmike5981]

Ward fought Shea Neary, different guy.

[@tonyv.8286]

@@bostonmike5981 I think was amateur 👍🏻

[@chrisabney1571]

I read rat bastard in prison years ago. Red is the truth fr

[@Fifteen_Two]

Who is he in the departed?

[@spencertimley715]

My cousin from Boston

[@BowlofFigs]

@@spencertimley715 Congratulations

[@dukeone4102]

Billy still living in his 90s

[@DOMLEAFY]

I’m from Dorchester, da white boys in Dorchester, Southie and Charlestown… are real different than regular white boys you’ll meet anywhere.. Boston overall is just different than anywhere in da country, a majority miniority city. People don’t even know there’s a lot of Black, Caribbean, Asian, African and Spanish people up here ☘️

[@SmartDave60]

I’m just here for the accent.

[@rayshesballin7982]

Blaming integration for being an idiot is wild.

[@ZekeMan62]

Before integration, most blacks were flunkies. After integration, most blacks are still flunkies. All integration did was ruin the learning environment for the White kids.

[@ZekeMan62]

Before integration, most blacks were flunkies. After integration, most blacks are still flunkies. All integration did was ruin the learning environment for the White kids.

[@muzegames]

That’s most racists. They hate the fact that they’re stupid so they use race as a means to feel like they’re superior to someone.

[@natedogg890]

The otha kids werent up to PAHHH

[@benjamintribe4652]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾😆😂🤣💯

[@reeseromeo6]

He never snitched but he’s telling now and all in his book

[@kel1758]

If he served time he can’t be popped for anything involved with his charge

[@gorillamilitia6327]

Rat Bastards is an awesome read and im not anhuge book reader but i blasted through that book years ago when i first picked it up. Definitely check it out.

[@PokerShark1986]

Shea sitting down with vlad the fed…who would have thought

[@snypes1008]

Vlad it’s called integrated

[@nickm5357]

John Red Shea is a boston legend

[@00bankz24]

Not one of..he was the most powerful politician in the state.

[@atoro85]

Here before the bot got here

[@vahidvahidnia1643]

This video is totally epic! I laughed so hard, my phone almost cried!

[@420G20]

Who is this guy and why is Vlad interviewing him?

[@bluu_ice6554]

​@@420G20deep in your heart, you know why ...

[@RobVerdone]

The girls got beat by the nuns too you know.

[@natedogg890]

No you didn't, because you are a badly programmed bot

[@SilverbackMO]

@@natedogg890straight 🤖

[@kendrickbell8525]

Has boston really changed as far as integration in public schools?🤔

[@PLP357]

He looks like his brother

[@VA2UP2DOWN]

So….is this guy legit?

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

I don't want to name drop but if you're from the area he came up with Tommy, Tony, David, & many more. Jimmy F, (Rip) Danny L., Kenny B.

[@williamwhite4311]

Last white ghetto u been to Columbus Ohio west n south side its crazy

[@Animal14722]

Which ghetto neighborhoods are still white?

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

⁠​⁠@@Animal14722today? Or when John came up? Cuz now, I mean even OP isn't OP anymore. (Going on yrs now) I've been to Ohio, I don't disagree. Unfortunately, MA has been taking over by yuppies.

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

Actually, the place in Ohio I've been was Columbus, that's where the fair is, isn't it? It's essentially a national boxing tournament.

[@petemart8503]

told u vlad now weeks and motarano

[@tariqalfudi1]

Never snitched? Well that's about to change...

[@thelastyankee4975]

1:45 fuggetaboutit

[@reyesbolusan3611]

EYE MIC BARKER , my wife is half IRISH & HALF NATIVE AMERICAN, double al kie , but she dont drink , we are still looking for for our state casino in cal , and still looking for her pot of gold ! Lol

[@pernellhaynesworth1212]

Never snitched 💯🐐 😮k Vladimir 😂

[@ogbc100]

Thought this was Roger Goodell for a second 😂

[@cedricfontenette9187]

Jason garret 😂

[@dortiz8892]

John red shea wasn’t near whitey or a tough guy. Look up Kevin weeks and his thoughts on red shea

[@BowlofFigs]

100% Kevin Weeks will tell the World the Truth, Not One Picture Of Red Shea with Whitey FBI, DEA & STATE POLICE had 1,000's of Pic/Video ask Shea to produce one Picture

[@Pumpfakepodcast]

Was I the only one that caught all that racism lol

[@brendanmoul5913]

You sound very simple minded with comments like that.

[@SquilliamFancySonn]

Boston is pretty safe nowadays I’m There daily

[@JamesHall415]

Are you crazy? I'm from San Francisco but my grandmother ,w brothers ,sister and another 40 family members live there. My niece works for the city and comes to the scene of murders , shootings and stabbings.Shes always busy especially in the summer. Roxbury, Dorchester, mission hill , Mattapan and the projects in Hyde park is wild . I can't believe you don't know this. I'm actually coming to visit next month. I come every few months

[@SquilliamFancySonn]

@ All the places you named are Black neighborhoods , “Southie” aka South Boston none of that really happens whatsoever anymore

[@JamesHall415]

@SquilliamFancySonn You said boston. Next time specify so we don't have to go through this lol

[@JamesHall415]

@SquilliamFancySonn you said black neighborhoods lol. I forgot for a second Boston is the segregated city I been to in my life

[@SquilliamFancySonn]

@ I mean yeah pretty much is when u think about it I really never thought about it like that I don’t live there I just work there

[@EYEH8MOSTOFYOU]

I wonder if he likes whiskey or potatoes?😂😂😂😂

[@joshuacarruth6432]

Great book I read it in jail stand up guy

[@thereclusemongoose]

China Rainbow.

[@johnlopez9780]

He was running the Boston car

[@gaspayanga5982]

No need to snitch, he wrote a book

[@gt-gu7rb]

So I guess that makes him the new Henry Hill.

[@brentwoods1153]

He doesn't snitch in the book..... Rat bastards is the name of the book

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

@@gt-gu7rbdo u see Johnny in witness protection? That hill guy was a lying fugazy & couldn't lick a stamp.

[@Rangers-72]

@@gt-gu7rbHenry hill worked with the feds and took the stand as a witness and then put in WITSEC , big difference

[@djpuplex]

Not a snitch but writes more books than Steven King

[@shonuff718]

Writing a book means your snitching ?

[@djpuplex]

​@@shonuff718 What's he talking about in that book?

[@blackdonte24]

You mean "Stephen" King genius.

[@user-us3fz1qz3h]

Everyone he dealt with is dead or in fed prison. He never ratted. What's your problem if he writes books?

[@shonuff718]

@ that’s The question … writing a book doesn’t make you a snitch

[@jamaenealy5594]

RACIST

[@ZekeMan62]

Realist.

[@user-us3fz1qz3h]

I'm sure you can find it anywhere if that's your life's calling dear.

[@jamaenealy5594]

@ who needs to FIND it? Weirdo

[@Kingtruther]

racist

[@ZekeMan62]

Realist.

[@jtbws1354]

Question....If Someone Has No Paperwork Can They Still Be A Rodent??

[@Ryan-hl4ur]

Well I for 1 wouldn't throw that jacket on any1 w/o a 277 or 302 but if you're referring to John, u should probably NOT make any judgements. Especially when u can't back it up

[@jtbws1354]

@@Ryan-hl4ur I Wasnt Talking About Anyone Here This Is For Personal Knowledge But I Respect Your Position Thanks

[@LuckyC5150]

This dude def added way more to his story. Literally none of Bulger associates remember him. Weeks says he’s a straight liar.

[@SomeoneElse038]

@@LuckyC5150 wrong guy.

[@eminemsweirdbeard2202]

​@@SomeoneElse038yep wrong guy

[@LuckyC5150]

@@eminemsweirdbeard2202 nope. Read his book in 05’ when it first came out it’s bullshit. Jim wasn’t messing with this kid. That’s why no movie no anything else even with wahlberg involved. Kevin weeks and Stevie Flemmi both deny this dude was involved

[@BowlofFigs]

100% Legend in his Own Mind lol, he was just another Southie Coke Dealer who had to Pay to Operate that's his only connection to Whitey ! Ask Shea to Show on Picture of him &.Whitey together , he can't cause there are none !!!

[@LuckyC5150]

@ thank you!! My uncle is doing life this dude didn’t snitch but he also wasn’t involved with Jim

[@michaelbrown5050]

This dudes the truth

[@joojoobaw]

Red……. Whitey……. these guys have basically zero color in their whole bodies but still find a way to get nicknamed based on what little color they do have

[@edwardnigma4087]

Charlestown > Southie

[@tommydiaz3258]

He don’t know what though neighborhoods are. Tough to him perhaps but we’re from Chicago, shootings and having a gun was normal from a young age. Saw my first victim at age 5, I got shot for the first time at age 9, then 4 more times after that. Lost my brother, lost my father before I was born, lost 4 cousins all to gun violence. Father passed when I was just in the womb. My friends carried guns when we were in our single digits. My two other brothers are in prison. All but one uncle is in prison and the only other one is handicap from a shooting where the bullet hit his spine. I’m sorry but homie might have been involved in some street things but we lived it. And mind you, my entire family is immigrants. I’m second generation after my parents. All of my family moved to Chicago and they were gangsters in Puerto Rico and they were gangster here. Me and my 3 sister are the only ones that made it out now living in North Philly where my family is now located. He has no idea. I’ve lost over 20 childhood friends and seen 7 of them die right in front of me. Let’s talk about South Boston, I’m just saying it’s nothing compared to our reality. I got out of prison 2 years ago and every other friend I have still alive is in prison. I wish I grew up in southie

[@FattyWalsh]

Diaz, I'm not Irish, but I can tell you those guys from Southie ate Puerto Ricans alive in Boston. You have no idea. The Irish from that area are not like what you think the stereotypical white people are. Other whites didn't wander into those Irish neighborhoods.

[@LuckyC5150]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@FattyWalshthey don’t care because in chi they literally kill for boredom it’s stupidity at its finest. My family is from southie and your right. I’m from ny lost 20 friends myself. Both brothers died 10 months apart. This life is no joke

[@ScrewPalestine]

Yeah your life ain’t really that bad bro 😂😂😂😂 trust me you don’t know wtf your talking about. You think you had a bad life ??

[@ScrewPalestine]

Your life is great compared to mine

[@Jayo26]

@@FattyWalshits a 15 min trip to southie from where im at. Them dudes is not like that no more and if u went back now the only telltale sign its irish is bc of how the roads look. Every single irish or italian ive met in Massachusetts not even they granddaddy was like that 😂 if you not from Massachusetts dont come here cuz its garbage anyway WAYYY too many whyte folk

[@kevlarkash718]

Wrote a book. Yea he told in some way

[@dwaynestevens2512]

I just smell racism on this one. Nah bruh

[@RonnieBlueeyesOfficial]

🍀☘️🇺🇸

[@maryanneweldon8040]

🙄