Family drama with in-laws is the meat and potatoes, the bread and butter, the creme de la creme of Real Housewives of New Jersey. It's been relatively quiet for a bit but never too far away for the women of the Jersey shore. Ahead of the Season 11 premiere, Melissa Gorga claimed she was “done” defending her sister-in law slash co-star Teresa Giudice, and here's why.
The preview for the upcoming season of Real Housewives of New Jersey saw Teresa Giudice, her brother Joe Gorga and sister-in-law Melissa Gorga in the middle of a fiery argument about Giudice's ex-husband. There's talk of Giudice overly defending her ex-husband while simultaneously condemning Melissa Gorga for not sticking up for her. In an interview with US Weekly, Gorga said:
I’m going to be very honest right now. You’re damned if you do, you’re damned if you don’t and I’m going to don’t from now on. I am done. It’s like when I’m doing the right thing, and you will see, I’m literally sticking up for her, we did it wrong. So, guess what? To each their own. I’m done sticking up for anyone.
It is surprising, on the one hand, that Teresa Giudice is choosing to defend her ex-husband Joe (the two pled guilty to fraud charges in 2014 and Teresa spent 11 months in federal prison). But fans of the Real Housewives of New Jersey will not be surprised to learn that the Melissa Gorga-Teresa Giudice feud has had a second wind.
Teresa Giudice has shown in recent seasons that she holds her sister-in-law Melissa Gorga to some pretty lofty standards in order to keep their relationship on an even keel. As recently as last year, Giudice accused Gorga of not sticking up for her when it came to the debacle with newcomer Jackie Goldschneider. Gorga was forced to play the middle between her sister-in-law and new friend.
In the upcoming season, however, the in-law power play dynamic looks like it will take a violent turn. Melissa Gorga's husband Joe is seen slamming his fists on the table, saying “My wife is fucking 100% right. You're going to defend [Joe Giudice]? He put my mother in a grave.”
Anyone who saw past seasons of Real Housewives of New Jersey knows that once the husbands enter the dramafest, there will be blood - figuratively and literally. But Melissa Gorga says she is not letting the same pattern continue between her and Teresa Giudice:
I am going to just sit back here mind my own business and not stick up anymore for her because it was like, ‘I can’t win. I literally sometimes just feel like I can’t win and guess what? I’m finally OK with that. I’m just going to say nothing anymore and you’re on your own.
Their tumultuous relationship and the iconic table flip put Real Housewives of New Jersey on the map. But can Melissa Gorga and Teresa Giudice survive another feud? More importantly, is Melissa really “done” with Teresa?
