The Real Housewives of New Jersey

[Poppy Fields]

Who doesn't remember her first bra?

My mom and I didn't discuss this. She just went out and bought me one when it was time (i.e. when there was enough to jiggle when I walked). She just came into my room, took it out of the bag, and said "OK. It's time to harness you up."

I remember wanting one that whole school year because many of my friends began wearing bras that year. I felt a left out. As I recall, the same was true for pantyhose! I had to ask for them as a Christmas gift in 8th grade.

Gia seems to be pretty bright. It's a shame she has to hear her beloved father going off the rails so often, but I bet she knows that it's completely unacceptable and when she grows up she will make that known to her husband. Every once in awhile she expresses it to Joe. She's not afraid to call him out on his behavior which is pretty sad - her mom should be doing that, not his 10 year old daughter.

[PA Snow Bunny]

I still remember my 1st bra. It was a white training bra with a tiny blue flower in the middle. I had nothing to "train" at that time but everybody in school had one. My big sister bought it for me because my Mom didn't understand.
I must have over 40 bras now. Dang those Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sales!

It is unfortunate but I think Gia will marry a guy just like her dear old unemployed jail-bird daddy.

[buttahfly]

i was thinking the same thing . . . .

unless the camera adds 40 pounds, instead of just 10, there is no way Lauren is wearing a size 8.

[momrek06]

Very good points and observations, momrek06!

I agree that Teresa doesn't like him and that she chooses not to argue with him. Example: When they do shots of the two of them in the car, it's usually Teresa that's driving. Juicy is riding shotgun. They're discussing something. Teresa's trying to get her say in/make her point(s), and Juicy usually ends up snapping at her to "Shut up!". Many of us would not at ALL put up with that kind of behavior for any length of time from what is supposed to be our significant other. And, even if we DID suffer the fool gladly for any amount of time at all --- for appearances' sake, not wanting to walk, get divorced, etc., etc. --- sometime, somewhere, someHOW, SOME of us are gonna rise up off the floor we've allowed ourselves to be put on, swinging for our lives as we go. Why? BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, WE MOST LIKELY WOULD'VE GOTTEN SOME SCINTILLA OF SELF-RESPECT BACK AND WOULD GIVE AS GOOD AS WE GOT BECAUSE WE KNEW THERE WAS NO WAY IN HELL WE DESERVED WHAT WE WERE GETTING.

Take a look at Teresa's face when he's verbally abusing her. It closes in on itself, becomes frozen, because she's hurt and angry at him speaking to her in that manner. You can see the hurt in her eyes. Her voice drops lower, to a quietly angry, or desperately pouring-oil-on-troubled-waters level (depending on whatever it is that's set him off THIS time).

And remember the time he got juiced up and started snapping at her in front of houseguests (not to mention trying to do a somersault for the girls, which resulted in him getting hurt?)? You could tell from her face, then, how very embarrassed she was to have others see him behave in this manner towards her. And the fact that he was --- for all intents and purposes --- close to being knee-walking drunk didn't help matters, and was really no excuse, either.

Sure, she likes Juicy's take on HER take on situations she faces with the other Housewives. She is so insecure, so needy, that she can't take a step back and realize just what a bastard this man is that she's married to. Maybe he WASN'T that way when they first started out, but he SURE is, now. I don't think Caroline, Jac, Melissa or Kathy would've been bothered with their men had they started behaving toward them in the fashion that Juicy does to Teresa. However, I honestly can't say that I could ever see ANY of their men being as stupid as he apparently is, in being close to, if not out-and-out verbally and/or emotionally abusive towards THEM as Juicy is to Teresa.

She, what, just turned 40? And they've been married ten or so years? I don't know for certain, but I'm almost willing to BET you that even at 30, Teresa went straight from her parents' house, to Juicy's. If that WAS the case, then she'd most likely always been in a home situation wherein there was ALWAYS a strong, possibly domineering male presence at the center of the household, that it revolved and spun around. And I am asking kindly that no one take offense to that statement; no harm was meant or intended. Just a thought/observation. Could anyone of Italian descent on the board possibly correct me if I might be wrong in thinking that that might be the case?

I DO agree with you that I don't believe Teresa would/will ever voluntarily leave Juicy. I DO think she'd have issues with what the other Housewives would/might say, to some extent, because of being delusional and wanting to paint a picture of perfect bliss inside of her home, even with the multitude of problems going on inside of it that have been publicly exposed OUTSIDE of it, now. Then again, she is already well aware that some of them are talking/speculating about her and her situation (even some of the GUYS are!).

But I also believe that an even bigger, deeper reason she probably won't ever leave Juicy the Loser is because that is her HUSBAND. She is supposed to STAND BY HER MAN, to her way of thinking. Right, wrong, good, bad or indifferent. And, let's face it, a life with JTL is all she's ever known for at least a decade, or so.

She can be a world-beater going out and earning the cheese, but she absolutely wouldn't be able to cope if she wasn't shackled to Juicy, loser, or not, I believe.

And right now, he's ALL she's got.

JMHO

YUP, ness, you and I are on the SAME page with all this …. so NOW, I just watched this week's episode. AND the very first scene here we have Tree and Juicy in the car again Tree having to do all the driving because Juicy has NO license … (Umm, how did he get to THE SHORE w/o a drivers license???) And we see the whole TRAIN WRECK of a marriage that is Tree and Juicy. Juicy is so angry ALL.OF.THE.TIME. Tree just wants to talk to him about her talk with Joe G and Juicy just is screaming at her, cutting her off after every word, calling them all &itches, and every other nasty name LIKE Tree is the PERFECT one in all this … THEY ARE A MESS.

And you can BET that Tree would NEVER EVER allow ANYONE ELSE EVER to talk to her the way Juicy does … Juicy telling her he would KICK OUT her parents from HIS house … whatever. Juicy you need HELP and Tree you need HELP and QUICK or it actually may be too late. What was that comment Tree made to US about her and Juicy never ever arguing … are.you.kidding.me. That's all they do 24/7.

That whole bra thing with Gia … I am going with that being SCRIPTED. Totally. And why why why Tree did you need to discuss Gia's 'period' and tampons vs pads on RHoNJ … keep some things for PRIVATE. Sheesh. Idiot Tree. Idiot.

And I am sorry to say this and many will disagree but Gia is one very spoiled brat. There I said it. I watched closely the whole scene at Field Day and Gia melting down out of control over Joe G being a cheater … why didn't anyone tell Gia that these games are ALL IN FUN … this is NOT a real competition … this is a FUN one where there are NO real rules. And at HER age, Gia should have SEEN that this was ALL FUN. A FUN FAMILY DAY. Not some BIG competition. Gia was SOOOO LOUD screaming over and over again to the point she had a meltdown. Give me a break. One minute she wants to be all grown up wearing a bra and the next minute she is spiraling backwards acting like a 2yo with her tantrums. And then we have Tree coming in and telling everyone to LEAVE HER ALONE … OMG. Now I am totally seeing why the REUNION show from the END of LAST Season was such a MESS with everyone HATING on Tree and Jacqui not even showing up. I mean that whole convo with Jacqui telling her that Joe G has not reached out to her at all. WHAT A LIAR, T is …. who wants to be around anyone like that. I mean she openly LIED to everyone about Juicy going to The Shore … it was both Tree and Juicy that said Juicy should not go to the Field Day because of issues with others … and yet Tree comes in there telling everyone Juicy had gone to The Shore like it was a planned trek from before the Field Day "invite". LIAR LIAR LIAR.

Ok, here I go again. Now watching Lauren and her Dad golfing and watching Lauren and Jacqui shop … I am sorry but there is no way Lauren is in size 8 clothes … no way. I think we all had trouble figuring out what she was saying a few episodes ago about what size she was fitting into … ! JMHO. 2 8's = 16 I can see.

[Punkin]

I was really mortified for Gia - spoiled as she might be- when Teresa decided to make this whole bra thing, with period/tampon dicussion thrown in, a photo op for Teresa thinking it was all so cute and T obviously thought it would make her look like a doting mother. Poor Gia. Teresa has no sense at all.

Momrec06, DH and I wondered, too, just how Juicy was going to get to the shore without a designated driver. But I think you're right, it was just a story made up to explain his absence. How typically classy of Teresa to mention she'd have rather gone to the shore, but she wanted to be a team player.

I love Kathy, her husband and her kids! She is absolutely the most beautiful, classy and sane of all the housewives. I get a kick out of her sister, too!

[Prism]

Ok, here I go again. Now watching Lauren and her Dad golfing and watching Lauren and Jacqui shop … I am sorry but there is no way Lauren is in size 8 clothes … no way. I think we all had trouble figuring out what she was saying a few episodes ago about what size she was fitting into … ! JMHO. 2 8's = 16 I can see.

I thought she was being self deprecating.... saying she fit into two size 8s, like each leg or something, knowing her mom realized she's size 16.
Looks like she may have lost some weight- such pressure on her; hope she feels better.

Weight Loss Alert: Lauren Manzo Sheds Unwanted Pounds (PHOTO) - Real Housewives of New Jersey

[mom2]

If these moms insist on displaying their children on camera, someone with the child's best interests at heart should demand that certain subjects be banned from discussing with the world.

Gia was a brat. She may be going through things, but there is no excuse for a child to treat adults in that manner, especially when they allowed her to play with the adults instead of the babies. Tre, as usual, plays the ostrich and plants her head in the sand instead of taking her to the side and explaining that sometimes when adults play games, it's for fun and not a true competition. I don't believe she has ever been exposed to that in her world.

After not getting through the first time, Caroline and Jacqueline should have backed off and let Tre address the issue, or not address the issue. Either way, Gia should be excluded from the reindeer games until she can handle it.

[mina]

The whole Gia incident was strange to watch....my thoughts: Gia really wasn't upset over "cheating"- that probably had something to do with it. But I mostly felt that she had a lot of pent up frustration and stress over the whole (scripted or not) fight between her uncle and mother, plus her parents are terrific idiots and she didn't really know how to deal with it. She's probably confused, a little bit of a brat, and has idiots for parents who probably act worse at home in front of her. Jacqueline was condescending with the whole book and that only escalated the incident; what child wants to feel belittled when they are already upset? Jacqueline and Caroline should have just left her alone. If the adults in Gia's life are acting out staged stories for a reality show; then the kid is probably totally confused about what is reality and what is not. I can understand how that would be upsetting. I don't think that's an excuse to throw a tantrum and act like a brat, but she's 10 and her parents are idiots so I can cut her some slack. I do feel bad for her that it was all captured on camera (that with her bra fitting) and I feel sorry that from the stellar adult examples in her life I don't think that she will act any better when she gets older.

[Dragonlady]

Looks like she may have lost some weight- such pressure on her; hope she feels better.

Weight Loss Alert: Lauren Manzo Sheds Unwanted Pounds (PHOTO) - Real Housewives of New Jersey

The whole thing bothers me but it's no different really from a lot of people in the public eye making their diet front-page news. Yep, a few shakes a day will definitely cause the pounds to fall off.....but unless you want to stay on a few shakes a day, they'll find their way back. We all know by now....even Oprah! that you need to find a way to eat less the rest of your life if that's your body's way or you'll just gain it back.
Caroline bugs me re this situation: hated this blog-thing she wrote about "look at my beautiful, beautiful daughter" after the weight loss. Is Lauren so dumb that she can't figure out that she's really beautiful to her mother now that she lost weight?? What a way to word her praise! How about "Look at my daughter's achievement!" instead. Stupid woman.
And I hated how she keeps going on about always being skinny herself....Not since I've known you, Caroline. You've always been the "chubby one."
She also has no clue how much her favoritism to her boys, esp Albie, shows to everyone with one brain cell.

The whole Gia thing was handled so very wrong. It's bad enough the kid has the awful parents she does and she's becoming much more aware of their faults now as she gets older. Given what she has for a father, no wonder she's so drawn to her Uncle Joe....who's really not that much better than Juicy but she won't figure that out until later....for now, given the comparison, Uncle Joe seems better as an important male figure in her youth.
Poor child.

[Poppy Fields]

And I hated how she keeps going on about always being skinny herself....Not since I've known you, Caroline. You've always been the "chubby one."

Exactly! Maybe she forgot to add "compared to Albert."

I do feel bad for her that it was all captured on camera (that with her bra fitting) and I feel sorry that from the stellar adult examples in her life I don't think that she will act any better when she gets older.

Mina, I cringed at the "bra fitting" scene knowing that Gia's friends will be discussing it for month of two.

In terms of what kind of judgment and self-discipline she'll have as an adult, I'd say that hers are already vastly superior to her parents'!