The Real Housewives of New Jersey

[Imperfect1]

Guys, it's pretty clear that we all seem to have pretty strong feelings about the cast (and supporting players) of RHNJ --- so much so, that I'm starting to get worried that we're coming close to "the line" where we're going to start getting warnings from the mods, that they will shut the thread down if we don't back off of giving harsh opinions about EACH OTHER. I love this thread and would really hate to lose it, so let's be cautious about what we say TO and ABOUT each other. IIRC it's okay to have harsh comments about cast members, but NOT about thread posters. Okay?

[Prism]

What I guess we can agree on is that the RHNJ are in one heckuva mess. I suspect Bravo will pull back a bit on airing the ugliest scenes for awhile. NJ is so OTT --- something could go so very wrong that lives can never be repaired -- those foolish, pathetic families have done themselves a horrible disservice being on this show.

[Dragonlady]

Imperfect1 and Prism, you both stated important aspects to consider....thanks. We all need a reminder.

I think we can all agree that all the Housewives Wherever are total Train Wrecks .....and Bravo puts a camera on them and makes a lot of "suggestions."
It's nothing more than the age old Soap Opera formula as seen below by Professor Dragonlady:

Crazy People = Drama = Viewers = Ads = $$ for Bravo, which creates this (ANDY ->) (Bravo execs ->) .


And I think it's emotionally healthy to "chat" about it all....most of us don't live in small towns and able to gossip about the town folk....so we have this.
I think it's human nature to talk about others....just as long as we're not mean.

[Uncle David]

I find Teresa despicable! However, compared to her scumbag of a husband, she's a saint.

[prhoshay]

Wow! Watched the lost footage last night. What I thought was driven home was just how much Teresa's husband doesn't care for her. She keeps trying and trying with him, and he just brushes her off. Even her daughters talk "truth" to her about what they see, whether she wants to acknowledge it or not, and they are good at communicating what they are living in the house. They, basically, will tell her to shut up, putting their dad's actions into words....they know that they dad doesn't really like their mother. He goes through NOTHING to change what the girls say to their mother or how they talk to her.....he just sits/lays around looking tortured. Teresa went to hug him to tell him "Happy Father's Day", and he just brushed past her and kept walking...what was with that? He is one unhappy man and, I'm sure, feels he's stuck with her for the rest of his life.....and he does not like it. Everything about him tells that. He just barely tolerates the girls, but he likes/loves them more than he does his wife. A lot of this not getting out mess is culturally ingrained, I'm sure.

[momrek06]

Wow! Watched the lost footage last night. What I thought was driven home was just how much Teresa's husband doesn't care for her. She keeps trying and trying with him, and he just brushes her off. Even her daughters talk "truth" to her about what they see, whether she wants to acknowledge it or not, and they are good at communicating what they are living in the house. They, basically, will tell her to shut up, putting their dad's actions into words....they know that they dad doesn't really like their mother. He goes through NOTHING to change what the girls say to their mother or how they talk to her.....he just sits/lays around looking tortured. Teresa went to hug him to tell him "Happy Father's Day", and he just brushed past her and kept walking...what was with that? He is one unhappy man and, I'm sure, feels he's stuck with her for the rest of his life.....and he does not like it. Everything about him tells that. He just barely tolerates the girls, but he likes/loves them more than he does his wife. A lot of this not getting out mess is culturally ingrained, I'm sure.

ITA w/you!!

The whole ring thing … (first of all that was one ugly ring) Juicy wanted NOTHING to do with that ring. AT ALL. Sheesh, I am going to look for a rerun of last night's show and she if he is even wearing it. Tre looked upset when he basically blew off the ring. He is an idiotic jerk. No respect for Tre at all. Why should anyone else respect her if her own family does not? Juicy has always blown off Tre's affections since Seaon 1. And again with the "mommy" talk last night … ugh. Tre's own kids do not even call her Mommy. Well mainly because all they do is SCREAM all day long.

Jac and Chris and the whole wedding thing .. meh.

[buttahfly]

i completely agree. i like thatblonde's posts . . . .

I think there has been an incredible amount of real/honest discussion here re this show and I love it.

It's nice to just spout off about all the skanky and mean behavior we've been given to see and we enjoy giving us something to really talk about and I think it's all in fun.
And I truly haven't seen any real awful meaness on this site but its possible I'm missing it.

[Dragonlady]

I thought Jacq behaved like a child, trying on all those bridal gowns. I doubt she bought one. What a silly idea to buy a wedding gown just to have a picture taken.
( I know, I know....renew their vows......)

I really like Chris but I have to wonder sometimes about his choice of wife. The whole scene/storyline was dopey and boring.......are they really trying to impress upon us that she wasn't a stripper and that's where Chris met her...just like Joe Gorga and his non-stripper wife. Then I have to wonder about how he handles his businesses.....Well, then I'm just left with: he's calm and nice looking.

I know that someone said Teresa was dumb as a rock but they ALL are.
They're like this bag of marbles, they all look different, you can shake them up repeatedly just for kicks but are basically nothing but a dumb rolling round rock.
It's really really difficult to believe that some went to college. In fact, I don't believe it....even w/proof.

They behave like screaming little barbarians that can only function on one setting: Instant Emotional Reaction....with no logic ever.
Bravo just took crazy people and told them they would pay them lots of $$$ if they just exaggerated everything they did and nothing more.
Coming from a seriously Italian family (some born in Italy), their crazy emotional behavior and outbursts just don't seem that odd to me. That's pretty much how they behave.....only I didn't hear "bad words" when I was a kid around them.
What Bravo doesn't show the viewers is the opposite of the screaming anger....and that's just as OTT in mushy, lovey-ness.

So I don't take it very seriously.....probably on a par with my other soap: Days of Our Lives.
They are all Loons....some have their words/script written for them and others have to just improvise on their whacky lives.
I love it.

[PA Snow Bunny]

Ok one thing you have to keep in mind is a vast group of immigrant Italian families the males never show love or emotion towards the females in their homes. You are there to serve the males in the family. My Dad's side of the family is 100% Italian. My grandmother was 3rd generation Italian/American so those emotions where a bit diluted. My dad was the only male in his immediate family & he was the prince while his sisters not so much. My grandmother however loved all of her grandchildren 1 million percent. I might have been a bit of her favorite since I look exactly like her so she did spoil me rotten. Now her older brother lived with her. I swear that man never acknowledged my existance yet he loved my older brother like his own son.
That is exactly what I see in Juicy. I am sure if he had a son those 4 girls would not exisit in his world. Joey, while raised in the same family, is completly different. That could be Melissa's influence which could explain why Tre doesn't like Mel. Don't know/care...will never watch this particular series again.
My family...there are 4 of us ranging in our 50-60's & we never had screaming fights with each other...EVER! We value each other too much. I had cancer twice, my brother had a major heart attack so why would I ever want what could be my possible last words to himbe in anger??? Today his daughter is having major surgery, I can't wait to talk to him & see how she is doing. We have love not jealousy.

[Dragonlady]

PA Snow Bunny, I agree very much with your description of Italian families....I only described one aspect but they're very layered.
The boys are definitely treated better....and in my generation, if the screaming fights existed I never saw it. What I did see was in my parent's family...maybe because there were so many....10 kids in each family. so 20 aunts and uncles, who then got married, adding 20 more aunts and uncles......and many many children. Didn't live near them but saw this when we visited.
I would see small disagreements escalate into a loud screaming crescendo, reach a peak and come right back down, into a pile of loving, hugging kissing sisters and brothers....
could be just my family but others have had the same thing.

Momrec06, really agree with your quote:
' The whole ring thing … (first of all that was one ugly ring) Juicy wanted NOTHING to do with that ring. AT ALL. Sheesh, I am going to look for a rerun of last night's show and she if he is even wearing it. Tre looked upset when he basically blew off the ring. He is an idiotic jerk. No respect for Tre at all."
He's very rude and I honestly don't believe he shows or feels ANY respect for ANYONE. He constantly acts like he's better than everyone and could care less about anything.