RHONJ Former Producer Reveals Shocking Behind-the-Scenes Secrets About the Housewives (Exclusive Originally Published at FameWhorgas on 9-23-2012)
This blog post was originally published on September 23, 2012.
The following transcript is an interview with a former producer for The Real Housewives of New Jersey. The interview was conducted on September 17, 2012 and was first published at FameWhorgas in four parts starting on September 23, 2012. The interviewer, who exclusively shared this with FameWhorgas, was writing a piece on the reality of reality television and forwarded parts of the interview pertaining to RHONJ for the purpose of reading fan comments to get a different perspective on the transcript. I will not disclose the names of the interviewer and interviewee; however, I can say that I received this directly from the interviewer: this person, the one who conducted the interview, is the cousin of the former producer. My source saw that people were doubting the legitimacy of the interview when it was first published at FameWhorgas on September 23, 2012, so he/she wrote the following explanation:
“I was asked by my country’s main news website to write a piece on the reality of reality television. My cousin worked on RHONJ, so I asked for an interview. The interview was only given because RHONJ does not screen in my country, and I promised anonymity. We also don’t have any Bravo shows on television here. I called my cousin in Washington and spoke for 20 minutes before realizing I would have to watch the RHONJ to understand what was going on and who was who. So I went online and watched every episode and called back a few weeks later. The second interview (which was recorded) was an hour and a half and mentioned numerous shows from TLC and Oxygen, but I have edited it down to the relevant parts, mainly due to privacy for my cousin.”
Background Information
Q: “So can you tell me about your role on the RHONJ without giving away who you are”?
A: “It’s fine, my contract has finished. I worked on season 3 and 4 of RHONJ as a post production supervisor for 15 episodes.”
Q: “Can you explain why you no longer work with the RHONJ? Does it have anything to do with the rumors that the production team was fired due to a conflict of interest?”
A: “Not true at all, I can’t speak for everyone, um, there are quiet a few of the same team returning for season 5, but I was offered a role on another show and decided to leave for my career; no one was fired for a conflict of interest though.”
Q: “So how ‘real’ is the show? We discussed before (in a private conversation) about the various blog rumours; can you clear anything up?”
A: “Well, if you give me specifics, I can try.”
Caroline Manzo and Teresa Giudice’s Feud
Q: “I’m curious about the Caroline/Teresa feud. Was she really that angry that Teresa wrote those comments in her cookbook?”
A: (laughing) “Oh come on, at the start of the season the production team sits down and gives a general overview of where we want the storyline for the show to go. ALL of the wives are in on this. We discuss popular storylines from the season before, storylines that need tying up, and also ways of threading in new storylines that look organic to the story. Do you really think we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on just following these woman around with no plan? No, the season and the storyline has a basic outline from the first day.”
Q: “So you’re saying there is no feud?”
A: “I’m saying the feud you are being fed is for television only and there are bigger issues there.”
Q: “Then why are we not being told what the bigger drama is? Wouldn’t it be better to show that than manufacturing the drama?”
A: “It’s up to the wives what they choose to put out into the public forum; nothing is forced on them.”
Jacqueline Laurita and Teresa Giudice’s Feud
Q: “What about Jacqueline and Teresa?”
A: “We knew at the end of season 3 that their friendship was ending; the main reason, I was told, for the feud was because Jacqueline was offered several endorsement deals (including a teeth whitener and a real fruit-based alchohol), and Teresa organised deals for herself with similar products which turned off the company wanting to invest in Jax and the Housewives’ name.”
Q: “Well, why was this not mentioned throughout the season? Why are we getting this confusing story that makes Jacqueline look crazy? Why not explain this to the viewers?”
A: “Jacqueline’s ‘character’ wouldn’t have endorsement deals; it didn’t feel right for the character. Jacqueline (the character) is a loving home mother who is trying to raise her children; we couldn’t go from doting housewife to celebrity endorsement maker; it wouldn’t feel organic.”
Dina Manzo Quitting the Show in Season 2
Q: “In season 2 you had a change of cast with Dina Manzo leaving; did she really leave because of Danielle?”
A: “There were legal issues around the filming of Dina’s daughter, and Dina and Danielle had off screen legal issues. Dina threatened to quit the show unless Danielle’s contract for season 2 was shortened; she basically told the producers it was her family on the show or Danielle, but the others didn’t back her, so she quit the show.”
Q: “What about Teresa? Did Teresa threaten to walk too?”
A: “No, none of the other wives did; that is why Dina is so angry at her family; I guess she feels like they chose the show over her.”
Q: “Well they did, so why is she speaking to Teresa then and not the others?”
A: “The others were her family.”
The Addition of the Gorgas to the Show and the Christening in Season 3
Q: “So tell me about the casting of the Gorga family? Did they really send in an audition tape saying they would take down Teresa, mafia style?”
A: “They auditioned, as does everyone. Look, it’s not like just because she is Teresa’s sister-in-law we instantly cast her because we had heard of bad blood between them. Teresa’s brother and Melissa were filmed for a short period and that was edited into a small compilation to see if they were interesting enough to be on television. This happens on every single show. Melissa does say that they will take down Teresa in the video, but in a playful manner. I’m also sure it’s been leaked onto the net, so it wouldn’t be hard to find.”
Q: “What can you tell me about the christening episode that introduces the Gorgas?”
A: “Well, I can say I was actually there that day. It was our first full day filming with a large team; we had been filming previous to that, but they were establishing shots. It was much worse than what was shown: the extended family didn’t want anything on camera, so what you don’t see is family members getting violent with the crew and grabbing their cameras and ripping microphone packs off and throwing them across the room. It was chaos.”
Q: “Why did Joe Gorga react the way he did? He was crazy.”
A: “I’ll just say, first day shooting nerves can make some drink and others take….I’ll leave it at that.”
Editing Problems with Season 4
Q: “What is going on with the editing for this season [season 4]?
A: “Can you elaborate?”
Q: “Well, Melissa saying she was babysitting the Giudice girls so that Teresa could go to the Fabellini launch, and it was all lies because…”
A: “I get what you mean. Listen, it was a real learning curve for everyone on season 4; we screwed up by filming season 4 while season 3 was screening. We went into shooting season 4 right away because we were seeing the Giudice and Gorga relationship on the mend and that was where we wanted our story to end; it was the perfect conclusion to all of the drama at the christening.
Q: “Well, what happened?”
A: “The ladies would be watching an episode of season 3, then have to go and film for season 4; it made things terribly hard for everyone because they couldn’t mention what they were angry about directly, so they would play around with their words. That’s when things got confusing and the editors had to play around with the storylines just to get them to make sense. The best example of this is the confrontation scene with Jacqueline, Teresa and Caroline: it had nothing to do with magazine covers, Danielle on twitter, or lies. It was about the episode [from season 3] that had just screened. But we had to edit it down to make sense to the audience. You have to remember, the television audience is much larger than those talking about the shows on blogs and twitter, so we cater to them first; it’s an entertainment television show first, is what I’m saying.
The Napa Trip in Season 4
Q: “But they all seemed to be getting along in Napa?”
A: “For the cameras, yes.”
Q: “Oh, so the whole Napa trip was a put on?”
A: “They all decided to put the past behind them for the sake of making the trip bearable because they all had to be there, but no one was happy about going on the trip — they all just grinned and bear it.”
Q: “So, do you think Teresa and Melissa were wanting to put the past behind them and be a family at any point in season 3 or 4, or was it all a put on?”
A: “No, I think, at times, they were both wanting to put the past behind them, but when one was ready to, the other wasn’t, so they butted heads a lot.”
The Phone Call Between Joe Giudice and the Mystery Caller in Napa
Q: “Was Joe Giudice talking to a woman on the phone in Napa; did he forget to turn off his mic?”
A: “The call was 100% innocent. He called Teresa a c*** because he didn’t want to be there filming and was taking it out on her. He had a legal mess at home he needed to deal with but was contractually obligated to be there.”
The Season 4 Finale, Strippergate, at the Posche Fashion Show
A: “[edited*****************************] at the Posche fashion show.”
Q: “I actually haven’t seen the episode. I know the basics of what happened, but it hasn’t leaked.”
A: “Well, it hasn’t screened yet but [this interview was conducted on 17/09/2012].
Q: “Sorry, can you just clear up who invited the man who outs Melissa as a stripper?”
A: “Angelo, he was invited by the producers. He doesn’t say she was a stripper, just that she worked for him at a gentlemen’s club. Cat and Caroline [producers Cat Rodriguez and Caroline Self] needed the season to go out with a dramatic ending because they knew without the drama the audience wouldn’t have a hook to go into the reunion, and they were getting pressure from the network. I mean, the reunions are always the highest rated shows of the season anyway. It was after Andy started to have more input in the series once again, after seeing disappointing and confusing early footage, that Cat started getting worried about her job, so she knew she needed to bring the drama.”
Q: “Wait, so the producers invited him because they needed…”
A: “A big drama to lead into the reunion, a hook.”
Q: “But you said earlier that the season is planned, that there is a basic structure and plan; so if there was a plan, wouldn’t they already have a big finale planned? And did everyone know what was going to happen?”
A: “No, the only cast member to know about Angelo before the evening was Teresa and that is because she meets him at the salon. Melissa knew that someone from her past wanted to say hello to her and that was all. The original plan for the finale was that they (the producers) were hoping on Danielle or Kim G to be there: they pretty much begged them to attend the fashion show. The dramatic end for the season was supposed to be Danielle confronting Melissa about getting in contact with her behind Teresa’s back, but Danielle refused to attend. So the next plan was to have Kim G make an appearance and attack Teresa about comments made in the media about her, but she refused as well. Then Jacqueline was asked by the producers to attack Teresa over comments she had made on twitter about her daughter, but Jacqueline refused. All scenarios had Teresa as the sympathetic character.
Q: “So who connected Angelo with the producers of the show?”
A: “That was organised by people who are not part of the cast. You have to remember, there are so many more players in these shows than you see on screen.”
Q: “Did Melissa know she was going to be outed as a dancer?”
A: “No, but she was made aware that someone from her past wanted to say hello and we were to film her reaction to that. Angelo was kept away from the ladies on purpose so that Melissa wouldn’t see him until the right moment, but Angelo actually went and approached the table before his interaction with Melissa and was stopped by security at the table and turned away. Melissa saw him at this point.
Q: “And she didn’t do anything?”
A: [abridged due to privacy of source] “Well, I don’t think she wanted to let on she knew in front of the cameras, but she texted her husband under the table to come to the fashion show and let him know what was going on, and she texted one of the producers who let her in on what was going to happen and who was coming over to say hello. Shortly after that Angelo enters, says hello to Melissa, then says hello to Teresa: that was intentional (his hello to Teresa) to show the other ladies that he had met her before, but that backfires because she plays it off as a friendly hello and he then leaves the scene. It was at this point Teresa realises she is being set up to take the fall for bringing Angelo to the fashion show, so she confronts one of the producers.
Q: “So why didn’t Melissa just deny recognising who Angelo was after he left the table?”
A: “She couldn’t because she suspected Teresa was involved in the storyline somehow, so she knew she couldn’t lie.”
[edited – in regards to the bathroom scene]
A: “Teresa is told by the producer to discuss with Melissa who Angelo says he is, but she refuses to do it until pushed by Melissa. Melissa then makes a call in the bathroom to her husband to tell him about the situation, and he tells her he is on his way. That phone call was faked: he was already aware of the situation from her texts earlier and was actually just next door.”
Q: “Did Melissa know who Angelo was, did she recognise him? And is he who he says he is?”
A: “Yes, she did know who he was; and, yes, he is [who he says he is]. He went through checks before appearing on the show. We don’t just put microphones on anyone and say ‘go nuts’. We checked with the owner of the establishment if Angelo was who he said he was, and if Melissa worked there, as well as numerous other checks.
[edited]
“The Posche show was advertised as having the cast of RHONJ there, so in that situation you get everyone who wants to be cast show up to try and get noticed by the cameras. It’s a nightmare because the reality of the situation becomes too fake and dramatic as every woman wants to get in on the drama to have her 15 minutes or, even better, get noticed by a producer. We had a lot of that happening this night: suddenly everyone who had ever worked with Melissa happened to be there and so did past friends, old roommates, the list went on and on. Everyone knew she was a dancer and it was no big deal — all of this was edited out.”
Q: “Why did Angelo leave?”
A: “The producers told him to leave because Joe Gorga was texting [name of crew member removed], asking him what the hell was going on and that he was on his way to the fashion show.”
Q: “If the Angelo part was producer influenced, then why does the cast hate each other so much; why was everyone so angry?”
A: “Because of what they were being fed by the producers, who were only trying to up the drama. [Name of producer removed] texted all the wives, except Teresa, and told them why Angelo was there and that Angelo had told Teresa at an earlier time that Melissa was a stripper and he was there to embarrass her. To avoid getting their conversation on camera, the woman all texted each other under the table. [Section removed by source to protect privacy.] The other cast were angry with Teresa for not letting Melissa know what was going to happen, but she was told not to by producers because they wanted a ‘reaction shot’ from Melissa — so either way, Teresa lost out.
Q: “It doesn’t seem normal to not talk to your sister for a year because of such a trivial thing; there must be more to it?”
A: “Of course, I mean you won’t see it [the media blitz, because you (the interviewer) are overseas] but there’s been interviews and leaked stories to the press where they go after each other, attacks on twitter, on each others fans — they have sold each other out for stories — so, yes, there is more too it. But the fact is that Joe thought his sister would rather listen to producers and shut her mouth than make Melissa aware that she was about to be outed as a dancer on television. Also, season 3 was screening and you have to remember they lived one experience, then 8 months down the track they have to relive that moment again, but with everyone’s opinion added to the mix — it’s hard for anyone, let alone a family that already had problems.
Q: “So what are we going to see in the final edit of the finale of RHONJ then?”
A: “Teresa and Kim D will get the blame for Angelo being at the fashion show. Angelo has several conversations with female guests and a conversation with producers that gets edited into one conversation that implicates Teresa and Kim D in setting up Melissa. The truth is, Angelo was just trying to impress these other guests (by saying) that he was part of the show and had filmed with Teresa earlier in the day. They (the producers) got lucky: he outright lies to impress a woman and says to her that he is a vital part of the finale and was asked to be there by the producers; and that audio track is what is heavily edited and used to incriminate Teresa.”
[edited out]
Season 5 Casting Changes
Q: “Cast changes for next season [season 5]?”
A: “With the casting for the next season, that decision is made before the reunion episodes — we try to tie up any loose ends during the reunion to complete the women’s character arc and give the viewers a satisfying conclusion to the character that they have invested in over the series.
Q: “I know you said you’re not part of season 5, but can you tell me anything? I’m curious as to how the show would carry on after so much drama has spilled into the cast’s real lives.”
A: “I’m not involved next season, but I know Jacqueline and Kathy were not made offers [by the time the reunion special was taped], so Jacqueline won’t be back but look for Kathy to return in a limited capacity. Currently three women are under consideration to join the cast.”
A: “[edited*****************************] Caroline was made an offer to return and declined — it is possible she is waiting for a bigger offer ($$) or has something up the pipelines. She had only participated in season 4 so that her children would get exposure for their business ventures. She knew it (being a Real Housewife) would one day end, so she made sure her children had established themselves in their own businesses. I don’t like to have personal feelings about cast, but I do admire her — she had a plan going into season 3, and that was to use this platform to assist in setting up her children financially.”
Q: “So if Caroline’s gone then all the Manzos are gone?”
A: “The network likes the Manzos and they have a large fan base so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Manzo connection for the show is made through Lauren next season.”
Q: “Is Lauren going to be a Housewife next season?”
A: “I know that [name removed] said that the idea was discussed [edited out].
Q: “Was Jacqueline fired for not attending the reunion (season 3)?”
A: “No, the producers didn’t want her there. The morning of the reunion, Jacqueline was threatening to expose Teresa and couldn’t be calmed down. [Names removed] had gone over to talk to her after she sent tweets which revealed plot points of the finale [edited*****************************]. No one was to mention the fashion show, but Jacqueline kept saying she was finished and was going to expose Teresa at the reunion. Chris was worried about Jacqueline’s mental state, as she had not slept all night and been drinking a lot later in the night when all of the cast, minus the Giudices, met after the show for drinks. [Name removed] was more concerned about the reunion but knew it would confuse the large TV audience if Jacqueline was attacking her ‘friend’ (since the viewers were watching season 3). So, at the last minute, the call by the producers was that Jacqueline was not going to attend. The reunion episode was then edited with introducing what had happened at the fashion show to keep all of the twitter and blog fans happy and to tell them, ‘we know you are aware of what is going on, so we are going to mention it and move on’.”
Q: “And Melissa? Will she be back?”
A: “Yes [abridged due to privacy of source], she will definitely be back.”
Q: “Melissa’s sisters?”
A: “No, no, we get what they try and do on twitter and it takes the sparkle off the series; they won’t be Housewives any time soon.”
Q: “And you said earlier about Kathy not being asked back — so the big question is, do you know if Teresa is back next season?
A: “Teresa is 100% safe on Housewives. I think you will find next season the format of the show will change dramatically.”
Related:
- Screen Shots of the Conversation Between Jacqueline Laurita and Melissa Gorga at the Season 4 Finale (Strippergate)
- Who Was the Mutual Friend That Texted Jacqueline Laurita at the Season 4 Finale and Told Her Teresa Giudice Was Part of the Setup (Posche Fashion Show and Strippergate)?
- Jacqueline Laurita Blogs That She Did Not Point the Finger at Teresa Guidice for Setting Up Strippergate
Cat Rodriguez, RHONJ producer (@yourfriendkitty), pictured above with the Gorgas.
In the image below is a tweet to Cat from one of Melissa sisters:
AMA: I was a story and field producer for Jersey Shore (seasons 1 and 2)
Posted by u/[deleted]
March 2020
I never worked in production for RHONJ. I worked in a very different capacity.
Q:
I’d like to hear some Housewives of New Jersey stories. What seasons did you work on? Spill the juiciest tea you have on anybody!! Holy moly this is awesome. Thank you so much for doing this.
A:
Production and Andy Cohen mercilessly protect Melissa and Joe Gorga.
I know why but I don’t think it’s worth it.
The skeletons in their closet would make amazing television but producers won’t ever give them a bad edit.
And when they do something bad, you’ll notice that the edit is flipped and diverted, and both Joe and Melissa get an insane amount of talking heads to push their narrative.
When it comes to the Teresa vs. Melissa battles, Melissa was actually the villain. But, Teresa isn’t warm and fuzzy with people, in general… much less production, so she keeps getting screwed over.
Q:
Wow!!! This is great Scoop. Any other inside knowledge about RHONJ? Specifically Melissa and Teresa related. Although you have already provided a lot of interesting information! Much appreciated!
A:
You should read this interview. It’s everything that production already knew but it won’t ever see the light of day on television because Melissa will never get a bad edit. There’s much more than this but this will wet your appetite for a bit!
AllAboutTRH EXCLUSIVE: Jan DeDolce Explains Her Falling Out With Melissa, Exposes The Melissa She Knows!
Q:
This article at the end implies Joe has a violent streak… have you witnessed that at all? I NEVER EVER would have guessed that… he always seems respectful of women.
Ps…. this is easily the best reddit post of my life. I could read your answers forever. Thank you SO MUCH for doing this!!!
A:
I haven’t personally witnessed that behavior. But he was very possessive over her. I could chalk that up to being old fashioned and traditional. I really can’t say either way! But a lot of that interview corroborates information that production dug up on them before they even officially joined the show back in 2010.
Q:
Ooh like what?
Is Melissa’s infidelity the only tv gold they’re holding back? Or there something else on blogs spilling other teas ?
A:
Her youngest son is fathered by her ex.
Q:
Does joe know this like is it an open secret?
A:
I don’t think he knows. He’s not smart like the show tries to portray him to be like this “real estate mogul”. But I can’t see how he wouldn’t know. The youngest looks exactly like her ex.
Q:
Omg this whole ass time I’ve been WONDERING for YEARS why the youngest looks nothing like joe.
Oooof that is perfect material for their soap opera vibes in the show
Holy shit! Can you say how you know? Why is Bravo protecting them?
A:
They are extremely tight with producers. One female producer, who no longer works on the show, allegedly would engage in inappropriate relations with the two of them all the time. I’ll just leave that to your imagination.
Q:
Was that producer named Cat (I think) and ended up leaving the show because she was so involved and protecting Joe and Melissa? There were tons of rumors about her and how she did everything she could to protect them. Since she’s no longer on the show, why are Joe and Melissa still being protected. If they’ve got these kinds of secrets this could be a HUGE ratings boost for Jersey. Also, there were rumors that Melissa and Joe made a video promising to take down Tre and Joe if they were put on the cast, is that true? Thank you so much for doing this!
Q:
What kind of skeletons are we talking here?
A:
See the link I posted. It’s only the surface but you can get a good idea from that.
I can’t reveal much more because I want to keep my anonymity but also want to protect those who I am close with that may or may not have worked on that show, for Siren, or for Bravo.
Q:
Recently Joe Gorga was destroyed by the media and viewers for posting a fake home flip photo (and pretending it was his work) to promote his company and brand.
He then deleted the photo after the backlash.
Any comment on this? I feel like Joe Gorga is a secret charlatan.
A:
Charlatan, LOL. But you’re not far off. He is a likable guy and very charming but he is disingenuous.
He would always complain about how he misses his life before the Housewives, he hates fame, and he misses how Melissa used to be low maintenance… yet he’s the first husband to always be ready for a talking head, get actively involved in the show, show up to every WWHL taping that Melissa does, and speak to the press.
Nothing wrong with any of that, but own it.
Back in the day, production would call him Giuseppina, the 6th housewife, behind his back.
Q:
About Melissa and strippergate…
Q:
She worked at a strip club as a bartender but wasn’t a stripper. The set up wasn’t about exposing Melissa. The real setup was Teresa taking the fall for trying to out Melissa as a stripper. That was false. Teresa didn’t have anything to do with it. But because Teresa is a half-wit and a bad communicator, production always paints her as a villain because it’s much easier work for everyone.
Q:
Any tea on Andy Cohen?
A:
Not really. Other than you can always find out who the favorite housewives are at reunions. He won’t ask them the tougher questions or will sometimes qualify their answers and jump into the conversation.
Melissa Gorga Lied in Her Book About Meeting Joe Gorga in 2000 – They Met in Cancun in March 2003
FAMEWHORGAS 
From StoopidHousewives.com
http://stoopidhousewives.com/2015/04/28/missandy-says-the-housewives-shows-are-not-staged-no-one-believes-him-bravotv-andy/
In fact, we’ve been calling out the phony baloney Housewives shows even before the SH December 2011 item in which RHOBH ExecProducer, Dave Rupel, explains how “reality” TV really works.
HOW DOES REALITY TV WORK?
“The first thing to realize is that the term “unscripted” is a fallacy. We create formats, cast people based on character traits and edit scenes to tell a powerful, intriguing tale. In short, we are storytellers.
HOW YOU YOU TIE THINGS TOGETHER ON RHOBH?
Producers must find creative ways to fill in the missing gaps of stories:
Searching for footage that may have happened days or weeks apart that are about the same topic.
Make sure you interview the participants thoroughly, so that you can “create” a missing scene with interview bites and appropriate b-roll footage.
Find a scene that has many of the same emotional beats as the missing one, and use interview bites to shape it to be about the other topic. Example: an argument about an ex-boyfriend and an argument about paying the check have many similarities – looks of frustration, angry body language and similar verbal sentiments (“Why are you being so stubborn?”). If you remove all references to paying the check and add interview bites about the “ex-boyfriend,” you’ll be able to approximate the missing scene.
Ethics Note: We don’t “create” scenes to trick people. Those gaps in the plot have to be filled to make the story complete.
HOW IS “PRODUCING” DIFFERENT/SIMILAR TO “WRITING?”
Just like scripted television, writing and producing go hand in hand. The majority of my reality credits are for producing, not writing, but I’m always using my skills as a storyteller.
Every time I select a location, develop a game, find a cast, look for appropriate music, it’s always based on story. How will this affect the cast? Is it setting the right mood? Will it help the audience understand what’s going on? All the same questions I ask myself when I write a script.
The only difference is that the “characters” in reality TV aren’t being played by actors. (Well, a lot of wannabe actors…)
DO YOU USE “FRANKEN-BYTING” on RHBH? (Franken-byting is editing together individual words to make up an invented sentence.)
Answer: ***CRICKETS***
NOTE: The link to AttitudesMagazine is dead. The original interview from AttitudesMagazine cannot be located. Either Attitudes or MissAndy killed it. If anyone can find the interview, kindly provide a link in comments.
Kim DePaola Admits She Tried To “Pull The Mask Off” Teresa Giudice And Melissa Gorga’s Friendship On RHONJ
February 24th, 2017
Kim DePaola [Kim D] has been thirsting for a spot on The Real Housewives Of New Jersey for years and – hilariously – minces no words when it comes to how she’s scrambled to get there. In a recent interview, Kim admitted to starting StripperGate (she still believes Melissa Gorga was a stripper), following producers’ directions on stirring the pot, and intentionally messing with Teresa Giudice and Melissa’s newfound “friendship” last year.
Above all, Kim thinks Teresa hasn’t changed in the slightest since coming home from prison. Moreover, she accuses Teresa of having the power to cast RHONJ Housewives. “I think she has taken over the power as to who they hire and who they fire. That’s my opinion,” claims Kim.
Kim flat out told the Tomorrow Show that producers drive the drama – and at times, have asked Kim to “hold back” when she’s gone too far. “I’ve been told to hold back. The ground producers want you to say everything. But sometimes the head producers will say ‘eh, ya know, that’s a little [much], we don’t even want to go there because there are certain–there are such ugly things sometimes,’ ya know?”
“I’ll know certain things and they know it’s true, but they don’t want it to come out,” Kim continues. “They might wait for the next season. Other times they want you to bring things out. Other times you’re told ‘ya know what, no I don’t think you should say that’ or ‘I don’t think you should do that.’ And to be honest with you that annoys me because I know that it’s the truth. They’re my boss and you have to listen to your boss.”
Though Kim would love to be a Housewife, she’s apparently happy to play whatever role production asks her to – even if it’s shady as sh*t. She spills, “Last year I wasn’t asked immediately to come back. But then when I was asked back, they said we really want you to pull the masks off of the Teresa/Melissa friendship. That’s why I was called back. They had a bond, I tried to break it, you know with what I knew. Uh, they still held hands and–and they’re still together right now. So I believe that maybe Danielle [Staub] might do the trick, who knows. We’ll see.”
Speaking of Danielle, Kim says she’s excited to see her back on the show next season, and that she harbors no ill will toward her. “Danielle and I have had our differences, but I don’t have a problem with Danielle, and I’m gonna tell you something. I think Danielle brings great TV. Great, great TV. I really do.”
When it comes to Teresa and Melissa, however, Kim’s got some choice words for both ladies. First, Kim dishes on how Melissa “back doored” Teresa to get a spot on RHONJ, which erupted in a years-long feud between the sisters in law.
“I knew how she got on. You know, I knew that she back-doored Teresa. They had sent a video to Bravo that I heard was above and beyond and, uh, they signed without Teresa even knowing. You know, I was on the phone with Teresa the night before the christening. She hadn’t even signed yet, and then as you know, you know what happened at the christening. So I knew there’d be issues because when, a, a brother and a sister-in-law sign a, a contract to be on a show with you without even telling you, you know there’s issues right off the bat, so you can’t forgive that.”
Kim also stands by her beliefs about Melissa’s questionable past. “You know I brought out the stripper thing, I still believe that,” she states plainly.
As for Teresa, Kim insinuates that she hasn’t changed at all and is presenting a persona to viewers simply to get back in their good graces. “I don’t even think last season you got to see the real Teresa. I, I, I happen to like, the, the original Teresa who you really saw who she was whether you liked what she did or whether you didn’t, but that was the real Teresa.”
After coming home from “camp,” Kim says Teresa “had a lot on her plate. I don’t even know how she did the show to be honest with you. After coming off something like that, your husband is going away, you got four daughters, I give her credit for that. Um, but you didn’t see the real Teresa, really, until the end when she was on that stage, when they did the reunion, that’s when she came out. That’s the real Teresa. When she hits, she hits below the belt, too.”
When you sign up for a reality show, you should be prepared to risk being portrayed in a not-so-great light.
Excerpts from the book Inside AGT: The Untold Stories of America’s Got Talent (via Radar Online).
“In exchange for being seen by millions of viewers each week, everyone must agree that producers can trick, exploit and embarrass them—and even depict their personal stories in a manner that ‘may be factual or fictional’—and they can’t sue for any reason,” the book alleges.
Also in Inside AGT, Season 2 runner-up Cas Haley claimed that during the audition process, he and others in his green room were manipulated by producers into getting a young female contestant to cry on camera.
“We were all in the green room, waiting to go out and perform and there was this young girl from Hawaii who was with her mom,” he said in the book (via Radar Online). “She went out and auditioned and while she was out there, a producer came back to the holding room and told us, ‘OK, she made it, let’s give her a big hand when she comes back in here.’ So, of course, we all cheered for her when she came through the door and she just burst into tears.”
“It turns out she didn’t actually make it, they just told us that so we’d cheer and they’d get reaction out of her,” Haley said. “That was the first time I realized I couldn’t trust these people. [The show is] not what people think. It’s all for ratings. That’s what they’re looking for.”
In a post on LiveJournal, user “whipchick” documented her experience auditioning on America’s Got Talent, alleging that the audience was filled with plants who prompt the rest of the audience to boo and cheer based on the acts the producers like. She said she discovered this after reconnecting with her mother following her audition. “We [learned] that the audience was seeded with plants, paid to be there, knowing who wins, the locals who lined up for tickets instructed, ‘If someone next to you jumps up or makes an X, you do it, too!’ Knowing that the contest and the voting and the judging is rigged, I don’t know why it surprises me so much that the audience is rigged, too.”
One Reddit commenter who said they were a guest on the show claimed shots of the crowd cheering, booing and making “X” signs with their hands are filmed beforehand and then edited into the broadcast.
http://www.nickiswift.com/28827/reasons-americas-got-talent-totally-fake/s/the-show-allegedly-reserves-the-right-to-exaggerate-life-stories/
In early 2017, Nick Cannon left America’s Got Talent after eight seasons as host, and supermodel Tyra Banks took his place. While Banks has been well-received by the show’s fans, she was hit with a controversy early on when a family accused her of emotionally and physically manipulating their daughter while they auditioned for the show.
A woman who identified herself as Jane Doe filed a suit against the production company behind AGT in May 2017, alleging that the judges and some audience members “publicly humiliated” her and her husband while they performed a song they wrote about motherhood. The song was apparently a favorite of their young daughter, identified as Mary Doe, and the plaintiff said it celebrated her “bond among the members of her family.”
According to the suit, Banks “physically manipulated” Mary during the song by shaking her shoulder and pulling her hair back—something the child was allegedly too afraid to stop. The suit also accused Banks of implying that Mary was accidentally conceived and says she made fun of the song in front of the girl. The suit alleges Mary became “deeply depressed” after the experience.
Deadline reported that NBC agreed not to air the audition in its entirety, but at the time of this writing, Jane was still seeking a jury trial.
Click to access americas-got-talent-tyra-banks-lawsuit-wm.pdf
‘America’s Got Talent’ Producer Sued After Tyra Banks “Physically Manipulated” Young Girl
May 23, 2017 6:04pm
Here is the latest reminder that those who want to be on a reality competition show need to know what they’re getting into. A woman referred to as Jane Doe is suing the production company behind America’s Got Talent, claiming that her young daughter was traumatized when host Tyra Banks “physically manipulated and verbally abused” the girl.
According to the 18-page suit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court (read it here), it seems that the adult plaintiff and her husband were “publicly humiliated” by the AGT judges and some audience members during a March 19 performance. The duo were performing a song they wrote about motherhood that celebrated the young girl’s birth and “bond among the members of her family.” It says the song is “especially favored” by the girl — ID’d as Mary Doe in the filing — among her parents’ works.
But apparently Banks, the judges and some in the crowd were unmoved. The suit claims that during the performance, Banks, “an individual acting as an agent of Defendants, physically manipulated and verbally abused Mary. Banks shook Mary’s shoulder, pulled Mary’s hair back and physically manipulated Mary. … Mary did not stop Banks’ conduct because Mary was fearful. Banks also insinuated that Mary was accidentally conceived, made fun of the performance and ridiculed [the song] in front of Mary, all in front of active cameras that were filming Mary. After the performance, Banks asked Mary to describe, in front of active and filming cameras, her opinion about Jane and her husband after they were publicly ridiculed by AGT. … As a result of her negative experience from AGT and Defendants’ abusive treatment, Mary was traumatized and became deeply depressed.”
The suit adds that, a few weeks later, the plaintiffs asked that AGT not televise or publish any footage of their performance and the child’s reaction. It claims that Marathon execs agreed not to feature Mary as part of the program and “acknowledged Mary’s emotional distress.” But the plaintiffs also wanted the song’s performance kept off the air, for fear of causing “further emotional distress.” The lawsuit says AGT “maintained that they will exploit all footages of Jane and her husband and that they will not air those footages in their entirety.”
Seeking a jury trial, the suit claims intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress along with civil battery and civil assault. The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Elizabeth Yang and Natalie Schneider of the Law & Mediation offices of Elizabeth Yang in Monterey Park, CA.
http://deadline.com/2017/05/americas-got-talent-sued-tyra-banks-assault-battery-1202101262/
Faking Amish
In 2012, TLC premiered Breaking Amish, said to be about a group of Amish and Mennonites who ditch their butter churns for the bright lights of New York City. Sound ridiculous? That’s nothing compared to the drama that unfolded behind the scenes.
Just two episodes into Breaking Amish, reports circulated that the show’s cast members weren’t exactly who they said they were. Among the craziest allegations: two cast members said to be meeting for the first time actually had a child together; and another said to be leaving the faith for the first time had allegedly split about 14 years prior.
The scandal eventually grew so big that TLC had to release a statement. “There is a lot of information floating around about the group featured on Breaking Amish,” the network said, according to Variety. “Much of it is not true, but some of it is—and is addressed in upcoming episodes.”
House Hoaxes
Millions of Americans’ mindless Saturday afternoons were ruined in 2012 when a former participant on HGTV’s House Hunters claimed her experience on the show was fixed by producers. The participant, Bobi Jensen, told the Hooked on Houses blog that she and her family had already picked a home before taping the show. She said the remaining two houses they viewed on TV were really just their friends’ homes. HGTV responded to Jensen’s claims in a statement to Entertainment Weekly, admitting things can change due to production timing restraints and the process moving too quickly.
Storage Whoppers
In December 2012, Dave Hester blew the lid off of Storage Wars when he sued A&E for wrongful termination and committing fraud against its viewing audience. In his lawsuit, he alleged that “nearly every aspect of the series is faked” and accused the crew of “salting,” a term for planting valuable objects inside participants’ lockers. Hester says he wasn’t asked back on the show after he complained about its practices to the network. Hester reached a settlement with A&E the following July for an undisclosed amount that we suspect he is happily storing in his bank account.
The Hills Have Lies
Former Hills star Kristin Cavallari admitted on Bethenny Frankel’s talk show (via Us Weekly) that many of her relationships on the show were just for the cameras, including her much-anticipated reconciliation with Brody Jenner. “I knew exactly what I was getting into,” she said. Jenner also called “BS” on The Hills, even admitting his relationship with Lauren Conrad never actually happened. Does this mean that Heidi and Spencer don’t actually exist?
No Voice in the Matter
One of the big selling points of NBC’s hit singing competition The Voice is that after the celebrity judges weed through the season’s many hopefuls, the American viewing audience gets the chance to decide the winner. If your favorite contestant lands in the bottom three, there’s even a “fail safe” in the form of a last-chance performance and Twitter hashtag.
Voice fans may think they have a lot of say in how the competition concludes, but the truth is, they probably don’t. Thanks to a very questionable contract signed by Voice participants, as obtained by the New York Daily News, the show’s producers reportedly have the final say in how things progress. The Daily News claims the show can “eliminate contestants at any time, even if they are ‘winning’ with the public,” and “ignore the show’s voting system.”
But, hey, happy voting!
Last Comic Chosen by Producers
In the early stages of the Last Comic Standing, which was basically American Idol for stand-up comedy, 20 comedians competed for ten finalists spots, which would then become the focus of the competition for the rest of the show. During Season 2, this pool of 20 was judged by a panel of celebrity comics, including Drew Carey, Brett Butler, and Anthony Clark, who all reportedly became infuriated after producers essentially overrode their judgments to create the “best reality show cast,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
Speaking with The Times, Carey said, “They’re presenting this to the public as if it’s a contest, but it’s not.” He also alleged that he and his fellow judges were led to believe they would determine who got to advance to the finals, but the producers “were going to pick whoever they wanted,” adding that Clark “ripped off his microphone in disgust when the results were announced.”
There were also alleged conflicts between comics who were cast on the show and who shared representation with show producers. In the end, the only evidence really needed to prove the show was completely contrived was Dat Phan’s Season 1 win, which, to circle back to the American Idol analogy, would have been like producers making sure William Hung won the whole thing.
http://www.nickiswift.com/2494/reality-tvs-worst-hoaxes-lies/s/no-voice-in-the-matter/
Boy Meets Boy
Bravo’s 2003 The Bachelor-esque series Boy Meets Boy originally seemed like a potential groundbreaker in TV history as the first gay dating show.
However, any hope of progress was quickly dispelled as viewers learned that, unbeknownst to “bachelor” James Getzlaff, some of the 15 men that he was courting were in fact not gay. Contestant Dan Wells revealed, “They pitched it to me as an acting job on a reality show: “Look, you’re gonna be acting like a gay guy, it’s improv.”… But I reached a point when I was like, Dude, this isn’t cool. People started getting emotional. Then you see the difficulty James had with his decisions, and here am I toying with him. It wasn’t very nice.” No, it wasn’t.
In the finale’s “twist,” Getzlaff finally learned what viewers already knew: that one of his final three prospects was straight, and if he chose that one, they would win $25k. Understandably, after the show wrapped, Getzlaff told Newsweek (via Inquisitr): “I felt betrayed… They told me they put the twist in there because they wanted straight people to watch. I said to them, ‘Well, you’ve played gay people as entertainment for straight people. Of course they’re going to watch.”
As Entertainment Weekly put it in a round-up of the worst reality shows of all time: “Cruel, offensive, and worst of all, boring.” Accordingly, Boy Meets Boy didn’t return for another season.
http://www.nickiswift.com/87116/reality-tv-shows-went-far/sl/boy-meets-boy
owhatakiwi
Dolores knows that they lost Joe’s parents house, they have a shady business, and that Teresa kept quiet about all of it for her parents. Dolores and Teresa bond over their mafia wife type loyalty and backbone. Those two will take each other’s secrets to the grave.
chachacha123456
Melissa knows that Dolores knows too. Dolores and Melissa were never aligned although Dolores will respect Melissa as being cut from the same cloth – just won’t ever align
Jennifer Zillow Aydin has figured Melissa out too.
Jackie meanwhile wants a friend in anybody and Melissa will generally put up with her
owhatakiwi
Oddly, Melissa is smarter than a lot of them, she just won’t ever be accepted by them. Whether it’s women like Dolores who can read bs quickly, or someone like Tre who was born into it and the Manzo’s who are established. People who belong to that type of lifestyle stick together or at least have some unspoken ground rules she has seemingly crossed. Whether she represents “mistresses” for some of them but there’s some interested if dynamics at play between the old school wives and someone like Melissa.
I admire Melissa for really knowing her part and adjusting it according to where opinions are shifting but it always seems not to matter because she has failed so badly with Teresa. And someone with that lack of loyalty in the beginning, she has burned her bridges.
chachacha123456
Can you explain your point more clearly?
What did she adjust fore example? What part does she know for example? What opinions shifted for example? What bridges burned?
owhatakiwi
She seems to know what the audience wants from her every season. She reads the room well. She will play nice with Tre when it benefits her. She will be the rational counterpart for Teresa or the older sister defending their errant younger sibling. She becomes a working mom and plays up the dynamic between her and Joe to be more relatable. She’s like the ultimate “cool girl”, which is defined by social media comments she interprets.
She burned her bridge coming onto housewives the way she did. She came on with Manzo’s and Laurita’s all heavily family oriented. They might not have gotten along but none of them really aired anything about each other. So you had a housewife betray her family (some of them knowing Joe lost his parents house) and they then play the victim and make it their mission to bring Teresa down. In the old school dynamic, loyalty to family is everything. She made her biggest mistake then and none of them can forgive her for it because she broke a cardinal rule. Teresa has her moments because she’s loyal to Joe Gorga and I do believe she loves her family and wants to try.
Also according to the Famewhoregas blog, Melissa is an outsider who manipulated Joe into a relationship and marriage. (Good for her). In any other dynamic she probably would’ve been accepted and loved because she knows what parts to play. However, she came into a family and friend group that seemed to be able to read the situation well and that was another strike against her. I just don’t ever see her being accepted or fitting in without some large power plays.
Fun_Day_3614
I think Jacqueline’s insanity came out in full force in season 4. I really don’t understand what her dramatics were all about. She meddled into Teresa’s Melissa/Kathy business and fully went on the other side after knowing them for less than a year. She had a meltdown over Teresa not divulging all of her personal problems and financial information; she took an article about Teresa going to jail and somehow flipped the conversation to make it all about her. She was furious with Teresa over tweeting Danielle because she was “bringing her back into our lives,” but Danielle tweeted at Teresa directly first, and the tweet had nothing to do with Jacqueline at all.
It’s one thing to kind of drift away from someone because you feel like their true colors were shown through their interactions with their family, but to fully insert yourself into the family drama and switch camps is absurd. Jacqueline always claimed that Teresa hurt her, but Teresa really never did anything to Jacqueline personally. I can’t stand Caroline either, but at least she had a legitimate beef with Teresa over the cookbook stuff. Jacqueline did nothing but make everyone else’s problems about her and use them as fodder for her victim playing.
Joe Gorga had been properly trained to say ‘Shame on You’ at the retreat whenever Teresa tried to speak. Good Boy. Give him a treat.
Apparently, Melissa yelled at Gia over the phone and hung up on her when she called Melissa to express that she was hurt about what she said on the bus to the retreat about her father cheating.