S11.E08: Memorial Mayhem

[chediavolo]

On 4/8/2021 at 1:18 AM, swankie said:

Melissa reminds me a lot of Sarah Jessica Parker in her Sex and the City days.  One minute she looks stunning, then you blink and she looks like Ruth Buzzi of Laugh In fame.  The way Joe makes all of those references to their sex life makes me think they hardly do it at all.  If you've got it Iike that you don't talk about it to anybody who will listen.  Sounds to me like he's trying too hard to convince everybody he's a stud.  

I have to say, Teresa's daughters, including Milania, are all stunning.  Antonia, not so much.  I mean she's not ugly, she's just not as pretty as her cousins.

I think Antonia is beautiful. She doesn’t dress like A street walker and pile on the make up like a drag queen like her cousins do. 

[chediavolo]

On 4/8/2021 at 9:26 AM, TV Diva Queen said:

I'm seeing on social media that the front we see of Melissa's shore home isn't her house.  And when you see the inside vs the outside in side by side pics - there's no way its the same house.  I even thought when we first saw the house and its upstairs I was like "hmm, well that a deceiving house to have that whole huge upstairs in it"

I want to go on record that first generation dad and my immigrant uncles are not and never were misogynistic.  In case anyone was wondering

I love that Bill buckles up Jen's shoes - my hubby does the same for me when its dress up time.  (there was a dress up time, right)  Hair is in place, make up fresh and bending down over the boobs is a hassle.  Its just a thing we developed over 30 years.  

 

Nonno looked and acted 20 years older than he was. I know plenty of people in their 70s, they don’t act like this guy did. 
He was a stereo typical first generation Italian. Many seasons back what he did to his son at the party was disgraceful. 

[ichbin]

22 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Many seasons back what he did to his son at the party was disgraceful. 

If the gossip that his son was responsible for the loss of the parent's house is true, well.....

[emmawoodhouse]

2 hours ago, ichbin said:

If the gossip that his son was responsible for the loss of the parent's house is true, well.....

Say what? I never heard THAT! Wow. 

[ichbin]

3 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Say what? I never heard THAT! Wow. 

It's come up for years and was just alluded to again recently by Joe Giudice who said, "“The parents lost everything because of Joe Gorga. Teresa and I had to care for them throughout our marriage to help them, that is why we were close to [her] parents. She cared for her parents, but Joe never helped,” Giudice claimed to Us. “Teresa really did try to work it out for [her] parents, but Joe Gorga always put down her family. Melissa and he have been riding our back for years — enough.” https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/joe-giudice-slams-fake-joe-and-melissa-gorga-amid-rhonj-feud/. Google it and you'll find references going back for at least seven years.

[Gigi43]

I was very late to watching this one. Jackie gossiping about Melissa to Teresa? What fricken' bizarro world did I wake up in? That was so strange. Evan laughing about all the women he's had sex with imo proves he doesn't actually think the cheating rumors will damage his reputation.

 

I think a TV memorial is tacky. I don't even think it was about G Gorga, aside from Gia's speech and the pictures it seemed like an excuse to have a party yet another party. I mean they had shots immediately after. I'm not saying Joe and Teresa don't care about their father dying, I'm saying that wasn't a real memorial to them. Joe backed out of doing anything for his mother on camera, which I actually respected, because why stage a memorial months after the actual funeral? But now he's game, probably because there were no other options story wise. What are the odds Kathy was watching and seething she couldn't even get a background invite to that? I love how quickly Joe/Melissa/Kathy/Richie crumbled as soon as Kathy and Richie got the boot. 

 

Joe's tantrum over Melissa walking ahead of him was too much even for his standards. 

 

[DeeplyShallow]

6 hours ago, Gigi43 said:

I was very late to watching this one. Jackie gossiping about Melissa to Teresa? What fricken' bizarro world did I wake up in? That was so strange. Evan laughing about all the women he's had sex with imo proves he doesn't actually think the cheating rumors will damage his reputation.

 

I think a TV memorial is tacky. I don't even think it was about G Gorga, aside from Gia's speech and the pictures it seemed like an excuse to have a party yet another party. I mean they had shots immediately after. I'm not saying Joe and Teresa don't care about their father dying, I'm saying that wasn't a real memorial to them. Joe backed out of doing anything for his mother on camera, which I actually respected, because why stage a memorial months after the actual funeral? But now he's game, probably because there were no other options story wise. What are the odds Kathy was watching and seething she couldn't even get a background invite to that? I love how quickly Joe/Melissa/Kathy/Richie crumbled as soon as Kathy and Richie got the boot. 

 

Joe's tantrum over Melissa walking ahead of him was too much even for his standards. 

 

I actually don’t think she would care because Nonno and Kathy’s mother hadn’t spoken in many years, they were very estranged. There was no loving relationship there. The Wakiles are definitely bitter about getting the boot from RHONJ & the Gorgas moving on without them though.

Your post reminded me of something that I had been thinking about while watching this season. No doubt that the family is sad about Nonno’s passing but both Joe & Theresa seemed more distraught over their mother’s passing (then and now). Maybe because it was unexpected while Nonno had been battling health issues for so long? Idk, but I’ve noticed a difference. You’re also right, this memorial was all for show... but this time Joe is ok with it?

Edited April 14, 2021 by DeeplyShallow

[BrindaWalsh]

6 hours ago, Gigi43 said:

I was very late to watching this one. Jackie gossiping about Melissa to Teresa? What fricken' bizarro world did I wake up in? That was so strange. Evan laughing about all the women he's had sex with imo proves he doesn't actually think the cheating rumors will damage his reputation.

 

I think a TV memorial is tacky. I don't even think it was about G Gorga, aside from Gia's speech and the pictures it seemed like an excuse to have a party yet another party. I mean they had shots immediately after. I'm not saying Joe and Teresa don't care about their father dying, I'm saying that wasn't a real memorial to them. Joe backed out of doing anything for his mother on camera, which I actually respected, because why stage a memorial months after the actual funeral? But now he's game, probably because there were no other options story wise. What are the odds Kathy was watching and seething she couldn't even get a background invite to that? I love how quickly Joe/Melissa/Kathy/Richie crumbled as soon as Kathy and Richie got the boot. 

 

Joe's tantrum over Melissa walking ahead of him was too much even for his standards. 

 

I was reading that Jackie said that once the fight was done, that she was so relieved that she was drinking and all lovey dovey to Tre because it was such a relief.  She said it didn't all make it to camera.  You know what else didn't make it to camera?  All the stuff she said in interviews that she and Evan went through post rumor, deciding to stay on the show or not, etc.  She said in interviews early on that she was really proud of the process they went through, how they handled it, and came to a decision together and we would see it all.  We didn't see a thing. Andy is not going to waste camera time on somebody considering quitting (the audacity).  I mean, Jennifer's lame family dinner made the cut over that.  

I have wondered about Kathy and Richie.  Covid robbed them of their comeback.  But I agree, that was an excuse for the party, nothing more, nothing less.

[janiema]

11 hours ago, BrindaWalsh said:

I was reading that Jackie said that once the fight was done, that she was so relieved that she was drinking and all lovey dovey to Tre because it was such a relief.  She said it didn't all make it to camera.  You know what else didn't make it to camera?  All the stuff she said in interviews that she and Evan went through post rumor, deciding to stay on the show or not, etc.  She said in interviews early on that she was really proud of the process they went through, how they handled it, and came to a decision together and we would see it all.  We didn't see a thing. Andy is not going to waste camera time on somebody considering quitting (the audacity).  I mean, Jennifer's lame family dinner made the cut over that.  

I have wondered about Kathy and Richie.  Covid robbed them of their comeback.  But I agree, that was an excuse for the party, nothing more, nothing less.

That would have been gripping television - Jackie and Evan deciding she should remain on the show in order to keep that large paycheck coming in.

[Hiyo]

Somebody get Jackie some muscle relaxant, she might need it  one day from all of that patting herself on the back.

[Gigi43]

6 hours ago, janiema said:

That would have been gripping television - Jackie and Evan deciding she should remain on the show in order to keep that large paycheck coming in.

 

If Jackie looked right into the camera and said "fuck it, a checks a check" instead of the hand wringing, I'd change my opinion of her.

 

18 hours ago, DeeplyShallow said:

I actually don’t think she would care because Nonno and Kathy’s mother hadn’t spoken in many years, they were very estranged. There was no loving relationship there. The Wakiles are definitely bitter about getting the boot from RHONJ & the Gorgas moving on without them though.

Your post reminded me of something that I had been thinking about while watching this season. No doubt that the family is sad about Nonno’s passing but both Joe & Theresa seemed more distraught over their mother’s passing (then and now). Maybe because it was unexpected while Nonno had been battling health issues for so long? Idk, but I’ve noticed a difference. You’re also right, this memorial was all for show... but this time Joe is ok with it?

 

Oh I don't think Kathy really wants to be at her uncle's memorial, just the TV aspect.

 

Now if I may play Dr. Phil, I kinda wonder if Joe is okay with exploiting the dad's memorial to some extent (even if he doesn't realize it, perhaps) is because he had a better relationship with his mother. Sure he called her a cold woman at the Christening but it was mostly the father Joe was at odds with constantly and it was the father who would talk shit about Melissa right in front of Joe and Melissa's kids--- no matter how I feel about Melissa that isn't okay.  But then again maybe Joe is just over the entire family for the sake of the show? He seemed less upset than I had expected both on the show and in the media when it aired about Gia. Plus, they're bilking Antonia growing up for all it's worth.

[BrindaWalsh]

Quote

Now if I may play Dr. Phil, I kinda wonder if Joe is okay with exploiting the dad's memorial to some extent (even if he doesn't realize it, perhaps) is because he had a better relationship with his mother. Sure he called her a cold woman at the Christening but it was mostly the father Joe was at odds with constantly and it was the father who would talk shit about Melissa right in front of Joe and Melissa's kids--- no matter how I feel about Melissa that isn't okay.  But then again maybe Joe is just over the entire family for the sake of the show? He seemed less upset than I had expected both on the show and in the media when it aired about Gia. Plus, they're bilking Antonia growing up for all it's worth.

 

I actually wonder if it's because Nonna's passing was not expected.  Nonno was always the one with the health problems, we saw it throughout the years.  Remember Juicy saying that one of these times he wasn't going to come out of the hospital?   They knew they had limited time with him and honestly probably got more years with him than they ever anticipated.

But Nonna was the healthy one.  The stronger one.  She was supposed to be around longer.  And quite frankly, even when she went into the hospital, they probably expected her to come home.  So there's an added trauma there of watching the healthy one die. 

I think Joe hid behind his work when it came to his father.  I think he had a lot of guilt over what that relationship became over the years, probably including things we never saw, and that's why he really did not seem to make the time.  He always said "I'm working!" but I call bull.  I even remember him complaining to Frank about Teresa and his dad, thinking he'd get backup from Frank and Frank saying no, you're wrong, you have to make the time.  When the entire Giudice/Gorga feud was going on, it was all about the younger generation mending their relationship, and that was somehow going to miraculously fix the other issues.  But it doesn't work that way and I believe that relationship was forever dented.  So in some ways, there might have been an element of relief for Joe when his father passed.  It sounds awful, but the feelings around losing your parents are more complex than you ever realize until you go through it yourself.  

 

As for Antonia growing up, it literally makes me sick the way they treat this.  It reminds me too much of Danielle taking Christine to her first gyno appointment.  I remember when Gia asked for a bra and Teresa taking her shopping, it was such a relatable moment.  Tre peeking in the dressing room and Gia yelling at her to get out.  Such a mom-daughter THING that happens all the time.

But with the Gorga's - ugh.  It's so misogynistic, from both of them.  Didn't Melissa make a joke about taking her to the gynecologist and if it turned out she wasn't a virgin she was grounded or something like that?  How about empowering your daughter with information, confidence, and allowing her to be comfortable coming to EITHER parent with any question at all.  I don't doubt that when my girls get older they'll come prancing down in an outfit we don't approve of, but my husband sure as hell isn't going to be touching their stomach and talk about locking them up in chastity belts when they do or whatever.  The old school italian mentality about raising daughters is not cute, and while it is old school that doesn't make it acceptable, and people need to STOP making excuses for it.  

[goofygirl]

I'm so sorry about the loss of your Father, Baltimore Betty.  

[TOL]

I just wanted to say that something went right with the Guidice girls because they have been raised to obviously love each other.  They especially dote on Audriana.  It does my heart good to see genuine affection between the sisters.

[Baltimore Betty]

23 hours ago, goofygirl said:

I'm so sorry about the loss of your Father, Baltimore Betty.  

Thank you...the snark on this board gave me some laughs and a good distraction over the past week.

[goofygirl]

This board  is ALWAYS the place for some laughs!

[Polliwollidoodle]

Oh and I don't want to be overly snarky but--- I can't be the ony one who noticed Gia's legs? I mean the girl looked good, spoke really nicely, but dayumm them legs were accentuated with the white dress I guess.

Ok I can show myself out now. I really am a very nice person.

[ladle]

I am no Melissa fan, but watching her stand up to that manbaby Joe Gorga warmed my cold little heart.

[IslandGirl]

On 4/13/2021 at 8:42 PM, DeeplyShallow said:

I actually don’t think she would care because Nonno and Kathy’s mother hadn’t spoken in many years, they were very estranged. There was no loving relationship there. The Wakiles are definitely bitter about getting the boot from RHONJ & the Gorgas moving on without them though.

I saw a really interesting interview with Kathy Wakile on Bravo's SD (Standard Definition) On Demand (I don't think it was also on Bravo's HD High Def On Demand but not sure).  Surprisingly, Kathy is not bitter at all. It was a great interview & I never realized how much I liked Kathy until seeing this...

[RealHousewife]

On 4/7/2021 at 8:26 PM, Emmeline said:

Marge, STFU about Jennifer.  If she is lucky enough to be a stay at home mom, good for her.  I was a stay at home mom before my children started going to school and I agree with Jackie, there were times I wished I was at work.                                          

I'm normally team Marge when it's her or Jennifer, Siggy, certainly Danielle, etc. But I think she did take it too far about Jennifer being a SAHM. 

As a child-free person who hasn't ruled out kids, I am not one of those people who says being a mom sounds like the hardest job in the world. There are very many jobs that sound much more difficult to me. I also think it's a great privilege to be able to stay home with your children, certainly in cases like Jennifer's, where she has a luxurious lifestyle. (I understand some women feel like it's not when they only stay home due to cost of child care, and they sacrifice a lot to be full-time moms). BUT, either way, I definitely think it's hard work raising kids, especially FIVE LITTLE kids. I don't think I could handle a career and such a large family. I'd imagine the children would suffer. I also think it's unkind to say a woman hasn't accomplished anything if her dream was to have a large family and stay home to take care of them. It's a natural thing to want. It wasn't my path, but I get it and respect it. Even if she has help, I'm sure Jennifer must work very hard taking care of that many little ones, and raising happy, healthy good kids is a wonderful, beautiful accomplishment.