From familial feuds to morphing into a clothing maven, Melissa Gorga has lived several lives during her tenure as one of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”. With Season Eight hitting the airwaves this week, Melissa sat down to chat with me about what we can expect from the ladies of the Garden State, what it’s like with new cast mate Margaret Josephs and returning cast mate Danielle Staub, and if a return to Melissa Gorga the pop star could soon be “on display”....
So eight seasons later and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” is still going strong. You have been part of the cast since you joined in Season Three. Does it feel surreal that it’s still going on after all this time? You know, not really. Actually, I think it would feel weird if I wasn't doing the show. I would have to definitely make an adjustment if I wasn’t on “Real Housewives” any longer. It’s become such a part of our lives and my children are so used to it, it has definitely worked for us. I know one day I am going to look back on the experience and say “now that was a crazy ride”!
You had a big adjustment last year, with Teresa Aprea, Nicole Napolitano, and Amber Marchese all leaving after one season, and original “Housewife” Dina Manzo leaving after returning for one season. What was it like with Dolores Catania and Siggy Flicker joining you, along with original Housewife Jacqueline Laurita last year? Between your renewed relationship with you sister-in-law Teresa along with new personalities in the mix, it was definitely a season filled with fresh personalities and conflicts. Absolutely. I think that the Gorga/Giudice familial relationships have been the heart and soul of “Real Housewives of New Jersey”, at least for the past six seasons. I think we get excited with new people, and we want to see the good and the bad and see the personalities of each of these women. No matter what, when you put six women together it is always going to be something that’s off, someone is going to come off a certain way, there is going to be a clash, things like that. It definitely can be interesting, you kind of feel like a psychologist on the show sometimes. You are constantly trying to figure out someone, or their next move; it’s a big chess game to be on the show.
Danielle Staub is arguably one of the most polarizing Housewives on the entire franchise and was alleged to have been part of the conflict you and Teresa had before you even joined the show. She is back on the show this season as a “Friend of the Housewives’. What is it like having this much buzzed about lady join you and the rest of the women? I think she is so intriguing, I have to say. You are intrigued by her. She is not going to do or say anything that is expected, which is awesome. I didn’t know what to expect; the truth is, I meet her for the very first time on the first episode on camera. I have never met her before in my life, no one can believe it, but I literally had never met her before that. Of course, you have preconceived notions about her, but once I got to know her, she is really super vulnerable and she is great. She is great television, that is for sure.
It looks like you may have some prickly interactions with some of the other women as well this season. As most of the cast had a conflict with Jacqueline Laurita last season, she is no longer part of the cast. Is it difficult tangling with ladies who you have always had great relationships with previously? You know, I think this year we have very strong minded and very smart women on the show. No one is going to pull the shades over anyone’s eyes. We don’t have anyone on the cast who is a passive person, everyone speaks their mind. Our new cast member Margaret Josephs is literally like nothing you have ever seen. She is absolutely phenomenal. I know people at Bravo feel she is so interesting and amazing, which she is. She is just so interesting and so amazing. It’s definitely got to be hard for someone to join the show in the eighth season and try to stand out on your own, because we own it already (laughs). She made her way though; she speaks her mind, which I totally respect and you have to give her respect for that. We don’t like passive people, and she definitely is not passive! (laughs).
How does the Gorga clan navigate a new season? Envy is thriving and your family has a new business venture... Our family really goes through a lot this season. From the loss of Joe’s mother earlier this year to the visions of what we have as a family for what we want to do. From my clothing boutique Envy to our new restaurant Gorga’s Homemade Pasta and Pizza, to our kids. It’s ways a struggle with Joe, it’s definitely a bit of a back and forth. It’s between the stay at home mommy who cooks and cleans all day to now being businesswoman and not having the time to do all of those things anymore. It was a struggle for us, definitely. It’s not for television. it is a true true struggle that happens.
Have you managed to find the balance between working mom and stay at home mom that you both struggled with last year? Almost. We are not one hundred percent there, but I feel like we are almost there definitely. With Joe, I feel like he is a rock that you have to break at slowly. You can’t throw anything on him quickly; he is very old school, it’s almost like you have to do a little bit more each week until it slowly becomes the new normal.
It looks like you had a big cast trip this year out of the country. That’s a first for New Jersey in quite a few years! Oh yes, we went to Milan! It was my first time in Italy actually, I had never been. No one could believe it. I can’t believe my first time in Italy was without Joe, but it was. Lots of drama happened there also, definitely lots of drama!
Do you think it was necessary to shake up the cast and bring someone like Danielle back? Or would a return by someone like Caroline Manzo or Kathy Wakile have shook it up just as much? No, I definitely think no one would have shaken it up as much as Danielle. Everyone else is too image conscious and they have egos. Danielle had no ego, came on, and was ready to go and be a part of our cast!
You do know, that as a “Real Housewife” you are essentially a gay icon. Any chance we can see a return of Melissa Gorga the pop music princess? I love it! (laughs). You know, I get this question all the time. I still have my recording studio in the house and I still love listening to the music. My kids love listening to it too, they ask me for it in the car all the time. We go up the street and they’re singing “On Display” (laughs). Music was truly my passion and my first love. To be honest, I am so happy that I go to do it. Never say never, I may just do a surprise track for fun, who knows. You never know, maybe Season Nine!
When the cameras go down, what inspires you? It’s crazy, but I always think about where I’ll be when I’m fifty. That’s always what I think about. I want to always set myself up so I am in a happy place and I can say I had a successful life. I want to be going on vacations with my kids and hopefully my grandkids, it’s so strange to think about that now. I just want to be a happy sixty year old! (laughs).
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” premieres on Bravo on October 4th 9/8c
Photos courtesy of Bravo