September 28, 2012 5:45 pm Bravo…
Earlier this month, The Dish headed south to Atlantic City to hang behind-the-scenes during the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion taping.
Preview…
It turned out to be a doozy with all sorts of fireworks, and while we can’t give anything away before it airs (part one premieres Sunday at 10/9c), the countless hours lurking behind the cameras did yield some interesting little tidbits for the RHONJ die-hards out there.
Here’s what we noticed:
1. Family still comes first: From the Housewives themselves to production assistants and crew members, there were tears in nearly everyone’s eyes following a montage of Jacqueline Laurita’s son Nicholas, who she recently announced has been diagnosed with autism. Nicholas utters a few words in the video that cause Jac to sob uncontrollably, which had everyone misty-eyed for her.
Maybe he says “Bye-Bye”…
2. Lauren Manzo does double duty: When she’s not defending her mom, Lauren’s make-up expertise comes in handy, as she does touch-ups and keeps mom Caroline Manzo and Jacqueline looking all done up in between takes.
3. The bar was NOT open: In between the drama-filled taping, both Joe Giudice and Chris Laurita were both in need of a stiff cocktail. Joe G was hoping some of the wine bottles used as decor were corkable (they weren’t), while Chris headed back to craft services in search of something a bit stronger. Sadly, there was no alcohol on set.
4. Teresa Giudice doesn’t do tanning — just bronzer and spray tan: Despite Andy Cohen‘s love of T’s (amazing) tanning salon commercial from a few years ago, Teresa’s given up the UV lights and opted instead for sprays and bronzers. And after a slew of Andy-arm-grabbing, the remnants of said treatments were left as a souvenir on his suit.
5. Reunions take for-freaking-ever: When all was said and done, Andy was on set from about 9 am until well after 11 pm. The shoot itself lasted roughly 13 hours, including lunch.
6. Cameras take breaks; fights don’t:Throughout the day, even when the cameras stopped rolling, the combat often continued. The ‘Wives clearly weren’t doing it solely for the cameras.
7. Joe Giudice really enjoys Red Bull: Joe G. needed a bit of a pick-me-up before sitting down for his emotional interview, and Red Bull was his remedy. When the cameras were about to start up, rather than put it to the side, Joe chugged the entire can, leaving Andy smirking and saying “OK, here we go!”
8. Don’t ever mention Rosie and Kathy Wakile’s father: You’ll see at the end of the first episode what we mean here …
9. Speaking of Kathy, she’s has had a little work done: You may notice that Kathy Wakile looks slightly different, and in the first few moments of the shoot, she addresses her newly-revised facial features, making for a hilarious follow-up line courtesy of Andy.
10. Melissa Gorga can sing on cue … and so can Teresa: There’s one part of the reunion when Teresa and Melissa get into it over M’s singing caree r, prompting Melissa to bust out a few lines – and Teresa to follow suit. We’ll let you channel your inner Adam Levine and decide for yourself who has the stronger voice.
MeGo did NOT want to sing on cue in this interview with GoodDayNY… from August 18, 2011. MeGo also says she doesn’t “lip sing”…
NOTE: Also check out the “Wildest RHONJ Reunion Moments” from The Dish…
No alcohol there, eh?
Just Xanax. lol
I don’t believe the no alcohol thing. If taping went on over the course of 13 hours, BubbaJax would be having alcohol withdrawal symptoms by then.
maybe she had a flask in her purse
No, I think she hid the flask in Chuckie’s rolls!
Blubber,blubber,flask,blubber Inall honesty I dont think Caroline is fat or even chubby she looks liike your adverage 50 yr old
True. But, all her talk of being “tiny” and a size 4 when she obviously isn’t makes her weight a target rich environment for ridicule. It seems like perpetuating the myth that she is and always has been, by her own description, tiny, is important to her and therefore her size is a vulnerability to her.
oh she anit no size 4 thats for sure..
She is closer to size 10 or so, Just a guess. Honestly, all the real housewifes (not Lauren) look pretty good. I don’t feel any of them are what u would call fat. Some have put a few pounds on and some have lost a few pounds.
Id say a 10 is right on the market it would fit her height and girth. Its sad in our society a size 10 is considered FAT
When Caroline made that comment she was saying that she WAS always tiny, she didn’t go through life with a weight problem like Lauren has…. so she didn’t know exactly what it was like for Lauren and Lauren knew it…. she knew her mother didn’t understand what she was going though. If you look at pictures of Caroline when she was younger and when she was Lauren’s age…. she was tiny.
i saw younger pics of Lauren and she wasn’t heavy or even chubby! ASo it wasn’t all of her life probably started during teen years! I agree with Teresa she should have worked harder, only because she is young and has not had children yet!
Gotta be honest here. Caroline is SHORT! I’d be surprised if she was even 5′ fall. She also has a short torso. So all her weight sits at her waist. I would not be surprised if she was a 6 or an 8. I’m chubby for my 5’3 frame right now and I’m a size 4. My mom is downright more then chubby and she’s 4’10 and a size 6. So although I don’t think she’s a 4, I don’t think she hits 10.
ITA. But Caroline isn’t your average 50 year old when you consider the lap band, the tummy tuck.
My sister knows a producer who said they always serve drinks before shooting.
I believe it. They usually have a champaign toast at the end. I’m sure the men could have rooted out the champs bottles.
Rosie sounds as sweet as ever in the clip.
Her lovely voice, welcoming and warm!
I still can’t believe that was her, I totally thought it was a guy.
Sounds like someone made a remark about her father. Hate to give bravo ratings but, can’t wait until Sunday.
Can you imagine how this blog is going to be burning up on Monday? Poor SH and her assistant are going to be busy.
no kidding.
Monday? It’ll be blowing up while it’s happening. We should just live comment while it’s on.
What a treasure.
At that moment, Teresa seems to be looking at Kathy with a look of “what the heck?”
Wait, this was over a year ago? She has the same dress style on as she does the upcoming reunion? No? Right?
Damn, you’re tempting me to watch this thing but I know that “I’ll cut ya tongue out” comment will give me freaking nightmares for weeks! . That’s one loose cannon. What? No, Rosie, I wasn’t saying you’re built like a cannon, I swear it!
Scare your children with a recording of that.
Candace you genius! That will keep their little butts in line. “because Auntie Rosie says so!”
LOL LOL LOL LOL. The Rosie monster will get you.
No alcohol, just Xanax.
Andy had to sit there all day and listen to them! Yes!
Oh my a bit of P.R. to counteract the truth? Of course Joe G. gets the mention twice. It’s annoying that this bot of drivel can be put out for public consumption and the viewers are expected to believe it . It’s as if the internet and social media do not exist and we are all a bunch of empty headed, brainless housewives pounding the Baileys and Xanax waiting for Bravo to feed us the corporate spiel. Teresa is the Devil . Joe Guidice is her minion. Alcohol and xanax have no place on the reunion.
I am glad Tre gave up tanning booths they can cause skin cancer are there any health dangers to spray tanning…off to google
Yep, it causes cancer. Liver if I recall correctly. More so for the tech that is doing the spraying on a daily basis but, there are many spray tan addicts and those that use the aerosol at home. I stopped offering it at my spa. It was a great money maker too. I took a hit. I still offer the lotion application with a salt glow before but it’s not popular and I have to admit it is much cheaper and easier to do at home.
oh liver cancer is not something to mess with
Thank for answering
Lisa, my prediction is that in the next year or two, doctors will realize that the spray booths cause disease to your lungs. I’ve done it a few times (you could wear the nose plugs), but afterward I always feel it in my nose and I certainly smell it. I really think it’ll end up being just as bad for you as a tanning booth.
Thanks for sharing done..my salon has begun spray tan and I was thinking of giving it a try…now I won’t. I think Tre looks a little too dark…if it’s a spray.
Melissa looked real dark on her interview with Good Day NJ. I believe that was the name of the program.
It’s expensive too!! I’d rather do it at home WITHOUT the spray. They have the ones that you put on with a wipe thingie. I’d try that or bronzer cremes; not sprays. You’re welcome!
Here’s another example folks of people just believing anything they hear. I don’t mean to be rude, but I wish that when people make statements like Spray Tans cause Liver Cancer they would back it up with actual scientific studies and findings. Often these claims are made by one compeitior/ type of business or the other, and are merely hypothesis and have not been tested. Just like the reputation the Brazilian Blowout got unjustly! The fact that it said it contained NO formaldehyde, and it did have trace amounts.(which all of your plastic water bottles, carpets, sheets towels etc also contain… it’s a naturally occurring element) . still below safe levels… caused everyone in every salon to dump the product. Which was great for those businesses that couldn’t compete with it’s absolutely insurpassible straightening quality! It’s much the same with the Spray Tan/ Liver Cancer issue, as well as Real Sun/ vs / Tanning Booth issue. None of this has been researched and accepted by repeated testing,…all hypothesis most often tested once and reported by one study. A scientific hypothesis has to withstand years of scientific study before it can even be called a theory Example:. Any exposure to UV rays has been shown to have a correlation to increased risk of skin cancer… to some people in some cases… Any foreign chemical application, or aerosol with a propellant, can if used improperly be shown to have a correlation with increased risk of Liver Cancer. That’s not the same as assigning Causality. It takes years of scientific research, not just gossip and conjecture to assign causality to any given hypothesis.
I’m not saying that there is definitely not a risk… however there is a risk to anything in life… walking down the street poses a much higher risk than either of these products.
Ok I’ll get off my soapbox now…
@Mama http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-06-13/news/32220118_1_tanning-beds-spray-tanning-dha
@Mama http://www.ecouterre.com/spray-tanning-could-cause-cancer-warns-new-report/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2177182/Fake-tan-cause-fertility-problems-Users-warned-lotions-harm-unborn-babies-trigger-cancer.html
lisa, me too. been there did that and got skin cancer. Never again.
I’m shocked that none of the men thought to put a few bottles of wine in the car in preparation for such a long day; and some sausage and peppers. But for sure Jax had a little bottle of something in her bag for between takes.
Sausage and peppers! LOL!
What about salami and provolone?
Ms. SH.,
It is all over the internet that everyone has been asked back (ugh!) I read recently that Jax and Buggy were not going to be, but I guess that was wrong… Can you give us some scoop? THANKS!!!
for what it’s worth, I heard Kathy will only be in a few scene’s and no longer an offical housewife, Car was invited back, but declined and Jac was not invited back. Won’t believe much of what i have read until Bravo makes their announcement
DJ, for what it is worth I read Kathy will only be back in a view scene’s but, not an offical housewife, Car was invited back but, declined and jaq was not invited back. I don’t believe everything i read. I’m curious when bravo will announce the new cast?
I believe I am officially overdosed on RHONJ! I am also officially an addict! Does anyone know of a 12 step program for RHONJ? No, not NA for the Xanax nor AA for the Baileys!
“Hi, my name is Susie and I’m a Housewife addict too!”
The 12 Step program chould be called Voyeurs Anonymous
I hope they don’t make autism a storyline. I really don’t want to see that.
Ah, me too. Autism awareness is pretty high at the moment. I don’t think they need to show a rich, unstable housewife who wasn’t willing to pay for her son’s treatment for ten months. It would feel like an afterschool special.
i thought they did that autism thing before, isn’t rosie autistic?
I will definitely be watching Sunday ….. feel sorry for Jax and Chris about their son. Kathy and Elsie’s dad….hmmmm…was it mentioned on a show that he had passed? I’m curious about that one.
Yeah, dosen’t anyone know if Kathy and Rosie’s father has passed?
make that “does” lol
On the show when Rosy tells the kids she’s gay she talks about her father dieing and not wanting her to be alone.
Thanks cyn I thought it was stated sometime …..
Why can’t it be mentioned? Are they the only people on the planet who has lost their father? Sorry, but that bugs me. I lost both my parents and I was just a teenager when my father died. And what about their siblings? They are never brought up. Are they pi$$ed off like SloJoe? Ugh. I need RHYNJ rehab.
*RHWNJ*
@ITP I don’t know if it just an Italian *thing* but I’m an Italian and some think that you can’t speak ill of the dead; speaking ill is defined as not mentioning them unless you’re praising them. Let’s say it’s a post mortem “If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all”! That always fried my mother’s beans… She thought it was dishonest. She would say just because someone had passed away doesn’t automatically make them a candidate for Saint hood and that the families/friends that would be the most offended were the ones that had an @sshole for a friend or a family member! Lmao!
Oh, I agree. I’m a full-blown WASP and it’s like that in my family as well. I guess maybe someone said something bad about their father (?). I guess it’s a sore spot with me. I’ve had to deal with people over the age of 35 who lose a parent and they act like their the only one; their suffering is so unique or something. They don’t even want someone like me to empathize with them…like anyone else’s loss is nothing. Sorry for the rant.
he can’t be mentioned because, even dead he is rolling over in grave by his childern’s behavior. he’s spinning like a freakin rolling pin in krazy kathy’s kitchen. hence .this upset’s the mother so much she can’t visit his grave no more.
Apparently this is from Bravo. There was nothing worth reporting here. The not having alcohol and a Mego and Tre sing-off was about the most interesting tidbits. As for Jacko’s sons’ condition, what did they expect Tree to do, throw her head back and belt out an evil laugh like the heartless villain that she’s been painted as? I mean seriously, no one want to see a child suffer.
^Rosie’s
Right Kathy and Rosie. The one dinner scene they showed with their mother kinda tells me their father has passed.
They don’t want alcohol on the set because that would only incourage people to act more violent (look at Jax and Joe when they drink, do you want them to be drinking)
Uhm but weren’t there reports from fans that the alcohol was flowing. If cutting one’s enemies tongue out is Rosies natural response be afraid. Be very afraid.
Aint, I heard the same claim, but was under the impression it was an “insider” on the set.
Now, I could be wrong but I thought on wwhl caro said something like “keep them coming” motioning to het mouth. The topic was the reunions. She also said after reunions “she does not speak for days” alledgedly sorry can not spell & don’t know how to use or turn on my spell check. Sorry!
I’ll have to recall where i heard or read it, but I know I did hear that they had alcohol there.
I would expect more care and attempts to cover up with such matters on Bravo’s part from now on. Always screen shot anything that may be “disappeared”.
Well hooray Bravo is displaying responsibility.
Well if Caro declined to go back her book will not sell at all. She will be forgotten. Only Teresa should be invited back. She is the only interesting one.
It’s so hard to tell, because the only thing we can say for sure right now is it’s hard to imagine those 5 can ever film together again.
i personally say they need to all be scrapped.
I am hoping Caroline’s book will be every bit as successful as the Sirius radio show w/ Al and the kiddies.
…and I hope with you!
My vote is for Tre, Dina, Danielle (although I doubt Dina would ever film with her) , Juicy’s family and any of Car’s family who is not speaking to her
I am definitely going to have a drink or two while watching this reunion.
Kathy’s nose looks ridiculous. She’s clearly still a passive-aggressive shit stirrer. Rosie has a serious anger management problem. Jac looks pudgy – and crazy. Caroline looks angry and masculine. Melissa looks like Margaret Hamilton polished up a bit and like she’s THROUGHLY enjoying this whole mess. Teresa looks flabbergasted. Andy Cohen is a scumbag. – I’m pretty sure that sums up like 80% of the reunion.
Kathy’s nose looks like Michael Jacksonesque. So…thin?
agree 100% on all counts. I refuse to watch it and give them the ratings. I’ll watch it online and fill in the blanks here
thoroughly*
Chris and Joe Gui go off to find wine. Betcha they went off together as they have always gotten along.
Best autism coverage I’ve ever seen televised on TV is on Parenthood. The structure necessitaing kids on the spectrum even those which are more affected is not conducive to a television crews and cameras and I hope to god they know better then to try to push that angle on a soap opera-ish show like real housewives.
Why would andy be arm grabbing Teresa.
Even I would be up in arms w/ my family if we were together and being asked questions for 12 hours.
I interpreted that to mean that she was arm grabbing him and that’s what left the remnants of her tanner on his suit.
In the news clip, she says “I graduated to become a teacher but I never actually got the job.” But in the finale, didn’t she say she was a 2nd grade teacher. And Teresa said you were in school, and she responds “no, I actually taught.” Do I remember that correctly?
That’s right Megohorga says she was a second grade teacher! when you are a liar you forget what lies you told like saying you never got the job.
@Tanya my thoughts exactly!
she sais she taught second grade at the pfc
said even
I’m sure she is talking about her student teaching requirement where you do have to teach for a semester.
thats what i was thinking to
WHY even show a clip of Nick at the reunion? What is the logic here, from Bravo’s perspective? Obviously Jax is exploiting her child, hoping for a story line next season. But why is Bravo promoting it? Testing out a story line maybe. Hope it backfires.
Could Jax be planning her “Journey with Autism” book? Ghost-written of course. 50% of proceeds going to autism charities and 50% to payoff Signature Apparel debt/bankruptcy.
Jacqueline Laurita @JacLaurita
Ive learned so much about Autism in such a short period of time.Ive documented everything.I research.I take notes.I experience.I will share.
MY GOD. WTF. Can someone give Jax a pat on the back?
I predict a book.
Sorry. Just read your prediction and I so agree.
I saw that too. Who does she think she is? Some guru on autism now? She can’t even handle a friendship gone bad. What’s she going to do that years and years of “research” and “experience” by parents who are a lot farther along in their plight of dealing with autism have not? Jax is special? She’s going to put her kid on a diet (that others have told her is bunk) and hope for a reversal? Which just proves she is NOT accepting her son’s diagnosis. She thinks she can save him from it as opposed to just help him live as full of a life as he can.
Kinda makes all of Ashlee’s f-ups “huggable” moments….b/c Nick will NEVER have them. Might also explain why Jax has laid off Ashlee… she’s happy to have a kid who can f-up and on purpose. Doesn’t say much for the middle kid. He’s not the oldest f-up and he doesn’t fall on the spectrum. He’s going to be so left out.
Jax is a neophyte acting like a double PhD. She’s just getting wet behind her ears. She should be the LAST person anyone should look to for advice on how to help your autistic child. What does she KNOW that no one else already does? NOTHING. What’s she going to write a book about that no one else has?
She’s a sick person who is going to cause damage to someone.
ByeBye Asslee…hmm if she was shipped off around the same time BubbaJax & Chris were sued, that would be interesting. I wonder if Ashlee knew where Chis spent all that investor cash?
Ashlee is smarter than Mama Jax. the Lauritas fraud problems affected the whole household. Ashlee, I hope you can get away and stay away and do just fine for yourself. Mama Jax is a trip (which Ashlee always knew).l
Kathy looks weird. I didn’t even recognize her as the same person. Every time I see a profile of BubbaJax I chuckle at her ski slope nose.
I cant get the image of her nose on the napa trip when her and T were in the rv talking out of my head. I found myself more interested in her nose than the conversation. I was lurking in bravo blogs a couple weeks ago and someone actually commented that she has the best nose ever. And it wasnt sarcastic given the rest of the comment. Couldnt believe it.
ITA. Whenever Jax is onscreen, I’m almost too fascinated by her plastic face to pay attention to what she’s saying or doing.
The Melissa video was sooooo interesting
1. She states she never taught ( contrary to the season finale where she says she was teaching….)
2. She says she never said she never said that -she’s never seen Teresa cook. LIE.
3. She says no punches were thrown at the Christening. LIE
4. Her face lights up when they say Teresa is jealous of her. yet on the show she said she has ” loyalty” towards Teresa…..
5. Her Acapella SUCKS.
***AT this point she claims the family is doing better… so clearly this is before the finale**
i havnt seen any of these so called mean messages tre sent to jack n coke. i wonder what shes talking about???
I predict that Mandy’s behavior at the reunion will cause a major backlash from RHNJ followers who know “What Really Happened” and he will have to consider some sort of mea culpa re Anderson Pooper. Bravo is probably waiting for the backlash to consider their next move with NJ. This will be fun to watch. Thanks to Ms. SH and this website for keeping it real for us.
I work with autistic children……there is no cure….the gluten free diet does not work, healthy, organic, foods do make a difference ….what does work is a LOT of time on the part of the parents and trained teachers and instructional specialists. Early diagnosis is clearly an advantage; there are many, many resources available from the public school systems. And there are no two cases the same under the spectrum.
Oh, and the only nice thing I have to say about JackAss is that she did get an early diagnosis. Most parents are in denial.
So they stated the shooting went on for 13 hours. I guess it means Tre was telling the truth on AC show after all? Some people commented that Tre was lying about the long hours of shooting at the reunion. Hmmm.
I don’t believe the “no alcohol” comment either.
That list above “10 things from Taping…..” was written by Bravo.
Thanks! I felt like an idiot after I posted my comment upthread. I’m sure alcohol ups the drama factor and that is Bravo’s goal.IMO they serve up the booze and watch the fur fly it’s not as if the Reunion Shows are sedate afternoon teas.
I think BRAVO is trying to counter Lauren’s flub (not flab, lol) about the xanax with the whole No Alcohol thing. I don’t be-weave it for a nano-second. And yes, Jax got an early diagnosis – after delaying the Dr. visit due to health insurance – but of course not delaying her own cosmetic procedures. VILE!