Lauren Manzo may have recently dropped 30 pounds thanks to lap band surgery and a revamped diet and fitness routine, and if you ask her brothers, Chris and Albie Manzo, she’s never looked hotter!
“Lauren looks phenomenal!” Chris told Us Weekly during a recent visit to our New York City offices.
Undergoing the surgery in September 2011, Manzo has said revisiting her weight struggle on The Real Housewives of New Jersey has been “hard,” especially given taunts from her brothers and even her own mother, series costar Caroline. (In one notable scene, Caroline said Lauren was “8 pounds of sausage in a 5-pound bag.)
Chris and Albie — who acknowledge that the family’s teasing of Lauren was “exaggerated” thanks to RHONJ background music — tell Us that they had no idea how much their comments could hurt their sister.
“If there’s been anybody who’s been extremely supportive of Lauren throughout this entire process, since she was little, it’s me and Chris,” Albie explains. “We’re around this situation and family every single day and it’s going to take a lot more than one episode for me to say ‘I’m treating my sister horribly.'”
“One thing about this family is we’re brutally honest with each other,” he continues. Nobody coddles anybody and we just kind of live our lives. My mom and dad are there for us, but they’re not going to sugarcoat anything.”
For much more from Chris and Albie Manzo, watch the exclusive video interview above now!
