Standing up for herself. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Margaret Josephs has some thoughts on costar Teresa Giudice’s recent comment about her looks.
During part 1 of the show’s season 13 reunion, which aired on May 30, Josephs, 56, called Giudice’s fan base “Tre Stumps” instead of “Tre Huggers.” The Turning the Tables author, 51, hit back with a dis about Joseph’s appearance. “Look at how you look,” Giudice quipped. Rolling her eyes at the comment, Josephs clarified to Giudice that she was “not calling [her] a tree stump.”
At City of Hope’s Spirit of Life Award luncheon at The Plaza in NYC on Thursday, June 8, Josephs exclusively told Us Weekly that she thinks Giudice’s comment “says a lot more about [Teresa] than it says about me.”
Josephs added: “It shows where her brain is right now and it’s unfortunate that she can go down such a dark path.”
Castmate Rachel Fuda also weighed in on the drama to Us, calling the fashion designer “an amazing person” and “beautiful inside and out” while noting it’s “sad” for “somebody to only have to comment about the way you look.”
Fuda, 32, was among RHONJ’s three new cast additions for season 13, along with Housewife Danielle Cabral and friend-of-the-series, Jennifer Fessler. Rachel — who shares three kids with her husband, John Fuda — told Us the Bravo reality series could use another “facelift” going into season 14.
“We know we’re on a show about drama with opinionated women, but when it’s going to another level, that’s when we really have to evaluate and be like, ‘What’s going on here?’” Fuda said, referring to the ongoing drama between Giudice and Joe and Melissa Gorga.
Giudice’s feud with her brother, 43, and sister-in-law, 44, has been at the center of season 13 after the couple chose to skip out on her wedding to husband Luis “Louie” Ruelas in August 2022. Their decision came after Giudice spread a rumor that Melissa had cheated on her husband.
Tensions between the feuding family members escalated during the reunion, as Teresa accused Melissa of tipping off authorities when she and ex-husband Joe Giudice were convicted of tax fraud in 2014. She went on to serve an 11-month prison sentence in 2015.
Melissa responded by claiming Joe Gorga was only able to visit Teresa once behind bars because she didn’t put his name on her visitor list — “until it was gonna benefit you for Teresa Checks In,” the Love Italian Style author alleged, referring to Teresa’s 2015 Bravo special about her prison experience. Teresa denied her claims.
Despite Teresa’s negative comment about Josephs’ appearance, the Caviar Dreams, Tuna Fish Budget author said she feels “great” after the reunion — the final episode of which airs on Tuesday, June 13. “I think I feel very vindicated,” Josephs told Us. “I think I’ve said my piece. I can move forward in life and that’s what it’s about.”
Fuda said she feels just as great ahead of the final episode, stating, “I have a great judge of character. I know who my people are and you see me out with them, you know what I mean?”
Part 3 of the Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 reunion airs Tuesday, June 13, on Bravo at 8 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Fortune Benatar
