Remaining unbothered! Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Melissa and Joe Gorga may be dealing with an ongoing family feud with Teresa Giudice — but daughter Antonia isn’t letting the drama phase her.
“It’s so crazy that she is such a drama-free — like, she almost giggles at drama, like laughs at me,” Melissa, 43, said during the December 22 episode of her “On Display” podcast. “She’ll laugh at me and she’ll be like, ‘Oh Mom, please.’ Like, she’s unfazed by the fact that even her cousins unfollowed her parents on Instagram. She just is like, ‘You know what, Mom? Not your problem, theirs.'”
While the reality star — who also a proud parent to sons Gino, 15, and Joey, 12, with Joe, 43 — didn’t specify which cousins she was referring to, but she was likely referencing Teresa’s four daughters, Gia, 21, Gabriella, 18, Milania, 16, and Audriana, 13, whom she shares with ex-husband Joe Giudice.
Tensions between the Bravo stars have been high since Melissa and Joe skipped Teresa and Luis Ruelas’ wedding in August. The RHONJ season 13 trailer, which dropped earlier this month, showed that the upcoming season will follow the family’s growing feud when the show premieres on February 7.
In the sneak peak, various cast members could be seen gearing up for both verbal and physical showdowns, including Teresa, 50, getting into several arguments with her brother and his wife.
“She’s always wanted to keep my brother and I apart. She got her to wish,” Teresa said in the clip, referring to Melissa. She also addressed the Gorga’s marriage, claiming, “I don’t think you guys are happy.”
Earlier in the video, costar Jennifer Aydin claimed that the “On Display” singer was spotted making out with a mystery man. In response to the rumors, Joe appeared to gear up for a fight with Ruelas, 47.
Earlier this year, Us Weekly confirmed that Teresa’s comments about the cheating allegations surrounding Melissa are what led to the drama.
“One of the secrets was Melissa allegedly making out with this guy while she was on a press tour in the city,” a source exclusively told Us in August about the speculation being spread at the time. “This ‘rumor’ was something that Teresa had known about for over a year and had been pushing for it to come out. Finally, the finale was perfect timing.”
Melissa and Joe ultimately opted out of attending the Standing Strong author’s nuptials that same month.
“Obviously, we did not attend your sister’s wedding. We have a laundry list right of reasons in our heads [of] why and I will let all my listeners know this — obviously, there was something that went down at the finale of filming The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” the Envy owner shared with Joe on her “On Display” podcast at the time. “Those exact details, I obviously cannot say today. Anything that we have filmed is something that I am not able to talk about.”
During an interview with Us in August, Melissa slammed the gossip circulating about her personal life, saying, “There’s a lot of rumors that come out about me, and you know what? We just keep hitting ’em, swatting ’em like flies, [and] they just keep coming.”
When it comes to her daughter, Melissa explained during her latest podcast episode that Antonia chooses to approach conflict with a “calmer mood” than some Jersey housewives and their husbands.
“I think she’s also watched certain situations and things that I’ve been through too, and how I handle them and the calmness in the room instead of the chaotic-ness,” she said. “And I think she’s learned from that. And it could also just be her personality.”
Melissa added, “It is who she is, and the word that comes to mind with everything is unfazed.”
Season 13 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey premieres on Bravo Tuesday, February 7, at 9 p.m. ET.
