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One person who was prominently featured on the first two seasons of The Real Housewives of New Jersey is Danielle Staub. She was known for having problems with multiple cast members at the time, including Jacqueline Laurita.

Recently, Laurita opened up about Staub and shared updates on their relationship today.

Jacqueline Laurita and Danielle Staub deteriorated on ‘RHONJ’

Jacqueline Laurita appears on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey"
Jacqueline Laurita appears on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” reunion. I Heidi Gutman/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

During the first season of RHONJ, Laurita and Staub seemed to have a good relationship. However, the other women on the show, including Laurita’s sisters-in-law Caroline Manzo and Dina Cantin did not like Staub. They accused Staub of being involved in drug trafficking, prostitution, and kidnapping. This led to many scenes of Laurita feeling uneasy about having to choose a side.

As time went on, Laurita and Staub’s friendship deteriorated as Laurita decided to be loyal to her family. In season 2, Staub also had a feud with Laurita’s teenage daughter, Ashley. Staub and Ashley exchanged harsh words on social media, and Ashley even pulled Staub’s hair during a fight, which resulted in Staub taking legal action.

Staub left the show after season 2, while Laurita remained on the show until the end of season 7.

Jacqueline Laurita on where she stands with Danielle Staub

In February 2023, Laurita appeared on Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge’s podcast, Two T’s in a Pod. When asked about where Laurita now stands with Staub, Laurita shared that the last time she talked to Staub was during the season 2 reunion, which was filmed in 2010.

Laurita explained that she chose to keep a distance because Staub would allegedly spread lies about her in the press.

“I had gone on to do press, and someone at a press outlet said, ‘Do you know Danielle’s trying to put out stories about you? She’s trying to sell this story about you.’” Laurita recalled. “I was like, ‘What? I thought we had squashed things. Why is she doing that?’”

Laurita added, “That to me is a dangerous person, and that’s someone I would never want in my life.”

Danielle Staub has also shared her side of the story

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In June 2022, Staub appeared on the podcast Reality with The King, where she gave her version of events.

Staub confirmed that her friendship with Laurita ended because of Laurita’s loyalty to her family. She also shared that she sensed the friendship changing when Laurita started being less open with her. 

“That’s when I knew things were going in a different direction was when we started to have to be private with each other, and I could feel she wasn’t telling me things that were going on, with her scenes anymore,” Staub said. “So I zipped it. Literally, the shift came with a warning.”

When talking about whether she missed Laurita’s friendship, Staub explained that she has no interest in being friends with someone who does not want to be friends with her.

“Here’s the thing, I’m OK with people not being in my life that have done certain things that make me believe they prefer not being in my life,” she said. “I would never want to be around somebody that doesn’t value me again. I valued myself much less than I do now. And I am also much older now, and I understand that at this point in my life, there would be no way I would be friends with women like that.”

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