‘RHONJ’: Jacqueline Laurita Says Melissa Gorga Is ‘Manipulative’
The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga is used to going toe-to-toe with her family on the show, but she once also had a major fallout with her former co-star, Jacqueline Laurita. Gorga and Laurita grew close when Gorga was at odds with Teresa Giudice, but things changed when Gorga and Giudice decided to act like sisters-in-law who liked each other. Looking back on the fallout, Laurita says Gorga is manipulative.
Jacqueline Laurita and Melissa Gorga fell out after Gorga grew closer to her sister-in-law, Teresa Giudice
Gorga joined the show in Season 3 during a time when she and Giudice were estranged. Giudice was close friends with Laurita, as well as Laurita’s in-laws, the Manzos. Eventually, Laurita grew close to Gorga and tried to mediate between the feuding family members.
By Season 5, her friendship with Giudice was falling apart after Laurita began to question Giudice’s legal trouble. Giudice was eventually sentenced to prison and served a 15-month stint. Laurita remained close to Gorga throughout the time, but things changed when Giudice returned home and formed a tight bond with Gorga. Laurita admits their new closeness made her paranoid.
She later nearly came to blows with Gorga when she felt Gorga was lying about telling their family secrets that involved Giudice. Gorga felt that Laurita wanted her to pick sides and go against her sister-in-law, but she preferred to stay out of the drama. Laurita accused Gorga of switching up to stay on Giudice’s good side.
The former ‘RHONJ’ star says Melissa Gorga is manipulative
Gorga and Laurita haven’t had many nice things to say about one another since their fallout. Recently, it was announced that Laurita’s sister-in-law, Caroline Manzo, was cast on Season 4 of Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Gorga alleged called Manzo “too old” to be on the show, which she later denied. There are also rumors that Manzo may return to RHONJ. She hasn’t been on the show since Season 5.
Laurita took the time to answer a few fan questions about all that’s going on with her former co-stars. One fan asked her via Instagram if she feels Gorga is a “liar.” “Well, let’s just say that she was really good at lying while keeping a straight face and very good at manipulating people,” she answered, per All About the Tea.
According to Laurita, Gorga was also known to trash-talk Manzo behind her back, despite Gorga and Manzo being friendly on Instagram in recent months. “I think they are friendly acquaintances,” Laurita wrote in a comment shared by @allabouttrh on the social media app. “Melissa always used to say Caroline was too old and boring for the show. (She’s not.)”
Jacqueline Laurita questions Melissa Gorga’s role on the show
Laurita hasn’t been on the show since Season 7 and reportedly has no plans to return. She’s since relocated to her hometown of Las Vegas with her husband and their children to be closer to her family, since she spent the bulk of her marriage with her in-laws in New Jersey. Despite being far removed from the show, she continues to watch. But she’s no fan of her former friend Gorga on the show.
“I don’t really know Melissa’s purpose on the show,” Laurita said during her Q&A interview with the Bravo After Thoughts fan account. Shen then said that Gorga is primarily on the show because she “looks good.”
