Surprising ‘RHONJ’ Friend Predicts ‘Fighter’ Teresa Giudice Will Be a Force on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Real Housewives of New Jersey “friend” Kim “D.” DePaola may not have a lot of love for Teresa Giudice, but she predicts that Giudice will be a strong competitor next season on Dancing With the Stars.

Giudice announced she joined the Dancing With the Stars Season 31 cast and looked forward to making her new husband Luis Ruelas proud. DePaola thinks Giudice has a chance to go far – but doesn’t plan to vote for her.

Teresa Giudice will be a ‘fighter’ on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

DePaola is confident that Giudice will be the one to beat. “She perseveres,” she said on the Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast. “I mean, she’s a fighter and she’s tenacious. She’s a Taurus. That’s one of our traits.”

She added that she hasn’t watched DWTS in quite a while, but will tune in to see Giudice. “Listen, I think it’s gonna be funny when they’re done dancing,” she said. “And they’re talking to her and she’s trying to speak. You know, I’m gonna get a kick on it. Listen, I don’t watch Dancing With the Stars anymore but we’re gonna watch it now and it’s gonna be funny to see her.”

Kim D. isn’t voting for Teresa on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

DePaola may be watching DWTS but doesn’t plan to vote. “No, I’m not gonna vote for anyone,” she said. “So it’s not like I’m not voting for her. I’m not voting for anyone. I’m just gonna watch the show and move on.”

One reason DePaola hopes Giudice does well is that she wants to comment on her performances. “The farther she gets the more we are gonna be able to comment on it. I love it,” DePaola said. She also wants to see Ruelas in the audience. “I wanna see Luis Ruelas in the front row and we’re gonna comment on it every week,” she remarked.

And added this jab, “Every night, every night front and center stage with his burgundy face, Ruelas,” she said. “Listen, let’s face it. This is Teresa’s year. It’s Teresa Giudice’s year and she’s not Teresa Ruelas. She’s Teresa Giudice. He wants her to keep her name. He likes that fame.”

Teresa is facing a hectic travel and training schedule

DePaola acknowledged that training and performing on DWTS is going to be a tough gig. “It’s a lot of work and your body goes through … I mean, people have broken legs broken,” she said. “Remember people that get hurt doing this, because they’re not professionals. So we’ll see. But yeah, this is a big story. And it’s a big coup for her and it’s a huge year. It’s a huge year.”

TMZ reports that Giudice plans to travel between Los Angeles, where Dancing With the Stars is filmed and her home in New Jersey – which could prove to be brutal. Giudice’s attorney James Leonard told TMZ that DWTS will fly her dance partner, Pasha Pashkov to Jersey to train. And then she’ll fly to Los Angeles a few days before each performance. Leonard said being close to home and her daughters was important and a possible deal breaker. So producers worked with her to ensure she could compete on the show.

Giudice is up against celebs like Wayne Brady, Selma Blair, and another Jersey native, Vinny Guadagnino from Jersey Shore.