Follow The Stir

Stuck in Reality

'Real Housewives of New Jersey' Finale Recap: Teresa Giudice May Not Be Guilty This Time

by Julie Ryan Evans on September 24, 2012 at 12:25 AM

Teresa Giudice and Melissa GorgaSure the Emmys were interesting, but the finale of The Real Housewives of New Jersey was where the real drama was to be had tonight ... as forced, scripted, and edited as it was. The big question of the night, of course, was who set up whom, but the answer wasn't so clear.

Sure everyone laid out their arguments as to why they believe Teresa Giudice set up Melissa Gorga, but none of them were all that convincing frankly. I wanted to be convinced, and I can't say I would put it past Teresa to try and take Melissa down as she has previously, but I'm just not feeling so quick to jump on the bandwagon proclaiming her guilt in this instance.

And none of this would even matter if Melissa just blew off the accusation that she was a stripper.

If she wasn't a stripper, then why give so much attention to this creepy guy's accusations? I had a hard time understanding why Teresa simply asking her about it was enough to enrage her. And why was Melissa so quick to call Joe Gorga after Teresa told her what the guy had said? Some of it reeked of a setup by Bravo to set up the setup.

More from The Stir: Crazy Ramona Singer Blames ‘Slutty Island’ Trip on Bravo

I don't think anyone would be that surprised if she worked as a stripper in the past, nor would anyone really care. If what Teresa said is true, she'd be in the good company of Jacqueline Laurita, who was supposedly also a stripper. If Teresa was going to make something up about her, there are plenty of other things that would seem more potentially damaging, so it doesn't even seem like that major of an accusation. Also, if she and Teresa were in such a good place, why didn't Melissa give her even the benefit of the doubt at least for awhile? Instead she was just so quick to believe Teresa was at fault, based on no concrete proof.

If anyone was obviously part of the setup, it was Kim D. She likes to cause drama, and I'm sure it's good publicity for her fashion show. She's also about as shady as they get, so I could see her doing it. The question is if Teresa helped her. Overhearing Angelo telling someone that Kim and Teresa wanted to take Melissa down was perhaps the most convincing piece of evidence, but I'm still not sure it was enough to warrant the extreme reaction of everyone cutting Teresa out of their lives forever. Their other "proof" -- the fact that Pete Giudice (scary!) was there and that Teresa got her hair done at a salon she'd never been at before -- was flimsy at best.

Like I said, I'm torn, but I do feel like people were really just ready to pounce on Teresa. She may deserve to be pounced upon, but I didn't see that there was enough convincing evidence to completely crucify her. Maybe more will come out at the reunion next week that will convince me otherwise, but for now, I'm still undecided in this drama.

Do you think Teresa Giudice set up Melissa Gorga?

 

Image via Bravo

Filed Under: reality tv, real housewives, recaps

Comments

39
  • Angie...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Angie Galaviz Harris

    September 24, 2012 at 12:31 AM

    NOPE, Teresa is not guilty this time!


  • bills...
    --

    billsfan1104

    September 24, 2012 at 12:36 AM
    I think Jacqueline and Kim D did something. And there is some scuttlebutt that a former producer was fired for coming to close to some of the staff, namely Jacqueline. I mean who was texting the others?
  • Kimbe...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Kimberly Kines Coughlan

    September 24, 2012 at 12:46 AM

    Teresa didn't want anyone to mention on camera Joe's "Going Away" so why would she ask Melissa on camera about something that was as sensitive as this! She absolutely  set Melissa up, the creepy guy confirmed it, and Teresa doesn't seem one little bit upset about losing her brother. She says she hates him which only confirms what Caroline, Jaqueline and Lauren had been saying that Teresa said all along. Stop drinking the Kool-aid Trebots!!


  • Penny...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Penny Vanecek

    September 24, 2012 at 12:53 AM
    Kim D is scum and I think Teresa just cares about the money. If you serve drinks wearing very little for money..isnt that the same as a "dancer" or "stripper" ? you're getting paid to let men look at your nearly naked body. If it walks like a duck and quacks...but seriously..who cares??
  • Samfan97
    --

    Samfan97

    September 24, 2012 at 1:02 AM
    What about Teresa's comment pretty early on that she wasn't "a part of this set-up"? Sure, it could have just been shady editing that put the comment out there but it was before anyone had outwardly accused her of setting Melissa up. I think it sounds like Melissa worked at a shady place back in the day, but I agreed w/Kathy's comment re: it being no one's business. I absolutely think Teresa and Kim D set this up.
  • Rhond...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Rhonda Comfort

    September 24, 2012 at 1:10 AM

    I don't think that Teresa set Melissa up, But she should have told her about the creepy guy before the Fashion Show. I thought Angelo had said he was told that Teresa wanted to take Melissa down so he thought he'd come and make Melissa uncomfortable. But the texts was coming from a mutual friend of Jacq and Teresa. But honestly I think a FAN decided to get in on the Drama fame wagon and Bravo encouraged it. And I also think that ALL those women comforting Teresa were also fans because Teresa wasn't sitting down with them and looked a little like she was in SHOCK and dumb founded over the whole thing. I'm NOT a FAN of Teresa and I feel that she should have told Melissa about the guy before hand and had also said something to him at the table. Teresa just doesn't know when she should open her mouth and when she needs to SHUT IT! eye rolling


  • jlugs
    --

    jlugs

    September 24, 2012 at 1:22 AM
    I think Teresa is an idiot. I do not, however, think she set-up Melissa. Too many things didn't make sense. Jacqueline said Teresa was with Angelo before Teresa talked to Melissa but she was at the table. Any time anyone talked shit about Melissa she walked away. I'm not a Teresa fan, but this time I think she got hosed. It was an awkward, badly edited episode that was overhyped. What was SO bad that made Jacqueline miss the reunion? She seemed to cause more drama than anyone, then cried victim? Whatever...
  • Jenni...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Jennifer Guevarra

    September 24, 2012 at 3:21 AM
    To Melissa's credit, she DID try to blow it off but Teresa kept pushing the envelope that eventually Melissa looked to have gotten pissed off about it. That's just my own observation. Still not sure what really happened. I am so confused by it all lol
  • Readi...
    --

    ReadingIsSexy27

    September 24, 2012 at 6:42 AM

    Melissa was very calm and collected about the whole thing until Teresa kept pushing the issue.  My husband, who has never even seen the show, sat down and watched a little bit and he commented that it was so obvious who the guilty one was.  Teresa acted guilty, talking about her heart beating to 500, or whatever that nonsense was, and continually pushing the issue.  And then her accusing Jacqueline of setting her up.  Its all typical Teresa behavior.  Its not hard to believe she would do this, look at everything else she has done.  She has sold her soul to the devil at the expense of her friends and family.


  • Debbi...
    -- Facebook comment from

    Debbie Lazzara Page

    September 24, 2012 at 6:55 AM

    I don't think Teresa had anything to do with a set up, I believe  Kim and that guy were solo on that one. Kim is the one who called Melissa and invited her to the show knowing that Melissa did'nt like her and they had problems in the past. That show had my blood boiling, i felt really bad for Teresa, ( talk about a gang bang).

     


1-10 of 39 comments

To leave a comment, log in as a CafeMom member:

Log In

OR, use our non-member comment form: