Melissa and Joe Gorga are opening up about skipping Teresa Giudice and Louie Ruelas’ August 6 wedding.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey couple spoke their truth on the August 11 episode of Melissa’s On Display podcast titled, “Let It Go (w/ Joe Gorga).”
Bravo fans were shocked to learn that Melissa and Joe wouldn’t be attending Teresa’s wedding. For the most, the Gorgas and Giudice had been on good terms following their drama during the early seasons of RHONJ. While Teresa, Joe, and Melissa’s relationship isn’t perfect, they put most of their drama to the side for the sake of family. However, fans first saw a crack in their repaired relationship at the season 12 reunion when Teresa made it clear that Melissa wouldn’t be a bridesmaid at her wedding. This hurt Melissa and Joe. It seems that since then, the fracture in their relationship has become larger, perhaps even irreparable.
Get all the scoop on the finale party drama HERE and HERE.
Now, days later, Melissa and Joe are confirming that they had “a laundry list of reasons” that led to them skipping Teresa and Louie’s wedding.
“Obviously, there was something that went down at the finale of filming [season 13],” Melissa started off.
While Melissa can’t share the exact details of what went down due to her contract with Bravo, she opened up about what she could during the podcast episode.
“That little part keeps getting left out of all the stories, which is the real twist of it all. I’m not going to sit here and say that there wasn’t drama, that it wasn’t crazy. Yes, there was a little aggression from certain people that could’ve been a little scary. There definitely were moments. There was plenty of reason for Joe and I to say, ‘Yes, it would be very strange for you guys to be just sitting in the pews tomorrow, like wishing them well on their wedding day,’” Melissa explained.
Still, Melissa and Joe both admit it was difficult and upsetting not to be there to witness Teresa and Louie get married.
“I saw how [Joe]’s face looked that whole day because [he] knew that it wasn’t the right thing to be there,” Melissa confessed.
Joe admitted, “It was so, so hard for me. Here you are as my only sister, my only blood. We don’t have a big family; we don’t have a lot of cousins. We lost our parents. And to me, it was devastating. It really was. It was one of the hardest days of my life. It was bad.”
Yet, Joe claims that none of this is unexpected as Teresa made her intentions clear at the season 12 reunion.
According to Joe, Teresa didn’t want him, his wife, or his children involved in any part of her wedding. He also claims that his sister “hates” his family.
“Let’s go back to the reunion. She did this. This was all on her. This is what she really wanted. She didn’t want [Melissa] in the wedding. She didn’t want any of my children in the wedding. She barely wanted me. I was asked after all this information went out to be in the wedding, and that’s what saddens me. And I knew that. And when I left that reunion, I looked at my wife, and I was like, ‘Wow, she hates us. I’ve never seen her like this.’ I said, ‘It’s terrible,’” Joe explained.
The RHONJ couple also insists that after the season 12 reunion, they tried to work out their issues with Teresa and put it all behind them but says Teresa ignored their text messages.
Melissa notes that she sent Teresa a text that read: “Listen, we’re all good. Let’s move forward” however the RHONJ OG never responded.
“So I knew what was going on, and I knew what she really feels. She really didn’t want us there,” Joe quipped.
To add fuel to the fire, the Gorgas claim that they cover things up for Teresa and Louie all the time and that they’ve done it for years in order to protect their family.
“We covered up everything,” Joe revealed to which Melissa added: “We covered up a lot of things. A lot of things we know, and now I’m sitting back, I’m not going to lie, second-guessing, like, ‘Why? Why did we cover up for her?”
Joe replied, “Because we’re good people. And we don’t wanna hurt nobody. I don’t wanna hurt my sister. I don’t wanna bring her down. I don’t wanna bring Luis down. I’m not here to bring anyone down, but they’re, on the other hand, everyone’s looking to bring us down.”
Melissa and Joe note that this drama has affected their children, and they believe it also is affecting Teresa’s kids as well. Melissa says two of their children have come to them about the drama with Teresa.
“This is going to affect our children, and even if we know we’re right… It’s not going to be on my conscious that I did this, and I let this go, and I put this out there because I believe in karma,” Melissa confessed.
When asked, during a Q & A, why Joe didn’t walk Teresa down the aisle, Joe said he“was never asked” before, adding that he “would’ve loved to” have done so.
“When she walked down the aisle, she looked beautiful,” Joe admitted. “And I loved the song that she picked. That was ‘Ave Maria.’ That was my mother’s song before she passed away. That made me melt. But that was beautiful. It really was. She looked beautiful. The place was gorgeous. It was great; it was fun, and it looked like an amazing wedding. And it sucked that we weren’t there, for many reasons.”
Joe concluded by admitting that he is extremely hurt by what went down between him and his sister.
“I’m one of the nicest guys in the world. I’m so nice. I’m so sweet. I will give you everything… And I’m shocked at the way I’m treated by my own family, my blood; that’s what kills me every day. You have to live a life like that. It’s shocking when I go and see our family. Why do I get treated that way? Why [is Melissa] getting treated that way?” he explained.
RHONJ will return for season 13 in late 2022 or early 2023.
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