The Season 12 premiere of Real Housewives of New Jersey blasted off with drama on all fronts. We met new part-time RHONJ cast member Traci Johnson. Of course, there was drama between Teresa Giudice, her ex-husband “Juicy” Joe Giudice, and her brother, Joe Gorga. Juicy and Joe can’t stand each other. Joe claimed that Juicy treated his sister poorly, and it was alleged that Juicy cheated on Teresa.
Juicy claimed that Joe stole money from his father. Joe said that Juicy put his mother, Antonia Gorga, in an early grave. Teresa defended Juicy.
In the trailer for Season 12 of RHONJ, Joe called Juicy “the devil.” Juicy’s daughters weren’t happy with Joe shading their father. Gia Giudice actually confronted her uncle about his statements. Juicy also slammed Joe, calling him a “jack*ss” for talking about him in front of his daughters.
Teresa is in love love love with her fiancé “Luis “Louie” Ruelas. But Louie has his own baggage with some disturbing claims about his past. And during the Season 12 premiere, the RHONJ cast was buzzing about a video of Louie on a beach, surrounded by shirtless men. Louie was apologizing to an ex. It was creepy and bizarre. Teresa decided to ignore this bare-chested elephant in the room, but her sister-in-law, Melissa Gorga, thought that Teresa should have dealt with it from the jump.
Traci and her husband, football star Tiki Barber, joined Joe and Melissa for dinner in the Season 12 premiere. The couple has been friends for about 8 years. Traci wasted no time calling Louie’s beach video a “red flag.”
RELATED: Melissa Gorga Says Teresa Giudice Made Luis Ruelas Video Drama Worse By Not Wanting To Discuss It
In an interview with HollywoodLife, Traci explained why she has her friend Melissa’s back in the family feud with Teresa. “It was more difficult being around Teresa more than before. I met Teresa a couple times at things for Melissa’s children and at different events that we’ve all attended, but I never really got to know her,” Traci explained.
“Now I felt like I really needed to defend Melissa and figure out […] sometimes Teresa can be pretty hypocritical in what she expects from her brother as opposed to what she actually delivers to her brother, too. Her actions don’t always coincide with her words,” the newbie added.
“So, I felt like this season it was a great opportunity for me to see first-hand these stories that Melissa does tell me and to experience them myself. And in that way, it was easier for me to be more empathetic toward Melissa, too,” Traci remarked.
Traci doesn’t feel that Teresa and Joe’s close relationship is the basis of the family drama. “I would love to say that there’s a core to this feud but I think it’s just year after year different things get thrown into the mix. [They’ll] settle one score that they have but then, three months later, something else happens,” Traci commented.
RELATED: Melissa Gorga Shades Teresa Giudice For Wishing She Was Her
“Then they just dreg up all the rest of the drama that’s happened in the past so I think the real core of the issue is they just can’t settle and be done.” Amen, sister. They need to toss out the old grudges like a batch of sprinkle cookies.
Traci said that the family needs to resolve the core issue between them. Traci hopes that the issue is settled soon. “I know it breaks Joe’s heart every time he fights with Teresa because he loves his sister so much,” she stated.
Traci is no stranger to rumors and scandal. Traci met her husband, Tiki, when he was a married host on the Today show. Tiki allegedly left his wife, Ginny, for Traci when Ginny was 8 months pregnant. According to Traci, Tiki was separated when they met. A mere 8 days after Tiki’s divorce was final, Traci and Tiki tied the knot in 2012.
It will be interesting to see how Traci meshes with the rest of the RHONJ cast. Talking about Teresa behind her back was a gutsy move, but will it pay off?
RELATED: Teresa Giudice Says Melissa Gorga Begged Andy Cohen To Join Real Housewives Of New Jersey; Melissa Says “They Inboxed Me”
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TRACI’S COMMENTS ABOUT TERESA BEING HYPOCRITICAL? WILL TERESA COME FOR TRACI?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]