What would a Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion with Teresa Giudice be without deflection to avoid confrontation? Well, after twelve seasons, it’s clear that Teresa will not speak truthfully and directly. But heaven help anyone who questions her reasoning.
That’s exactly why Dolores Catania did not confront Teresa when her friend claimed that the reason she didn’t get an invite was because Dolores and notoriously pre-occupied ex-boyfriend David Principe never went on a double-date with Teresa and fiance Luis Ruelas.
As much of a weak reason that it was, Teresa was not confronted about it. However, once off camera, RHONJ original was ready to share the real reason. Teresa recently appeared on The Slut Pig Podcast to reveal the truth behind the slight. She said that the reason she excluded Dolores was because of her feud with alum Dina Manzo.
Dolores had a chance to respond to the revelation. She told Page Six that “there was no good reason” that Teresa didn’t invite her to her December 2021 engagement party. It seems a more solid reason than the double-dating explanation, though no one could fault Dolores for being hurt regardless.
“I would be lying to say it didn’t [hurt] on some level,” Dolores admitted to the publication. “Not being invited to somewhere shouldn’t hurt me, OK? So I’m going to remind myself of that when these things happen. I am human, but I shake it off and I’m, like, OK.”
In attendance at the engagement party were Teresa’s cast mates Jennifer Aydin and sister-in-law Melissa Gorga. And, of course, Dina.
Dolores certainly didn’t poke the bear during the reunion, especially considering that the bear wasn’t allowed to shout due to appendix surgery. But she did confront Teresa afterwards. And despite denying offence during the reunion, Dolores is certainly hurt now.
Dolores explained, “I spoke to Teresa about it and she was like, ‘You know, I don’t why I said that.’ Whatever the reason is, should there be a reason? No. To me, there was no good reason — whether it was Dina or whether it was we didn’t go out for couples.”
Dolores doesn’t recall an active feud with Dina, though she acknowledged that she and Dina drifted apart. She said the two, “never had a fight or a falling out.” But also, “Sometimes friendships have expiration dates. There’s no rhyme or reason why two people have to always stay in each other’s lives. You don’t need to get in a fight to go separate ways.”
“She moved to California, I’m here on the show, she’s not,” Dolores continued, “Long before she moved to California, she was on the show and I wasn’t and I was doing different things. I was on a different journey than she was and our friendship didn’t stay together. But we didn’t have a fight.”
Some like to compartmentalize their friendships. And Dolores theorized that Dina simply wanted to move on from all things New Jersey. She explained, “I was a part of Dina’s life that she was here, so that was something I feel like she wanted to leave, which she did. That’s my guess. She moved on from a life that she had and I was a part of that. Understood and understandable. Again, I’m not offended!”
Perhaps it’s the fact that neither Dina nor Dolores seem to actively be changing their situation. And if the relationship has gone static, there’s nowhere to go from there.
“I think we’re different,” Dolores said. “I’m not saying that I wouldn’t say hello to her and her husband, Dave [Cantin]. I saw them at Teresa’s mom’s funeral. I saw them at her niece’s wedding. We spoke. I met Dave.”
Dolores did score an invite to Teresa’s wedding over the summer. It will be interesting to know if and how Dina and Dolores interact. Presumably, neither would escalate a situation that would ruin Teresa’s big day. Add to that, Dina is in the bridal party.
“It’s not like either one of us did anything to each other that’s so egregious that we can never speak if we saw each other in the same room,” Dolores said.
One theory that comes up is that Dolores’ friendship with Caroline Manzo is the true offence to Dina and/or Teresa. The rift is so extreme that sisters Dina and Caroline are currently estranged.
Dolores claimed that she and Teresa are solid to the point that other influences don’t affect them. She said, “It’s kind of like diplomatic immunity. [Teresa] and I have a vested friendship from a very long time ago that these things will not get in the way. We made a pact that they won’t. Sometimes we can fight and have it out and we’re fine the next day. That’s how we are as friends.”
TELL US- WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE REASON DOLORES WAS EXCLUDED? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DOLORES’ RESPONSE?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]