This isn’t an easy week for Teresa Giudice. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star has been on the receiving end of an astounding number of side-eyes since her relationship with Luis Ruelas began. Luis came into Tre’s life with a very red face and a very long list of red flags.
Despite numerous questionable incidents from his past, Teresa doubled down and married Luis without a prenup to protect her finances. Now Teresa is in a pickle because no matter what weird stuff Luis does going forward, she’s committed to swooping in and making it look all better for the public eye.
Unfortunately, Luis has done it again and the most recent episode of RHONJ puts a spotlight on his interesting quirks. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water after finding counterfeit jewelry under the Christmas tree, now he’s sleeping in Nonno’s clothes.
Everyone was happily minding their own business at a brunch event. Luis must have figured things were going too well for him because he struck up a convo with Joe Gorga. “I’m a good man. I live with your four nieces; I wear your father’s pajamas at night to make them feel safe and loving. Do you know that?”
Fans went nuts and took to Twitter to comment on how creepy Luis’ statement was about wearing his deceased father-in-law’s pajamas to bed. Teresa tried to step in and deflect from the incredibly odd comment. But many viewers weren’t able to let go of the fact that it almost seemed like a sinister power move on Luis’ part to say something like that to Nonno’s son.
Tre’s loyal followers were also put between a rock and a hard place because they knew it was totally bizarre but couldn’t offer more than “oh yeah, that’s not so uncommon” in defense of Teresa’s man. Now we’re getting feedback from Teresa’s co-stars on the Luis scene that filled most people with the ick.
It went about as you would expect. Those who are afraid of Teresa said there is nothing wrong with what Luis said and it’s a whole lot of nothing. Those who aren’t afraid of Teresa pretty much said what the rest of the world was feeling. Bravo’s The Daily Dish has the details.
On the RHONJ After Show, Teresa defended Luis, which is good because she’ll have to do it for the rest of her natural life. She said, “It was brand-new pajamas that my dad did not wear. So that was it.” Sure, Jan. If they were brand new, never worn, why tell Joe in the first place they were Nonno’s?
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Dolores Catania who is programmed only to agree with anything Teresa says co-signed Luis’ comment. No one has more practice covering for Tre than Dolores – who also managed to sneak in Teresa’s philanthropic efforts. “She goes, ‘My father has so many clothes.’ She donated so much to my shelter… that he [Nonno] never wore,” Dolores shared.
But now Dolores has some heavy competition in the sucking-up-to-Teresa race. Coming up on the left is our girl Jennifer Aydin. Jen thinks Luis wearing Nonno’s night-night clothes to make the females in the house feel safe is an awesome tribute to Tre’s dad. “It’s probably in honor of Nonno. It’s because I know Louie. If I didn’t know Louie, I would think it was weird.” Come on Jen, let’s see Bill Aydin climb into her dad’s pajamas and see if she still feels the same way. In other news, Jen probably thought Teresa’s wedding hair looked amazing. So there’s that.
Jen added, “Maybe this is the way that he can be like, ‘You know what? I love your daughter and I hope I have your blessing.’” Up in Heaven, Nonno probably really wishes people would leave his stuff alone. Jen also shared she didn’t think there was “anything wrong” with Luis’ choice of bedtime attire. Really hope she at least receives a lovely gift basket for her efforts.
Danielle Cabral is catching up to Jen in the suck-up race. Danielle is no dummy. This woman has been chasing reality television fame since she was on MTV back in 2006. Now that she reached the peak, she is going to play the game properly. She knows she has to side with Teresa as the show’s OG, but she also knows she has to play to the fans with common sense. She said Luis’ confession was “a little bit wacky.” Then Danielle followed up with the proper amount of suckage so there is no question where her loyalties fall. “I can [say] this because we love Louie. Are they wacky? All right, maybe it’s a little bit wacky.” Nicely done, young Grasshopper.
Rachel Fuda clearly decided there are limits to what she can tolerate on the messiness scale. She mentioned when her own Nonno passed, her mom “had a pillow made out of his T-shirt.” See, this is nice and acceptable. No one will say to her husband, “hey man, I carry around this pillow of her dad’s shirt to make her feel safe or provide a soft spot if she needs a sudden nap…” Rachel explained, “It’s like a memorabilia thing. I don’t want to wear his clothes, and I certainly don’t want John [Fuda] to wear them.”
Jackie “Nothing to Lose” Goldschneider pretty much said what we were all thinking. “I have to let this seep through my body right now. That’s weird. That’s f–king weird… Did he really say that, like, and he wasn’t joking or anything?” It wasn’t a joke but that might be the next excuse offered. Since no one is really buying the excuses Tre supplied. It was a joke, just like Caroline Manzo and the Olive Garden. You know, funny ha-ha?
The often maligned but never jailed for criminal activity Melissa Gorga thought it was downright sketchy. “I can’t. I cannot.” Mel quipped. She revealed she “got the chills” from hearing Luis’ words to Joe again. She also doesn’t have Joe walking around in her deceased father’s jammies to make her feel safe. She keeps her late dad’s shirt in a closet but questions Luis’ intent because he never met Nonno. Margaret Josephs basically agrees with Melissa.
Marge said, “It’s one thing if your children want to wear the shirt, the sweatshirt of the grandparents, but someone who didn’t know Nonno is wearing his pajamas? It’s a little Twilight Zone-y strange.” Maybe less Twilight Zone and more Hitchcock.
Finally, Jennifer Fessler is asking the real questions. The info the people really need to know. WHY would Luis randomly say something so out of pocket for no reason? Did Joe inquire as to what Luis normally wears to bed with his sister? Was Joe curious about textiles and thread counts? Nope. Jennifer asked, “So he offered that information unsolicited?”
Stay tuned to see what happens next with Nonno’s weekend clothes and how Luis styles them with landscaping tools. You won’t have to ask him, he’ll just tell you to make you feel nice and safe.
TELL US- DO YOU THINK LUIS’ COMMENT WAS SINISTER? DO YOU THINK HE WAS TRYING TO INTIMIDATE JOE GORGA? ARE YOU SURPRISED TERESA IS DEFENDING LUIS’ COMMENT?
[Photo Credit: Eugene Gologursky/Bravo]