Last week's episode ended on a sour note between siblings Teresa and Joe. We pick up this week with Teresa trying to explain to her husband what happened . . .
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| Photo Credit: BravoTV |
Listening to Teresa tell Joe about what happened, I felt sad for her. She barely got a word in because Joe Giudice was on a rampage. Every other word out of his mouth was bleeped because it was a curse. I didn't have a ton of respect for Joe before, but saying "When I say something, you f**king listen . . . and shut up" to his wife was the nail in the coffin for me. OMG that man has some serious anger issues! He'll leave Teresa if she tries to have him around her family anymore? "F**k you and your family", he said to her. WOW! I can understand that he is probably tired of hearing about a situation that, clearly, has gone on for years. But is that a constructive way to speak to your wife? Or anyone for that matter? Teresa trying to explain it away and make excuses for it is sad for her, and her daughters. Later on, when Teresa is telling Jacqueline (who bailed because she figured there would be fighting) what happened at Kathy's, she keeps saying that it wasn't the right time for her and Joe to talk because she doesn't want to talk in front of the kids. Yet she is having this conversation in front of Audriana, with Gia not far away! Jacqueline asked her if Joe had reached out to her or she had heard from him, and Teresa said no. They made plans for Field Days at Jacqueline's house, which just Teresa and Gia would be attending. Joe and the other girls would be headed to the Shore, which was fine with Teresa (given how vocal Joe was about her family). We saw more of Teresa and her girls all dressed up like hip-hop dancers (not sure why). There was a very awkward conversation between Teresa and Gia regarding bras, tampons and maxi pads that I don't feel the need to repeat her for our male readers!! Some of the way that the kids spoke to each other and Teresa (Milania saying "shut up", Gia saying "mom, you didn't get boobs until you were 23 years old") wasn't how I would like my children to speak to me. But it seems to be the culture of their house to relate to each other in that way. Even when Teresa took Gia bra shopping (Bravo, do we really need to invade the personal space of a 10 year old with this?), she talked down to her mother. Again, it's not how my children are allowed to speak to me.
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| Photo Credit: BravoTV |
Lauren and Albert went to the driving range to hit a bucket of balls and talk. It was nice to see father / daughter bonding between them - we haven't seen it that often. Lauren blames her dad (in a joking way) for her weight issues, but feels that he understands and relates more than Caroline does because he has struggled with his weight. We learned that Albie took Lauren to her Junior prom (what a great brother!) and Caroline doesn't want her to hurt anymore. As a mother, I totally understand that. Watching Jacqueline and Lauren shopping for workout clothes was hilarious. Was I the only one who totally related to their conversation about nothing fitting, boobs being too big and in the way, and not being comfortable with how you look?
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| Photo Credit: BravoTV |
While the Gorga's were on the way to the Laurita's for Field Day, we find out that Joe sent Teresa a text the day after the pool party. Melissa read part of it out loud, and it said that he feels horrible about what happened and that he loves her and he will always be there for her if she wants him. Joe feels that something is going on in her life, and despite everything he doesn't want her to be alone. He confided in Rich during their work out that it pains him to see Melissa with her sisters because he doesn't have that with Teresa. And he feels guilty telling other family members that he loves them because he doesn't say it to Teresa. Once they got to Jacqueline's house, everyone was asking Melissa what happened and were things going to be cool with Teresa, and she told them about the text. Wait a minute - didn't Teresa tell Jacqueline that he didn't reach out to her? Jacqueline was confused, and talked to Caroline on the side because Teresa specifically told her that Joe DIDN'T reach out to her. Uh Oh!! While Jacqueline was disappointed and felt manipulated, she was going to try hard NOT to ask Teresa about it today. For the record - Melissa looked AWESOME in her "daisy dukes"! If I looked that good in shorts that short, you bet your Jersey booty that I'd be wearing them!
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| Photo Credit: BravoTV |
Once everyone arrived, it looked like they were all having a good time In addition to the team games, there was a dunk tank (Joe got Gia down on the first pitch!), a huge air jumper/slide and a trampoline (great flip, Melissa!) among the fun things to do. Before everything started, Joe took Gia aside to talk to her and make sure that she knew, at some point, it would all work itself out. The way she was speaking to him indicated that she knew more about the situation than a girl her age should. Kathy summed it up best when she said that she is old enough to understand the words, but not process the emotions behind the situation. You could tell how important it is to Joe to make sure that the kids are ok. That because, in my opinion, he's a good guy at heart! Caroline decided to sit the games out, watch the babies and keep score. Except she did jump in on the tug of war! Teresa, Melissa and Joe are all on the same team and seemed to work together without drama. The blue team kept winning and Gia was screaming at her uncle about cheating after every event that her team lost. After the three-legged race, she had a complete crying melt down, which was kind of surprising. Teresa and Jacqueline tried to calm her down, but she was really wound up and yelling about Joe cheating. She stomped off in the house.
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| Photo Credit: BravoTV |
Jacqueline said in her interview that she was trying to tease Gia a little to get her to relax and not take the whole thing so seriously. Jacqueline came back in the house in the hopes of getting her to come back outside and things turned bad quickly. Gia saying "if you think it's funny, then go outside, Jacquline" was appalling. I was ok with what Jacqueline said to her in response - she had a smile on her face and was still trying to keep things light while reminding Gia that this was HER house. Clearly Gia was not in a place to want to hear anything that the adults had to say right now. Caroline tried to reason with her to no avail, so she got up and walked away. Jacqueline got a book called "Being a Good Sport" and started to read it to Gia - she felt that was a core of the problem. Her team lost so she was just being a bad sport. Gia got up and stomped off - she was having a tantrum and just wanted her mom. Teresa came in to the house, got Gia and took her in to another room to talk to her. Teresa said it was all about having fun, and Gia said that she wasn't having fun because Teresa's team cheated and they were mean. Joe was mean "of course" and Melissa was mean "as always". Gia doesn't like Joe because "he's always mean" to Teresa. WOW! How much has this child been exposed to that she shouldn't have been? Teresa tells her she can't get involved with the stuff between her and Joe. She told Teresa that she just wanted her mom and they wouldn't go get her. Here's where the editing was fast and furious and it kind of got awkward. Teresa felt the need, in front of Gia, to tell Jacqueline and Caroline not to get involved with her kid. Gia was still having a meltdown and screaming and crying and speaking very disrespectfully about Jacqueline and Caroline. Jacqueline looked like a deer caught in the headlights - she wasn't interested in allowing a child to speak to her that way, she felt like they were all family and she didn't overstep her bounds, but she didn't want to get in to it with Teresa either. We saw Gia ask for her mom twice and Caroline ask her to look at her when she was talking to her. I'm not sure why Gia didn't just go outside to find her mother herself instead of just sitting and crying - she's 10 right? I don't feel that there was punishment that was handed out or a reprimand given, and I see every one's perspective here. As an adult, I would never allow a child to disrespect me in my own home. However, if this is a child of someone that I am not friends with, and actively dislike, I don't know if I would try to reason with them. Instead, I may just go outside and let them know that their child is having a meltdown. Now, the child of a good girlfriend behaving that way - I can see reacting the way Jacqueline did. I'm not sure about the whole book thing - that might have been a little over board - but I think she realized that after the fact. As a mother, I know my child best and I want to be involved if they are at a point that they are crying hysterically and asking for me, whether I am surrounded by family or not. Regardless of how she felt, Gia never should have been allowed to speak to adults that way or behave that way without consequence. Unfortunately, I don't think she knows any better or is being taught any better.
Lauren was pissed and fed up with the entire situation. She told Jacqueline that maybe they should go back to having parties with just their family because there is never an ounce of drama and she is sick and tired of the "bullshit" associated with the other families. She is tired of wasting time with her family on other people's drama and fighting. She's got a great point - it has to be exhausting not to be able to have one day with a large group of people together that there is no fear of craziness. Today, there wasn't drama with the Gorga's versus the Giudice's (thank you, Jesus!), but there was still drama caused by a family that wasn't a Laurita/Manzo - and I think that was Lauren's point. Christopher had the best line of the episode to Jacqueline: "You want to do a field day with Teresa and Melissa and be perfectly sober? You sound ridiculous right now!" Couldn't have said it better myself!!!
Next week, Rosie reveals intimate details about herself and the fabulous wedding of Jamie Laurita!!
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Wow. Great recap!
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
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