Andy Cohen is not concerned about the upcoming season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, despite the ongoing feud between Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga.
During Friday’s “Ask Andy” panel at BravoCon 2023, Cohen, 55, was asked about the new season of the Bravo hit and how they were able to film given the family tensions.
“I think that’s what is refreshing about the season, and I actually kind of found it refreshing last season, is they’re not even pretending. I mean, they just hate each other,” he told the crowd. “So it’s like once that’s out the door, it actually kind of takes the energy out of the whole thing and then you can move on and tell other stories, which is what is happening this season.”
“I think it will be really interesting for people [to see] because there are a lot of new alliances,” he continued to say of the new season. “All the platelets kind of shift this season and I think it’s really interesting to watch.”
After his response, attendees in the crowd started yelling “Fire Teresa!” but moderator Jeff Lewis insisted Cohen wouldn’t do that because “she brings in the ratings.”
“You can’t fire her,” Lewis, 53, added. “That’s the problem. I mean, I like Teresa. I’m fine, I’m good with her now. I don’t want to cause any more problems.”
Last season of RHONJ was heavily focused on the Gorga/Giudice family divide. Years of misunderstandings plus business dealings between Giudice’s then-fiancée Luis “Louie” Ruelas and her brother Joe Gorga had put a strain on their relationship, but things only got worse throughout the season when attempts were made to repair it.
The season ended with Joe, 43, and Melissa, 44, deciding not to attend Giudice’s wedding after it was revealed she and Ruelas, 48, had met with Joe behind Melissa’s back to tell Joe about cheating rumors they’d heard involving Melissa. (Melissa has vehemently denied the “baseless” allegations.)
From that point on, lines were drawn between Giudice, 51, and Melissa. The two traded insults on social media and on their respective podcasts. They were even split into separate panels at BravoCon 2022 to mitigate the noise.
Things didn’t get better by the reunion. Taped in April, the three-parter included plenty of name-calling. And though Melissa and Joe both offered hope they could build a relationship again in the future, Giudice made it clear she never planned on seeing them again.
That left even Cohen wondering how the two might be able to co-exist on the show — an issue he discussed in interviews in May while promoting his new Daddy Diaries memoir. But despite reports that the show went on “pause” so casting changes could be made, Cohen said the break was natural.
“ It’s not really on pause. That was a little blown up. We always take a break between seasons, and then suddenly it made it look like we were in the middle of production and we shut the cameras down. All it is is, we’re just taking a second between seasons,” he said on The Elvis Duran Show in June. “And when you see part 3 of the reunion, you’ll say, ‘Oh I understand why they’re taking a second.’ That was a bloodbath, let’s take a minute and let everyone catch their breath before we send cameras in. And that’s me saying something; typically you would send cameras in the next day, but it was too hot. Too hot to handle!”
Despite the tensions — and the crowd’s plea on Friday — Giudice has been adamant that she would never walk away from the series that launched her and her family into stardom.
“I’m just so over it,” she told E! News. “I’ve been dealing with this for 10 years… [Me leaving the show is] not true. Honey, I started this show, I am not going anywhere. I am not going anywhere.”
Melissa has also previously said a reconciliation between families would not be likely. “The door’s shut right now [on a reconciliation]. Just is. It’s exhausting, if I’m being honest … I’m done. I’m done with the toxic,” she told in February.
“So we’re done. We wish everybody well. I wish her family well. I wish her marriage lasts a thousand years. I really do,” Melissa added. “I want everyone to be happy and find peace. That’s all I want.”
Filming for the new season began in August. A month earlier, Bravo made return offers to both women as well as the rest of their season 13 costars. A premiere date for season 14 has not yet been announced by Bravo.
BravoCon 2023 is continuing through Sunday, Nov. 5 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
