Credit: NANCY RIVERA/INSTARimages, MEGA
Teresa Giudice knows a thing or two about spending time behind bars.
So, when it came to finding the perfect person to offer fellow reality stars Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley advice as they prepare for their 12-year and seven-year prison sentences, respectively, the Real Housewives of New Jersey was just the right choice.
Years after serving 11 months in prison for fraud crimes, Teresa was spotted at LAX, where the longtime television personality and mother of four shared several recommendations for the Chrisley Knows Best cast members.
“I would say like, one of my memoirs that I wrote is Standing Strong, so stand strong. Stand strong for their family and manifest while being in prison what they want when they came out and just to be strong for their children,” Teresa told a TMZ videographer at the airport on Tuesday. “It’s gonna be very hard but they have to make the best of it and they have to stand strong for their family and stay connected to their children and make it work.”
According to Teresa, keeping in close contact with family is a key aspect of passing time behind bars.
“My children came every week,” she shared of her 2015 prison stint. “And the thing is, my children [Gia Giudice, 21, Gabriella Giudice, 18, Milania Giudice, 16, and Audriana Giudice, 13] were young.”
As for Todd and Julie, they share Chase Chrisley, 26, Savannah Chrisley, 25, and Grayson Chrisley, 16. Todd also has two older children, Lindsie Chrisley, 33, and Kyle Chrisley, 31, who he shares with ex-wife Teresa Terry.
“Based on their schedule, at least go once a month,” Teresa advised, signaling to the fact that the Chrisleys’ children are much older than hers were at the time of her sentence. “They have to always keep connected, keep their family connected, [and] stand strong together.”
When Teresa was then asked about how she got adjusted to prison food, the RHONJ cast member explained that “you just do.”
“And I have to say, where I was, the food wasn’t so bad. And I cooked there where I was there also. I chose to be [in the kitchen]. Where I was, the inmates were the cooks so they all did a great job,” Teresa revealed, encouraging Todd and Julie to get involved in the activities of their facilities.
“I exercised, I did yoga every single day. I wrote my book when I was in prison,” she noted.
Teresa’s comments come just days after ex-husband Joe Giudice appeared on her podcast, Namaste B$tches, where he suggested that if the Chrisleys hadn’t gone to trial, they would’ve been dealt much less time behind bars.
“[Todd] would’ve probably got the same amount I got, which he would’ve been out in 17 months because he could’ve did the drug program [and other programs] because he’s a citizen,” Joe explained. “But being that he went to trial, they crucified him. They give you double time.”
“You can’t go to trial against the feds. You’re gonna lose,” he added.