Credit: Bravo
Melissa Gorga is clapping back at Jacqueline Laurita’s recent suggestion that she labeled Caroline Manzo “too old and boring” for The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
After Jacqueline went on an Instagram rant against her in response to a fan who questioned her about Melissa’s relationship with Caroline, even bringing up her strained relationship with sister-in-law Teresa Giudice, Melissa responded to her allegations, insisting that she has “always” loved her former castmate.
“It’s going down in the Garden State. Former [RHONJ] star [Jacqueline Laurita] claims current [Real Housewife Melissa Gorga] called Laurita’s sister-in-law and fellow show alum, 61-year-old [Caroline Manzo], ‘too old and boring’ to be a cast member,” Page Six wrote on Instagram on January 19.
And in the outlet’s comment section, Melissa replied, “Not true- I love Caroline always have.”
In a series of comments shared by All About the Real Housewives on Instagram days ago, Jacqueline accused Melissa of not only saying that Caroline was “too old and boring for the show” (Jacqueline said she is not), but also of being “really good at lying while keeping a straight face.”
“[She’s] very good at manipulating people,” Jacqueline added.
And when it came to Melissa’s ongoing drama with Teresa, Jacqueline said that during her time with Melissa on RHONJ, she and her husband, Joe Gorga, often spoke poorly of Teresa.
“The whole time, Melissa and Joe were in my ear manipulating me, telling me secrets about Teresa, things Teresa would say and do to them, and telling me things Teresa would say behind my back,” she shared.
Caroline and Jacqueline were full-time cast members on RHONJ when the series began in May 2009 and continued to appear on the show in official roles through season five. Caroline went on to appear in her own spinoff, Manzo’d with Children, which aired for three seasons from 2014 to 2016, and Jacqueline moved to Las Vegas after appearing as a “friend” on season six and reprising her full-time position for season seven.
Earlier this month, Peacock announced that Caroline was headed to Morocco to film the upcoming fourth season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip with The Real Housewives of Orange County‘s Vicki Gunvalson and Gretchen Rossi, The Real Housewives of Atlanta‘s Phaedra Parks and Eva Marcille, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills‘ Brandi Glanville and Camille Grammer, and Real Housewives of New York City alum Alex McCord.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 premieres on Tuesday, February 7, at 9/8c on Bravo.