The Real Housewives of New Jersey

The Real Housewives of New Jersey took the show on the road and headed to the Catskills. Although I thought I was prepared for anything, I didn't expect this.

Let's recap the highlights and lowlights in this week's +/- review!

We start with the Teresa / Melissa summit talks at Jacqueline's. I don't think these two will ever stop jabbing at one another. It is a constant game of one-upsmanship and I give them a Minus 10 for holding on to such petty crap for so long.

At the same time, I'll give Melissa a Plus 5 for bringing the pictures to remind them of better times. That's a nice gesture.

The two keep saying they're willing to start over but they can't seem to really get there. Jacqueline finally tells Teresa "Quit when you're ahead." Good advice. I doubt she'll take it.

I love that Caroline's husband decides to skip the Catskills trip. Plus 8 for being a smart man.

Did you see Chris' gun safe? How many of those did he bring. My favorite line of the night goes to Jacqueline as she watches him. "I have a look of concern on my face although you can't tell with my botox." She earns a Plus 5 for being honest and funny at the same time.

But before we get to the Catskills, let's check in with the crew that isn't going.

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey are back and the theme of the week is family feuds. Wait, isn't that always the theme on this show? 

In any case, let's recap the action with our +/- review:

Caroline starts her radio show and although she's realistically apprehensive I'll give her Plus 8 having the guts to go for it. She's got a bit of a learning curve but Caroline's got the spunk and determination to be a success. Besides, when it comes to family, she's a bit of a know it all.

Joe and Teresa Giudice finally sit down to talk. Well, it's about damn time. Did that take forever or was it just me? I'm so tired of hearing Joe Gorga whine about how much Teresa has changed. Minus 10 for singing the same tune over and over.

Minus 10 for Teresa as well for constantly blaming Melissa. Yes, she's played a large part in this but Joe and Teresa need to stop acting like spoiled brats.

When they finally start to talk, these two can't get past the first five minutes without bickering and blaming one another and their spouses.

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Yes, Teresa Giudice and her Real Housewives of New Jersey castmates got into a brawl in the Dominican Republic a few months ago.

But, no, the reality star did not physically attack Adolfo Arreola and Jason Gomez during the fight, as those two claim in a lawsuit filed Monday.

"They acted in self defense," said Jim Kridel, the lawyer for Teresa and Joe Giudice, acknowledging that his clients exchanged words with other patrons, but saying neither instigated any violence.

Kridel continued:  "Teresa was hit and assaulted. She is still in pain over this... mere words are not provocation to hit someone. There's no justification for that."

If this is the case, might Teresa countersue? Kridel didn't say. But he insisted that the plaintiffs have no case:

"It's absolutely ridiculous that they were assaulted without provocation. These people are very litigious and they are looking for an opportunity to look into someone else's pocket."

[Photo: Pacific Coast News]

The Real Housewives of New Jersey are under legal attack for their physical attack against a bar patron the Dominican Republican earlier this year.

In February, Adolfo Arreola - a campus police officer from the University of Illinois at Chicago - got into it with Teresa Giudice at the Hard Rock Hotel in the Dominican Republic. From there, Caroline Manzo and other members of Teresa's family jumped in to the fracas.

Now, outlining the incident in detail, Arreola has filed suit against the Housewives.

He claims Giudice was spraying champagne in the club and nailed Arreola's mother-in-law in the eye with it. According to Adolfo, Teresa then joined other Housewives as they "brutally and savagely beat, kicked, punched, scratched, jumped on and smashed glass" on him and members of his family.

The alleged victims are asking for unspecified damages.

Attention, viewers of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Teresa Giudice has a message for you:

Why the heck are you wasting an hour of your life every week watching the scripted drama between a group of wealthy, self-centered, spoiled women?

Just kidding. The star of this franchise actually took to her blog today and attempted to shoot down rumors that she and husband Joe are in serious trouble. She wrote:

Teresa and her friends lost nine points this week.

Joe and I are not getting a divorce. We aren’t separated; never have been. We are happily married. I love him as much as the day we got married. My kids are wonderful. Yes, Gia cried in school one day, but everyone’s been really sweet to her since then and she’s tough, like her mom. I’m so blessed to have my beautiful family!

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey are back and the Guidice-Gorga feud continues. Let's rehash it all with our +/- review of all things Housewives!

Another Housewife wants to be a singer. It's a shock, I know. Minus 7 for these shows rehashing the same plots over and over again.

At least Melissa Gorga seems to have a voice but she needs some professional training. And as much as I dislike Joe Gorga, his support of Melissa's dream was sort of sweet. Although I'm sure having a rockin' pop star for a wife would certainly stroke his ego. Still, I'll give him a Plus 2 but it hurts me to do it.

Melissa isn't the only one with the supportive husband. Caroline's husband, Albert is encouraging her to find a hobby. OK, so her empty nest syndrome is driving him crazy but it's still a nice gesture, so he gets the same Plus 2 to keep things fair.

It looks like Caroline has opinions she wants to share with the world, or at least the greater New Jersey area. I'll give her a Plus 5 for having the gumption to call the radio station and make her pitch. We'll see if Jersey radio is ready for her.

Is Chris out of his mind? Ashley can't even hold a job. She's barely showing up for her internship and he's getting her a car? Scratch that ... another car because this worked so well the first time they did it. Minus 8 for blatant stupidity.

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey are moving, and returning.

Bravo has announced that the series will move to Sunday nights, beginning with the next episode, and will also be coming back for another season.

The news comes as a blow to anyone with good viewing taste, as well as to Danielle Staub.

The series has not suffered at all in her absence, with Teresa Giudice'ssister-in-law, Melissa Gorga, and cousin, Kathy Wakile, bringing enough drama to season three to earn its premiere a record high in ratings.

It's Thanksgiving time in New Jersey. Can the Real Housewives get through the holiday without brawling? Do you really want them to?

Find out with our recap and a + or - points review.

The Guidices and Gorgas are celebrating Thanksgiving separately this year and that alone earns them a Minus 10. The boredom factor at both parties makes me wish they had come together like only this family can because apart, all they can do is whine and complain about the missing family.

But let's cover the pre-party planning. Teresa and Joe head to a turkey farm to pick out their bird. Teresa drives and Joe sits in the passenger seat where he can spout lines like "you're a friggin ditz" as she gets lost. Can you feel the love? Apparently Teresa can because she just giggles proving yet again that there is somebody for everyone. Plus 5.

It takes Teresa a while to realize that the poultry she can buy at the storefront is actually killed in the back. This is a poultry farm.

Yet, Joe and Teresa earn a Plus 5 when they can't bring themselves to send a bird to slaughter. As the farmer insists the birds don't feel a thing, Joe thinks it looks scare and Teresa quips, "Do they speak turkey? How do they know?" I know some bird ended up dead either way but the couples' concern for the scared bird was kind of cute.

Can Caroline please stop pushing for Vito to marry her daughter. Minus 8 for putting so much pressure on this relationship. With all that marriage talk I wouldn't blame Vito if he made a run for it.

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey are back again, but it's not the housewives themselves that get under our skin as much as the husbands.

Sometimes, I think this show is about who can be the trashiest. Was there a winner this week? Let's recap with our +/-review!

Teresa is reviewing the photos for her new cookbook and I have to admit, they look great. Plus 10. Of course she nitpicks with the photographer. One picture should include parsley, there should be more sauce on the meatballs, etc. I suppose she needs to feel involved but from what I saw, the guy knows what he's doing.  

Teresa gains a Plus 15 for her creative vocabulary. The name for her next book, "Fabulicious" is her personal word creation. Of course so is the "ingrediences" she uses. I won't even touch her pronunciation of the word cumin.  

Cousin Kathy decides she needs to speak to Caroline after the way things were left during last week's fashion show. She defends herself to Caroline about her confrontation with Teresa. "I was coming from a place of love. Caroline's response. "I don't care." Plus 5 because I really love Caroline for not listening to Kathy's self serving bs.

Then Kathy laments that she's a grown woman and doesn't need Caroline's approval. Then why the heck did she trek all the way to her house. Minus 10 for hypocrisy. If Kathy doesn't want people to think she's a trouble maker, perhaps she should stop causing trouble.

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Kathy Wakile is playing dumb. Or, perhaps, it's not really an act.

The new cast member on The Real Housewives of New Jersey was clearly brought in to replace Danielle Staub on the show and create serious tension, especially between herself and her cousin, Teresa Giudice.

But Wakile tells Zap2It she never considered that possibility when contacted by Bravo, and she isn't trying to choose sides now between Teresa and her sister-in-law, Melissa Gorga.

Kathy Wakile and Melissa Gorga have upped the family drama on season two.

"I never wanted to choose between Melissa or Teresa," Kathy says. "As I said before, I grew up with Teresa. Teresa is my cousin and I love her. I looked at her like a little sister. When Joe and Melissa got married, I looked at Melissa like a cousin, too. And we all got along really, really well initially. And what happened was Teresa's life got busier."

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