The three-part Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 reunion kicked off with its first edition on Tuesday, May 30, and the hourlong special saw plenty of drama.
"We are paying tribute to the beautiful castle in Ireland because it's safe to say that after the way this season ended, we need all the luck of the Irish we can get right now," reunion host Andy Cohen announced at the top of the show, referencing the set's ornate digs and slightly terrifying old-timey portraits of the cast.
And, thankfully, there was some Irish-style luck in the form of Dolores Catania's happy relationship updates with Paul Connell and a long-delayed breakthrough in the Danielle Cabral brother drama. But there was still loads of feuding, especially between sister-in-laws Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga.
Here are the major reveals and allegations from the RHONJ season 13 reunion.
Teresa said this is why Dina Manzo didn't attend her wedding
Former RHONJ star Dina Manzo, who appeared as a main cast member on the show in 2009-2010 and 2014, was formerly a close friend of Teresa and was even invited to be a bridesmaid at Giudice's big televised nuptials to fiancé Luis Ruelas. However, fans will remember that Dina not only didn't serve as a bridesmaid but didn't even attend the wedding itself, a shocking absence that Andy asked Teresa about at the reunion.
"She didn't want to be on camera. She didn't want people knowing she was coming here. And I'm not gonna get upset with her. When she told me, I was like, okay. I mean, I wish she would've told me a little sooner, but it's okay." Teresa claimed, to which Andy suggested that she could have attended and simply chosen not to sign a release to be seen onscreen.
"It seems like you and Louie and Dina and her man were very tight and going on trips... but that seems like it stopped. Are you guys okay?" the host followed up. (A little refresher: during the regular season, Joe Gorga alleged that a business-related beef between Louie and Dina's husband David was the cause of the estrangement.)
"We are okay. And Louie and Dave never had any business dealings at all," Teresa shut down the rumored rift.
Melissa also commented on Joe bringing up Louie and David's tiff on camera. "He had a private conversation with Dave," Melissa said. "[But Dave] doesn't want to be part of the show, so that was wrong. Joe stepped out of line by saying that on the show."
Paulie and Dolores are building a life together — but he's still legally married
Dolores revealed how her current romance with Paulie is different from her previous ones with ex-husband Frank Catania and ex-boyfriend Principe. "Meeting Paulie helped me break down those walls that I always, always had up," she told Andy. "We're building a life together, everything is together."
However, when Andy broached the topic of marriage, Dolores dropped a shocking reveal: Paulie is not legally divorced. "He's been separated for 14 years," she explained. When pressed about the hold-up, she added: "I think there was never a call for it. I think he never thought about getting married again."
Frank Catania still lives with Dolores' ex-boyfriend David
Speaking of Dolores' exes, she also revealed that her ex-husband Frank still lives with David, whom Dolores broke up with in 2021 after five years of dating.
"You respond to that as if it's normal," Andy joked. "Like, [Frank's girlfriend] Brittany sleeps over at David's house?"
"Frank did build the house," Dolores reasoned, to which Andy responded: "Somebody built my house too, but that doesn't mean they're staying with me!"
Despite the, uh, unorthodox living arrangement, Dolores said, "Everybody is very good over there... you know what, to each his own." She didn't know, however, whether or not Frank pays David rent.
Melissa claimed Louie pursued another Housewife before Teresa
Of course, much of the reunion special's drama revolved around the ongoing drama between Teresa, Louie, Melissa and Joe, and it was during one such bout between the sisters-in-law that Margaret Josephs dropped a bomb regarding Teresa's new husband.
"My brother's the one that brought [Louie] on the show... because 'it's all about the show'!" Teresa criticized her estranged brother, claiming her husband didn't want to be part of the reality program.
"He did want to be on TV," Melissa snapped back. "Just like he knew who you were when he met you... he knows Alexia, too."
The Alexia mentioned is Alexia Nepola, a cast member of The Real Housewives of Miami, with Gorga suggesting Louie tried to date the Floridian before getting with Guidice. "He wanted to go out with Alexia from Miami?" Andy questioned, to which Margaret Josephs confirmed: "Yes."
"It was before he met you," Melissa said, but Teresa shut the story down, telling her: "You're a liar!"
Danielle and her brother finally saw each other after three years
"It's been how long since you two spoke?" Andy asked RHONJ rookie Danielle Cabral about the length of her estrangement from her brother, a rift that allegedly stemmed from Cabral unfollowing her sibling on Instagram. (That reasoning had been dubbed unlikely by the rest of the cast throughout season 13.)
"In August, it will be three years, but I'm actually going to see him tomorrow for the first time," Danielle revealed. "My grandmother passed away so today's actually the wake, so I would've seen them today but I'll see them tomorrow for the funeral."
Danielle also told Andy she had previously tried to contact her brother, but her reach-out was rebuffed. "We sent a gift for the baby but they sent the gift back... a pretty little sweater that I bought her," Danielle said, referring to her newborn niece.
When Andy asked whether or not she thought her brother watched her debut season of the series, Danielle shared: "This was his favorite show... it's ironic. So, I'm thinking he watched."
Danielle and Rachel finally called a truce
Luckily for Danielle, one of her longstanding feuds of the season did finally see some closure.
"Danielle, you came off to me pretty tough so I was surprised by how emotional you are and that you left situations a few times that you seemed like you were gonna get in there," said Andy.
"I think I was shocked," Danielle responded. "You didn't let it go," she directed at fellow RHONJ newcomer Rachel Fuda. "You kept bringing it up again and again," Melissa defended Rach.
"You're sitting here, 'I don't know what I did.' Where's your accountability?" Rachel questioned before the discussion devolved into name-calling.
"I didn't think this fight was a big deal," Andy broke them up. "This is the dumbest fight, I'm sorry. It's crazy," to which Dolores concurred: "They just need to drop this. This is so minute and stupid and the more the insults start coming, the worse it's gonna get... this is not worth it, at all."
"I will say this, I happen to like Danielle," Rachel admitted, before speaking directly to Cabral. "That being said, I was hurt by a lot of the things you said about me in your confessionals. I do not think the punishment fits the crime, I don't. You continued to double down and never apologized for your part in it."
"I genuinely thought we had a little friendship and I was hurt by it and sometimes hurt becomes anger," Danielle said.
"Make a pact: what's happened this season stays there," Dolores offered, to which the newbies agreed: "Truce."
Joe Giudice made a surprise cameo — but he isn't a RHONJ fan
Yes, Teresa's ex-husband Joe Giudice — who has been living in the Bahamas following his US deportation for fraud charges — made a surprise appearance during the RHONJ season 13 reunion. Well, sort of.
"Look who's calling me? Joe Giudice," Teresa announced as her phone accidentally went off approximately two seconds into the reunion taping. "You can answer it if you want!" Andy told her.
The reason for the call? "Tre, ask Jennifer's husband Bill if he does bags under your eyes?" he asked, referencing The Real Housewives of New Jersey husband Bill Aydin, who is a plastic surgeon. He clarified that the procedure would be for his uncle. When Andy inquired whether he watched season 13 of the show, Joe admitted he hadn't, to which Andy quipped that Giudice didn't even watch it when he was starring in the series. "You only watched it when you were in jail!" Teresa joked.
Teresa believes Melissa is going to be fired after this season
The sister-in-laws started off on a calm foot. "I want to close a chapter and move forward. I wish her well, peace, and that's what I want, to close that chapter," Teresa said of her goal for the reunion episode, which Melissa matched: "There's a lot of truth that needs to come out today and I agree with closing it in peace."
However, that didn't last long, with the women falling yet again into a she-said, she-said showdown. ("This story is so old," Dolores whispered to Danielle, who quipped in reply: "I'm thinking of Shake Shack.")
"It's gonna be over after tonight, I can't wait!" Teresa said of their decades-long feud. "Why, where are you going?" Melissa asked. "You're leaving," Teresa told her. "I don't know how we're gonna coexist, the two of us."
"If she left [the show], does that mean she would be out of your life?" Andy asked Giudice.
"Definitely, she's gonna be out of my life after tonight," Teresa responded.
When Gorga claimed Teresa's "whole storyline" on the show revolved around her estrangement from her brother, Teresa rattled off her reality-show cred: "I had a baby on the show, I went to jail on the show, I got married... we're bringing this all out. Because this is over after today, I'm never gonna look at your face ever again."
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 reunion continues with part two on Wednesday, June 7, and is available to stream next-day on Peacock.
