Teresa Giudice is clapping back at Rachel Fuda after her Real Housewives of New Jersey castmate suggested that her show friendships are “manufactured.”
After Rachel, 33, took aim at Teresa, 52, during a podcast appearance, stating that she and her series allies, including Jennifer Aydin and Jackie Goldschneider, both 47, manufacture narratives, and discussing her potential future with the show, Teresa fired back with a series of posts on Instagram.
“We have true relationships with each other, and I think that’s the thing that was so unique about our room for the watch party,” Rachel noted during an appearance on Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea podcast. “You watch the other room and it’s like, ‘OK, Teresa, what’s the narrative now? What are we going to say? What do we have to prove now?’ It’s just very manufactured now, in my opinion. … I think that’s the biggest problem. I think our show is truly lacking authenticity in its relationships and friendships.”
During the finale watch party, which aired in place of a reunion, Rachel was in a room with Melissa Gorga, 45, Margaret Josephs, 57, Danielle Cabral, 38, and Jennifer Fessler, 56, while Teresa was joined by Aydin and Jackie, and Dolores Catania, 53, went back and forth between both rooms.
“[We have] true relationships versus manufactured relationship. And I feel like that was a very stark reality and it’s so clear,” Rachel continued. “I feel like when you were watching our room, it’s like a group of friends bantering, making comments, gasping, laughing, like, all those little things that we would do if we were sitting on my living room couch — and we have done.”
According to Rachel, she believes fans feel the same way as she’s gotten a lot of positive feedback from RHONJ viewers.
“It’s been a rocky year, so to have that support feels really good because there’s been a lot of negativity. There’s been a lot of that coming at us, so it feels good to have that moment of other people see we’re good people,” she admitted.
Regarding her potential role on season 15, Rachel confirmed she’d “love to be included.”
“I think that whatever they decide to do with the show, whether they reboot it, bring some of us back, none of us back, all of us … whatever it is, I would love to see the show move forward in a more positive direction,” she added. “I would love to see it be a little bit lighter.”
In the meantime, Rachel is focused on welcoming her new baby with John Fuda, 37. On the final episode of season 15, Rachel confirmed a sibling will be joining her other kids, including daughters Gianella, 4, and Giuliana, 2, and her adopted son, Jaiden, 17.
“It was really nice to watch [my announcement] back and feel such positivity, really seeing me with my girls and everyone genuinely be happy for me and just enjoy that moment with them,” Rachel said. “Because I feel like our show has gotten so dark and so toxic, it’s very far and few between when we’re smiling and celebrating something with excitement and happiness,” she elaborated. “I watched it back, and it gave me all the feels, you know?”
After Page Six shared a link to Rachel’s podcast appearance on its Instagram page, signaling Rachel’s comment about Teresa’s “manufactured” friendships, Teresa accused her castmate of being “obsessed.”
“Why is she so obsessed with me?” Teresa asked.
Also on Instagram this week, Teresa shaded Rachel in a comment shared on Reality Blurb‘s Instagram page. This came after we shared an article about Rachel suggesting Teresa’s podcast was created solely to clean up Luis’ mess and shading Luis’ toxicity as she discussed him wishing harm on Margaret’s son.
“Why doesn’t Rachel stop talking about me? Why doesn’t she talk about her husband’s past?” Teresa wondered in her first post.
Then, in a second, giving a nod to the recently leaked article about John’s past history with a violent home invasion, she added, “Her husband has a criminal background, not mine.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey is on hiatus ahead of its 15th season.
