For better or worse, Teresa Giudice has been the glue that has held The Real Housewives of New Jersey together since its launch in 2009.
While the rest of the original cast departed, she has been on the show for 14 seasons straight and racked up countless memorable moments over the years.
However, the moment that sent the ratings soaring and increased recognition for RHONJ was Teresa flipping the table during the freshman finale during a fiery argument with Danielle Staub.
It’s ingrained in pop culture because it was so shocking. There was nothing quite like it on reality TV then, so it makes sense that it’s still talked about all these years later.
Plus, it’s possible that RHONJ wouldn’t have lasted as long without everyone talking about the moment because word-of-mouth undoubtedly helped.
In a recent interview with Us Weekly, the RHONJ OG explained her thoughts on the moment and how she doesn’t want to be remembered for being “the table flipper.”
Teresa seems embarrassed that her husband, Luis Ruelas, is constantly reminded of her past because people say, “He’s married to the table flipper.”
Teresa is ready for a rebrand
“I don’t want to be known as that, but they love it,” the 52-year-old shared.
Of course, Teresa has been caught up in other moments on the show that have caught a lot of attention, but the table flip is definitely one of RHONJ’s most defining moments.
However, it makes sense that she would want to distance herself from it because it occurred so long ago.
Teresa’s future on RHONJ is up in the air for the first time as producers aim to give the show a revamp sorts.
Details about which cast members are returning have not been determined, but the aim seems to be to remove the toxicity.
Teresa has been caught up in much of that in recent years.
Could Teresa return to RHONJ?
Still, there may be bigger fish to fry, such as Danielle Cabral and Jennifer Aydin, who were both suspended from filming following a physical altercation while shooting Season 14.
Either way, Teresa is staying booked and busy in the off-season, which is more than can be said for some of her co-stars.
She’s appearing in House of Villains Season 2, which premiered earlier this week.
The series puts a string of well-known reality TV villains together in a house as they attempt to win a strategic and competitive game.
Teresa also recently announced her plan to open a restaurant with her daughter, Gia Giudice.
If Teresa isn’t asked back for the next chapter of RHONJ, she has many exciting opportunities in the works.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey is on hiatus. Stream Seasons 1-14 on Peacock.
