Jennifer Aydin may be able to “smell a rat,” but Melissa Gorga thinks she can sniff out a fake.
In an exclusive interview with Page Six, the latter “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star says that she believes her nemesis is not “authentic” on the hit reality series.
“I just don’t speak her language. I’ve always struggled with Jennifer because I’m fine arguing with someone but … I never feel like she’s authentic,” the “On Display” podcast host explains.
“I feel like she walks in the room and she’s like, ‘Hmm, what should I do today?’”
Gorga, 42, says that she can go at it “all day” with other cast members — including Dolores Catania, sister-in-law Teresa Giudice and close pals Jackie Goldschneider and Margaret Josephs — but has a hard time taking Aydin, 44, seriously in their onscreen scuffles.
Aydin and Gorga have repeatedly butted heads on the hit Bravo reality show. Bravo“I tend to dismiss her a lot in my head because I never believe what she’s saying is really how she feels. She’s kind of, like, putting it on a lot,” the veteran Bravolebrity observes. “I just don’t read her as an authentic [person].”
However, things certainly got real — and very heated — on Tuesday’s episode of “RHONJ” after Aydin called Gorga’s husband, Joe Gorga, a “little bitch girl” for inserting himself into the ladies’ social media drama that occurred before Season 12 went into production.
An explosive physical altercation ensued, prompting the Gorgas to flee the Aydins’ Jersey Shore rental house with Goldschneider, 45, and Josephs, 53, trailing behind with their spouses in tow.
“It’s always rough for me with her,” notes Melissa, who has butted heads with Aydin since her adversary joined the show in 2018’s Season 9. “I’m just like, ‘Sit down.’”
The revelation of Bill Aydin’s decade-old affair has created drama on “RHONJ” Season 12. Astrid StawiarzStill, the former pop singer tells Page Six that she had empathy for Aydin as her plastic surgeon husband’s decade-old affair was dissected by the cast.
“There is a lot that goes on with her this season … we get to see a lot of the inside of what’s going on [inside her home] and maybe why she acts the way she does and why she acts up,” Melissa says. “We definitely talk it out a little bit this season.”
As viewers will recall, Josephs revealed that Dr. Bill Aydin stepped out on Jennifer with a pharmaceutical rep 10 years ago during a contentious pool party that played out on the Season 12 premiere.
Melissa suggests that Jennifer’s marital strife created a pathway for them to mend their fractured friendship.
“I’ve never seen her cry so much as she did this season,” she says. “Where I wouldn’t normally even bother with her, I completely did. You will see our relationship evolve this season, finally.”
For her part, Jennifer tells Page Six that she began filming with the intention of patching things up with Melissa — as well as Goldschneider and Josephs, other castmates with whom she has repeatedly clashed.
Aydin (second from left) tells Page Six that she feels “alone” in her three-on-one battles with castmates Gorga, Margaret Josephs and Jackie Goldschneider.Bravo“My personality is one that doesn’t hold grudges. I like being happy, I like being silly, I don’t like being in a bad headspace with people,” she says. “I count on myself for being, like, ‘OK, that wasn’t so nice. Why don’t we talk?’ I’m big about trying to communicate with somebody and finding a way to make it work or make it better.”
Despite her optimism, Jennifer admits that the three-on-one battles with Melissa and her allies can be debilitating.
“I’m alone by myself,” she acknowledges. “It is very hurtful, and it’s a very heavy weight on my shoulders when I feel like it’s all three against me.”
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
