Bravo A couple of people aren't getting along on RHONJ.
The new season of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” won’t premiere until sometime in 2023, but it sounds like there’s going to be a lot of drama for fans to sift through.
Aside from the finale fight that has effectively ended Teresa Giudice and Joe Gorga’s relationship, it sounds like there’s going to be even more going on among other people on the show.
In an interview with Us Weekly at BravoCon, Frank Catania Sr. — the ex-husband of Dolores Catania — shared that he’s not on the best terms with one newcomer: Dolores’ new boyfriend, Paul Connell, who will make his RHONJ debut during season 13.
Here’s what you need to know:
Frank Admitted Things Haven’t Consistently Been Great Between Him & Connell
If you’ve watched RHONJ for a long time, you probably know that Dolores and Frank have an extremely close relationship.
In fact, several years after the two divorced, they actually ended up moving in together. And while they maintain that their relationship is strictly platonic, it can be a little intimidating for the people that they date — and that seems to be happening with Connell.
“We’re not on the best of terms because Paul is not used to the dynamic between Dolores and me,” Frank told Us Weekly. “If you spend more time with Dolores and me, you get to see there’s nothing to worry about, right? I love her. I will always love her. I always take care of her,” he added.
Frank told the outlet that Connell is starting to come around. “He’s gotten better, and we’ve spent a much more time together and I think he’s gotten much more comfortable. Any tension that was there before, I feel it’s gone. … When I see him, we hug now,” he said.
Frank Previously Said That Connell Looks Like Buzz Lightyear From ‘Toy Story’
With Dolores being in a new relationship, she sort of depended on her ex-husband to get along with her new guy and to play nice. However, at the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” reunion earlier in 2022, Frank took a shot at his ex’s beau, comparing him to Buzz Lightyear.
“Listen, me and Paulie don’t exactly see eye to eye. Paulie, I don’t think understands mine and Dolores’ relationship,” Frank told host Andy Cohen. Ultimately, however, Frank admitted that he just wants Dolores to be “happy.”
“That’s all that matters to me. But I get defensive of our relationship,” he explained. At the time, Connell hadn’t even met Frank.
Apparently having a little bit of fun with Frank’s comment, Connell took to his Instagram Stories to respond. Connell shared a photo of Buzz Lightyear alongside Mr. Potato Head.
“Hey Frank, no fear, Buzz Connell is here!” he captioned the post.
Meanwhile, Frank was very close to Dolores’ ex, David Principe — and the two still see each other, even though Dolores and Principe have split up.
“David’s still one of my best friends. Me and him just went to dinner the other night,” Frank said on the January 5, 2022, episode of the “Side Piece” podcast.
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