Bravo Pictured: (l-r) Teresa Giudice, Jennifer Aydin, Jackie Goldschneider, Dolores Catania, Margaret Josephs
Jackie Goldschneider spoke out about her demotion on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” The mom of four was a full-time cast member on the Bravo reality show for four seasons, but for season 13 she returned as a “friend of” the Housewives.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Goldschneider admitted that she felt a little put off by her lesser role—at first. “It’s hard to go into a room that you were once the center of attention and now there’s what, seven Housewives? So to be the eighth person in line, that was, like, a little bit of an ego punch,” she admitted in the February 9, 2023 interview. “My ego hurt at first.”
“It was a little rough because I didn’t really understand what a ‘friend’ did, but once I got into it, I didn’t really feel different about my job,” she added. “Once I took my ego out of it, then I was able to fully embrace it.”
Goldschneider revealed that she did not hold back on her opinions during filming and that the cameras were on her “constantly” and that she attended “every single” cast event and trip.
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” also stars Teresa Giudice, Margaret Josephs, Melissa Gorga, and Jennifer Aydin.
Jackie Goldschneider Said No One Took Her Place on RHONJ
While Goldschneider was reduced to the “friend of” status, newcomers Danielle Cabral and Rachel Fuda were added as main cast members for season 13. Another newcomer, Jennifer Fessler, also joined the Bravo reality show as a “friend of,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
In the Us Weekly interview, Goldschneider reiterated that full-timers Cabral and Fuda were not replacements for her on the show.
“It’s important that you understand that I never for one minute thought these women came and took my job,” she said. “That’s not the way it happens at all, because they’re very different from me and I am my own person.”
Jackie Goldschneider Previously Said She Didn’t Care What Bravo Called Her
Goldschneider first spoke about her “friend” status in July 2022, although he stopped short of labeling herself in that way. At the time, she told Page Six, “No matter what, I show up. I’m filming all the time no matter what you want to call me, so whatever Bravo decides to call me, I’m here and doing the same thing, so it makes no difference to me.”
But Goldschneider also hinted that it was her decision to cut back on her full-time commitment to Bravo following the reveal of her 18-year eating disorder, which was addressed during the 12th season of the show.
“When Bravo approached me about casting for season 13, I obviously was very excited to be a part of the show again because I love the show. But my recovery was not in the place that I expected it to be,” she told People in December 2022. “I still needed a lot of intense therapy …I just wasn’t sure how to balance the time commitment for the show with my recovery.”
The Bravo alum added that she was happy that “supportive” producers offered her a friend role on RHONJ, even though it took some adjustment for her.
“Even though that was a really tough pill to swallow and it was hard for me to step back a little bit after having been such a big part of the show for so many years, I really knew that that was probably the best solution,” Goldschneider said.
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