Melissa Gorga found her voice during “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” reunion – and she appears to be continuing the narrative off-camera.
The season 13 reunion was taped on April 20, 2023, in New York City, with stars Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Margaret Josephs, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Aydin, and newcomers Danielle Cabral and Rachel Fuda all duking it out as host Andy Cohen played referee. But nearly two months later, Gorga and Giudice are still deeply estranged.
And while they are not speaking, a merch drop is worth a thousand words. In June 2023, just as the second part of the reunion aired on Bravo, Gorga released two reunion-related items at her Envy Boutique in New Jersey – and they were seemingly aimed at her sister-in-law.
Here’s what you need to know:
Melissa Gorga is Selling Handcuff Bracelets at Her Store
Just in time for the RHONJ reunion, Gorga released a new item at her store, Envy. The Ridgewood, New Jersey boutique now features $50 gold and silver bracelets with a handcuff motif.
The bracelets seem to be a direct dig at Giudice, who served an 11-month prison sentence for fraud in 2015. “Grab them before they’re GONE!! Only a few left of The Handcuff Link bracelets,” came a caption to a photo of the jewelry. As an extra diss, the post for the handcuff bracelet featured music from the Akon song “Locked Up.”
Fans reacted to the launch of the bracelets, with many of them praising Gorga for her savvy marketing.
“Well this is a dig if I ever seen one and ITS AWESOME !!!!” one fan wrote.
“You finally stepped up and fought back for yourself … for a long time you played it safe bc of the family values ., finally you coming at her,” another wrote to Gorga.
The new merch came days after Giudice accused Gorga and her husband of hanging out with “people” who helped land her in jail, an accusation that Gorga staunchly denied.
“Teresa, we didn’t commit mortgage fraud — you did, dollface,” Gorga said during the reunion. “Like, stop!”
Melissa Gorga Also Released a Sweatshirt With a Line She Said To Teresa Giudice at the RHONJ Reunion
In addition to the bracelets, Gorga’s shop also featured a sweatshirt that reads, “I know you hate me, but just try and control yourself.” The black sweatshirt features a lip gloss bottle under the phrase. Gorga uttered the line to Giudice as she put lip gloss on during a break at the RHONJ reunion.
There’s room for plenty more t-shirt slogans if needed. Elsewhere during the reunion, Gorga called Giudice “the queen of deflection,” “fake as f***,” and she even dubbed Giudice’s new husband, Louie Ruelas, as the show’s new “b*** boy.”
But while some fans think Gorga “lit” her sister-in-law on fire during the rollercoaster reunion taping, Giudice doesn’t seem to agree, On Twitter, one RHONJ viewer shared a clip of Gorga and Giudice going oat it with the caption, “I have never seen Melissa eat someone up at a reunion but tonight she left Teresa in pieces. When you speak facts to a person who always twists the narrative, they squirm.”
Giudice responded with, “Are you watching the same show? lol.”
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Melissa Gorga Shades Teresa Giudice Following Explosive RHONJ Reunion