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TagsBY PAM LOBLEY
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
By now we all know that Teresa Giudice and her husband Joe have filed for bankruptcy, citing $11 million in debt. But if you watch Season Two, now airing, you will see no signs of financial trouble. Their spending continues to be out of control.
This is because, although the Giudices filed bankruptcy IN THE MIDDLE of shooting Season Two, they simply didn't mention it to the producers or camera crew.
A Bravo representative was quoted as saying, "We just follow the ladies. They tell us what they're doing and we decide if we want to film them that day. So, if Teresa [had] said, 'Hey, guess what, guys? I'm going to file for bankruptcy today,' we probably would have followed it. But it's easy for them to not give us that information."
So, it seems, Teresa was enjoying her role as a big spender on the show so much, she decided to continue playing it, even if it was no longer "real".
The lies went so far, in fact, that Hackensack attorney John Sywilok has filed a complaint against the Giudices alleging "false oaths" about income, expenses and assets; concealed documents; and failure to disclose their interests in several businesses.
We all know that reality stars just "put it on" for the cameras. People don't tune into reality shows to see reality. They tune in to see outrageous behavior that they pretend is reality. If they wanted to see reality, they could watch shows like "Law & Order" or "Two and a Half Men". Scripted shows try harder to look real than the reality shows do.
Reality stars are not really stars anymore, they're freaks in a freak show that we can't stop watching. When huge ratings are garnered because one rich girl yanks out another one's hair extensions — I have to wonder how far we've really come from the days when people lined up to stare at the bearded lady or the Siamese Twins.
But in lying about her financial losses and continuing to live beyond her means, it strikes me that Teresa is the realest thing in New Jersey. Didn't we all take out home equity loans to redo kitchens and great rooms we never would have been able to afford if not for the housing bubble? Don't we all use our credit card for stuff we know we shouldn't? And if you've lost your job or taken a pay cut, don't you down play it and still try to keep up appearances? That's reality.
Think about what the Bravo rep said — that the ladies "tell us what they're doing and we decide if we want to film them that day". These Housewives are under pressure to deliver sideshow antics. If you look at it one way, Teresa may be just trying to keep her day job. Would we still watch her if she lived in a three bedroom/one and a half bath, and used the mushy bananas to make muffins instead of throwing them away, like I did this morning?
Actually, Teresa is already working on her next paycheck. She has an online boutique "TG Fabulicious" and a best-selling cookbook, "Skinny Italian." She can call the sequel "Broke Italian."
Pam Lobley writes the "Now That's Funny" column. Sign up for her mailing list at www.pamlobley.com.
