What’s colorful, stylish – “Jerseylicious” even, you might say – and all over reality television?
Englewood’s upscale women’s clothing boutique Reve New York.
Where does "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice like to shop? Reve New York, which is where she picked up this Mandalay dress she wore to her housewarming party./Photo courtesy of Meital Benaroya
Not only has the shop been featured on Style Network’s “Jerseylicious”, but it is a regular shopping destination for none other than Teresa Giudice, one of the stars of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.”
Quick! How many television shows can you name that either a) take place in New Jersey or b) feature a New Jersey native?
Greetings from my hometown, New Jersey's Franklin Township (Somerset County), No. 5 on Money Magazine's 2008 Best Places to Live list!
These days, you only have to turn on your television and New Jersey is all up in your face. I can think of a whopping 26 shows off the top of my head, but I’m sure there are others. (Obviously, I am only including current shows, otherwise “The Sopranos” would be at the top of this list.)
In addition to this list, at least three more will join the ranks this year: the tentatively titled “Jersey Couture” (about a dress shop in Freehold/Monmouth County) from Oxygen, “Jerseylicious” (about a hair salon in Green Brook/Somerset County) from The Style Network, and Martin Scorsese’s “Boardwalk Empire” (a historical look back at Atlantic City/Atlantic County) from HBO.
And now, without further ado, is my list of the Top 26 Jersey-centric TV shows:
Pooch communicator Cesar Millan may be from Mexico, but his right-hand man, Daddy the pit bull, was Jersey born and bred.
That’s right: The lovable, gentle giant who’s helped Cesar reform countless pups was originally owned by rapper Redman from Newark (Essex County). When Redman’s tour schedule took him away from Daddy for long stretches of time, Cesar stepped in and offered to adopt him. Nowadays, the 16-year-old cancer survivor is retired from Cesar’s grueling TV schedule, but on any given day you can find repeats that include him.
“Mad Money” host Jim Cramer may be from Pennsylvania, but it’s Summit (Union County) he calls home. The author, former hedge fund manager and co-founder of TheStreet.com gained perhaps the most notoriety (and not in a good way) last year when he received a public smackdown courtesy of another Jersey boy, “The Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart.
New Brunswick (Middlesex County) native Lloyd Boston puts his best fashion foot forward and helps the clueless sort out their wardrobe.
(Note: The above clip features Lloyd making over his mom, Lynell Kollar. I was present for part of this episode’s shoot, which took place in North Brunswick. You can read all about it on my website.)
The Gosselins aren’t the only family of multiples with their own TV show. “Table for 12” focuses on the mostly harmonious day-to-day lives of the Hayes family – Eric and Betty and their 10 children (two sets of twins and sextuplets) – as they live out their lives in Marlboro (Monmouth County).
(Note: The above video features the Hayes’ trip to Essex County’s Turtle Back Zoo.)
Though he may be forever typecast as Carrie Bradshaw’s fashion-forward friend Stanford Blatch in HBO’s “Sex and the City,” Highland Park (Middlesex County) native Willie Garson continues to find work on both the large and small screen. His latest is the series “White Collar,” in which he plays a con man.
Outlandish, outspoken male figure skater Johnny Weir may originally be from Pennsylvania, but his personality is a chip off his adopted state’s block. Johnny’s Garden State roots run deep: He lives in Lyndhurst (Bergen County) and trains in Wayne (Passaic County). He loves nothing more than vacuuming his apartment and doing dead-on impressions of his Ukrainian coach. And, as his reality show confirms, he’s a complete and utter pleasure to watch, both on and off the ice.
“How you doin’?” The phrase may be synonymous with Joey from “Friends,” but radio-turned-TV talk show host Wendy Williams has made it all her own. The host of the daily gab-fest “The Wendy Williams Show” is a Jersey girl through and through: Raised in Ocean Township (Monmouth County), she now makes her home in North Jersey.
Born in Neptune, raised in Asbury Park (Monmouth County) and boarded at school in Summit (Union County), Danny DeVito has never forgotten his Jersey roots (even after sucking down numerous limoncellos). In addition to his saucy role as Frank Reynolds on “Philadelphia,” Danny owns two production companies – Jersey Films and Jersey Television – which together have produced a variety of impressive titles, including “Pulp Fiction,” “Reno 911!,” “Freedom Writers” and a little film starring another Jersey boy called “Garden State.”
Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain is the epitome of a Jersey boy: sarcastic and wry, with a sharp wit. Though the Leonia-born (Bergen County) Bourdain cops to wishing he’d lived his youth in “the city,” his love of the Garden State comes shining through in one of the first episodes of “No Reservations.” Take a peek:
This animated series – which finally returns for a second season Feb. 19 – is the brainchild of East Brunswick (Middlesex County) native son Steve Dildarian. In addition to thinking up all of the cringeworthy scenarios Tim finds himself in, Steve also voices the lead character.
The outspoken, no-holds-barred owner of The Millionaire’s Club is Short Hills (Essex County) native Patti Stanger, a third-generation matchmaker. “The Millionaire Matchmaker” returns for a third season Jan. 19.
TV hunks may come and go, but the pair of cold-blooded brothers stalking Mystic Falls, Va., in “The Vampire Diaries” has definitely heated up primetime this season. Playing good boy opposite former “Lost” star Ian Somerhalder, Marlboro (Monmouth County)-raised (New Brunswick born and Rutgers dropout) Paul Wesley – as 162-year-old Stefan Salvatore – sports chiseled, movie-star looks and a sensitive soul. Right now, he’s clearly won the heart of fair Elena. But brother Damon shares a certain chemistry with Elena, too. Who will ultimately wind up with her?
You may already know that “Scrubs” star Zach Braff (who also put New Jersey on the movie map with “Garden State”) was raised in Maplewood (Essex County). But did you know that Zach’s co-star, John C. McGinley, grew up one town over in Millburn (Essex County)?
You know Kelly Ripa as the perky sidekick of the lovable curmudgeon Regis Philbin on “Regis and Kelly,” but years ago she was just another Jersey girl – albeit one (from Berlin in Camden County) who just happened to shake her groove-thing daily on a little local TV show called “Dancin’ On Air.” The show, filmed in Camden and aired on a Philly network, “Dancin’ On Air” (which morphed into “Dance Party USA” when the show went national), featured teased-out teens dancing to ’80s hits. Ms. Kelly a was a regular and her long, curly blond hair was the envy of many viewers (including me, who watched the show religiously in high school). Here she is (with Regis) poking fun at more Jersey girls on my list, “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”:
Long Island may lay claim to funnyman Alec Baldwin, but it’s Parsippany (Morris County) that co-star Jane Krakowski calls home. This versatile actress – who met “Ally McBeal” co-star Calista Flockhart while they were students at Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts – is as much at home on the stage (she won a Tony for her performance in “Nine”) as she is playing a goofball on critics’ darling “30 Rock.”
This medical drama about three nurses takes place in a fictional Jersey City (Hudson County) hospital and features numerous Garden State references throughout its episodes. In a brilliant crossover move, “Real Housewives of New Jersey’s” Jacqueline and Teresa added an extra dose of “Joisey” realism to an episode in this, its first, season.
I bet New Jersey has never been more happy to claim a geek as one of its own than Lea Michele’s character Rachel Berry in “Glee.” Not only does Lea, who grew up in Tenafly (Bergen County), have killer pipes (at 23, she’s a Broadway veteran), she’s also proven herself to be an adept actress and fashion maven.
If you think Patti Stanger is outspoken, check out Chelsea Handler, host of this nightly comedy/talk show. Chelsea, who is also a stand-up comedian and three-time author (her latest, “Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang,” drops March 9), is nothing but an old-fashioned (translation: sarcastic and snarky) Jersey girl from Livingston (Essex County). Hmmm… maybe there’s something about the water in Essex County?
It may not feature any actors from the Garden State (former Monmouth resident Kal Penn’s character was killed off last year), but “House” officially put Princeton – and Plainsboro (Mercer and Middlesex counties, respectively)- on the nation’s radar. The hospital may not exist in reality, but the series is sprinkled with occasional Garden State references. And, in an ironic twist of life imitating art, construction on a new Princeton hospital – in Plainsboro – is underway.
If there’s one thing we can count on with “The Real Housewives” franchise, it’s confirmation that the rich live well no matter what their zip code. But this Franklin Lakes (Bergen County) bunch brought a breath of fresh air – and more than a few expletives – to the series’ formula. Prostitution whore, indeed!
While his character is not one of the original “Lost” castaways, there is no doubt that former Old Bridge resident (Middlesex County) Ken Leung (ghost buster Miles Straume) is a star of the most mammoth TV series, like, ever. His delicious sarcasm rivals Sawyer’s and proves that he’s a Jersey boy at heart.
Love it or hate it, MTV has a bonafied hit on its hands with this controversial *reality* show, which has introduced an entirely new vernacular into popular culture. I guarantee most New Jerseyans have never before heard most – if not all – of these phrases before: creeping (hitting on), GTL (gym, tan, laundry), grenade and grenade launcher (and that’s just from one episode!). “Jersey Shore” may in actuality star only one Garden State native (Hazlet’s Sammi “Sweetheart”), but it’s put Seaside Heights (Ocean County) on the nation’s radar, for good or bad.
You want it, you got it: Here’s my quick, in-a-nutshell recounting of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” appearance on Saturday at The Wellmont Theatre in Montclair. (And look out -this time I was sitting in the front row and have some great pix of the ladies!)
You can't really tell here, but Dina Manzo's T-shirt reads "Last year's Versace." Copies of the shirt were also for sale in the theater's lobby. "I can't help myself," Dina said. "I'm a wise a**."/All photos by Ava Gacser
While much of the material covered territory similar to last month’s appearance by Caroline Manzo and Teresa Giudice (along with “Real Housewives of New York City’s” Alex McCord and Jill Zarin) in Englewood, there were a few new tidbits of information.
First of all, although it was never stated outright, I get the distinct impression all five ladies will be back for the second season (slated to premiere on Bravo sometime in 2010 with – get this – about 18 episodes!!!). I know there’s been some question about Dina Manzo’s participation, but based upon things she said – such as “I’m trying to make (Project) Ladybug be part of the show” and “He’s (Dina’s hubby, Tommy) not in Season 2; he won’t be around” – there’s no doubt in my mind she’ll be back.
Dina proved amusing during the approximately two-hour event, joking that seeing herself on television convinced her she needed major plastic surgery.
“I’m getting a nose job, I’m getting lipo,” she laughed.
She also took responsibility for getting the controversial “prostitution whore” herself, Danielle Staub, on the show.
“Ironically, it was my fault,” she admitted.
According to Dina, Danielle had quite the reputation at Chateau, the Franklin Lakes salon several of the women frequent. And because it was the owner of Chateau, Victor, who was the one Bravo originally approached for help in finding women for the series, salon clients were obviously preferred.
“What about that crazy one?” Dina said is how she recalls referring to Danielle. “Why don’t we take her out to dinner and find out if she’s good crazy or bad crazy?”
Dina also set the record straight about her husband, Tommy, who co-owns The Brownstone with Caroline’s hubby, Albert.
“He wants nothing to do with the show,” she said, adding that initially that bothered her but now she’s glad he isn’t involved. “It’s brought us closer” and makes their time together more special. “It’s just the two of us… it’s just like boyfriend/girlfriend time.”
I couldn't get a clear shot of Caroline because of that ridiculously placed speaker.
Caroline’s popular son, Albie, was in attendance (as was Dina’s daughter Lexi and Jacqueline Laurita’s daughter Ashley), and she revealed Albie now has a girlfriend named – wait for it – Danielle.
“Can you believe the irony?” Caroline added.
And when the subject of “Regis and Kelly’s” recent Halloween episode featuring the pair dressed up as Caroline and Teresa, respectively, Caroline admitted it was funny but said she couldn’t help wondering, “Why do they always pick a man to imitate me?” (*This isn’t the first time: Earlier this summer, another Jersey girl, talk-show host Chelsea Handler, did a spoof on the “Housewives” and a man played Caroline then, too.)
(In case you missed the “Regis and Kelly” spoof, here it is:) Vodpod videos no longer available.
Unlike last time's form-fitting (and gorgeous) glittery dress, Teresa opted for this flowing shift.
Teresa denied that she carries hundreds of thousands of dollars around in her purse.
“I don’t walk around carrying $120k with me,” she said.
She also confirmed that her upcoming cookbook is called “Skinny Italian” and will feature “great quick Italian recipes.”
One of the funniest moments of the evening came when Teresa started trash-talking “Real Housewife of New York City” Bethenny Frankel. After alleging that Bethenny bad mouths her, Teresa called Bethenny a “b*tch,” “slut” and “big ho.”
“You should’ve gotten married first,” she added, obviously referring to newly engaged Bethenny’s recent announcement that she’s pregnant.
It was good to see Jacqueline laugh.
Jacqueline gushed about her newborn son, Nicholas, whom she lovingly refers to as “monkey.”
“I hold him all the time,” she said. “He looks nothing like me. He’s my husband all the way.”
Speaking of which, Jacqueline also hinted that fans will see more of her husband (and Dina and Caroline’s brother), Chris, in 2010.
“Next season you might see him a lot more,” she revealed.
Jacqueline also said that she wished last season had shown her family’s relationships in a more positive light.
“It seemed to highlight all of the negative moments with my daughter (Ashley),” she said.
The evening was once again moderated by comedian Geno Bisconte.
“We all have our a**hole moments, and we all have our endearing moments,” summed up Caroline. “…If we ever forget where we came from, kick our a**.”
Here are a few more photos I took that evening:
This was the best shot I could get of all of the ladies standing but it gives you an idea of how tiny they all are. Moderator Geno Bisconte is in the center.
Teresa and Caroline.
Sisters-in-law Jacqueline and Dina were peppered with questions.
Dina whipped out her leopard-covered Blackberry for some impromptu Twitpics, but for some reason they didn't wind up on her Twitter page (www.twitter.com/dinamanzo).
All of the ladies are on Twitter and/or Facebook. If you need any of those addresses, feel free to drop me a line. Hopefully everyone saw the In Touch Weekly photo spread of Jacqueline, Teresa and the babies. It was really cute! In case you didn’t, the photo below is from the article.
Proud mothers Teresa and Jacqueline show off their newest additions, Audriana and Nicholas. I love the facial expressions on both babies!/Credit In Touch Weekly
The economy is in the toilet, and things are rough all over. Even for reality show stars.
[clearspring_widget title=”Bravo TV Video – Teresa’s House Tour” wid=”4657041ec2a2cf53″ pid=”4ae0e774d733985e” width=”400″ height=”400″ domain=”widgets.bravotv.com”]
According to the tabloid site, papers have been filed by DLJ Mortgage Capital Inc. with New Jersey Superior Court to repossess the home Teresa and Joe share with their four daughters: Gia, 8, Gabriella, 5, Milania, 3, and 1-month-old Audriana. The home, as anyone who watched the first season of the hit Bravo series knows, is full of granite and marble and onyx.
UPDATE
Evidently the aforementioned foreclosure papers pertain to another property Teresa owns and not her 1+ million-square-foot granite and marble and onyx-filled home. The Star-Ledger reports the property in question is actually 5 miles away in Lincoln Park.
In related “RHNJ” news, the Ledger suggests there may be a new housewife taking over for one of the five women featured in the first season. Teresa, Caroline Manzo and the ever-so-controversial Danielle Staub will supposedly return, but the fates of Jacqueline Laurita and Dina Manzo are still up in the air.
Just how real are “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” and “New York City”? Pretty darn real, judging an appearance last night by four of the ladies – Teresa Giudice and Caroline Manzo from the Garden State, and Jill Zarin and Alex McCord from the Big Apple – in Englewood, N.J.
Jill Zarin, from left, Alex McCord, host Geno Bisconte, Teresa Giudice and Caroline Manzo. Sorry for the crappy picture, but it's the best I could do with my cell phone. If anyone has better images, please email me at ava@avagacser.com. I will gladly give you credit for them.
Teresa appeared self-conscious, although I thought she looked gorgeous in a crystal (Swarovski?) sleeveless dress that shimmered like crazy under Bergen PAC’s lights.
“I don’t think I look good,” she admitted at one point. “I still have a stomach.”
Considering Teresa just had her fourth daughter, Audriana, barely five weeks ago, I thought she looked – dare I say it? – FABULOUS!!!
Clearly, the woman has a skewed vision of reality – and Caroline thought so, too, because this is what she said:
“(Teresa) was complaining she put on a size 6 jeans the day after the baby was born.”
“I’m a size 4,” Teresa explained.
Not surprisingly, Teresa referred to her husband Joe – the owner of G&G Stucco and Stone in Clifton – as “delicious and juicy,” though a little on the plump side.
“I told him he could lose a few pounds,” she added. “(I said) ‘Hon, we were pregnant together.'”
In additional baby Audriana news, Teresa said her older girls – Gia, 8, Gabriella, 5, and Milania, 3 – love the new addition.
“(Milania) squeezes her so hard and kisses her so much all over,” she said. “They’re being like little mommies.”
Unlike her parents, baby Audriana has blue eyes, and “everybody’s saying she looks just like Gabriella,” said Teresa.
One attendee asked Teresa if Star Magazine was correct in reporting that she paid $25,000 for a 5th birthday party for (I’m guessing) daughter Gabriella. She didn’t answer the question directly and said fans would have to wait until the next season to find out.
Teresa, far right, revealed that the purple (amethyst?) necklace she wore above at the reunion actually belongs to Caroline, who bought it at Neiman Marcus. "Teresa is a jewelry whore," Caroline added./Credit Bravo
Additional tidbits I learned last night:
*Jill, Alex and Teresa all have books coming out. Jill, who is a spokeswoman for Kodak, has a book called “Secrets of a Jewish Mother” that she co-wrote with her mother and sister; Amazon.com lists it as releasing April 15. Alex’s book, “Little Kids, Big City,” is scheduled for release on March 31. While Teresa offered no details on her book, Amazon lists it as “Skinny Jeans and Spaghetti,” with a release date of May 4.
*There is a feud going on between Teresa and “Real Housewife of New York City” Bethenny Frankel. “I know Bethenny hates me, and I don’t care,” said Teresa. Turning to Alex and Jill, she added, “You guys can relay the message.”
*Teresa purchases her children’s clothing at Stage Left in Franklin Lakes.
*Caroline loves living in New Jersey because “everything is just a blink away.” Jill loves the fact that “there’s no sales tax on clothes” in the Garden State.
*Caroline’s daughter Lauren is a freelance makeup artist. “I went to beauty school, and I wax backs,” Lauren revealed. She still will not go anywhere near chuckies, though. (Lauren’s brother, Albie, was also in attendance and received a lot of female attention.)
*After flipping over the table at Lu Nello in Cedar Grove, Teresa said to Joe, “Hon, leave some money. I broke dishes.”
*Caroline acknowledged that she doesn’t take her wealth for granted. “You never forget where you come from,” she said, explaining that she wore her husband’s shirts when she was pregnant because they couldn’t afford maternity clothes. “Tomorrow it could be all gone; it’s just stuff,” she added.
*While Jill and Alex couldn’t talk specifics about the new season, Jill said “I am so excited to have new blood” on the show.
*Jill spoke briefly about her encounter this summer with “Jon & Kate Plus 8” dad Jon Gosselin. “He was quite charming,” she admitted. She said she had no idea that Jon – who she described as being from “that crazy show with that crazy wife” – was also an invited guest to the same dinner party until she arrived and saw him and Michael Lohan.
*Caroline said she had a gut feeling that she should keep fellow “Housewife” Danielle Staub at a distance, even though she admitted that it was her own sister, Dina Manzo, who came up with the idea of getting Danielle on the show. “Why don’t we get the crazy girl from the salon (to be on the show)?” Teresa recalled Dina saying she told Jacqueline Laurita. “Let’s see how crazy she is.”
*Bravo has not announced when either the third season of “New York City” or the second season of “New Jersey” will return, although both are in production.
You can get an idea of what last night was like from this video. In the meantime, you have another opportunity to see four of the five New Jersey housewives – Dina, Caroline, Jacqueline and Teresa (no Danielle!) – at The Wellmont Theatre in Montclair on Saturday, Nov. 7. Tickets are still available.
Ava Gacser is a freelance writer in Central New Jersey. She is a former television columnist and features writer for several Gannett-owned daily newspapers in New Jersey.
Ava is an avid couch potato with a special affinity for reality TV, and she can't believe how many shows feature New Jersey residents!
She was a member of the Television Critics Association from 2005 to 2010.
Ava Gacser's Blog 