120. Gossiping with Jenn Fessler from Real Housewives of New Jersey

Jenn Fessler joins us this week – she is authentic, real, and answers the hard questions. We got a preview of her new song. She reveals something surprising – there is a surprising piece of information that all of the RHONJ housewives knew going into filming and throughout filming the season. Jenn’s favorite and least favorite parts of being a housewife, plus where she stands with each of the women. And, best of all, she shares a little preview of her new song.

What’s up? Cocktailers and Amanda. Hi, cock Taylors, hi B and hi to our very special guest. We’re so excited to have Jen Fessler, or as she is known, to, I think, to her friends too, but to us, bravo, fans who consider us her friends. Messy fessy. Hi you guys. Hi cocktailers. I came to the right place. Yes, it’s it’s too early to be drink, I guess not if you want to do you ask, wait it was you at marge’s house. I was cracking up when she gave you the awful wine. And then she was like, it’s awful because you still have toothpaste in your mouth it’s 10am I’m like, that is so me, if I was stressed out dealing with that situation, I’d be drinking a glass of wine at 10am Listen, it wasn’t, if I’m being completely honest, it wasn’t exactly 10am it might have been a little bit later than 10am but Margaret, when Margaret says something nobody, you should not oppose it, period, full stop. So I let her get away with it. Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Yeah, loved your song at the end of the rail. Sit down with your ukulele, guitar. Thanks. Thank you guys. That was definitely, for me, like, the funnest part of the season was creating that I’m actually working on a little follow up. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens, but if you guys heard it, you cannot get the freaking melody out of your head. It’s like 100% it’s the worst. It just sticks. So now I’m like, All right, let me see if I can do something useful with that. I love it. It took a lot of career out of it. Let’s not get excited. A career out of it. I’m not, I don’t know, no one’s really been calling me for that purpose, but I did. It was really fun to do something that was just creative on my own funny. And I didn’t feel like there was a lot funny that happened in season 14 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, so it was nice. And you say that and it’s funny, because I love your humor. It’s self depreciating, but it’s smart. It’s you get it. And I think there’s some people on your cast who really it goes over their head, yeah, because yeah, they’re not. I always felt that way about Margaret as well. Like I would always say in my head, like She’s too smart for this group, like it’s too easy for her to run around them. And then you came and more of that smart energy, and certainly Jackie has that energy as well.
She did. I don’t know. I know you’re friends with her, so I don’t, yeah, people say to me all the time, they’re like, Oh, my God, you’re like, the funniest one on the Jersey house wise. And I’m like, I don’t have that much competition, which is, like, I love Melissa, funny in their own way, but definitely we have different kinds of funny going on. I asked me one, I hope not, to be funny in a way that’s always mean spirited more unless I’m being self deprecating. I don’t like to use humor at somebody else’s expense, necessarily. I always say at a dinner party, I like to sit next to the person who is the more quietly funny person. So you would definitely be my pick. Because I do think sometimes I think B’s right, the some of those are over other people’s heads, but we enjoy I say that, and I have to say too, there is a line of people who have been very funny with guitars. Think of Adam Sandler, yes, and Jimmy Fallon, okay, not even please. You cannot say their names and then say anything about me following that. You know, I appreciate it. I’ll take it. I’ll close my eyes and think about it later. I know you are way getting way carried away. You never know where you could go next. You know, like, actually, I believe it was last pot, or maybe it was two pods ago. Amanda and I were discussing your decision to leave that horrific final supper, and we both were happy with your decision, because it just felt like you were sitting there. This is disgusting. I need to get myself away from this. Yeah, I got I got meep reaction over that move, which was fine, because I didn’t do it because of reaction. I did it because it was just the right thing for me. I have been watching housewives, all of the franchises, since they started right and it’s not like the first time that I saw something explosive. But having said that, it was a situation where I saw glass fly and you saw it, you guys saw it on TV. I was obviously there in real time, and it was not. It looked much better on screen than for me, what it actually was. And I keep saying I had had a facelift two years ago. I’m not interested in glass to the cheek or the eye or the mouth, period, but above and beyond that, I do have my limits. And although I did get mixed reviews, I did what was right for me. I’m interested in continuing lunch once glass is thrown, just not for me. What? I also thought it was a very genuine move on your part, because I think some housewives would realize, okay, that’s the end of my screen time for this day, but that you were like, No, I’m gonna do me and what I would do in real life. And, yeah, I’m often told that, not just by Jersey house, I said, and I guess I know this to be true. You have a job to do, and the producers don’t want you to just leave when the going gets tough. And I understand that you do sign up for this, but that’s my personal boundary. Is when things start getting violent, I’m just not interested 100% and I think as a viewer, I know Amanda and I are housewife experts because we’ve been watching it, it. I can always tell when a housewife is self producing isn’t authentic. All of that stuff. As an example, Jen Aden at reunions always is so over the top and like a character of her already exaggerated, loud personality, and to me, it just reads so phony. And with you, there’s none of that. It’s like, you come, you show up, you want to leave, you leave. And it I think production has to understand that to some level, especially when there’s violence. I Yeah, so I’m glad you think that of me, I really am, because I don’t want it would be sad for me to think anybody thought that I was leaving a situation that I could have stayed in just to produce. It wasn’t like that. It was just like, I’m out of here. I just don’t this is just not for me. And I have gotten caught up, though, in the self producing thing. I think that it’s almost your head is spinning, not really, not as I’ve gotten, not as I entered my second year of doing this, but certainly season 13, You’re just nervous, and it’s so new, and you want to come off in a certain way, and so you’re not always in your body, right? You’re just almost hovering above and trying to watch from a viewer’s point of view. And that’s, I think, when you get yourself in trouble. I think that I was called out on that, and I think that it’s I did the best I could, but I saw that with you, even in the conversation with Theresa, because it was real life, and there weren’t cameras there, and Margaret wasn’t going to see the exact words you used, and the viewers weren’t going to see it. That’s how anybody with a brain would play the situation, because you’re like, you know what? This woman can go off. So I just want to keep her a base. I’m not going to be this lady’s best friend, but let’s smooth it over, while still saying my piece and sticking up for my friends. But then when it planes back, you get Oh, two faced. Oh, this. It’s come on. Any real person would do that, but with cameras, they.
There all of a sudden, you have to act in a way that you really no rational person would do. That nobody wants to fight with Teresa judici and get a table thrown at them. I think that’s totally fair and pretty spot on. I don’t want to fight with anyone and get a table thrown at me. Everything escalates so quickly, and you have to have a thick skin, and also you do have to know what you signed up for. Again, I can’t pretend like I didn’t watch the show before. I’ve been watching it since the inception. So I’ve watched Theresa flip a table, and I’ve watched not just Theresa, every single one of them lose their shit, right? So you have to go in knowing that is always a possibility, but I’m not gonna invite it just for the fun of it. So I always said I’m not a shrinking violet, and if you come at me, I’m gonna come back at you. It’s just, I think that’s human nature, but I’m not looking to cause an explosion. They didn’t go into that thinking this will be my moment. You don’t want to get into it. It’s not fun to get into it with Teresa. It’s not fun to get into it with any of these ladies. It’s not fun to get into it. But I will when I have to and when I think the situation deems it necessary, but not just because I’m supposed to. And yeah, I think that there is, it’s difficult to just completely let go anyway and just be in the moment. And I got better at it as really season 14 went on, I could just, I was like, fuck this. And whatever it is, whenever people think, they think, because he just can’t help but do that. But I’ve definitely had my moments of doing a little self producing. Did you and do you think the other women had a sense at that sit down the Last Supper like this cast is going to be changed drastically there this can’t continue. Or was it like when they canceled the reunion, or both? No, I think we knew that all season that was just hanging there, that this is the last season of this cast as it stands, and so I don’t think there was very there was a lot of confusion about that, and I think that definitely affected people and what they did and what they said, and I think that was a big part of how the teams got divided and never been ready for their place, right? So almost like watching two sides vie for like their show. Yeah, we are funnier. We’re better stay on our side. Yes, has the drama in your DM slowed down? Like, once the season stops as a housewife, I would imagine that the love or the hate, like, slows down, or is it still very much booming? Because the jersey fandom is unlike any other fandom, so you’re only on jersey, so you can’t know I have the gossip count, and I post stuff and the jersey stuff, like, I have to block people because they become like, they’re fanatical about who, whichever side they’re on, yep, yep. So it has slowed down. It’s funny. I wrote when I was I’ve been thinking whatever I’ve been writing a little bit about a follow up to my Grammy Award winning teams divided. But I said, I just, I’m just looking at it because it’s sitting here on my table, but not even remember how the tune goes, Wait is moot. The words are, let’s see, I must accept the pain shit. I must say, accept the pain. Say goodbye to all the fame, losing followers and losing all that loot. So that was like, I actually wrote that down like yesterday. I don’t know if whatever, I would have used it or not, but it’s answers the question, right? It’s, it’s nice to be left alone, especially from haters, and it’s also sad, because I’ve gotten used to this, the attention of it all. And I think both. I think it’s, I think it’s good news, at least for me. I think I need to now slip back a little bit more into obscurity. Dot. I’m not saying I was Taylor Swift or something, but it’s good. I think it’s good for everyone to get out of the spotlight. And I think that jersey is the bands are Die Hard. So, yeah, I was hit with a lot of good and bad, and it’s, I’m I think it’s time for a break, at least for me. I don’t know if everyone feels that way, yeah. I can’t imagine, like, yeah, the storm, because, to your point, you’re not Taylor Swift, but when you’re dealing look at bravocon Like we’re an intense group of outspoken women who are your fans, and we all have opinions, and we all think we’re right. And so when you’re in the middle of that storm, it could very much feel like the Taylor Swift. So what would you say are the best? Were the best parts of becoming a housewife and being on TV as a housewife? So it’s been such an adventure. And I always, I feel like I’m always saying my age, I’m 56 now, but when I got on it, I was really 53 but 54 I turned 54 that August, and there’s not a lot of people that are, I think, knocking on there. There haven’t been a lot of people knocking on my door at that age saying, you want to get on TV and see what it feels like to be well known and to be famous. And it’s completely surreal. It’s a totally surreal experience. When I was young, I wanted to be an actress. I was not a good one.
One, but I went to performing arts high school, and then I went to this academy when I graduated college. Did you grow up in Jersey? No, I grew up in Sugar Land, Texas, of all places. I did not know that. Yeah, yeah. My parents were both Brooklyn Jews, and we lived on Long Island until I was nine. My mom got divorced, she got remarried, and her now ex husband moved us to Sugar Land, Texas. Talk about a fish out of water. It was a very bizarre childhood, but I love your mom and your aunt. Oh, and I knew they were from Brooklyn without knowing, because my mother was a Italian Brooklyn girl. And you know that there’s very little difference except for Jesus. Oh yes, that is absolutely true. So I just love their energy. So in my head, when you said you went to performing arts, I thought you were going to say you went to LaGuardia High School. No, I went to a fame high school, but it was in the middle of Houston, Texas, and it was actually, it’s funny, because I’ve watched my kids now and my friends kids go through this all American high school experience. I didn’t have that. It ain’t easy. High school is not an easy time. But anyway, now I digress. Sorry about that, but, but wait, what were you asking me? I’m sorry, guys. So you were basically saying the best part, oh yes, because what the adventure of it all? Yeah. So it was. It’s been really surreal. Not only having people know who I am, having people come up to me and in this really happy, excited way, the Bravo con of it all, meeting the other housewives who I’ve been watching for the past. How long have housewives been on? 18 years? Yeah, meeting these iconic women, all of that has been so amazing, getting to have these crazy opportunities. The whole thing. It’s just I was plucked out of suburban New Jersey, and all of a sudden getting to be in the limelight. And that part of it has been so much fun, like, really, just surreal for my mom. That was the best part. My mom gets recognized in Costco. And there’s just, it’s just the greatest thing. And she gets so excited. And Jeff Hessler, my husband, who is? He’s serious guy, and he’s not an extrovert at all. And all of a sudden, I have to ask, what was Jeff’s reaction when you went to him and said, Listen, I’m down to the second round they want me to be. Because I can imagine that most husbands are like it. Go ahead. You go. Try out for housewives, see how it goes. But when it really became a reality was Jeff Fessler like Jen. Wait, what? Imagine relying on a dozen different software programs to run your business, none of which are connected, and each one more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful. Now imagine Odoo. Odoo has all the programs you’ll ever need, and they’re all connected on one platform. Doesn’t o do sound amazing. Let Odoo harmonize your business with simple, efficient software that can handle everything for a fraction of the price. Sign up today@odoo.com
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yeah, no, I love the question, because everyone is always shocked when they hear the answer. He wanted it way more than I do.
I swear to you. And to this day, he is so involved. It is the most annoying, outrageous to know Him, to know he’s not he’s an introverted guy, right? He loves this shit so much. He was dying for me to be on it. I was really nervous. I know what can happen, like everybody else does. You know, I’ve watched people’s lives get affected, and not in always.
Great ways, and so I had way more trepidation. Jeff was like, if you don’t do this, you’ll never forgive yourself. You’re always going to look back and think, oh my god, I could have, you know, I could have had this experience, and I was too much of a wuss today, like he was so gung ho, and like, I’m afraid. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know who’s coming back, who’s not coming back, what’s going to happen with the show. But the most heartbroken, of them all will be Jeff Fessler, at the end of the rope for me, I’m telling you, that’s Amanda. Does that shock to me? That’s great. Everybody is shocked by that. I know another interesting thing too, for you and Jeff is that your kids, which I know one of one of your kids, is college age, and how old is the other one? No, they both graduated 22 and a 24 year old. It’s like a sweet spot and like, I’m not there yet. I’m in my early 40s, and my kids are school, like, elementary, middle school age. But I feel like I remember my parents when my brother and I were like, college, just graduating college, they were still because they were mid 50s, so they were still young. You had a little bit more money, right? Because you’re working, you have this freedom and then to be presented with this opportunity where you’re like, I don’t need it, because you and Jeff are financially off, and my kids aren’t going to have to be the focal point. Because not that I’m done raising them, but I’m not changing their diapers or taking them to kindergarten. That is like a sweet spot where I can see why somebody would do it, whereas, like young women who go on it with little kids, always shocks me, because I’m like, Ah, that’s scary. I don’t know what to say to you, except that your thought process was exactly my thought process. And I’ve watched young women go on and I think I would have been way too nervous to do that with young kids. My kids, I did. I we had several family meetings about it, and the beginning they were both like, listen, we’re not getting involved in this. You do you. It’s like the most embarrassing thing we can think of. But you do you, you follow your dreams, whatever that looks like. And then, as you know, especially season 13, started to progress. They started to become a little more used to the idea. And then their friends thought it was so cool. Now they think it’s cool, but at the beginning they were not going to tell me not to do it. They’re both adults, but they were not like, oh my god, this is the best we can’t wait to be on and so it’s a little different now. But yes, I agree with you. Like for me, it would have been way harder having little kids, and also, if I was brought on as a friend, so not quite as invasive. Forget about the fact that I didn’t need a storyline. I also didn’t have cameras in my house, and delving into the ins and outs of Forget it, because the kids aren’t even here. But what goes on and Jeff and I filming a lot of scenes together. Would I like that? Yeah, at this point, my ego is probably, but I don’t have I love how honest you are. Because No, housewives Don’t say that, but it is it. Listen, it’s an honest thing. I sometimes get reviews on my pod. Oh, bees bragging about her followers. But you know what? It is cool and it’s okay to be like, I’m a housewife. That’s cool and it’s okay to know that you think who you are. Yeah, that comes maybe with age. I’ve gotten way better at just like accepting who I am and I’m embracing it. But the thing is that being a friend of for me over the past two years has worked out so beautifully. It’s just been the right amount interaction and getting camera time, but that both times that I was told you’re gonna be a friend of my ego was just I was like, How dare. And again, then I would get off the phone with producers, and talk to my friends, and they would be like, you’re such a loser, like you are getting the best of both worlds. You get to dip your toe into this and get to get who knows how you’re going to feel about it, get a feel for it, without it completely taking over. And so then I would step back and think, wow, I am a loser. This is perfect. And then that was now season 13 comes to a close, and they call me for season 14, and they say, you’re still going to be a friend of and I’m like, How dare you? And then step back again. And it worked out for me. It worked out perfectly. So I didn’t feel like I got less screen time or less of the fun stuff that comes along with all of this. But I guess I’m saying I don’t know. Who knows if there’s going to even be a Housewives of New Jersey moving forward. I have no idea, but I know my self well enough to know that my ego would take a shot not being asked, and then I would be fine. Who knows? Are there any like worst parts that you would like to share about your experience as a housewife? The Yeah, I don’t think anything I’ll say will surprise you. You guys know the deal, and you know what goes down, and Margaret always says that I’m a puss. The truth is, I’m really not. And my family, my immediate and extended family, have all been like because I’m not somebody who holds back. I hadn’t I haven’t been pushed yet to the point where I would explode and lose my shit on TV, but I’m certainly capable of that, but having said all of that, I don’t like it. I don’t like I don’t enjoy being in the middle of conflict. I don’t enjoy having people that I care about become so angry and hurt and turn that on me. I don’t enjoy being evaluated for what I do bring what I don’t bring.
Mean, all of that is hard and it takes, it definitely takes getting used to I don’t like getting anti semitic DMS on Instagram. I don’t like getting mean DMS or putting up something and getting just the comments that are just so hateful. No one likes that. Who does? I think you get used to it. I think you get better at it, but it’s definitely an adjustment, I think, probably harder than that was like going through this last season. Season 13 was so easy for me, and it was really so much fun. And this season, I was in the drama a little bit more, but you go through it, and I think I just felt really disappointed in specifically how Rachel and I went through the season, and just her reaction to what I thought was pretty innocent behavior, trying to be a good friend. And so I find it very bizarre. And I like Rachel, I found it very bizarre, yeah, and I would imagine when she watched it back, and I think you guys have made up, because I saw one of you post for the other’s birthday, which I was happy to see. I would imagine when she watched it back, she must have realized that she blew it up. And what you said happened is what happened? You were asked a question. You did your best to defend them, her husband and her Yeah. And you were put in a spot where, unless you would have ran away and hid, you had to answer the question, yeah. That’s how I felt. That’s how I felt. And it was to say something, she’s a little young to be a housewife. Her and Danielle like I’m 42 Rachel’s 3132
10 years makes a big difference. Kids a little her and her husband are both a little young for it, or just a little immature. And I like her, don’t mistake me, but both her and Danielle don’t seem to have I get it. I’m sure it’s not easy, but you join a show, you have to have a little bit of thick skin. Your husband has stuff out there. It’s gonna come out. How old were the housewives? I don’t remember. How old were Melissa, Theresa, you might be young. They were like that age. I don’t know if I think of it as much of a each thing. I think that when something’s coming up about your husband like that, all the emotions get heightened, and you might jump down the wrong person’s throat just because you’re so upset that this is going on, especially you at a party. And I thought she was wrong to get that upset as well. But I could see when it comes to your husband, your kids, of course, now we’re talking about something else. What I do think, though, I agree, in the sense that being now 56 it’s not, it’s not, wouldn’t happen every day that I would befriend someone. I could love someone who was way younger. I could be have that sort of older sister relationship, but turn to someone at age I think Rachel’s 33 and say, Help me with this. What’s your advice here? And I don’t think maybe she would with me either. So it wasn’t, it’s not, I don’t think it was natural, but we clicked in this way that I just, I just fell for her, adored her family, and it worked while it worked, and then it didn’t. And I don’t know, I know I tend to when I’m watching housewives like I. I miss old New York. I think that the New York women are fabulous, but I maybe it’s because I am that age. I just loved them so much and watching them and they were so kooky and brought this just sort of life experience. And I don’t know. So if you’re, if I’m being honest, I do watching housewives maybe that are more my age has have to be as old as me. That’s just how I feel about it. I guess everyone has a different take. I feel the same way. I think, first of all, I think that if you’re going to talk about Roni or OC and those OGS, you’re never, we’re never going to have that again Atlanta, because these women didn’t know what they were getting into. There weren’t all these examples of diff, you know, saying it’s impossible to ignore that. That’s true, yeah, unless you live in a box, you know what it is, what’s coming and all that. And you’re also joining a cast where you may not know Theresa or Melissa their personalities because you’ve been watching, yes. So when you just join a new cast, it’s different. But I also think that as you get older, most especially women, I think you become more comfortable with yourself. You know who you are, you know what you will and won’t deal with when you’re in your early 30s. It’s very different. And as a mother, when you have little kids, and Rachel does have a teenage self, but still, he’s a he’s a school age, it’s just a whole different who I was then and who I am now and who I’ll be when I’m your age are very different versions, and for some reason, watching somebody very comfortable in their skin because they’ve lived life they’ve been married a long time, attention finance leaders and subscription managers tired of the headaches that come with billing and growing your subscriber base. Meet charge be the ultimate solution to automate your billing, improve growth, retain customers and gain insight into your business performance, whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise, charge me integrate seamlessly with your existing systems so you can focus on what really matters growing your business. Visit, charge me.com. Forward slash, grow for a free trial and discover the smart way to handle your recurring revenue. C, H, A, R, G, E, B, e.com, forward slash, grow.
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No, listen, sister, you are singing to the choir, and I don’t even mean that just let’s blow that up a little bigger than just housewives. When I was Rachel’s age and younger, I was an insecure mess when I was in even in my late 20s, when you’re supposed to be just freewheeling and single, and I was I would never want to go back there. And my 30s, I was so unsure of myself in parenting, I was so concerned with every single little thing and neurotic. And so as I’ve gotten older, I also know so much more about who I am, and I’ve just, I’m not saying I’m excited to turn 80, but I’m definitely so much more comfortable in my skin, and feel like I’m a more. And I’m not just saying I don’t know how everybody has a different take, and some people are loving being in their 30s, but I have for myself. I feel like I have so much more to offer now. I have so much more to say that’s not only 30 something years of experience. I just so I’m with you, I and I don’t but I don’t want to say that I know that Danielle and Rachel have been amazing housewives. Yeah. So it’s just, you’re asking me, what I enjoy, what I relate to I do relate to an older housewife, and I like watching older housewives. How’s that so, yes, agree. So speaking of having been watched the show before you came on it, did you have any preconceived notions about what everybody would be like, and were you right about them? Were you surprised by any of them?
Course, I did absolutely. I had, I went on there through years of, oh my god, I hate her. I hate her, and then I hate it just always switched. And it was like, it was just, it was just that the hate was so much fun, and the switching sides, and I hate to say that, because it’s really probably, it’s not admirable to but it’s a show, right? These people, right? I don’t, and we don’t feel bad about that. Listen, you put yourself on that show. I’m gonna judge it. I’m gonna judge you. I’m gonna talk about it. If you don’t like it, get off the show, and I’ll stop man. But it’s also, you know what it is, though. So it’s like watching succession, and there are those characters that you just love to hate, right? They’re just so hideous, and you almost get off on hating them, and then you go to work the next day and everybody’s talking about it, and it’s fun. And so that’s how I think, as a viewer, I love the ones I love that couldn’t stand the ones I couldn’t stand. It is different, though, coming on, and now it’s they’re not just people on my screen. They’re people in my life. And so you start to talk to them, and there are no cameras, and you start to see, like these women, they’re whatever it is that they’re arguing for. They completely believe it. So what I mean by that is that it’s not that they’re necessarily so hateful. They believe what they’re saying, even if what they’re saying you’re like, What the hell is she talking about? She is making this shit up. She is nasty, like they’re fully invested in whatever it is that. I don’t know if I’m going on and on, but when you start, I started liking these women because they became real women to me and everything that includes, right? So none of us are perfect. They have the good. They have the bad. And for instance, I will tell you as a viewer, Jennifer Aiden, not my favorite. That’s what I was gonna say to you. I’m trying to think of you even interacting with Jen, Aidan, I feel obviously you did, but how were you and her, first of all, I know everybody says this, but she’s quick and funny, and she’s funny in a way that’s like a character on Saturday Night Live like she pulls this shit out of her hat, and she is the impressions all of that. And Jen, like everybody else went.
Through with this season, and we’ve had many conversations, and I had like I I bonded with her in a totally different way, in a way that I absolutely did not expect. When she would, we would, but she would call me with stuff I’m older than Jen too, and really asking me advice about things that were going on in her life. Knowing that I’ve been through 100 years of therapy and human to human, you start to see the humanity in people getting very crunchy, you guys. I don’t mean to get no because listen, when you see her on TV, you Amanda and I, we just look at it, we’re like, oh, there she goes again. But when you get to know her, and you get to know her kids, and you get to know her husband, when someone becomes a real person, even in real life, there are times where you see somebody from afar, let’s say one of your kids classmates, right? And you’re like, Oh, my God, that woman’s so obnoxious. But then it happens that you’re in the waiting room of a doctor’s office, and you’re talking to them, and you’re like, she’s not bad. She’s different than me. I probably wouldn’t choose, but she’s not bad. Look, she’s got a mother and she’s got a father, and she’s got all these things that make her real bad. All of a sudden, she become the human to you. You just nailed it. So that’s what it is. It’s like, you step into it. They were characters to me, and they became humans to me. And I’m not saying that I agreed with every single one of them. And there weren’t times even even like with Rachel, when I would be so upset and angry, and then she would do something, or I would see her, or we would come back together, and she would just smile at me, and all of a sudden, all of that shit goes away, you know what I mean? And I remember this adorable person, but it’s, that’s what you just described, is exactly it like you can stand this woman who’s your the mother of one of the kids, and you just, really just everything she does, and then all of a sudden, you’re sitting next to her in a doctor’s office by chance, and you’re like, Huh? Yeah, then maybe not so bad. That’s exactly what happened, at least that’s what happened with me. I never thought that I would. I tried to have an open mind, but you only have so much of an open mind when you’ve been watching the show for 14 years, right? You’ve already judged these women. But I think it also it what we’re talking about. Also brings up a good point about housewives. Good housewife. Sorry guys. This is my husband. Put a recording on this cat feeder, and I’ve now it’s been going on for years, and I always forget to turn it off. And he says, Guys, come on, eat maybe 12 times. So I want to fucking kill him every single day. And then I forget to turn it off.
Guys, come eat. Guys, come on, eat like Jess do they need to be reminded. No, not anymore. I can’t talk about the cats, right? I can’t even like cats. My family revolves around these two ugly black hats that I live with. So that’s another episode I love. No but to be a good housewife, I think that you have to be somebody who changes their mind not to say who’s open, who’s open. Listen, Teresa has given us great television, but something about her that and we’ve seen her, obviously, production was behind saying, Listen, you got to talk to this person. You have to be friends. But when you’re a person like you, like Margaret, who, when given new information, changes their opinion, you make a good housewife, because you have to keep it going, right? You can’t stay in this place where you’re like, I hate Jen Fauci I hate Margaret. They’re done four years ago, they called me ugly, and they’re done forever. I agree. Look, that’s why we are at where we’re at no one’s willing to change their opinion or to open up at all. So welcome to the end of Housewives of New Jersey as we know it. I’m not saying that it’s what would you like to see? I know this is a tricky question for you, because no matter who you say, someone’s gonna be mad. But in a perfect world, who would be on your reboot,
this is gonna sound like such a chicken shit answer, but I feel like I could do I feel like I can do it. I just can’t do it with all of them together, like it was so like, I don’t know who has to go, and who has to stay, but this level of animosity, of vitriol, I can never do again. So yeah, I get what you’re saying, and it’s probably a cop out answer. It’s funny, because I want to say, I just heard, I just heard Rachel say she was asked the same question, and she said, obviously, she said Margaret, Melissa Danielle. She didn’t, I don’t know why she didn’t say Dolores. I’m sure she meant to. And then she said, and depending upon what capacity, like what role she was brought back into, Jen Fessler, I’m like, What the fuck is that? What does that even mean? So then I got pissed off at her all over again, even though we have reconciled. So I might have to say to you right now, I have to think about what capacity they’d want to bring Rachel back into,
back as a guest or as a friend of Listen, listen, I am honest person. I like Rachel. I could take her to leave her it wouldn’t make me upset if she wasn’t on, and I wouldn’t be mad if she was on. I haven’t spoken to Teresa or Jen Aidan in in a few months. And I really the being, if I’m being really honest, I speak to Margaret, I speak to Dolores, I speak to Jackie, and at this point, that’s pretty much it. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t speak. I do speak to him. I just saw all of them at the softball game. Daniel, any path forward for Jackie and Margaret at any point? Do you.
Youth. No, think, nope, I don’t do you. How could there be? To be honest, I was shocked by Jackie’s whole turncoat behavior. My feeling on it is that when she was demoted to friend of she probably rightfully so, felt left behind by Melissa and Marge, not that they did anything specifically and said, Oh, you suck, or whatever, they weren’t calling as much. They were focusing on the new girls, yourself included. And she felt hurt. It just will never seem authentic to any of us that she suddenly loves. Teresa. I actually had a question for you about that, as somebody who had a pro seat to this whole situation of seeing Jackie as we see it on television, change sides. Was it confusing in real life? I don’t think it was as confusing as it was to the viewers, because so I saw Jackie and Margaret disintegrating that friendship before cameras even went up. And was it confusing to see her turn to Teresa? So this is how I felt about it. So her relationship with Margaret and Melissa was disintegrating, right? And now you’re in a situation where you’re on this show and all of a sudden, from across the aisle to these two women open their arms to you, and you’re feeling isolated. And I think that it was an easy I think it was like an easy twist, and she wanted to be part of something. In my mind, it wasn’t that surprising. And everybody always asked me, Do I think that it was premeditated? I don’t. I could be wrong, but I know that Margaret does probably Melissa. I don’t think that Jackie planned this out. I don’t think she was like, I’m gonna go into the season. I’m gonna end my friendship with Margaret, and I’m gonna join forces with Teresa and Jen, and this will get me back on in housewife capacity, and I Jackie, like, there’s this whole big stink, like, oh, Teresa, so obviously used her. I think it was a mutually beneficial why. You know what I mean, Jackie used her too, because without her, she would have had zero screen time, and she would have been off the cast. So and you it’s funny because you see that Jen eating never was really down for it, because she totally just felt like this girl is using us, but they were using her too. So whatever it is, what it is, I really agree with. Yeah, I agree. I think they were using each other. I think that it didn’t happen in a premeditated way completely. I think that it was, again, she didn’t want to be on an island, and as soon as she started fighting with Margaret and Melissa. I think that’s she probably felt like. That’s where she was headed. She didn’t get along with Danielle. She doesn’t get along with Rachel Dolores and her weren’t the best of friends, and all of a sudden you’ve got Teresa and Jen saying, come on over to our side. Join our club. And so I think that’s what she chose, yeah, but I do think it was you. I definitely think they were using each other. She wanted to stay on the show, as many women do. So how’s going to get more screen time that way? Attention finance leaders and subscription managers tired of the headaches that come with billing and growing your subscriber base. Meet. Charge be the ultimate solution to automate your billing, improve growth, retain customers and gain insight into your business performance, whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise. Charge me integrate seamlessly with your existing systems so you can focus on what really matters growing your business. Visit charge me.com. Forward slash grow for a free trial and discover the smart way to handle your recurring revenue, C, H, A, R, G, E, B, e.com, forward slash grow,
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How is your friendship with Jackie in present, we are Jackie and our friends, and we have this podcast together, and it’s funny because she has this spin off now, just Jackie, and then I ended up doing one behind the music, talking about the song, just Jen, whatever. Just silly. But so we’re good. I don’t I feel for Jackie. I feel for her. It’s a lot. It is a lot coming at her, and honestly, I want her to just to stay completely off of social media. She has been just psychologically, it’s everybody just jumped into the we hate Jack, jumped on that bandwagon. So that’s not easy to take. Yeah, and she’s, to your point, she’s a real person. And of course.
Just think about it from that angle. You feel bad, yeah, and but then she didn’t want to go off the show. And I totally get that. So she was like, she knew, listen, Jackie’s a very bright woman. She knew this was gonna happen, that people like myself were gonna be like, What the hell is she doing? And then talk about her. But what was her option, just to not be on the show? She didn’t want to do that. I don’t think that she knew it as much as he would think that she did. I don’t know. I don’t think that she expected what she got, which was just every, almost every viewer, saying, What the fuck are you kidding us? And I don’t think that she expected that. I think in her mind, it felt like it made sense. She decided to forgive Teresa and wanted to turn over this new leaf, and then they connected and became friends. I’m just telling you how I think that you know what it is. I think that fans can reconcile the Margaret piece, because we saw her. We saw Margaret air her out. She said Dolores the tax. She did this. So we’re like, but like where Melissa is concerned, you were very close friends with her, and Melissa does not speak to her sister in law, and now you’re best friends with her, and we didn’t see now. Now listen, I’m not under I believe that she felt hurt by Melissa, probably not included Melissa going more towards whatever. But yes, as viewers, we didn’t really see Melissa do anything. So while, like in the back of my mind, I’m like, Yeah, look. She was just oh, it was all about Rachel and Danielle, and she forgot about Jackie, which is probably what Jackie’s feeling is. We didn’t see Melissa cursor out, call or anything, send a text, do any of that. First of all, I don’t think she had any qualms about becoming friends with Teresa because of Melissa. I don’t think that whether good or bad, and I could be wrong. You guys could talk to Jackie about it. I don’t think she that was even she was more worried about Margaret’s reaction. Yeah, I don’t think it was a Melissa issue. I really don’t. And again, maybe I’m wrong. I’m wrong all the time, but I don’t think so. I really, I don’t think she even factored that in, but viewers did, because to me, Jackie and Melissa are girls like they were really friends. And I’m not saying she had to turn and hate Teresa and never speak to her. But seeing as how there was clearly not much of a relationship to go be her best friend when we haven’t seen Melissa. Do you dirty at all? I hear that how I totally, I absolutely hear what you’re saying, I think that the for me, more surprising was what she had gone through with the Edmond stuff, right and right at to be able to bounce back from that. And if you ask Jackie about it, she’ll say she needed to forgive. She felt better after she forgave, and they’ve now developed a real friendship. So I don’t know that I would have been such a big person if someone said started a rumor. I don’t know that she would have and if she wasn’t filming a TV show here, yeah, I don’t know. Honestly, I can’t sit here and say I think that they were using each other. They both admitted that. I can’t say that the whole thing just came to be organically. I think there’s definitely was, everybody’s always thinking and spinning, right? But I don’t know if the Melissa piece of it entered into her thought process as much as I don’t know as much as the Margaret piece. So changing gears a little bit, I am really curious to hear what your favorite moment from the show, either on screen or behind the scenes that we didn’t get to see. What was that? Oh, my God. There were so many laughs that I wish you guys had seen. So there was one moment in Ireland which was so Ireland was the best. And there was one moment where cameras were down. We were exhausted. Everybody had actually a fun night. It was late and I was hungry. So we’re in this castle, and they lock up the kitchen for whatever reason. Oh, God, can I drag poor little Rachel FUTA like out of her bed? And we are getting in the kitchen, and I’m literally like, I and what was fun about it was just the laughter of it. It was so completely out of control. I don’t know how I broke in. I broke in and I started Double fisting, like Irish soda bread, oh, like in Ireland, right? It was like, and it was just like, this moment, and we’re going through the cupboards. And it was so like, you ever went to camp, like, breaking into the dining hall or something, and just her and I, like the joy of how funny it was. And Rachel’s, she’s not an animal like I am, so I’m trying to make her, like, shoving cookies into her. It was just like, like, stuff like that kind of bonding was so much fun. And then I could tell you that meeting certain people, it’s just so completely bizarre. I’m actually, I don’t know you guys know Michael Rapoport, like, I’ve always been a huge fan of his. I watched True Romance, and just I’ve been following him, to me, like he’s an actor that I just would have always wanted to meet, and now I’m friendly with him. We’re actually doing this appearance in in Margate, New Jersey, that is on 29 by the way, but like stuff like that, that’s so surreal. I’ve been sitting down for Watch What Happens Live. And like Andy Cohen, we have a lot of tri state listeners, so tell us about where it is. Oh, okay, yeah, thank you. Thanks, you guys. So it is in Margate. It’s being so it’s for the Margate Federation, and it’s about Israel, and it’s about what’s going on, and doing a meet and greet Mark Michael is a huge.
Image proponent of Israel, and I am too. So there’ll be a lot of that, a lot of talk of anti semitism and what’s happening in this country now, and also just again, just like the opportunity to meet, forget me, but to meet Michael Rappaport, who is Michael, is a legend, so I don’t, oh, there’s somebody at my door. Do they take your when they drop off packages, they take a picture. Yeah, to right. This is how obnoxious I’ve become. I see this man just now coming to take a picture at my door, and I’m thinking, Wow, we got to that point
here, literally taking a picture of the FedEx he just dropped so that they could send you the picture. And I’m like, there’d you go, Oh, yeah. I’m like, wow, she’s back. Oh, can you hear me? I’m sorry, yeah, we lost you are famous now you should not have a door that people can see through. What can I tell you? I don’t think I’m quite I don’t think I’m quite there, quite yet. I’m a friend of a housewife of New Jersey, but at the obnoxious. Now, I know you grew up in Texas because in New York City, baby, we don’t have doors. You could see through Amen. That’s where I’m headed eventually. So or will you when you scale back retire? Will you live in the city? That’s the dream. I lived in the city for nine years, my 20s into my 30s, into, like, early 30s. But yeah, that’s the that’s probably the dream. But I also have dreams of owning a house in the Hamptons and a house in Palm Beach, like it ain’t gonna happen, but it might live, and both my kids are in the city now, so there’s that. And I don’t want to have to worry about this. I’m in suburban New Jersey, worrying about the pool breaking and in this colonial and some pump house is beautiful. Oh, thank you. That’s nice. Thank you so much. But I don’t what’s I getting a little old for? We have a flood in the basement. Oh, what are your your next? Like, what’s next for you? What is next for me? I don’t know you guys. I’ve definitely entertained some things, and I have some ideas, and I’ve gotten a couple phone calls. But I’m not, and this is not just me being not trying to be like, humble. I’m not, like, iconic to the point where people are, like, not getting phone calls from traders, or I’m not, it’s but I would, I like to, yeah, that would be fun. I’d love to do a girls trip, but I’m new to this. I don’t know what’s going to happen. What I like to I like for it to become something and I’d be able to keep having a bit of a platform. But I don’t know, how has the show been with your shoe line? F major? Has it been Helga? Asked me all the right questions. What a nice question. Yes. But I, when I, when I signed up for housewives, I just stopped paying as much attention to my business, which is unfortunate. So the marketing, I have a partner who is now, we’re now going to rev up again, and I’ve gotten orders just for because I’ve been on housewives, so the orders come in not at the rate that I dreamed of. So the business is still up and running, but I haven’t paid as much attention to it as I did for the, you know, first three years, but, and I still, I’m so proud of the business and I’m so proud of F major. So yes, more time to devote to my business, but now my head is went to other things. I haven’t just been quite as focused. Yeah, you’re busy. The podcast takes up time. I’m sure. Yes, exactly the podcast takes up time. Yeah, I got a lot. I do. I have a lot going on, which I actually, I’m a very lazy person by nature, and I mean that I just I’m like a sloth, but I’m so much happier when I’m busier, and I’m so grateful now also, because I’m like an empty nester, and I know that a lot of women struggle with that have I’m better when I’ve got more going on and I’m grateful these things that are going on in my life. Who would have thought I like the idea of this ending because it ends for everyone. And then not being just like, I don’t want to sit in my house and think about what could have been, right. I hope to like, now move on to other exciting things, and with the podcast, which I enjoyed listening to, we know where you guys want to take that. So Jackie is now doing this spin off, and then I’m going to, we think, have a spin off myself. So she’s gonna get through her first she’s gonna do, I think they she’s gonna do eight separate episodes, and then I’m gonna do some separate episodes. So that’s exciting. I love doing it with Jackie, but we’re different people. I have other things that interest me that I’d like to talk about. That is, I think coming don’t absolutely hold me to it, but that is the plan. Attention. Finance leaders and subscription managers tired of the headaches that come with billing and growing your subscriber base. Meet charge be the ultimate solution to automate your billing, improve growth, retain customers and gain insight into your business performance, whether you’re a startup or an established enterprise. Charge me integrate seamlessly with your existing systems so you can focus on what really matters. Growing your business. Visit charge me.com, forward slash grow for a free trial and discover the smart way to handle your recurring revenue, C, H, A, R, G, E, B, e.com, forward slash grow.
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It’s fun to do a podcast, as you guys know so well. It’s cool, it’s interesting, it’s fun. And even we’ve had guests on Do you guys know my my Bialik, yes, yeah. Oh, Blossom. So I forget you guys. Are you guys? If you’re not my age, but you would know, so, like, that was such a day just talking to this woman. She is so brilliant, and so, like, a rocket scientist or something. Yeah, she’s, I don’t know, yes, she took some aerospace it looks Yeah, crazy and, but she’s smart, and she is my age and around, and had like that, that she, yeah, in my head, she’s like, forever, like, 15 awesome. I know forever on beaches. Like, yes, yeah, right. And so I know I feel the same way, but stuff like that, interviewing, something like that, is just, it was just off the charts. So cool. And so, like, I went to a fundraiser this summer, and I got to hang out with Deborah messing oh my god, are you kidding me? And have you met Jill zaryn? Many times, many times. Yeah, I feel like you and her would hit it. I love Jill. Yeah, she has been so sweet to me. I wasn’t able to go this year, but I went to her fundraiser that she did in the name of Bobby. I guess I went two years ago. We went on a cruise. We were both on we got to hang out there. She is also very pro Israel. I love Jill, yeah, so I’ve gotten to know her and her team. And again, like, it’s still that feeling of, holy shit. I watched those housewives, right? I watched Jill, zaryn and Ramona and Sonia. And now I like, I know them. I’m friends with Dorinda. What the f it is, you would fit in so well with that crew, I say you move to New York City or get a PA deter I’m probably saying that wrong, but no, you’re not, I don’t think you are. And put a camera up you doranda, Jill, Luanne, it would be so, yeah, it would be fantastic. We could. I’m not Ramona. Could stay in Palm Beach. I am not cool enough to hang out with the brins and Jenna’s of the world, but I feel like I would just be I would fit in beautifully with old New York. I like
flattering myself a little bit, but that would be the dream. Yes, yeah, I can see you a blue stone Manor. That’s gonna happen. That has happened. They’re doing a spin off. Why? What would I need to get on that? She won’t talk to me about it. I have no idea who she’s casting, what that’s gonna look like. She’s very zipped up about that, and I don’t push But yeah, if she’s asking, I’m answering yes, and I’m not even clear. And I probably should check my post, because I get information sent and I forget about it like a goldfish. But I don’t even know if it’s housewives going there or if it’s me and Amanda rolling up and staying and they’re filming guests. I’m not sure I saw it also on social and then tried to ask her about it, and she wasn’t having it. I don’t know. I just know that if she asks me, no matter what form it takes, I don’t give a shit. Oh yes, you’re there. I think she’s driven. Is the funniest. She’s the best. We would love it. Yeah, thank you so much for joining us today. We booked you guys. Thank you so much and for being so honest. We knew, I knew you would be his. That’s just, that’s you. But before we hop off, tell us so F major, tell us what the website is, you guys. Thank you. I just, I really appreciate that question. So go to shop, F major.com, the idea is that we made two high heels, two colors, right? They’re three inch heels. One is black Nappa, one is black patent, and then one is beige patent. We created them because when I turned 50, I was so frustrated that I just couldn’t wear heels anymore. And I’ve always loved heels, and I really was just at the point my life where I was like, I don’t need to have heels with red bottoms. They don’t have to.
Have rhinestones, and they don’t have to have lasers shooting off them. I just want a sexy pair of heels that I could, like wear with everything, a sexy pair. My first thought was like a pair of black heels and that are actually comfortable. So I’ve not I was never an entrepreneur, but I had this feeling about this particular thing. I knew my friends all felt the same way. And so then we created F major. They’re made in Spain. They’re absolutely beautiful, three inches. And our tagline is three inches never felt so good, meaning it’s like this kind of like, it’s irreverent. And the idea was saying that, like, even at 50, like, we’re still sexy, right? We’re still irreverent, we’re still 100% right? It’s not over for us. Listen, even as a young person, I have bad feet. They hurt my feet. I wear three inches, and I’m tall. I’m five seven, so I never felt like I needed more height than right? What the three inches give sister? Just all you got to do, send me your address. Oh, I am gorgeous. Singing or absolutely no, don’t play. But by the way, I’m gonna put it in right now, since you brought it up, which I so appreciate with the let’s see. We’ll put, enter the code cocktails and get 25% off. How’s that? All right, cocktails. And I will post that once the pod is live, I’ll put it in the show notes. We got it, guys. And then that’s at shop. F, major, F, major.com.com.
Use the code cocktails for 25% off. We will definitely do that. And then two, two Jersey Days, New Jersey podcast, yep, two Jersey J’s podcast. And then if you guys aren’t following Jen, your Instagram is guys are too much. Jen Fessler, two ends. We love it. Love you guys. I read you. Chat soon. I appreciate it. Please be well. Bye, guys. Bye. Thank you. Thank you. Bye.