Bravo has yet to announce the premiere date for Season 13 of Real Housewives of New Jersey, but the anticipated storylines are sure to deliver. The season finale has been largely spoiled since we’ve all heard that bombshell rumor about Melissa Gorga allegedly cheating on Joe Gorga by now.
According to Page Six, the gossip about Melissa made it onto RHONJ thanks to the Garden State bone collector, Margaret Josephs. According to the outlet, multiple sources have accused Margaret’s longtime friend turned enemy Laura Marasca Jensen of stirring the pot by accusing Melissa of kissing actor Nick Barrotta after a night out in New York a few YEARS ago. My my.
Sources close to the actor “strongly denied” the allegations, while another insider called the rumor “ridiculous” adding,“[Nick] has been in a relationship for, like, 14 years, and they’re all friends.”
Laura has admitted that she doesn’t know whether the rumor is true, but she is 100% certain that The Marge has been running her mouth about it. “I was told about this [by Margaret], who was not even there, herself,” she explained. “She told me that someone told her who was there that night.”
Laura claims she and Margaret were friends for decades and spoke about the rumor “a while ago” when they were still friendly. Laura kept the secret and even admitted she does not think Margaret was sharing the rumor to ruin Melissa adding, “She was gossiping. It’s what she does.”
The secret made its way to the Bravo cameras after Laura reached out to Teresa Giudice and Jennifer Aydin in February of 2021 to better “align” herself for a spot on the show in Season 13. Classic. Apparently, the women had a four-hour conversation about “life” and Laura thought it was a great time to share the rumor about Tre’s least favorite sister-in-law.
“My intention was never for anyone or their families to be hurt,” Laura tried to claim. “The intention was for me to talk to Melissa alone and let her know what was being said about her because I felt I was probably not the only one that knew. I didn’t think Margaret only told me [the cheating rumor]. It had nothing to do with being on-camera at all.” Just a concerned citizen!
The existing RHONJ cast filmed their Season 12 reunion in late March, so Tre and Jennifer did show some loyalty by keeping the secret despite “all the Housewives” knowing what was going on behind the scenes…I guess.
Page Six is now reporting that the rumor has finally risen to the surface, blowing up the Season 13 finale filming event. According to the outlet, a source close to the Melissa and Joe shared, “They’re laughing about it.” They expressed that the very idea of Melissa and Nick having a tryst is “ridiculous” adding, “[They’ve] all been friends for years.”
According to the insider, Melissa and Nick have always hung out in group settings and that Joe is a good friend of the actor. I personally can’t imagine Mel or Joe knowing anyone famous and not posting thirst traps, but alright.
Sources close to Nick revealed that the “Divorce Court” star is “shocked that someone would make up something so nasty in an attempt to destroy two families.” Imagine traumatizing someone famous for their time on Divorce Court. The gall! Through it all, Laura says she “stands by her truth.”
“I never said [the rumor] was true. I said I was told by Margaret that someone saw that. I never said that Melissa did that.” Whatever, hun. This is friend-of energy at best.
Sources close to Laura claim that she has auditioned to be on RHONJ a whopping three times until she got desperate. “She went to two people who didn’t like [Margaret] crying to them and telling them all these stories,” they revealed. “Things with an ounce of truth, she twisted it. So were Margaret and Melissa ever out with these guys? Yes. Was there ever any kissing? No. No one made out with anybody.”
The cheating rumors are reported to come up on the upcoming thirteenth season of Real Housewives of New Jersey thanks to Jennifer Aydin bringing them out on camera. Bless this mess!
TELL US – ARE YOU TEAM JENNIFER/TERESA, TEAM MELISSA/JOE, TEAM LAURA, OR TEAM MARGIE IN ALL OF THIS? DO YOU BELIEVE THE RUMOR THAT MELISSA CHEATED ON JOE?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]
