Joe Giudice Reveals 'Ridiculous' $25K Salary for Teresa in Real Housewives Debut
EXCLUSIVE EXPOSÉ: Teresa Giudice's Shocking Salary Reveal and Joe Giudice's Scathing Confessions
In a jaw-dropping revelation that's got fans of The Real Housewives of New Jersey buzzing, Joe Giudice has spilled the beans on his ex-wife Teresa's salary for Season 1 of the hit Bravo show. On the latest episode of daughter Gia Giudice's podcast Casual Chaos, the 53-year-old patriarch made some eye-opening comments about their time in the spotlight.
As a contractor and one-time reality TV star himself, Joe shared that Teresa earned a paltry $25,000 when the show first premiered in 2009. "We got paid nothing the first season," he bluntly stated. "I'll even say... it was like $25,000. I mean, it was ridiculous, but whatever." The candid confession left listeners wondering how they managed to live large on such a meager salary.
But Joe wasn't done dishing the dirt yet! He revealed that his family spent a staggering $150,000 on lavish parties and events during their time on the show. "I think the first year, we had that big party in my great room," he reminisced. "I think that show cost me $150,000 the first year." Ouch!
Gia, who now stars on Next Gen NYC spinoff show, chimed in to offer some context: "Housewives typically don't get paid that much money during inaugural seasons." She noted that their salaries "grow as the seasons go on," implying that Teresa's $25,000 was a drop in the bucket compared to what she'd earn later on.
But it wasn't just about the Benjamins – Joe also opened up about his and Teresa's party-loving reputation. "When you're throwing parties and stuff like that, especially for the first season, you're putting in more money than you're actually getting out of it," Gia astutely observed. It seems their infamous parties were more of a financial burden than a windfall.
As fans know, Joe and Teresa's marriage was put through the wringer on reality TV – and the drama didn't stop there. The couple infamously had their fair share of blowups, with one particularly cringe-worthy moment featuring Joe calling Teresa some choice words (which we won't repeat here).
On the podcast, Joe acknowledged his regrettable slip-up: "The one up where we were at the vignette or something. I called your mother something. I know it wasn't very nice." He attributed the outburst to a combination of wine and exhaustion.
In a rare moment of vulnerability, Joe confessed: "I don't even use that word. I hate that word. Why it came out of my mouth, I have no idea." It's clear he's learned from his mistakes – but will he make amends with Teresa? The jury's still out on that one.
As the podcast came to a close, Gia posed an intriguing question: what if her mom and stepdad Louie were to split up someday? Joe's response was telling: "You can never say 'never.'" Has there been a glimmer of hope for reconciliation between these two reality TV powerhouses?
The drama doesn't stop here – stay tuned for more juicy updates from The Real Housewives universe!
