Teresa Giudice’s Prison Memoir: Who Did and Didn’t Get Thanked?
2015 was a rough year for Teresa Giudice, the queen bee of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. But after spending almost 12 months behind bars, the reality star is now making the best of it, telling all in her new memoir, Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again.
While the book is chock-full of lurid details about serving time, one of the most interesting sections is actually the acknowledgments. Giudice thanks many of her famous supporters—but not everyone from her reality world made the cut.
Giudice’s husband Joe and four daughters (who are all featured on The Real Housewives) get a heartfelt shout-out, of course. So does her brother, Joe Gorga, with whom Giudice has often had a contentious relationship. “Our family will always come first,” she writes. “Nothing else matters.”
Joe’s wife Melissa, with whom Giudice has reconciled after years of fighting, is also acknowledged, though she’s lumped in with Giudice’s two other sisters-in-law in a thank you for looking out for her daughters and having playdates.
Dina Manzo, Giudice’s longtime friend who appeared on the first and latest seasons of the show, got a personal thank you for “always being loyal.” Victoria Gotti, who showed up on the most recent season to stir up a bit of trouble, is cited as “a very special friend.”
Giudice also thanks her boss, Real Housewives producer Andy Cohen, with whom she will discuss the book tonight on Watch What Happens Live. “I’m really sorry I pushed you at the Season Two reunion,” she writes, cheekily.
Even some Housewives from other franchises get thanked for reaching out to her, including Beverly Hills‘ Lisa Vanderpump, Atlanta‘s Nene Leakes and New York‘s Jill Zarin and Dorinda Medley. Her Season 6 New Jersey castmates Teresa Aprea and Nicole Napolitano also make the cut.
But there are also some notable absences. While Giudice’s lawyer and bankruptcy attorneys got mentions, there’s no sight of her cousin and former co-star Kathy Wakile. Jacqueline Laurita, who will return to the show alongside Giudice and Melissa Gorga for the season that is currently shooting, also was not name-checked, nor were Giudice’s mortal enemies Danielle Staub and Caroline Manzo.
A “Kim D.” was, however, thanked in a group mention regarding mail sent to her in prison. Our fingers are crossed that it’s a sign pot-stirrer extraordinaire Kim DePaola has reignited their friendship and might make a triumphant return to Housewives.
You are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE this book #TurningTheTables #TeresaTuesday @GMA @arobach @BravoWWHL @Andy #RHONJ ♥️ pic.twitter.com/bi5yVxh9Qp
— Teresa Giudice (@Teresa_Giudice) February 6, 2016