This blog is about analyzing the personality disorders displayed by the Real Housewives on the various Bravo TV programs. Once again, I must issue the disclaimer that I do have a legitimate psychology degree but I am not a practicing psychologist. These blogs are intended for entertainment purposes only, mostly my entertainment I confess.
This post will be about Teresa Giudice, one of the women featured on The Real Housewives Of New Jersey. I have been pondering her issues for awhile now, trying to figure out exactly what might be leading to the behaviors we have observed on television and in recent interiews.
I observed definite impulse control issues but I was uncomfortable with the DSM’s Borderline Personality Disorder as a diagnosis. I just do not feel Teresa meets enough of the diagnostic criteria. Intermittent Explosive Disorder is something I considered but it does not cover all of the behaviors I have observed. I turned to the ICD-10, a diagnostic manual used by the World Health Organization. Voilà, Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder – Impulsive Type. It is closely related to BPD but it has a different set of diagnostic criteria that I feel Teresa does meet.
Emotionally unstable personality disorder is a personality disorder in which there is a marked tendency to act impulsively without consideration of the consequences, together with affective instability. The ability to plan may be minimal, and outbursts of intense anger may often lead to violence or “behavioral explosions”. These occur with a disproportionate reaction to any provocation, real or perceived.
There are two variants of this personality disorder (impulsive and borderline), both share this general theme of impulsiveness and lack of self-control. I feel Teresa is definitely the impulsive type. The predominant characteristics of the impulsive type are emotional instability and lack of impulse control. Outbursts of violence or threatening behavior are common, particularly in response to criticism by others.
Teresa is a woman who has outbursts seemingly out of the blue. During last season’s finale of RHONJ, she famously flipped a table and lost utter control of herself during a dinner party. She even lost the ability to speak, shouting nonsense at Danielle Staub, ending up howling in a nearly primal fashion as her husband had to hold her back. Her completely out of proportion reaction seemed to be triggered when Danielle admonished her to “pay attention puh-lease” while they were discussing issues realted to a book about Ms . Staub’s past. Ms. Giudice stated right afterwards about her outburst “Don’t f@#%ing think I am airheaded stupid because that is what set me off”. She added later, “I can be mad one minute and then I will be fine”.
We have all witnessed time and time again that Teresa has a bit of problem with shopping. According to reports she and her husband have dealt with numerous financial difficulties yet we continue to see her spend outrageous sums on decorating, parties and clothing. Please note that these reports have been confirmed by Teresa Giudice herself in People magazine, where she states that bankruptcy will be a fresh start for her family. Teresa clearly has lived beyond her means, splurging on a variety of items with the attitude that money is no limit. This is also indicative of her lack of impulse control, she wants immediate gratification and does not consider the future consequences of her behavior.
Recently Teresa has attacked other housewives in the press. She called Sonja Morgan a “Crazy Old Whore” , “desperate” and a “bitch” in a mean-spirited blog about Sonja’s first appearance on the Real Housewives Of New York. This attack was from out of nowhere and the hostility was really uncalled for.
Teresa then attacked Bethenny Frankel, also of RHONJ, in a People magazine article saying, “She used to be a fun, regular girl, but after she got successful, she became a total bitch. I know she acts sweet to her fans on Twitter, but as an insider, I’m here to tell you, it’s an act. She is not sweet. She is calculating and cold.” She then said on her blog “Bethenny is not normal”.
Teresa went on to say the reason for her comments were because Bethenny said some mean things about her last year. The mean comments Teresa is referring to came from Bethenny’s blogs on the first season of the NJ Housewives, which Teresa provided links to. The comments by Bethenny mostly criticize Teresa’s impulsive behaviors seen on the show. There was also one which questioned Teresa’s intelligence, also based on her behavior seen on RHONJ.
The reason it stands out so much to me is because Bethenny was blogging for Bravo about RHONJ and her criticisms were based on what everyone was seeing on the show at the time. Her cuts were also directed at all the other ladies, they were not just aimed at Teresa. Teresa’s attack of Bethenny came from out of the blue and was about Bethenny’s personal life, not any behaviors witnessed by the public on the reality show this season. It is clear that Teresa feels more than justified to attack anyone, in any manner, who ever has criticized her. Even months later.
As I always say though, judge for yourselves.
To garner a diagnosis of Emotionally Unstable Personality, Impulsive Type at least three of the following must be present
- Marked tendency to act unexpectedly and without consideration of the consequences
- Marked tendency to quarrelsome behavior and to conflicts with others, especially when impulsive acts are thwarted or criticized
- Liability to outbursts of anger or violence without ability to control the resulting behavioral explosions
- Difficulty in maintaining any course of action that offers no immediate reward
- Unstable and capricious mood
For anyone having navigational issues here are the links to the other discussions on the housewives of New Jersey:
https://angelofdevs.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/rhonjs-danielle-staub-antisocial-personality-disorder/
https://angelofdevs.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/rhonjs-dina-manzo-functioning-well/
A Real Housewife's View 
i’m no doctor, and i don’t even play one on tv, but it sure sounds like you have teresa pegged here. lol
she seems more of a narcissist than a borderline.
her table flipping and chasing dannielle was all a result of her narcissistic rage e.g ”pay attention please!” making her feel stupid and ”air-headed” and in season 2 dannielle said her house was in foreclosure so that’s what set her off there responding ”i live in a 5 million dollar mansion b!tch!”. i think she has npd.
Great post! Your analysis seems as though it could fit Kelly too.
That’s the whole problem. This is an untrained non-mental health professional making generalized statements about people she is not qualified to assess. You can diagnose anyone with a personality disorder using a handful of examples. What is missing is a pervasive, persistent pattern of behavior in all these women. Based on observation alone, she’s missed the boat… as evidenced by her simply picking up an ICD-10 in hopes of finding something that fits.
There is an interesting article about this here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704025304575284753379542376.html?KEYWORDS=melinda+beck
I feel if analyzing movies and television are good enough for the American Psychiatric Association then it is ok for a blog with the appropriate disclaimers.
@Anna, she is not a professional psychiatrist as she has disclosed. She clearly states that this is for entertainment mostly. But her blogs are based on learned intelligence, and I for one, find her analysis very informative. Not that I would peg and hold all these housewives under such disorders, I find the descriptions very helpful and indeed entertaining as it helps me understand certain personalities. And I actually would like to believe these women do have certain problems however, as many of these women are extravagent (compared to sane, drama -free people around me) and I have been wondering WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ALL THESE WOMEN! And I’m happy to have found this blog which at least gives you some kind of explanation as we glimpse into their minds.
Yes, angelofdevs, but those are psychiatric residents analyzing fictional characters and this is a non-mental health professional armchair analyzing “real” people. My concern about this is how it further stigmatizes true mental illness and trivializes the mental health profession. One does not simply flip through the DSM-IV or ICD-10 looking for what fits a particular individual. I realize you say this is for entertainment, but if that were the case leave out your supposed psychology credentials (which incidentally are not enough to actually practice psychology in this country). It lends an air of credibility to your analysis that is misguided… and one can see from many of the comments that people think since you have a psychology degree that legitimizes these diagnoses.
I am sorry you disapprove of the blog. I do not state anything other than the fact that I do indeed have a legitimate psychology degree, I am not a practicing mental health professional and that yes, this blog is meant for entertainment purposes. What people infer from that is up to them.
Oh please, Anna, get a grip on yourself…you are going way over board here. Angelordevs has a clear disclaimer upfront….and she is providing real insight into psycho-social disorders…and we know that true diagnosis is an art and not a science….so even the most highly trained and licensed therapists can and do disagree on diagnoses….so stop already with the whining and the false umbrage.
Ok lets say these comments are just general “blog statements” she still hit the nail on the head with Teresa.
you think the behavior of these women is not persistent and pervasive? Besides this blog is for entertainment it is an open exchange of ideas, like mind exercise. Lighten up and enjoy us.
angelof devs: I just read the article about analyzing films, and we did that in school as well, it gives us credibility here, as if we needed it, but some peeps take things too seriously and overlook the incredible amount of brain stimulation and critical thinking that goes on here. Like I said before we have an open exchange of ideas. I mean what’s better? donna
Anna, if you are so concerned, then start your own blog, and stop with all the kerfuffle.
angelofdevs, I think you should analyze Anna. Isn’t she displaying some sort of mental disorder with her displaced comments? lol.
ha ha ha ha ha ha that is so funny, I love it!!!!
Google Giudice Bankruptcy–it has hit the AP wires today. It’s spreading all over the Internet like wildfire. You’ll love all her quotes as to why it’s perfectly okay to cancel her debts by filing bankruptcy “…because everyone deserves a fresh start…”
8.1 mil in debts; with 20,000 alone due to Bloomingdales and another $63,000 racked up in other assorted credit card debts. They’re losing some of their several homes.
Oh no, I guess there will be no money for the hair-on-forehead-removal surgery or
the place-the-one-googly-eye-back-in-it’s proper-place-on-the-face surgery.
So everything Teresa made fun of the other moneyless bimbo is now all happening to her. Payback is such a bitchy thang! Oh and to be forced to file while SO in the public eye…
Living on their now $71,000 a year is so difficult, that it has to be supplemented by
“another $120,000 in income donated by family members…”
Last season, when the Giudice residence was being built, I was put off by the amount of polished stone in a house with little children. It did not strike me as cozy or safe for little stockinged feet. I went on a mansion tour with cousins in Newport, Rhode Island around Christmas and noted the same thing about the Vanderbilt house. I’m surprised no one cracked a head open on the marble staircase. Anyway, I don’t know how fresh a start bankruptcy really is, psychologically speaking, or even socially. They should get a smaller, “greener” house. And also, stop with the hot pick and leopard print for the little girls. Let them choose some outfits.
hot pink, I meant.
I love your posts. I’m not sosure about Teresa having an Axis ii affliction, though, as despite her problems, she DOES seem to play well with others. Isn’t a disruption in interpersonal relationships a necessary crietrion for a personality disorder?
She plays well enough with her circle but they do not naysay her. I think her interactions with Danielle, Sonja and Bethenny are plenty in defense that she does not always play well with others, particularly with anyone that says anything that can be interpreted as negative in any way.
Interesting. I wonder, though, to what extent T’s innate vulgarity or lack of intelligence/education explains this kind of lashing out.
She has a fairly backward mindset in most respects: she seems to believe in retribution over empathy and forgiveness (she cannot rise above B’s digs in the press, she cannot forgive Danielle though she insists on everyone (read: just her) deserving a “fresh start,” etc.); she equates morality with primitive family values and strict adherence to gender roles (which would explain her disproportionate attack on Sonja, the way she’s raising her little girls to be “divas,” her infantile interactions with her husband, etc.); her taste level is abysmal (she equates the cheapest kind of opulence with elegance); she’s uninterested in the wider world/expanding her horizons/self-analysis and self-correction, etc. The worst thing is that all of this vulgarity is being sold as some kind of expression of Old World culture and values.
Basically, it seems less pathological and more of a recognizable type–too many “normal” people behave just like T. Jerry Seinfeld was right–why WOULD anyone want to stick their head in this toilet? Forget the Housewives–you should be “diagnosing” the culture.
I would like to see Ts reaction if her inner circle dared to diss or criticize her. I’m betting she would turn against them in a New Jersey second.
Theresa seems to play well with others, until she doesn’t; then, no one is a safe. In last night’s episode, when Theresa was an hour and twenty minutes late to Caroline’s dinner party, Theresa basically said “get over it.” No empathy or acceptance of responsibility.
Eh, If I had four kids, I would think the same thing.
I am LOVING this armchair-diagnosis concept as applied to the Housewives (providing fertile soil if ever it existed..)
Re: the last comment , I’m afraid I’ve got that one covered. ‘Tis a blog called vapid culture, wherein we celebrate the celebration of a culture lacking substance. Spray tans and implants for everyone!!
That sounds entertaining!
for some reason, I can’t get that site. donna
Hi Angelofdevs, I’ve been reading your blog for a while and I must say I thoroughly enjoy it. I live in the UK so alot of my friends are not up to date with the Real Housewives series, this website helps satisfy my need for gossip and your breakdown of the housewives behaviour is astonishingly accurate!
I must say that although Theresa may exhibit some of the symptoms of the disorder you described, I do not think she has a personality disorder (I don’t think her behaviour pattern impairs her ability to function in society).
I believe her actions stem from her upbringing. She mentioned in one of the episodes that her father never said “no” to her; which is also the case with her husband. As a result she spends lavishly, without any thought of consequence or sustainability. And in turn she is passing that mentality onto her girls.
She is also extremely ignorant, inarticulate and uneducated; this is portrayed in almost every episode. She finds it very difficult to explain herself, she has a very crude sense of humour (or humor – american spelling) and never seems to know what a lot of words mean! Quite often she refers back to an immature nature talking about “bubbies” and her husband’s sex drive, this is where she feels most comfortable.
The final major aspect of Theresa’s personality is the fact that she is quite a traditionalist. She doesn’t work, she cooks and cleans (I think she once mentioned that most other people’s houses were dirty). She might also be borderline racist, her daughter mentioned that she would never marry a Jew because of their hair or something to that degree, which infers she must have learnt that from her parents.
All in all, I have to say that Theresa is daft and ignorant I do not think she compares with people like Jill, Kelly and Danielle who I believ are mentally ill.
Pretty much agree with this poster- I’m not completely sure that Teresa is totally ill, especially next to the severe cases exhibited by Kelly, Jill, or Danielle. I do, however, think that she’s masquerading with very grandiose airs.
Another part worth mentioning is that Teresa likes showing off- whether it’s her house, an outfit, or among other parents- and is oblivious to any kind of negative reaction to her. The other parents’ disgust was apparent as she talked about Gia in Fashion Week, but she didn’t seem to notice or care.
As far as uneducated goes, she’s mentioned that she’s a graduate of fashion merchandising- but I’m astonished that she’s a graduate of anything given how atrocious her vocabulary is. Her cooking looks terrific, but her language skills are rudimentary. No flashy outfit or mugging cute kid or obnoxious house can hide her stumbling over “cleansiness.”
And frankly, with her bankruptcy woes, I think it’s just plain arrogant of her to assume that borrowed money/credit is truly a means to define herself “rich.” She is a terrific example of how financial pretentiousness is dangerous to assume.
I understand what you are saying but I do believe Teresa’s behaviors can also have significant negative consequences in real life.
As a *celebrity* on a reality show she is not living under the same rules the rest of us do. For example if I flipped a table in a staff meeting and began yelling incoherently I imagine I would not be employed much longer afterwards. If I personally attacked women I worked with in the fashion she does, I would probably be fired. Just because these things are not affecting her on TV does not mean it is acceptible behavior. She is currently suffering some consequences of her lack of impulse control financially but her book sales should shield her from more serious consequences.
At some point Teresa will not be a reality TV star and will have to face the negative consequences of her out of control behaviors head on. It will probably have a more significant impact on her and her family at that point. I honestly feel her disorder is a serious one and that her behavior is truly inappropriate.
Angel, I so agree with you on this one. Especially after last night’s PHONY attempt to be “civil” to Danielle. I am no fan of Danielle; however, Teresa’s actions were not done out of the goodness of her heart, but out of contempt. She is another malicious, hypocritical lowlife that loves the drama and is totally devoid of ANY knowledge of self (“Ain’t I a nice person?”). If this was her way of thinking she could deflect attention away from her own sorry self, I think it was a major backfire.
She really is more of a disgrace than Danielle, in my opinion. She wanted to egg Danielle on last night and apparently succeeded. What a bully she is.
After last night’s episode, I really don’t like Teresa. I think she was purposely trying to play up for the cameras (in the words one recapper, trying to re-enact her table-flipping incident) and enjoying her own malice. She was looking to pick a fight, and judging by the previews of next week, she succeeded. (I’m also guessing she gets Ashley involved with her, which wouldn’t have been difficult, but against Jacqueline’s wishes.)
And, as of this point in RHoNJ, I’m totally getting sick of this. I love me some ham game and big hair and babies and bubbies and shopping, but this kind of grade school-BS and Danielle storyline is atrocious and difficult to watch.
Good post!
I, too, am not completely convinced that Theresa has a personality disorder. Although financially, indeed, her life has become unmanageable due to her compulsive spending, other aspects of her life she seems to manage just fine. She is raising four children without paid assistance, and although I wouldn’t raise my kids her way, they seem happy and healthy (albeit spoiled rotten.) She designed that outrageously gawdy house to her liking and manages the day-to-day care and upkeep herself (until it was foreclosed on?) She is a loyal friend who, despite her intellectual and social shortcomings, her friends genuinely like for herself (not for her money or social standing.)
So I agree with Arcana, Theresa is daft, ignorant, and extremely limited, but all in all I like her. She’s got chutzpah, and she’s a stitch (although she doesn’t always intend things to be funny, she is comedy GOLD!) I can see why Caroline is always saying Theresa makes her laugh just by being “Theresa”. Theresa is a Character with a capital “C”!
@angelofdevs I see your point RE: consequences being different for “celebrity”, but Theresa hasn’t always been a reality star — up until a few years ago she wasn’t a “celebrity”. I imagine she has always acted the way she does. I think two reasonable explanations for her occasional outbursts are 1) intellectual insecurity and 2) deep-seeded loyalty toward family and friends. She probably rarely has had to deal with consequences because she gets a pass for protecting loved ones no matter how inappropriate the behavior, or she is cut an inordinate amount of slack because she’s so obviously stupid! I also wonder if they have faced financial ruin before, or have a pattern of bankruptcy or foreclosure as Lynne on RHoOC has.
@Bonnie I think you’re giving our girl WAY too much credit by attributing malice to her. I just don’t think she’s that smart! Danielle is that smart…she is all kinds of conniving…but Theresa? Not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I think she was definitely stirring the pot with that little stunt of hers, but she acts NOT without CARE of the consequence or not knowing there will BE consequence, but instead as if her underdeveloped brain can’t comprehend what those consequences could possibly be! I really do think it all stems back to a basic lack of intelligence.
@Lex You are SO right! It is all very juvenile and “grade-school”. The whole Danielle storyline has got to go…that woman is toxic. Dump Danielle and bring in the two Kim’s…what a couple of hyenas those two are! They’ll keep the franchise rolling in unnecessary high school drama, for sure!
Love the blog, love the comments, love all of you! (And I got love for Theresa, too. Can’t help it, the girl makes me laugh!) Ciao!
Hyenas! That is a perfect characterization of the Kims…
No she appeared on other reality shows. What is really a ashame she claims she has no maids etc BUT HER PARENTS CLEANS HER HOUSE she treats them like slaves
I could’nt agree more, oh how funny, hyenias. I love you all too. Great blog
Hi, Arcana—waving hello across the pond—and let’s not forget Teresa’s well worn “chuckie,” shall we….good lord, is this woman daft!
Arcana, very insightful post. I would agree that the same is true for Jill, definitely a product of upper middle class Jewish girl rearing, hence the expression Jewish American Princess. I’m from a Jewish family and boy can I relate to Jill’s behavior, I saw it growing up and I used to laugh at these girls while I went to school with them. I feel as you do that Teresa is also a product of her bringing up, her lack of intelligence, and her lack of substance as a person. The part that I think that gives Teresa a personality disorder is that she goes beyond the stereotypical stuff that we have all recognized, and you can see when she is confronted, and she just stares for a moment, and then all hell breaks loose. Her out of control spending is clearly destructive and tacky at best. Her husband also appears to be straining at the bit about her.
I just found your blog and I love it! Very entertaining thank you. I don’t have any kind of psychology degree but it seems to me that anyone who goes on these shows has to be a narcissist and/or some other kind of problem that causes them to seek attention. I cant wait to read your take on Bethenney– I know she is popular with fans but she does strike me as fake (nice to people’s faces then shredding them in her confessionals) and cold (not talking to her parents for years). Her constant self-promotion is annoying and she seems insincere to me (she poses naked for PETA and then wears a feather dress — if she was sincere about PETA and not just doing the ad for attention/self-promotion she would know that birds are killed for their feathers).
Thanks again — love the blog and can’t wait to read more!
It’s interesting that you find Bethenny to have some kind of mental issue. I like Bethenny as I find her and Sonja to be one of the sane ones on the show. She is one person who is more cognicent of the overall”reality show”, hence to you, might seem calculative, but to me it just appears to be smart. She does seem cold, but she is shrew enough to know that and talks about it – her cold parents/divorce. She has enough of self awareness, to offer us an explanation for why she is the way she is. She said many times however that she tried always throughout her life to reach out to her dad, right upto his death. I don’t know how else anyone could better deal with selfish father as hers. She also recognises the chaos (liquors, parties, irresponsibleness?) she has grown up with in her mom’s side. I can understand why she is the way she is – a survivor, as she herself has said many times. For all these reasons, I’m actually surprised she is as sane as she is.
Do you really think Bethenny’s sane? That attention-seeking media whore constantly exhibits extremely poor impulse control, a deep-seated need to be validated and to be right, and a mean girl’s streak (the latter which belies her need to make herself feel better by putting someone else down).
For example, whenever Bethenny feels she’s been slighted, she forces a showdown on the spot, regardless of whether or not the time is appropriate or the other party is up to it at the time. Or, in complete contrast, Bethenny flees.
Two types of instances of the first reaction were: Bethenny’s forcing a showdown with Jill after Jill and Ramona removed Bethenny’s liquor sponsors’ logos from the Skinny Girl booth at Jill’s charity function, and Bethenny’s repeated showdowns with Kelly (which saner minds than the two of theirs would avoid). Two examples of the latter are Bethenny’s fleeing to Florida when her season 1 boyfriend wouldn’t merge households, and a more recent episode in which Jill approached her estranged, former friend outside of a restaurant and gushed about Bethenny’s engagement ring.
Bethenny’s poor impulse control is also triggered by her desperate need to marry and to be validated by others. This caused Bethenny to push her season 1 boyfriend away by doing such things as force him to discuss, on-camera, her desire for them to move in together even when he said he didn’t want to discuss that on-air. After they broke up, she walked around in the Hamptons, yelling out, “Does anyone find me even remotely attractive?” Finally, she latched onto Jason Hoppy, got pregnant and then engaged (and ultimately, married), all before knowing Jason a full year.
Bethenny claims her first husband pushed her into marriage, but somehow I wonder who pushed whom? I also wonder how long things will last with Jason, unless Bethenny gets much-needed deep therapy.
To the comment below (since for some reason, the reply button is not available). I think your assessment of Bethenny is a bit exaggerated. I am not by any means saying that Bethenny doesn’t court the media and does not seek attention, but she is more self-aware of her issues than the other Housewives discussed on this blog. I think wanting to get away for a bit after a public break -up ( I am referring to the Florida trip) is not cause to question anyone’s sanity along with forcing a showdown with a friend (Jill) , and afterwards reconciling. As far as the episode with Jill after she got engaged, I think she explained her reaction and her “fleeing” pretty coherently. She had some solid reasons including Jill’s materialistic nature and her consistent snubbing of Bethenny throughout the first part of the season. Poor impulse control is usually a disorder that is prominent in gambling, alcoholism, kleptomania and other manias. I didn’t see Bethenny exhibit any sort of that behavior during the season. And her behavior with her past boyfriends and current husband exhibits her wanting a solid, loving relationship in her life, and I think the vast majority of people want that in their lives. Lastly, I have seen many happy couples have a long lasting marriage after less than 1 year of courtship. The timing of the courtship does not measure the success of a marriage nor exhibit the mental state of a person.
@Hsoo — I think anybody who goes on these kinds of shows ( and this is Bethenney’s second time — she was on Martha Stewarts Apprentice — and if you count her new show that will be three of these kind of shows she’s done) has to have a mental problem either narcissism or low self-esteem constantly seeking validation. Bethenney may come off “saner” than the others, but that doesn’t make her mentally healthy. No way does a healthy person seek fame based on not talent but allowing cameras into the minutiae of their private life. I just can’t believe otherwise. I understand she is popular but I think she just knows how to manipulate public perception. Why talk about how terrible your parents are on TV if not for pity/attention. I guarantee if i had horrible parents I wouldn’t make it fodder for public consumption. I don’t know, she has just always rubbed me the wrong way. I find her insincere. I can understand that you do not.
Btw –I read her book Naturally Thin and, having had an eating disorder in my teens, I can tell you she has one and that book is a blueprint in how to have an eating disorder.
@goldenapple — I’m glad to see someone agree with me! I was feeling lonely with all the Bethenny love 😉
I disagree with Goldenapple and Dark Star’s sarcastic, one-sided negative views of Bethenny. She was, and IS a CELEBRITY chef. It is pivotal to have media recognition to be successful in her endeavors. I saw few clips from the Martha Stewart show and she said she aspires to be like Martha Stewart, albeit in natural healthy foods. Do you think Marthat Stewart could have achieved what she has without the media? As opposed to what Kelly (why did this women sign up to on tv anyways, if she criticizes people for wanting to be on media – such a hypocrit!) argues, I would not call Bethenny as media-whore. She is doing what her job requires – to promote her brand and herself. And to see it any other way, is just a lot jealous negative talk.
Sue, how is Bethenny a celebrity chef? She was a caterer. She is famous now, not for her cooking skills, but because she let the cameras into her private life. Are Bethenny’s books even cookbooks? Does she have a lot of recipes like Teresa?
When I first watched the RHONY show the only one I did know of was Bethenny from Martha Stewart Apprentice. I am a bit of a foodie myself and can tell you one exposure like that will qualify you as a *celebrity chef*, ask any former Top Chef contestant. She is indeed famous in some circles for her culinary skills and she is a graduate of a culinary institute.
Like her or not she does qualify as a *celebrity chef* as she is both a minor celebrity and a professional chef, it does not matter how she got famous. Being a caterer does not in any way mean you are NOT a legitimate chef, many chefs are caterers. She does have recipes in her books and people do talk about them in forums and on twitter.
Sorry but this topic is a pet peeve of mine. She has been featured even on my local TV giving tips and demonstrating recipes. I do not think it is appropriate to take someone’s hard won credentials away from them regardless of your feelings about her as a person.
For the record I own both one of Bethenny’s books and Teresa’s book and like both. Teresa is not a chef and did not go to culinary school but I find her book great for an amateur and very user friendly.
I can’t understand why Teresa Guidice would want to blame the economy for her bankruptcy. After all she had to walk herself into a high end store like Nordstrom and make purchases with money she didn’t have. As far as the name calling is going on, it takes one to know one.
HEEEEEEE-larious.
Dear Angelofdevs,
Girl they are posting your blog everywhere!!!! Good for you!
It always seemed that Teresa had her family always dealed in CASH which is a little strange plus we never got a coherent version of exactly Joe’s occupation which was suspect to me
I am surprised and happy that the blog is getting so much love.
@Darkstar – I agree with you about Bethenny on several counts – namely that she is insincere and also that she is extremely motivated by fame and attention. A couple things that have recently bothered me about her especially: 1. she takes a pregnancy test ON CAMERA, deliberately allowing the camera crew to film her peeing on a stick and calling her best friend to tell her. WEIRD. I mean arguably this should be one of the most private moments of her life and before the child’s father knows a camera crew from Bravo does? Sad and fame-obsessed. It makes me think the ‘plots’ for her new show (including the getting engaged) were staged, at least by her and Bravo.
Then when she is telling her friend she is pregnant the first things she says is: “What am I just supposed to do – get fat now?” and she has mentioned this numerous times in relation to her pregnancy. Then on The View today, she was so defensive when questioned about the weight she gained and lost during pregnancy and afterwards, making comments about “oh was I supposed to turn into an elephant?” How is she SO skinny 5 weeks after giving birth – it seems pretty unreal to me. I know a lot of women who had c-sections and they aren’t their normal weight 5 days later because of ‘water loss’ AND shouldn’t she be home more with her newborn rather than ‘promoting’ her brand and tv show all over the place – I mean she did the RHONY reuinion (which apparently took 10 hrs) a week after giving birth – and said she left her daughter with a baby nurse. That grosses me out, I don’t know why… it just seems yucky.
Then when she is talking to Jill about making up at Ramona’s apt (and this was brought up in the reunion) and refuses to do it off camera. Then she says well this is reality tv, you will put your husband’s cancer on TV but not making up with me. I am NOT defending JIll – I find her equally insufferable – but Bobby’s cancer was never on the show. Jill talked about it but that was all, I think there are some things which Should and need to remain off camera. Taking a pregnancy test and having a heart to heart to mend your friendship with a ‘good’ friend are probably two good examples in my book.
Ok – sorry for the rant, but yeah I do not get the whole Bethenny love either in which everyone ignores the reality of how she acts and endlessly promotes her as the only ‘real’ HW. yuck.
Betehny has said out right that she is using the reality show platform to further her business. Ofcourse she needs as much media exposure as possible. The fact that people can’t understand this is because they do not have a business mind-set.
And when she said, “am I suppose to be fat now? She was JOKING! If you can’t get this, you are not any different from Kelly, not understanding Bethenny’s joke about Sonja being a hooker. Then again, I have no doubt, Kelly Bensimon and Jill Zarin is doing everything they can to come into these sites under fake names to bash Bethenny either. We’ve seen it and now I can almost detect them as well.
I’m with Sue. It’s so surprising that so many people who post negative comments about Bethenny don’t get her killer dry wit….and Bethenny is the smartest one in the entire RH franchise…she launched a real business and will be incredibly successful. I bought a bottle of Skinny Girl Margarita over the holiday weekend and my local liquor store up here in Massachusetts and after trying it, immediately went back for two more bottles. It is fantastic. The store said it is flying off the shelves. I brought a bottle over to my sister’s house in Connecticut, and she loved it too. Bethenny has a huge hit on her hands and I am thrilled for her. Bravo, Bethenny!
Look – i think she is funny. I just think she goes too far with her need for exposure. She basically has her entire life on film or in tabloids- even the most private details – it just creeps me out how much she plays to the cameras and courts them and appears so fake. I watched one episode of her show to see if she would different without all the drama of the other women – I actually find her worse. And the episode I watched her fiance was expressing annoyance about their wedding being a big show for the media. Really – come on! Not discrediting her profession as a chef or a caterer or whatever she is – I really don’t know – I bet her drink is great too, but her over the top philandering to publicity is annoying to me. I’m all for her being successful in business, but take a break from the being the character you play on TV and focus on the life you claim to like so much – people will still buy your books.
BTW; I am not jill. Stop being so lame in those accusations. Everyone who does not LOOOVE Bethenny’s tv character is not jill. In fact is everyone who defends B on these sites actually B – because I have heard that rumor many times as well.
I don’t really dislike Teresa too much. I’m surprised to see Borderline Personality pop up with her. I don’t see it. I had a friend in school who had it and she was textbook case. And she was nothin’ like Teresa. She was really hard to keep up with but she wasn’t necessarily explosive. Maybe the word impulsive would be more correct. For Theresa, Intermittent Explosive Disorder…now that’s interesting. (“Prostitution whore-ah!”)
As for her money issues, aren’t those issues shared with her husband as well?
I missed that she was bad mouthing the girls on RHONY, which just sucks.
Please, please, please, analyze love and light, professed devout Catholic, DANIELLE!!!!!!!!!! I’m not screaming, just can’t wait to read your blog on this chick. Thanks.
I did. https://angelofdevs.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/rhonjs-danielle-staub-antisocial-personality-disorder/
See.. I don’t think Teresa is crazy…I think she is just plain ol’ spoiled rotten. She is like a permanent teenager.. always whining, demanding stuff and throwing tantrums. That girl is just the evidence of what happens when you don’t tell your kids “NO”.
…and dumb as a pile of rocks…..
You just described NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder) symptoms and one of the main causes of it (being spoiled rotton in childhood).
NPD are people who are all about themselves, who never grew up emotionally. Two of the main causes of this disorder are when children are spoiled rotton and told they are better than everyone else and the opposite, when children are treated terribly, abused and neglected.
This is exactly how they treat Gia. She is mostly spoiled rotton and lead to believe she is better than others (mostly based on her looks, ironically). However, on their way to the fashion show she was in, in the car, right before they arrived, her father told her she was “ugly” and the kid lost it.
Teresa is minimally a severe case of NPD (probably with other co-morbid disorders) and Gia is well on her way to being the same (probably the other kids too).
Personality disorders are often passed on from parents to children and it’s probably more of a nuture than nature thing, but the jury isn’t out on how much of it might be nature.
Hee, Maxine, I don’t think that’s fair to rocks 🙂
My goodness….I think I have all of these personality disorders in one way or another. I just never had to be analyzed by the media…thank goodness….LOL. I love reading everything about the housewives I enjoy the shows. But, I feel we fans/non-fans can be mean and cruel…but that’s why they are on TV and I’m not. I love it..it’s FUN!!
Agreed on all counts! I think that’s what happens when you sign up for reality tv. Your life is now on display for others to judge.
But I also think to want to be on a reality show… You have to be a certain level of crazy and/or narcissistic. Hahahaha
Thanks for the article ..
Usually, I do not post on blogs, but I would like to say that this weblog really forced me to do so! Many thanks, really nice publish.
Very helpful thank you.
I’m not so sure Teresa has a personality disorder as she may be simply a product of her environment. It would depend on whether there was abuse in her childhood or as a young adult.
I could see a lot of her tendencies in inviduals who come from abusive homes in which they were taught to smile and hold in frustrations and anger. Then as adults they are able to break the cycle for the most part and maintain an affiable character until something is said to them which they perceive to be demeaning.
In that instant, that comment is replayed in hyper speed and in a moment’s notice and it’s like an explosion of excessive commentary and reactions held in check for days/months/years. And voila…the “prostitution whore” is born.
As to poor impulse control, she strikes me as simply immature and spoiled. I fear she is passing that one trait on to her girls. Hope I’m wrong.
I agree that Teresa may just be a product of a very, very spoiled environment. But, she will pass this down to her daughters, and the expectation seeds are already in place to grow into even brattier flowers.
Remember the scene where Gabriella was scowling because of how much fun Gia was having at her birthday? I am willing to bet that Gabriella- who is already featured screaming when she wants something, whether a dress or French toast (when her mom’s about to give birth, no less)- will want *more* than what Gia had (sibling rivalry). It’s just going to escalate, all the way down to the 4th already overblinged kid.
And, someone in my Twitter feed had this to say: “Can you picture what Gia will be like when she’s on MTV’s ‘My Super Sweet 16’?”
*pounds gavel* I rest my case.
Now that we’ve seen Teresa interacting with the party planner, who she found offensive but was probably obligated to work with, what do we think about her ability to play well with others?
I honestly thinking she was acting. When she said Elvira was a bitch, it didn’t come off as real. I think it was either scripted or she was asked so many times by the producer: “Don’t you think Elvira is a bitch?”, that she finally conceded.
If you can go back and watch it, Teresa was smiling and seemed to just be agreeing with the producer to say what she said.
Later on, she played very well with her at the party and didn’t seem to mention anything about Elvira saying “What do I need you here for?”.
Elvira is another one who will “ham” it up for the cameras.
I don’t know what Bravo is looking for in another cast member. It doesn’t seem to be Kim G or Kim D or Elvira…at least not yet.
It really would be good to even out the match already and get someone who is really on Danielle’s side, if that is possible. She is so disgusting and condescending and “superior than thou” that I don’t think she holds onto friends for very long.
I read that she and Danny don’t even talk anymore. That’s probably the best decision she has ever made (if SHE made it).
I’ve read online that Danny and Danielle are not speaking because he’s married. Supposedly, his wife found out that they were hooking up and is in the midst of a divorce.
I don’t know if this is true. You know how information is online.
Oh gosh, Theresa is just a childish woman. She is first generation American and comes from a Southern Italian culture which utilizes physicality to display emotion. Believe me, I’ve pushed a couple of tables myself. What you are seeing is cultural behavior that is not “mainstream” American accepted responses. Theresa is poorly educated (if at all) and her behavior demonstrates it. She cleans her entire house and raises children without any help … I’ve seem this with S. Italian women …
Sometimes conduct is not pathological but culturally mandated…
Wow Johanna, I hate what you just wrote about southern Italians but after I reread your insights, I have to agree. As a first generation daughter, Teresa is probably more culturally impacted by her heritage than by her genes. If anyone cleans that house it is probably her own mother who comes over and does it because she is so proud that her daughter lives in such a grand place. I know the pattern here…:) And you have to admit – despite her flaws, Teresa is an excellent wife and mom and probably a real hoot to live and certainly brings a lot to the table; she raises her own kids, cooks, entertains….she is really pretty funny – I swear I was not going to like her but I do!
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I was raised in Ct and we had a subculture of Italian families in our town. I’m Italian but not that Italian. The Italian clique was tight and tough. They were not mean girls but I did once get a cafeteria tray flipped into my lap. Later I received a spontaneous apology. It came out that it wasn’t me who had made so much noise sneaking into her brother’s room the night before, it was my sister! Sometimes the power of the clique went to their heads and there was a code of honor to uphold but these were fun, generous, intelligent and warm personalities. I’m glad to have known them.
Out of all of the housewives, Teresa has always been my favorite. I don’t know why, but I don’t find her to have impulse control. What I see is that, like with alot of people, that you can only be pushed so far before you explode. On top of that, there are just going to be a person in your life that just rubs you the wrong way. For Teresa, that person is Danielle. For me, it was one of my former co-workers. If we were the only ones in the room, I wouldn’t speak to her. She’d done some bad things to me that I just couldn’t look past.
Do I think that Teresa started in on Danielle on Monday’s show? I sure did. Would I have done the same thing? Maybe. You can kill more flies with honey than you can with s**t.
However, I do see Teresa as a supportive wife, mother, and friend. Maybe that’s why she is one of my favorite housewives.
My other favorite housewives are Alexis, Vicki, and Sonja. What does that say about me?
I can see that you like strong, outspoken women. You have chutzpah! At least you are brave enough to admit that you like Teresa, Alexis and Vicki. Sonja is most everyone’s favorite. I personally, cannot stand the other three, but give kudos to you for your courage to admit so.
I am not a psychologist but I definitely think Theresa does have a personality disorder and is not just a hot headed Italian as she wants us to believe. She comes across as not being able to control her impulses when it comes to anger, violence, drinking and shopping. She also comes across as materialistic, narcissistic, shallow, uneducated and not very bright. She keeps referring to Danielle as a prostitution whore but yet she spends money she never makes herself, gets breast enhancements, poses in a bikini and swears like a truck driver just like Danielle. Theresa sees herself as the opposite of how I see her. One minute she claims to be a “nice sweet” person and the next minute she is calling Danielle a “hag” and a “bitch” which is not nice or sweet. She admits she is $8 million in debt and yet she sees herself as a rich person who can buy whatever she wants. We see her throwing a very lavish part for a housewarming at a new mansion she just bought and wearing a fur she just bought at Posche. She sees herself as a good mother but yet she is raising spoiled brats who believe they are entitled just like her and raising a child star who is going to end up another Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.
Psychotics have a certain look on their face at time. I’ve seen that look on the faces of Theresa, Danielle and Kelly. The rest of the housewives appear to be neurotic. These three look psychotic
After last night’s display of impulsive violence (both mentally and physically…the running after D and pushing people violently out of her way), I agree 100% with you. She is clearly psychotic, a liar and had evil intent inside of her. Besides that, she is just about the trashiest woman I have ever seen on television. I felt physically ill watching last night’s episode. She outdid her table flip of last season.
Trash. Pure and utter garbage. And her children will have to suffer because of this ignoramus who is their mother. And, their deadbeat father.
I have not watched last season, but so far this season I don’t remember anyone describing Teresa as “sweet nice girl” except for herself. 🙂 I was disgusted watching last night episode as well. Total white trash performance. I was even kind of cheering for Danielle. Danielle reacted as was expected, no surprise here. Teresa gave her what she was waiting for and she worked it. I don’t really blame her for it.
Theresa also seems obsessed with sex like Danielle. She hasn’t released a sex tape yet but I wouldn’t put it past her. All she talks about is that she has sex several times a day. When someone talks about sex all the time, they usually aren’t doing it.
Agree with you about that. And Joe isn’t going to say, “No. We don’t have sex everyday and night.”
I think she does that to annoy Danielle by making her think that she has more sex than D does and with ONE man only.
The more I think about Teresa, the more I think she has very strong passive-aggressive character traits.
What do you think, angel?
I have never understood Theresa’s rage at Danielle. She claims she has an Italian temper and is mad one minute and then she is over it. However, her rage against Danielle has gone on for over a year. All this season every time Danielle’s name comes up Theresa calls her a “prostitution whore” and “bitch.” Why would Theresa care about Danielle’s sex life unless she is jealous that Danielle is single and free to pick up a guy at a party, get naked and have sex whenever and with whomever she pleases. Meanwhile, Theresa is stuck at home changing diapers, wiping butts and noses, washing laundry, mopping floors, picking up dirty socks off the floor and cooking dinner for her husband and four kids. Hardly a romantic life. Theresa strikes me as one of those women who read romance novels and fantasize about having sex all the time with a Fabio look alike. With Danielle being single and a celebrity, she can act out those fantasies while Theresa is stuck with four kids and a husband.
Theresa also called Sonja a whore when she saw an episode of RHONY and Sonja was talking about being single and having sex. Theresa is clearly jealous of single women who have sex because she isn’t having sex. She claimed she had sex every day even when she was pregnant. Come on. We’ve all been there and know that isn’t likely.
Teresa is repeating the behavior that brought her the most attention last season. Her family is in trouble financially and this is what she has to bring to the “table”. She is making spectacular Reality Television and has every opportunity to benefit in very material ways. (And Teresa is a very material girl.)
Theresa’s drunken behavior at the Country Club once again convinced me that Angel’s diagnosis of Emotionally Unstable Personality, Impulsive Type is right on the money.
According to Angel’s post, for this diagnosis, three or more of the following have to be present:
■Marked tendency to act unexpectedly and without consideration of the consequences.
After repeatedly calling Danielle a prostitution whore behind her back, Theresa lays in wait for Danielle claiming she wants to make up. Even Jacqueline was suspicious of Theresa’s motive and knew that Theresa was provoking a confrontation with Danielle.
■Marked tendency to quarrelsome behavior and to conflicts with others, especially when impulsive acts are thwarted or criticized
When Danielle said, “Don’t call me honey,” Theresa immediately goes from “nice and sweet” to argumentative, “I don’t want to call you honey because you are an old hag. Is bitch better?”
■Liability to outbursts of anger or violence without ability to control the resulting behavioral explosions
Theresa goes ballistic when Danielle says her house is in foreclosure and starts yelling that her house is not in foreclose and chases Danielle through the country club yelling, “Coke whore” and approaches the car saying she wants the bitch to get out of the car so they can finish the fight.
■Unstable and capricious mood
Theresa goes off like an atom bomb when someone says something she perceives as criticism. Last season Theresa throws a table and starts ranting and raving incoherently when Danielle says, “Pay attention.” This season, Theresa, sits there quietly waiting for Danielle and says “I am a nice sweet person” and when Danielle says, “Don’t call me honey” and “Your house is in foreclosure,” Theresa explodes. Then she blames it on Danielle, saying Danielle pushes her to act like that.
Theresa clearly refuses to take responsibility for her behavior and is clearly proud of her image of The Big Bad Italian Bitch. I hope Danielle wins in her lawsuit against Theresa and brings her down. I also hope that the IRS and law enforcement bust her and her husband for hiding assets and stealing $1 million from his partner. Theresa admits they filed bankruptsy to give them a fresh start but claims she is not responsibile for getting the family in debt.
Yet, Theresa is seen on air spending, spending, spending and is still bragging to the media about her mansion, furs, designer clothes for her and her spoiled brats, her new “boobies” That’s hilarious since Theresa and Joe claim on their tax return they only make a little over $70,000 a year. Most couples with four kids make more than that and they can’t afford a mansion, furs, designer clothes, plastic surgery, etc. Theresa is lying through her teeth.
I think Theresa is more dangerous than Danielle because we have seen Theresa’s violence but Danielle is more of a back stabber. Danielle hires body guards as protection and runs from a face to face confrontation and gets even with the Manzos and Theresa by spreading rumors in their New Jersey neighborhood, offering to help Dina’s ex husband get custody of Lexie, talking to the press, writing nasty blogs, etc.
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http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0715101giudices1.html?link=rssfeed
Love it, love it, love it.
None of this has been hidden. She has been on book signings forever. She’s been on the show for two years. The website has been selling stuff for two years. I don’t even know why this is news. I don’t see where she’s hiding anything. If she was truly hiding something, I think that Teresa could have done a better job.
Now, the laundromat and pizza parlor are a different story.
Be that as it may, whatever money they are making from these ventures are not going to put a dent in the debt that Joe owes. From what I can understand, Teresa has disassociated from the debt that incurred from Joe’s bad business deals. Her debt could very well just be the credit card and fertility treatment.
Only time will tell what will happen. You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip.
The money was hidden because Joe and Theresa failed to list the published cookbook as well as the Pizza parlor and Laundromat on the documents they filed in bankruptcy court. Joe and Theresa are trying to get $11 million in debt wiped from their records. As a result of their lying on their forms, the trustee appointed by the court has denied their bankruptcy petition. So now they have to pay back all of the $11 million. They will lose their mansion and all of their houses and cars.
It couldn’t happen to a better pair of crooks. I think Theresa has the nerve to go on TV bragging about living in a mansion, wearing Chinchillas and showing off her new “boobies” after she and her husband filed bankruptcy papers for $11 million in debt.
Joe and Theresa also listed on their IRS return that between them they made $78,000 last year. How can they pay for several homes including a $3 million mansion, fur coats, designer clothes, booze, housewarmings, plastic surgery, fancy cars on a salary like that? The IRS is going to bust them. Plus, Joe is in trouble for embezzling $1 million from a partner.
Perjury is a crime. Not only did their bankruptsy fraud fail, now the IRS will be going after them for lying on their tax return.
Maybe Theresa will be trading her Chinchilla for an orange jump suit and her mansion for a tiny cell with a toilet.
Wonder if she’ll have to give back her boobies? How in the world does someone spend $11 million they don’t have and go on national TV and brag about living in a mansion?
The woman is certifiable.
Angel you have every right to put forth your ideas! The DSM is not a Bible as some would have us think, and if you are taking liberties, -so what?
Maybe you could add something if you haven’t already, that your blog is meant as, “entertainment” to pacify the meanies?
About Teresa, in my book, she is known as, “A hot mess”.
Poor girl could have been the next Bethenny, without even trying, but she blew it.
Why?
Insecurities, yes, and aside from her DSM matches, I think we have to look for organic, and intellectual disabilities.
And I’m not talking about learning disabilities, I mean perceptual impairments, such-as mild to moderate mental retardation.
The speech impediments aside, her limited understanding of basic concepts, like, “those who live in glass houses shouldn’t take a bath.”, show a fundemental lack of grey matter.
The low-slope forhead, which many people have commented on, is also an indication of a smaller, or abnormally shaped brain.
I love your work AoD! Now, can you do Mel Gibson?
If Inside Edition can diagnose him as, “bipolar”, I think your credentials are sufficient!
This just in. Have a laugh for a change.
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mmmm, I think you may be right in what you have said in this blog post. Whoever there will be many people will not agree with your opinion
I knew there was something seriously wrong with this woman in the first season, and on the first episode. Who counts out over $100K in cash to pay for furniture? I knew then that she was a very stupid woman.
When I first saw this I was very annoyed with how hokey it was and thought then that their stupidity would trigger an IRS audit.
Check this book out, you will be suprised, not only how many people on TV (film, music, etc, more today than ever) as well as in your own life, in our society today, are more than the normal “healthy” level of narcissistic and how toxic it really is to our lives (especially to children):
The Wizard of Oz and Other Narcissists
From the lack of comments on the housewive’s behavior on the episodes, it makes me wonder if anyone on this site is watching RHONJ anymore. I am not wasting my time watching the idiots make fools of themselves but just for fun I love reading the humorous reviews. You can see that no one takes the housewives seriously and they have become a laughing stock among viewers and reviewers. This reviewer says the show lacks substance. I think that would describe the housewives as well.
It doesn’t sound like I am missing much except for Albie going from wannabe lawyer to wannabe cop which most kids do when they are 10. Theresa is still a moron for demanding diamonds on her 10th anniversary when her husband and her have declared bankruptsy claiming they are $11 million in debt and being investigated by the IRS for tax evasion. Danielle is still the typical delusional narcissistic stage mother pushing her anorexic daughter into the modeling business so she can travel to Europe free and her daughter will make enough to buy her a new house and believing her 11 year old daughter is going to be bigger than Miley Cyrus because she writes songs.
http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/reality-zen-with-jenn/2010/07/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-recap-episode-12-one-big-fugazi.html
Gosh…what a breath of fresh air to see a website that will allow us to express the good as well as the bad unlike bravo when you take the time to write a blog that if in the least bit negative gets trashed out into cyberspace. We cannot upset the delicate little flowers such as Teresa for honestly doing something wrong…can we?? She has problems for certain….and living the middle class life is one of them she has to come to terms with. What makes me the angry at the moment is that so many wasted their money on her cookbook….when in a later episode the truth comes out that she doesn’t know the first thing about cooking!!! Old school, does it all by herself my ass! Joe was giving her the tour of the pizzaria when she admits she cannot and has not put a simple pizza together on her own!!! C’mon!! It also struck me as reality that Joe was hinting to her that they actually were going to live in those apartments. You see her scrunch her nose up at everything including helping her husband in his business. Who would she be without him? Who would be paying for all of her trashy looking clothes?? The woman has ZERO taste and a brain to match. She acts like a child in grade school and is a disgusting excuse for a person. People like her because the stupid things she says makes them laugh…while she is too dumb to realize they are laughing at her instead of with her.
Hi, umm nice site! hehe.
I am always amazed when I see something supposedly written by Teresa using complete sentences. She is so inarticulate on the show, and comes off as stupid and ignorant. But I wonder how much of that is because she is often drunk as a skunk? She has even had wine with breakfast! Anyone who drinks as much as she does is probably an alcoholic. It’s obvious BRAVO is pushing liquor on everyone to promote bad behavior. I guess they don’t feel any responsibilty for potential real harm. (Do they take keys away?). BRAVO sure doesn’t seem to have a problem with exploiting serious mental illness (Kelly’s psychosis). Where will NRVO
I meant to say: where will BRAVO draw the line?
I wonder if the Caroline, Teresa and Jacqueline realize what a disaster they’ve made of their lives on national television? Granted Danielle was a train wreck before the onset of RHONJ, but C, T and J actually trashed themselves before our very eyes over the course of two seasons.
I think Heidi Klum was right in moving Project Runway from BravoTV to Lifetime. Lifetime is a lot less distasteful and Bravo. I’m a little confused about Andy Kohen when he’s on Watch What Happens. It seems as though he gets a bit tipsy and I have to wonder about that…is he actually imbibing? Is it me, or is it inappropriate? I swear I have heard him slurring his words.
I am taken aback by the preview of the next episode where Caroline tells Danielle that when she called her garbage she meant it. I would like to the line in the context of the show because from the preview Caroline reeks of hubris.
I still can’t believe I tune in to RHONJ every Monday night but like all car wrecks, I can’t help but watch and cannot wait to see the Reunion! Without Danielle I don’t believe I’ll be watching season 3.
I’m a bit of an arm chair psychiatrist myself–and that’s only from having to cope with people around me who have exhibited bizarre and erratic behavior.
I was recently in a living situation with a relative who was scaring the crap out of me…until I compared her behavior with histrionic and borderline personality disorders and was able to predict her outbursts with more precision.
Anyway–this blog interests me because I think this type of mental instability is prevalent. I don’t know if it’s because we live in a high stress culture or what…but a noticeable percentage of women seem to be out of control and have anger management issues.
I enjoyed reading comments on this blog. I’m now being pulled in two directions about watching RHONJ – frustration is beginning to out weigh enjoyment and I find I turn it off and then maybe watch the rest on another night. Teresa is has no intellectual capacity whatsover, dumb as dirt as they say, no getting around that. I’m also reaching my limit in watching Caroline the pontificating bully hovering over her adult babies, who are also not very bright.
But the biggest frustration is with Bravo itself. The show seems more and more scripted, manipulative and dishonest. Danielle said to Andy Cohen (in self defense) on one after show that “my character is the villian” and at that moment a respect for her was born. Not her, but her charachter on the show. She was clear. That’s the part Bravo had assigned her. I don’t condone many choices she has made for herself, but she has not instigated attacks on the other wives. They continue to abuse her, however and I find I’m starting to get angry about it. Who wants to watch abuse of any kind? Why am I even watching at this point?
I noticed that the Bravo webite does not post comments that criticize Caroline. A friend did a test where he sent 4 polite but negative comments and none were posted. He then sent only two positive msgs about Caroline and they were posted on the blog right away.
It reminds me of the old Italian saying (as they say in Jersey) “A Fish Always Stinks From the Head”!
Watching the reunion show, part 1,2 was a fascinating experience for me. It was painful, yet I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. This show is the best reason for any young girl to educate herself enough that she is independent and does not “need” a man for support, but rather finds a relationship that has common interests, common likes, and is an equal partnership. Most all of these women are shallow, and overindulged, and empty. What happens to them once their kids grow up, what are they going to do or talk about? I love this blog and you are so right on, I love your analysis and the feedback.
Donna,
So very well said. I am sorry I found this blog a little late because I really like it. So much better than the Bravo Blog.
The reunion show was very, very difficult to watch and I thought the same thing you did – this is what no education and dependence on a man will do to a woman.
They were all so vulgar and inarticulate it was embarassing. But like you I just had to watch.
I was really hoping you would update this with the additional information that has come out. Her compulsive lying has to fit in there somehow. Her and Joe have deliberately lied and falsified statements again and again in regards to his DWI as well as their bankruptcy. They don’t seem to take accountability for ANYTHING. She even said at one point that she didn’t regret the way she had acted on the reunion show. She didn’t even apologize for it, she says “I stand by my actions”. okaaayyy She doesn’t seem to realize that NORMAL people hold themselves accountable for wrongdoing occasionally.
I believe 3 different times now they have gone before the judge to correct some important bit of information that they gave in their original bankruptcy filings. If you read the original you would see the outrageous lies. Like their appliances were all valued at 200 or less. I live in a box compared to how Teresa lives and my appliances cost more than that. Heck I’d like to know where she got that deal, I’ll go shopping there. It’s bull. And more interesting even than the lies themselves is the fact that Joe and Teresa ACTUALLY believed that people, even courts, would be buffaloed by such outlandish lies. Even when the evidence was readily available as well as film footage to outright show some of it.
I mentioned my mother before and this is another thing that I have noticed with her and other mentally ill people I’ve had to deal with. They lie often and not only do they expect others to believe the lies, they begin to believe the lies themselves. Sometimes I think that falsehoods must go hand in hand with ALL mental illness. In some way they all seem to lie, either just to themselves or to everyone including themselves. Is this a common denominator?
i think on tv over here in the uk there are loads of programs like that take gordon ramsay for example he has frequent out bursts he dosent seem to be able to contain anger or say coranation street molly she just dosent seem to controll her self and comes out freqwntly with outbursts to tyrone
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I would like to make a comment about Caroline and the New Jersey brood. I do believe for the most part she thinks of herself as a Mafia moll and has maybe watched too many of that type movie. Maybe the next time she should watch Prizzi’s Honor (a deliciously funny black comedy about the Mafia). She and her whole family and friends would fit into the scenerio perfectly, for as I say, it is a comedy and they are a bunch of clowns. They seeem to see themselves as a bunch of *wiseguys* with their *yous guys* and *dis* and *dat* kind of talk (PS fellas…I can drive over to Pennsylvania and hear the same thing…neener neener)…..so may I suggest you all stop watching The Godfather parts 1, 2 and 3? (if there was a part 3) You are just a bunch of Jersey boys and girls living beyond your means and someday soon your world is going to come crashing down all around you. Caroline, stop trying to be the Don…..you are looking foolish. Get rid of the Mafia themed DVD’s and maybe get some Disney themed movies…..try some Bambi type stuff. As far as the other Mafia wannabe ladies go….
….DON’T FEEL BAD…..SO YOU ACT LIKE TRASH………….EVEN TRASH GETS PICKED UP IN JERSEY…
Lets face it, no matter what the diagnosis, there is something deeply wrong with Teresa’s personality. She always has be the center of the universe, argues with everyone over nothing, and is excessively jealous of others accomplishments or money.
Maybe shes just a struggling ENFJ personality type that is acting irrational because of the uncontrollable conflict in her most precious home environment setting; her family. I’m no PHD but I am ENFJ myself so her behaviors don’t seem irrational to me. I could be wrong though.
you may have NPD then because a normal ENFJ can still understand why her behaviors are awful and inappropriate.
She is a total complete a-hole, with narcissitic personality disorder and a pure sociopath, bitch freak
Teresa has repeatedly demonstrated that she is incapable of forgiveness, incapable of listening to anthing but her own selfish, unhinged rants towards the very people who have loved & supported her, and incapable of understanding that her horrid behavior is a reflection upon HER! Her constant defensiveness, irrational anger, inability to control herself combined with her barely suppressed hysteria over the impending guillotine that’s about to fall on both she & her juicy troll of a husband for all their lies & deceit is completely obvious. As viewers, we should have seen the writing on the wall last year when Teresa once again lost control of herself, and in the midst of her blind rage toward Danielle, shoved Andy Cohen back into his chair as he attempted to restore calm on the set. Clearly, this woman had already gone over the edge! This entire season, Teresa has continued to showcase her own flaws. She projects her own problems & issues onto the other members of the cast; Melissa is jealous of her? ? (Seriously? Can she possibly think anyone believes this?) Kathy took up baking because she was inspired by Teresa’s cookbook success? Hah! It’d be funny if Teresa weren’t SO disturbing to watch. As Caroline said, she’s like talking to a brick wall – Teresa refuses to consider the possibility that she could be wrong, she doesn’t hear anything her well meaning friends try to get across to her. In refusing to hear others, Teresa illustrates for us, the viewer, how maddening it must be to engage with her as a friend or an enemy. She’s too arrogant to hear or believe anyone except herself & she’s in denial ; whatever she doesn’t like she just rejects as if the other person never spoke. It’s hard to decide whether that arrogance is born out of stupidity, or conceit. The Tree Ape simply doesn’t see herself or her circumstances as they truly are. Her all consuming jealousy runs her life. If she starts to feel the least bit threatened by the good fortune of others, her reaction is to attack. She’s one of the most mean spirited people I’ve ever seen on TV and yet she’s so incredibly arrogant and dumb that she can’t even see how she might look to the outside world. Without any awareness, Teresa continues to spiral out of control ; her anger seems more vitriolic and her emotional state more tenuous with each episode. Joe too, has terrible anger problems- his hatred of Joe Gorga & Melissa extends even to their children, and sadly seems only because the Gorgas have more money than he does. I’d pity her if I didn’t know (from several rock solid sources) that for years she and Joe conned & ripped off more people in NJ than Bravo could even begin to count. They are common grifters, and that they now find themselves echoing and rattling alone in that ghastly marble monstrosity is actually quite lucky. They both knew exactly what they were doing & both deserve to be in jail. So Teresa continues to denigrate her sister-in-law and her cousin to the mass public, never once seeing that the tables have turned, her cover has been compromised & with each petty, small comment she makes, she heightens my opinion of Melissa & Kathy. Her poor brother Joe Gorga – a nice guy & successful businessman can only be wondering if he ever knew his sister! I’m glad he has Melissa and those precious children to make his life a happy one! He’s well known in NJ for his tremendous generosity, especially with children’s charities & for the fact that he’s just a genuinely nice person with a great sense of humor. I’m sure Teresa’s treatment of his wife is embarrassing, but he supposedly has had to deal with her insanity since his high school days!
Her impulsive outburst’s (table flipping, chasing people threw crowded venue ect.) is all a Narcissistic Rage, remember on both occasions Dannielle bruised her ego (first time – “pay attention!” STUPID! And 2nd saying that her house was in foreclosure )
I wonder if the DSM or related psychological and psychiatric diagnostic manuals will develop new entries for the changes in personality and patterns of action we see in people who appear in reality TV shows. Theresa is a good example, and there are many others. Different people react very differently to the presence of cameras and the quick rise to fame, and I feel in each real housewives show there is always one who goes the direction of Theresa, another who has to quit, others who “find their voice” etc. It is interesting and sad at the same time – like much of medical diagnostics.
I would suggest Narcisistic Personality Disorder
Symptoms
A person with narcissistic personality disorder may:
React to criticism with rage, shame, or humiliation
Take advantage of other people to achieve his or her own goals
Have excessive feelings of self-importance
Exaggerate achievements and talents
Be preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence, or ideal love
Have unreasonable expectations of favorable treatment
Need constant attention and admiration
Disregard the feelings of others, and have little ability to feel empathy
Have obsessive self-interest
Pursue mainly selfish goals
As you noted this is entertainment not a clinical diagnosis nonetheless good video examples of symptoms. The show is just that and they are paid for the behaviour.
Nice info. I will be back, to read your nice info.
Now that we are way up into August let me say I LOVE watching Tre. She is a wackadoodle. But…the past few shows there have been a few references to Juicy’s drinking..even implying there is an issue (uh NO DUH). That being said…since day one I called this one….she is a very typical wife of an alcoholic and yes is nuttier than a mad hatter but it’s part of the disease. I would say a few nights a week spent with a local support group may do her a world of good to help cope with her husbands on going antics and constant questionable ethics as well…all of which I personally think are very typical Alcoholic behaviors.
I wish I was wrong but I don’t think I am.
It’s sad because those little girls are going to have some serious issues between their dad, mom and growing up on bravo….and it doesn’t have to be that way.
AngelofDevs please update since T has escalated her personality now with family on scene. Love your Blog
angelofdevs.wordpress.com/2010/06/07/rhonjs-teresa-giudice-emotionally-unstable-personality-disorder-impulsive-type
Having grown up with a mother much like Taresa she is text book NPD. NPD is easy to confuse with EUPD but the big difference is empathy, compulsive lying, delusional behaviors. She goes beyond just not understanding the consequences of her actions (which many NPD also can not do, along with an inability to plan for the future) but she can literally not understand why lying is wrong, that is lying at all, that she can and has hurt others, of others are hurt she can’t understand why they would feel bad as long as she got the attention and things she wanted. I mean, if you look up NPD you should see a picture of T’s face right next to it.
after this last season (season 4) we really need an update and a whole additional analysis of Theresa! im also noticing more and more how alike her and her husband Joe’s behaviour is. when two people spend the majority of their time together there’s a reciprocal influence, one’s personalities,views, morals and mannerisms can get changed without one even realizing.
I have just been diagnosed with eupd impulsive type, I understand this blog is
For fun but I seriously doubt that the woman your talking about suffers from eupd unless I see her binge drinking non stop for weeks on end morning noon and night and then go through alcohoal withdrawels.also I dont see her get in to rages, im talking about rages where you punch walls, headbutt walls have intrusive violent thoughts about doing harm to the focus of her rage.and then start repeatedly punching herself in her face because she becoming distressed with the inability to get out off her rage, which leads to suicidal thoughts or acts.isolating herself because off anixety, panic attacks and an inability to confront people because confrontation can lead to excessive anger or violence which can not be controlled. I also dont see her having emotions off lonlyness which are so intense and disturbing she would consider suicide to escape such feelings.lets get things straight we all have aspects off different personality disorders at certain times in our lives.its only when these traits are longstanding and severe and cause suffering and damage to someones life that you would be given this diagnosis.
I understand your analysis, but I believe Theresa has FASD. She fits the profile and even the facial features (look at pictures of her as a child.) This may have come up already but I have not read all the comments.
I’ve never watched this show. I was just introduced to her by a random clip on twitter and immediately too thought of FASD. When I googled her name along with FASD, this post came up. I wonder if anyone will bring this up to her.
She’s a Narcissist thro & thro
I rarely comment on things like this but as a psychologist, I feel it is my duty to do so. While I certainly understand that this is for entertainment purposes and very much appreciate your disclaimer addressing this, I think many people fail to recognize the harm that can come from attempting to diagnose someone without the proper knowledge or training. Many people suffer from personality disorders and there is great stigma surrounding the mental health field. While the women on this show at times demonstrate poor judgement and behavior, it is irresponsible to pathologize them as this only furthers stigmas which prevent people truly suffering from getting treatment. Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder is in the ICD-10 and is actually the same as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in the DSM-5, they are not different disorders. BPD is causally tied to a history of childhood abuse, and through my work with survivors of prolonged child abuse, I have seen the pain behind these individual’s actions which is why I am deeply concerned about diagnosing for entertainment purposes. While I certainly do not think your intention was to increase stigma or offend anyone, just like with physical illnesses, it is not appropriate to diagnose someone with a psychiatric disorder without the proper assessment and understanding. Of course, you are free to your opinions and to post whatever you wish. I just wanted to make sure you fully understand the impact your site can have on people. I wished to send this to you privately, as I am not a fan of publicly “shaming” someone, and that is truly not my intention. I am unable to find an email address on this site but if you would like to discuss further, I would be more than happy to do so. I apologize if this was offensive to you in anyway and please feel free to delete my comment. Thank you for taking the time to read this!
FAS?
Teresa Guidice is a primitive, 2 digit IQ peasant who has, through the miracles of modern day media, been allowed to display her horrific antics and nauseating face to viewers. Had she been born in the proper century, such of her kind would have been aptly relegated to the dungeons of an estate, where she would screech, labor, and cackle her way through a banished and hidden existence of being a chamber maid. Her robust physical endurance would have served her well to clean and scrub floors, and her brood of 6-12 children would have amply provided her masters with the next generation of workers. Her non existent intellect would have mattered not in the least as there would have been zero requirement thereof, and the hideous face would have been limited to her rags, mops, one eyed husband and the parlor maids. In other words, very well contained and appropriately hidden away from society.
Viewers will initially feel mild amusement at her blatant stupidity and ignorance in the first season. Her contradictory actions vs her statements, the tacky God awful lifestyle she’s enveloped in delusion, and a slightly repulsed intrigue at her obvious knee breaking goon joke of a spouse and her abhorrent, ill behaved offspring.
As the seasons continue however, a gradual rage will begin in the viewer. A classless idiot with the lowest IQ imaginable emerges from the lair as a conniving, manipulative, and outright sociopathic shit starter.
Why anyone would give her the time of day after a 2 min conversation is beyond comprehension but apparently the kind women of NJ have endless leniency in their hearts.
This Simian ape bitch with her half inch hairy forehead and it’s straight border hairline not only aggressively assaults the viewer’s eyesight, the screeching, manic, ill grammared squawks that spew out of her disgusting piehole now bring in the second wave of intellectual assault.
“Hekyll and Jyde” she calls a castmate. “I don’t like alot of ingredientses”, she says to a publishing crew. The list is so endless there’s not enough GB on anyone’s phone to display it all. After a self serving, professional victim speech that’s been screeched out in her repulsive tone, this thing will sit there, blinking rapidly, vapidly, with a tongue darting side to side, much like that of a reptile.
It will literally, turn your stomach.
When she’s screaming in frustrated fury to an unfortunate recipient, pockets of cheek bulge will form into small masses on either side of her Botox’d cheeks, and the usual vapid cow eyes of flat dumbness will actually alight into insect like pools of fury and predatory rage.
This despicable cunt should have been removed from the gene pool by way of community service.
But alas, she’s gifted us with 4 of her DNA extensions.
An eldest with the bulging disproportionate features of an Amazonian bullfrog. An entitled little bitch who thinks she’s hot shit already thanks to her delusional, toxic, evilly retarded piece of shit mother.
The remaining 3 are variations of over indulged mania, hapless and useless wastes of space with oversized orbs blinking blandly out of doughy pie faces while their meaningless lives are tutelaged by their mother.
Being a non contributing sponge cunt is one thing: but to be the toxic waste dump of foul ignorance and disgusting Neanderthalic features like Teresa Guidice, really carries the line far past the acceptable point.
Of course as with any undeserving and pitiable demographic, there are those that sympathize with this creature, even wait in LINE to meet her! What pathetic minds they harbor is too frightening for the average intellect to ponder, but these senseless losers have all contributed to creating the monster devil cunt we see today.
The bitch is LITERALLY dumber than a rusted bucket of feces, has the facial configuration of a long dissolved Homo Sapien lineage of the chimp family, and all this packages the DNA formation of one of the most deplorable, single cell minded praying mantis greed of chattering/screeching garbage mold of a “human being” I’ve EVER witnessed. How drunk or fucked up was Joe Guidice when he decided to reproduce with this cunt rag?!
More questionable is how did one survive the years under the same roof as this evil orangutan peasant witch with her nonsense by the minute, the insane, classless hemorrhage of money, and the constant vapid demands?!
I can no longer view this series SOLELY due to this psychotic idiot. Entertainment is all fine and dandy, but this bitch will wreak some damage on your SOUL.
I’m not as blunt as you with my thoughts and words, I have always wondered how she has so many Tre huggers, I do know something is missing with her, just the things that come out of her mouth stuns me everytime, and she gets away with it, and the women on the show are so afraid to confront her because Tre has a lot of power, I don’t know why but it really is her show and she knows it, and she abuses it with the other woman, I would love to know your opinion on the rest of the women especially Melissa, Dolores and her brother Joe Gorga,
With her mispronouncing words, and trying to put together a normal sentence I have no idea how she is a millionaire, and what bothers me is the woman all laugh with her, not at her, they treat her like a child, in her very first season when she flipped the table at Danielle she was like an animal, she was even grunting like a wild animal, I am now watching season 13, she has gotten worse, and she is so entitled that I can’t stand to hear her voice.
I’m very curious what you think about her fiance/husband Luis Ruelas, I think he’s creepy and I think she will stand by him no matter what he does? She really thinks he’s the closest man to God, and that is so sad because I think he’s the closest to the devil.