Strange Things About Joe And Teresa Giudice's Marriage
Teresa and Joe Giudice may not have been the wealthiest couple out of all of the Real Housewives casts, but they appeared to be the most in love. From bragging about their sex life to sticking up for one another in tough times, their relationship seemed rock solid. Not to mention, the pair — who grew up in New Jersey together among a tight-knit community of Italian immigrants — brought four beautiful children into this world: Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana. So it was shocking when their fairytale imploded in the wake of their conviction on several felony charges in October 2014, which we'll detail later.
As a result, the two served prison sentences at separate times, placing a huge and understandable strain on their marriage, which we'll also detail in a moment. Unfortunately for the Giudices, their love story yet took another sharp left turn when Joe was deported back to his native home of Italy, because he never became a U.S. citizen despite spending most of his life in the states.
Not odd enough for you that someone's spouse was literally shipped out of the country? Don't worry, there are even funkier issues beyond that in the Giudices' relationship. So grab a seat and sit back, as we catch you up on all the strange things about Joe and Teresa Giudice's marriage.
Wait, what did Joe say about marrying Teresa?
Teresa and Joe Giudice go way back, even before their marriage in October 1999, with the two growing up together thanks to their parents' close friendship. "Joe and I grew up together in America," Teresa wrote in her 2016 book, Turning the Tables, From Housemate to Inmate and Back Again. "His father was even at the hospital when I was born. My future in-laws brought Joe to the hospital to meet me a day later, when he was just about to turn two." Teresa went on to discuss how she had a long term crush on Joe, starting in the third grade when she'd constantly walk by his classroom to catch glimpses of him. And the feeling was apparently mutual, even though the two dated other people before tying the knot.
But don't let this classic love story fool you, because while Teresa apparently had eyes for Joe since they were barely out of diapers, he was seemingly less enthusiastic about a long term commitment. At least, that's what he implied during a fiery phone call to Teresa that was recorded for RHONJ Season 10, with him complaining, "Alright, like I even wanted to get married? No."
Yikes. Even if you're having problems in your marriage, it's bizarre to declare you never wanted to get hitched in the first place. That's gotta hurt, right?
About Joe Giudice's infamous 'b***h' comment
In Season 4 of RHONJ, Joe Giudice was filmed calling Teresa Giudice a "b***h" and a "c**t" during a phone conversation with a business associate. Teresa didn't find out about Joe's remarks until the episode aired about a year later, and she was understandably hurt by it. In a blog for Bravo, Teresa wrote that Joe claimed he "doesn't remember saying it," but that he felt "terrible," and later "apologized to [her] and all of [their] friends." She also claimed that it was not normal for Joe to speak to or about her that way.
Teresa then presented an odd excuse for her husband: Men are simply different than women. "[Men] are animals," she explained, adding, "They think it's funny to show everyone their butt holes. Women aren't like this. We have our own kind of ugly that men don't understand. But we have to work it out and live together, don't we?"
But wait, there's more! "I don't really want a guy that acts like a woman," Teresa added. "I'd rather not have Joe talk to me like a perfect gentlemen and go to his mistress' apartment every night either. So I guess you have to decide what you can take and what will break you."
Talk about a somber and arguably bizarre take on love — it's sad to think a marriage is defined by what you can "take." Sheesh.
Teresa Giudice is carrying around a boulder of resentment
It's not uncommon for resentment to build up between couples, but it's a whole other thing when that kind of bitterness involves the death of a loved one. A perfect example of this? Teresa Giudice blaming Joe Giudice for losing out on time with her mom, who passed away in March 2017. As Teresa tells it, she blames Joe, because in the months leading up to Antonia Gorga's death, she was incarcerated. And why was she behind bars? It was Joe who allegedly engaged in illegal activity due to his business affairs, leading to Teresa's sentencing.
"I wish I could rewind the time," Teresa emotionally shared in an episode of RHONJ (via People). "I did lose time with her and I feel like it's his fault. It sucks. Life sucks." And because Teresa felt betrayed by Joe, she wanted an apology. Recounting how she brought up the topic during a jail visit with Joe, she recalled: "I was nervous. I got emotional. I said, 'I lost 11 and a half months with my mom. Not only did you do it to me, you did it to our daughters. Why weren't you on top of everything? I didn't sign up for this.'"
Teresa claimed Joe did end up apologizing, but we can't imagine the two truly moved past this issue. It's a very sensitive subject, after all.
Teresa Giudice's 'innocence' is quite confusing
One of the biggest red flags about Teresa and Joe Giudice's marriage stems from their alleged crimes. But before we jump in, let's recap: In March 2014, Joe pleaded guilty to five counts of bankruptcy and mail fraud, while Teresa pleaded guilty to four counts of the same charges. It was a stark difference from August 2013, when the two pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of fraud and tax charges (two additional charges were tacked on that November), including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and making false statements on loan applications. Subsequently, the couple were sentenced to prison.
So how does this relate to their marriage? Essentially, Teresa claimed she wasn't privy to Joe's business dealings that led to their legal predicament. "I do blame him because if he was on top of everything then this wouldn't have happened," she told ABC News. Um, this is a bit bizarre considering the two lived together and presumably shared bank accounts. Teresa also claimed she was in the dark about her actions being criminal, telling ABC News in a separate interview, "There was no intent to commit a crime. I didn't know I was committing a crime."
We have to point out here that Teresa was accused of lying about working as a real estate agent to secure a mortgage loan. We find it odd she'd place the blame on Joe and seemingly feign ignorance given the serious charges.
Teresa's reasoning for not visiting Joe in prison doesn't add up
When Joe Giudice entered prison in March 2016, it was assumed that Teresa Giudice would visit him fairly often, as wives of inmates tend to do. However, Teresa only occasionally visited "every other weekend, with whichever of the girls don't have activities," her lawyer, James Leonard, told People at the time. Leonard also detailed the prison's "point" system, which limited inmates' availability for visits. While that all makes sense, it's a bit strange considering Joe routinely brought the girls for 3-hour visits when Teresa was incarcerated. "It's kinda hard to like, talk to her, so the last 15 minutes, I just kinda send [the kids] on their way so can talk for a little bit and just hang out, me and her," Joe told E! News about bringing the kids for visits.
Oddly enough, Teresa reportedly didn't amp up the visits when Joe entered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in March 2019, because — get this — according to a source who spoke with E! News, "her filming schedule" was too "hectic." The insider also noted the ICE facility's distance from the Giudice's home, and claimed that "Teresa has tried to keep a very low profile when it comes to Joe on the request of his immigration attorneys."
We don't want too cast too much judgment here, but those reasons that keep Teresa from visiting Joe seem strange. Seeing your partner is more important than filming a TV show, right?
Did Teresa and Joe Giudice delay their reunion for cold hard cash?
When Joe Giudice was deported back to Italy in October 2019, some theorized Teresa Giudice would visit with their daughters ASAP. But that didn't happen in the immediate weeks following his arrival, leading to rampant speculation about the state of their marriage. As it turns out, Teresa was reportedly delaying the reunion until sometime in November 2019 for a pretty odd, if not profitable reason. An insider explained to Radar Online, "Teresa is getting a huge paycheck to take the girls to Italy and film the reunion with Joe," an insider told the outlet. "Teresa is getting around six figures to film these extra scenes with Joe in Italy."
Weird, right? You'd think Teresa and Joe's daughters wanting to see their dad as a free man would be enough motivation alone to make the trip. That being said, if their marriage is in tatters, we're not too surprised money is a big factor. And she does have four kiddos to support!
Um, who is Blake Schreck?
During Joe Giudice's prison sentence, Teresa Giudice was spotted out with group of mystery guys in Miami on Dec. 31, 2018. And per an insider who dished to Us Weekly, Teresa was "aggressively flirting with and perusing a man in his early 20s," with the reality star allegedly placing her "hands on his leg." The source continued, "At points, the two had their hands intertwined, and then the man was rubbing her leg in a romantic way." Uh oh.
We can't say for certain, but we have a feeling this guy was none other than real estate agent Blake Schreck, who is two decades younger than Teresa. The two were later photographed holding hands while exiting a party, leading to lots of speculation about the nature of their relationship. Hmm. So what's the deal here? "Teresa was out celebrating New Year's Eve with a large group of men and women while she was in Miami," Teresa's lawyer told Us Weekly at the time. "They are all friends and have all known each other for a significant period of time. It's a night out with friends, nothing more than that."
We don't know what the truth is here, but we think it's strange Teresa would put herself in this uncomfortable position. Even if they are just friends, it's bad optics to be photographed holding hands with another man while your husband is in prison, right? To be fair, however, Joe allegedly did the same thing.
Teresa Giudice wasn't the only one accused of cheating
Teresa Giudice was in hot water for supposedly cheating with 20-something real estate agent Blake Schreck, but was she alone in her alleged infidelity? Back in November 2013, for instance, Joe Giudice was photographed grabbing coffee with a mystery woman amid the couple's legal battle. The former reality star and his date looked pretty cozy, leading to speculation they were more than just friends. "She was completely disguising herself with a hat and huge sunglasses that she wouldn't take off inside," a source told Radar Online. "They were sitting over coffee and occasionally Joe would reach over and touch her hand while talking."
Then just weeks before Teresa was to head into prison, Joe was accused of carrying out an affair with another woman at a New Jersey hotel. Joe denied the claim, however, telling Us Weekly: "No, I did not flirt with her. I did not make out with her, nothing happened between us."
Finally, Joe was accused of being unfaithful once again in 2015, while Teresa was in prison. "The way he and his date were conversing, you wouldn't talk that way to a family member or friend," an eyewitness told Radar Online about supposedly seeing Joe with a younger woman. "Even my boyfriend thought something was going on. They had chemistry."
Granted, many celeb couples have to weather tabloid cheating allegations, but... this many? And during such an already tumultuous time? That's just downright odd.
Joe Giudice's family might need to butt out
When Teresa Giudice goes to Italy, she might not be welcomed with open arms by Joe Giudice's family. Rumor has it Joe's loved ones — including his mom and brother — don't want the RHONJ star around due to her actions while he was in custody. "How could you party like you don't have a care in the world?" one insider complained to Radar Online. "Teresa's actions are unforgivable." Another source said the whole family is "all so angry with her."
The family is so mad, in fact, that they've fully expressed their feelings to Joe. "Joe's mom and brother have told him that Teresa should not be allowed to see him in Italy," an insider revealed to Radar Online. What's more? They seem to fully believe the cheating accusations that have been leveled against Teresa, and think their relationship is beyond repair. "Joe's mom and brother have hammered him on his terrible relationship with his wife," the insider added. "They do not like Teresa at all, and they don't think she should come to Italy when she hardly ever went to prison to see him."
We don't know about you guys, but we think Joe's family is a little too involved with his personal affairs.
Would Teresa really say arrivederci to Joe?
For years and years, Teresa and Joe Giudice put up a front of an extremely loving marriage. And although we believe there was love there, we're starting to doubt the whole relationship given Teresa's take on Joe's deportation. As TMZ noted and Teresa herself confirmed, she won't move to Italy to be with her husband of over a decade if he isn't able to reenter America. Teresa "has zero interest in uprooting their 4 daughters to a country where they have no friends and have never lived," the outlet claimed, adding, "We're told Teresa says moving them outta the country would be a culture shock and completely change their lives."
Of course, uprooting your family isn't ideal, and we can understand Teresa's reasoning from a parent's perspective. But the reality star made a big fuss about loyalty prior to this ordeal, so we find it bizarre she's not meeting those self-imposed expectations. Even Teresa's RHONJ costar expressed doubt about her defying those traditional boundaries, specifically in terms of whether or not they would divorce. "No, I don't think they will," Margaret Josephs told a caller on Watch What Happens Live, adding, "I think Teresa's super traditional and I just don't think she'll do it."
Oh, how things have changed...
Teresa and Joe Giudice may have lost the hots for one another
It makes sense for a long term couple to struggle with keeping the spark alive, but for Joe and Teresa Giudice, their lack of attraction came to a head during their prison terms. You know, run of the mill couple stuff.
Teresa first opened up about the awkward issue on a special episode of Watch What Happens Live (via People), revealing, "Every time I went to go see him, I felt nothing. I never wanted to kiss him or anything. I just didn't like the whole environment. I didn't want to kiss him with all those people watching." Yikes. Oddly enough, Joe shared this sentiment. "I didn't like her being in there, either," he explained. "I didn't look at her and find her attractive. It's just that environment. You just don't like to see the people that you love in there."
Obviously, we don't blame the couple for feeling this way. It's just odd that prison was at the center of this uncomfortable issue — it's not your everyday situation, to say the least.
Are Joe and Teresa Giudice leaning on their kids too much?
It's not uncommon for parents to develop a friendship of sorts with their kids, especially when they get older. This is evident in the case of Teresa Giudice and her eldest daughter, Gia Giudice, as she's often filmed discussing her dilemmas with the college student. But are Teresa and Joe leaning on their kids too heavily for marriage advice? This could be the case, especially since Gia admonished Teresa for trying to get her involved in a dispute with Joe. It all went down following the explosive phone call in which Joe told Teresa he never wanted to get married. "See what I get?" Teresa tells Gia in the RHONJ clip, to which she responds, "That's your personal business with my father, so enough!"
Not to mention, Gia is the emotional rock for her siblings despite being away at college. "With the whole Joe situation, she stays strong for them, while still fighting for her dad," a source told People. "Even now that she's away for college [at Rutgers University], the girls are all still very close. She's set a great example for them. She's the real star."
Although we're happy to hear Gia is thriving and is a good role model, it's unfortunate she bears all of this weight on her shoulders. Stay strong, girl!
Hold the phone — Joe Giudice is what?!
You might have missed it in the unofficial separation announcement released via People in December 2019, but it sounds like Joe Giudice is already dating again. Say what now?
There's a lot to break down here, so let's get to business. For starters, why is Joe trying his luck at love when he was recently released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported back to Italy? Doesn't he have bigger fish to fry at the moment? Some possibilities include figuring out a long term co-parenting situation for his three daughters (during an October 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live, he talked about possibly moving closer to his family, as People noted), figuring out next steps with Teresa Giudice, and his deportation appeal.
Secondly, we don't understand why the two have to navigate the separation proceedings "very slowly," as a source told People they planned to do, since "Joe has been out on a few dates." It sounds like this relationship is already done for good, right?
To be fair, however, it's possible they don't want to rush things for the sake of their kids. Divorce can be hard, after all.
Teresa and Joe Giudice have been a little too cryptic
OK, we're just going to come out and say it: Teresa and Joe Giudice have been way too wishy-washy about the real status of their relationship. A perfect example? Joe's cryptic post the same day a source "close to the family" spoke out about their supposed separation. "It's Time To Let Go," he captioned a side-by-side photo of him and Teresa on Instagram. Not to be too harsh here, but if Joe is going to address the situation, why not give a statement instead of letting fans speculate?
And let's not forget Teresa's GMA interview from November 2019, during which she shrugged off the infidelity rumors about Joe because she "never caught him," then claimed they had no plans to divorce even though she's not sure they have a "feasible" relationship because of their living situation. It's so confusing! But wait, there's more! Teresa also said that if divorce is "the path [they] choose," she's sure they'll both be fine with each other moving on romantically.
We also can't ignore that their separation announcement came from a supposed insider. Granted, that could be just gossip, too, but considering all the fanfare surrounding the possible demise of their 20-year marriage, you'd think these two would want to have the last word.
Why not put this to bed once and for all?