Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania says Teresa Giudice’s feud with her brother Joe Gorga and wife Melissa Gorga is still going on.
“It’s definitely on a high stage of bad,” she tells Vidak For Congress exclusively while promoting her appearance on E!’s “Celebrity Beef.”
However, Catania, 51, is hopeful that the two sides can eventually reconcile.
“I wouldn’t say this is terminal yet, if I had to speak in medical terms,” adds the former surgical assistant. “I’ve seen people come back from much worse.”
As previously reported, Giudice, 50, brought unfounded rumors of infidelity involving Melissa, 43, and Joe, 42, during the final scenes of Season 13 of “RHONJ” this summer. The explosive exchange led to the Gorgas’ decision to skip Giudice’s August 6 wedding to Luis “Louie” Ruelas.
“I would never believe such a thing,” Catania says of the gossip surrounding the Gorgas’ marriage, adding that she finds the disagreement “very sad” because she is close to everyone involved.
“They had a very small family to start with and now they only have each other,” she explains. “They weren’t raised not to get along. They were not raised not to have their families together.”
Catania says she is “praying” that Giudice and the Gorgas can bring about peace in the near future for the sake of their seven combined children, cousins.
Giudice shares daughters Gia, 21, Gabriella, 18, Milania, 16, and Audriana, 13, with ex-husband Joe Giudice. Meanwhile, the Gorgas share daughter Antonia (17) and sons Gino (15) and Joey (12).
“They have beautiful children, both,” she says. “And those kids should be able to be together.”
But not until their parents can patch it up for good, Catania says.
“When things are emotional between people — as they are now — you stay out of it, away from it, let things calm down and hopefully they will come back together at some point,” she says of the current estrangement.
“They are different versions of themselves right now. I think it’s better they split up.”
For now, Catania believes Teresa and the Gorgas are relieved that they are breaking up with their relationship.
“These are years of things happening between them that finally came to a head, a real head,” she says. “To be honest, I think they’re both at peace with whatever this is.”
Meanwhile, Catania feels no pressure to take sides. “Never, never, never will I take sides among friends unless something is done to one of them that is so blatant,” she tells us. “I love them all.”
Catania also has a lot of love for “RHONJ” alum Caroline Manzo, a friend of many years with whom she reunited to film “Celebrity Beef”. On tonight’s episode, the proud Italian Americans go head to head in a meatball cooking competition, hosted by host Joel McHale.
“Being around Caroline is literally like being around one of my sisters. It’s so normal. It’s like being near Teresa. For me it’s very organic to be with Caroline,” she says. “Caroline was more competitive than I thought she would be. She wasn’t messing around!”
Despite their decades-long friendship, Catania and Manzo, 61, have never held full-time jobs in “New Jersey” at the same time. The latter left the Bravo hit in 2013 after five consecutive seasons; Catania became a “housewife” in 2016.
“I’d love to do the show with Caroline because fans love genuine, organic relationships — and that’s something we have,” she says of Manzo’s potential reality TV reprisal.
“To see that and see what we had long before ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ is nice because it’s still the same. Nothing has changed. Not an ounce of us – including Teresa – has ever changed.”
Catania admits that Manzo and Teresa – well-known enemies whose friendship deteriorated years ago – “sometimes don’t belong in the same room” but would be willing to film with both, no matter how difficult.
“They are two very dear people in my life,” she says. “Listen, it wouldn’t be easy for me, but it would be something I have to deal with. That is it. That’s life and that’s the experience I’ve had with friends who don’t get along.”
Despite the friction, Catania says Teresa is open to resolving her issues with Manzo on camera.
“Teresa said, ‘Bring it! Bring her. I’d like to see her again. Let’s do this.’ She said it herself’, she says of the author ‘Tuning the Tables’.
Teresa once accused Manzo of betraying her to the FBI before she was charged and subsequently jailed for fraud; Manzo has strongly denied any involvement in the case.
“Teresa is ready,” says Catania. “But everyone wants Caroline back.”
“Celebrity Beef” airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on E!