Two days later, the new school year kicked off and things returned to our normal, crazy schedule. Gia is big into competitive cheerleading. Gabriella does soccer on a club team. Milania is into soccer, basketball, and track. She likes to try a little bit of everything. And Audriana does gymnastics and competitive dance—ballet, jazz, and tap. She does back-walkovers in the living room! So of course I’m the one who has to sign them up for all that stuff and pay for it. And, let me tell you, it’s not cheap.
I don’t care, though. That’s why I work so hard. I want to give my children the benefit of everything. When I was younger, I didn’t do activities. I came home from school, did my homework, and then we had family dinner. It’s different now. This is what kids these days do. They see what their friends are doing and what they have and they want the same thing. It’s not always easy keeping up with the Joneses. But I try. And I do it all by myself. When I was away, I wasn’t able to be around for my family or provide for them in the way I’m accustomed to.
This is why, when Audriana’s seventh birthday arrived on September 14, I wanted to do something really special for her. So, at Audriana’s request, I took her; her best friend, Olivia; Olivia’s mom; and my friend Lisa G. to American Girl in New York City. It’s all the rage with her and her peers, and they did a small private event for us, which was so fabulous. You have lunch there and bring your American Girl doll. It wasn’t a big blowout bash, but it was exactly what Audriana wanted, and that made both of us very happy.
Of course, when it came to Gabriella’s twelfth birthday, in October, she asked for a big party at our house. I wanted to give that to her, because I’d been in prison for her birthday the year before, which she’d said was one of her best birthdays, despite my not being there. While I was very glad to hear that, I also knew from Joe that she’d really missed me that day, which made me feel so sad. That’s why I wanted to do something even better for her now that I was home.
We had the party at our house, in the backyard, for about forty kids. I got a DJ. I rented a mechanical bull and this inflatable ride called the Meltdown, which is basically straight out of that show Wipeout on ABC, where people have to jump over and duck under these moving arms. It was so fun! I also got Gabriella’s name spelled out in these huge balloons and filled up our game room in all blue and silver balloons, the whole ceiling was covered, even though the festivities were mainly outside.
I always serve a lot of food, because I love to cook, eat, and play hostess. We had a bunch of varieties of pizza—macaroni, chicken Parmesan, eggplant, sausage and peppers. I think I ordered every single kind available. And I had an elaborate candy table. But the pièce de résistance for sure was Gabriella’s cake, which was a gigantic light blue number twelve with edible sparkles all over it. Actually, each number was its own cake on these big silver bases that read, “Happy Birthday” on one side and “Gabriella” on the other. It was beyond gorgeous and delicious!
I definitely felt like I made up for not being there when she turned eleven. She said it was her best birthday by far, even better than the year before. Sure, she was sad that, this time, it was Joe who couldn’t be there, but she was also so happy to get to tell her father about it when he called later in the day. She said, “Daddy, my party was amazing! Everyone had so much fun!” Joe holds a very special place in her heart, in all the girls’ hearts. That’s one of the reasons why I’m so pissed that he made such a mess of everything.
Later that month was my mom’s sixty-sixth birthday, which—like Mother’s Day—I had no idea would be the last one I ever spent with her. It’s heartbreaking just to think about that. I am glad, though, that we had such a nice celebration for her at Joey and Melissa’s house. We all had dinner together—me and my kids, my mom, my dad, Joey, Melissa, and their kids. My parents cooked together, even though it was my mom’s special day. They love to be in control of the cooking! Melissa actually learned her way around a kitchen from my mother. Joey doesn’t cook much, but he loves food and recently opened up a restaurant in New Jersey. I guess you don’t have to be a chef to be a restaurateur.
We took some really beautiful photos that day, which I cherish. There’s one of my mother with all seven of her grandchildren, sitting in front of her cake, which read, “Happy Birthday Nonna.” It was white icing with red roses. She was so joyous that day. We all were. The only thing I was unhappy about was my hair! I had to wear a hat because I didn’t like how it looked. Aside from that, we all had dinner together, hung out, and just enjoyed one another’s company.
The best part was when I gave her the gift I’d gotten her—a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. It was actually for my mom and dad, for both their birthdays. It was a total surprise. They hadn’t been away together in a long time, since she hadn’t been feeling great due to her rheumatoid arthritis, and I just wanted them to have a luxurious trip alone. They’d never splurge on something like that for themselves. It made me feel so proud to be able to do that for them, and they were very grateful. They ended up going in November and, when they came back, I took lots of pictures of them because they looked so tan and gorgeous!
Of course my mother’s birthday celebration was also a nice distraction for me, because that same day—October 23—was my seventeen-year wedding anniversary to Joe. He had two gorgeous bouquets of flowers sent to me. One was a mixed bouquet with a card that read, “Happy Anniversary. Love you with all my heart, Joe.” And the other was an enormous arrangement of two-dozen red roses.
It was really nice of him. I’m guessing he had his brother or his uncle or one of his friends send them to me. But it definitely didn’t alleviate the sting of his not being there in person.
It wasn’t easy with him gone. It’s still difficult. And milestones tend to shine a bright light on that. The only thing I could do was try to keep myself going and not dwell on it. That’s why when the kids went back to school and we were no longer filming the show, I started doing a lot of yoga again. It’s much tougher to find the time for it when I have a busy work schedule. I like going to classes when I can, rather than doing it at home, because I prefer to be around people. It motivates me. Also, when my kids are in school and I have off from the show, sometimes I get bored. And when I’m bored I start to think about stuff, like Joe being away, and financial concerns, which makes me feel depressed and unlike my typically energetic self. Yoga helps center me.
If you think I’m lying about being more centered, guess who I reunited with and did yoga with around this time?
Danielle Staub.
That’s right. My long-lost nemesis from seasons one and two. The one I famously flipped the table on and called a “prostitution whore.”
I hadn’t seen or spoken to Danielle in years, but some people on social media were telling me that she was saying nice things about me and it seemed like she had made a lot of changes in her life like I did. And I learned that she was into yoga.
The next thing I knew we had a date set—first yoga—then a casual lunch to catch up on lost time.
We snapped a picture together of us doing a yoga pose side by side and the Housewives universe went nuts.
She and I both laughed about it, but to be honest it was nice to reconnect with her.
Yoga can be a tremendous healer.
I wish I could do it all the time! But even when I’m not actively into Housewives, I’m still promoting myself and the show. For example, I went on The Dr. Oz Show in October, too. It was my first time sitting down with him and he was so kind. Just a really nice guy. I was very excited about that, even though I do get nervous whenever I go on talk shows.
I had butterflies when I spoke to Dr. Oz—I find radio much easier than television in front of an audience—but I had a sense of what he was going to ask me and he stuck to it. He didn’t bring up anything that crossed a line about Joe being deported. He did, however, very nicely inquire how Joe was doing and how I was doing, without getting snarky, which was appropriate.
I was very
thankful for that, because—like I said—I’m sick of people trying to take me down.
I’m so done with that.
7
* * *
THE DONALD FOR PRESIDENT
I’ve never been particularly interested in politics. The latest in fashion, yes. The latest in what’s happening in Hollywood, I’m all in. But Washington, eh, it’s never really been my thing.
Until 2016.
With Donald Trump running for president, my interest was piqued.
Let me start off by saying that when I had the privilege of being on The Celebrity Apprentice, in 2011, all my experiences with Mr. Trump and everyone from the Trump organization were nothing but amazing and very professional. They made me feel extremely comfortable, because when I was first asked to join the cast of The Celebrity Apprentice, I wasn’t sure if I should say yes. I’d heard mixed things about it, and my kids were still young. I didn’t want to be away from them for a long period of time. But the show really wanted me, so they called me and said, “Why don’t you come in and meet with Mr. Trump himself? And then you can decide if it sounds like something you’d be interested in.” They told me the names of some of the other celebrities who’d already committed, but I still wasn’t 100 percent sure I’d fit in. So I took them up on the opportunity to speak to Mr. Trump in person. Why not?
They invited both Joe and me to his office in Manhattan’s Trump Tower. I found out he lives in the same building—in the penthouse! I remember wanting to look very professional that day, so I wore a conservative suit and, even though Joe didn’t wear a suit and tie, I made sure he looked really nice.
When we arrived Mr. Trump was so welcoming. He and Joe hit it off immediately. It was like they’d been friends for years. I couldn’t believe how gorgeous the office was. Not only was it huge, but it had ridiculous views of New York City, including Central Park. There was stuff everywhere. He’s definitely a knickknack person, which I can relate to! The walls were lined with framed awards—like one of the Tree of Life he received from the Jewish National Fund, which he’s very proud of. There were also a number of photographs; one of him with Ronald Reagan, and another with John F. Kennedy Jr. And there were tons of magazines framed—Newsweek, GQ, Fortune, and so many more. He’s one of the few men to have been on the cover of Playboy. I couldn’t believe it when I saw that!
Then he had a whole table of sports memorabilia, like Mike Tyson’s boxing belt and Shaquille O’Neal’s basketball sneaker, which was enormous! Apparently Shaq took it off after one of his games and handed it to him. How cool is that?
I’d love to have an empire and an office like his one day.
The thing that surprised me the most, though—even more than the Playboy cover—was how incredibly nice he was. He said he really wanted me to be on the show. I told him my issue was that I wouldn’t be able to see my kids for over a month while we were taping—if I made it through to the end. So he said they’d make an exception since I had four young children. In addition to the suites they provided for me and all the other cast members, they got me a second suite next door so that Joe and the girls could come visit on the weekends. I guess they never do that, but I was extremely grateful that he understood my predicament. Mr. Trump has five children of his own. He’s a family man, so he got it. And my kids had the best time spending weekends in the city with me, because I did end up staying for the entirety of the filming process. Even after I got “fired” in task thirteen, I was on Arsenio Hall’s team for the finale.
Honestly, I wasn’t shocked that I made it that far. I know people make fun of me because I’m not always the most articulate person, but that doesn’t mean I’m not smart. I know what’s going on, believe me. Sure, I was nervous at first. Who wouldn’t be? It’s the same with anything that’s brand-new. You’re excited. You’re not sure what to expect. And, you know, people will come at you, because they really want to win. But I’m kind of a daredevil. And, back then, I wasn’t afraid of anything. I’m still not.
Plus, I knew there were going to be some other cast members who’d be fun to hang out with. Victoria Gotti ended up becoming a close friend. She’s great, and, despite the fact that she left early, we really connected. We still keep in touch. In fact, I’d say everyone was really nice, except Penn Jillette. He wasn’t the easiest to work with or be around. Aubrey O’Day used to flirt with him all the time, which I thought was gross. I just wanted to be professional and focus on raising money for my charity, the NephCure Foundation (now called NephCure Kidney International), an organization committed to funding research and finding a cure for debilitating kidney disease. I was project manager three times—tasks seven, nine, and thirteen. Even though I lost task seven, I wasn’t eliminated. Then I won task nine and lost task thirteen, which is when I was “fired.” The good news is that I raised seventy thousand dollars for NephCure, which is what the show is all about. That’s another thing about Mr. Trump; he’s very philanthropic, and so am I. I believe you have to give of yourself to those less fortunate than you are.
I also admire his unbelievable work ethic. Since he was always so busy with his other professional obligations, we only saw him when we were filming the boardroom scenes, which took hours upon hours, because they like to spice things up.
Still, the fact that someone I knew personally and held in such high regard was running for president, had me super interested and glued to the television during election time. I found myself tuning away from Bravo (sorry, Andy Cohen!) and watching the programs on CNN or Fox News. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing; it was way more dramatic than Housewives!
For a few months I really became hooked. It was unbelievable to observe how divided our country was when it came to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. And, especially, to listen to people saying so many negative things about Trump and his family.
I’d become close with Ivanka, as well as Don Jr., Eric, and his now wife, Lara, during my time on Celebrity Apprentice, so I was disturbed at what I was seeing on television about their family. It reminded me of what my own family went through, though, of course, the Giudice drama was on a much smaller scale. I know firsthand how cruel the media or the “fake media” can be, and I empathized.
I know he says things that may rub people the wrong way, but he’s our president, and no matter what people’s personal opinions of him are, I believe he deserves a certain level of the country’s respect. People need to look at the facts before jumping to conclusions, especially because I don’t even think he means to offend people. He just says what’s on his mind and we live in a hypersensitive world. I know how that feels.
I remember in the days after I was released from prison, my phone was ringing off the hook with people calling and texting, telling me that they were glad I was home and that they were thinking of me and my kids.
One of the very first calls I received was from Ivanka Trump. She also sent me a beautiful note. I was so flattered. She really is a class act.
I wanted to let her and her brothers know that I was there to back them up, too. I found myself communicating through email and via direct message on Twitter with the Trump children, offering them my support when I saw something particularly horrible. They responded every time and thanked me for reaching out with personal messages. They even asked me how my girls were doing. Again, so classy. It made me respect and root for them even more.
On the night of the election I watched all the live coverage, flipping back and forth between channels. I stayed up well past 2:00 a.m. I was so happy for Donald Trump and his children when he won, but I was also nervous because I knew how difficult the road ahead would be for our new president.
As I said, I’ve never been a political person. All I know about Hillary Clinton is what I saw on TV. When I watched CNN, she was the savior; when I watched Fox she was the devil. I rooted for Mr. Trump because I actually had the pleasure of getting to know him and his family. And I’d developed a tremendous amount of respect for each of them. It’s
not easy to be in the spotlight like that. Even though they were accustomed to it on some level, this was a whole new ball game.
If I’d ever had the fortune of meeting Hillary Clinton, who knows, maybe I would have agreed with the people on CNN. I will say I did like the idea of having a female president, just not one named Hillary Clinton. I think Bill Clinton messed things up for her, kind of like Joe did for me. Also, I don’t understand why she didn’t get in trouble for all those emails she sent. Why did I get in trouble and she didn’t? It doesn’t make any sense to me.
My only regret is that I couldn’t vote for Mr. Trump because I was on probation from being in prison. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed.
The last thing I’ll say about politics is that Kimberly Guilfoyle, the cohost of The Five on Fox News Channel, is absolutely gorgeous. She has amazing hair and really knows her stuff. She could totally be a Housewife!
Andy Cohen, you should call her.
Speaking of which . . .
In addition to Election Day, November also brought with it the Real Housewives season seven reunion. Oh boy! The reunion shows always get very heated.
Of course Bravo kept us all apart until we were sitting on the couches onstage, so there was no opportunity for us to talk ahead of time, which was good.
I was sitting on one couch with Melissa. Jacqueline, Siggy, and Dolores were on the other couch. The only tension was between Jacqueline and me (even my yoga practice couldn’t help with that!). And Jacqueline and Melissa. I thought Jacqueline was my friend, but she wasn’t. I believe she actually plotted to destroy my life. She was the puppeteer, choreographing every scene so that people would think I was the bad guy.
I’d say that the reunion ended up being therapeutic for me and provided me with a sense of closure. I felt like I got certain points across. I was frustrated that Siggy and Dolores weren’t asked more pointed questions about the situation between Jacqueline and me. It would have been nice if Andy had tried to get them to give more of their opinion. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. But, regardless, it felt like a relief just to let it all out. I kept thinking, I need to release this before I can move on. Out with the old, in with the new.
Standing Strong Page 6