Then I realize that, even though I don't have many skeletons in my closet--those records have long been expunged or are permanently sealed by Homeland Security--it might be too much of a Pandora's box kinda thing.
Case in point:
Teresa & Joe Giudice, The Real Housewives Of New Jersey
Back in 2009, the couple filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy because they were unable to pay the $11 million they owed to various creditors.
Nice, eh?
Since then Joe has been arrested for Driving While Intoxicated [DWI], driving on a suspended license, and fraudulently obtaining a driver's license--he ALLEGEDLY used his brother's name and address to obtain a new license.
Now, one of Joe's former "business" partners, Joe Mastropole, has filed a lawsuit against the Teresa and Joe accusing them of forging his name on mortgage documents in order to pocket $1 million.
Joe Giudice's response: "Everybody does it."
But not everybody does it, and not everybody is forced by a judge to pay his former business partner $260,000.
Nice couple, the Giudices.
And, just this week, the Giudices—along with Bravo and other members of The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast—were named in a lawsuit over a drunken bar fight that occurred in February, while they were filming on location in the Dominican Republic.
Melissa & Joe Gorga, The Real Housewives Of New Jersey
Joe and his wife, Melissa, claim that unlike the Giudices, they "pay their bills", but other folks beg to differ.
Joe Gorga has been the subject of 26 lawsuits in New Jersey since 2002, including a 2008 state tax lien for over $20,000.
Most recently Gorga is being sued by Starlite Window Manufacturing Co. Inc. to the tune of $30,000 for nonpayment of work.
The Gorgas are also being sued for $50,000 by a sprinkler company for work on an apartment complex in Paterson.
Additionally, according to public records, a civil judgement was made against them for over $12,000 to a company called Slaby Engineering Associates.
Three lawsuits a year.
Danielle Staub, former drug mule, former prostitue, former star of the Real Housewives of New Jersey
Her ex-husband Kevin Maher--author of the infamous Cop Without a Badge which detailed Staub's run as a drug delivering pole dancing whore--filed a defamation suit for $5 million after she wrote in her memoir that he "killed her dog, forced her to play Russian Roulette and even raped her."
They deserve each other, no?
And in May, Staub was sued for $375,000 after ALLEGEDLY backing out of a three-year deal with Scores strip club, which required her to appear nude on the company's website. After news of her return to stripping made the rounds on the press, Staub quit her gig with Scores and gave an interview to People saying she was "addicted to love."
And by love she means fame.
Gretchen Rossi & Slade Smiley, The Real Housewives of Orange County
Rossi and Smiley are being sued for fraud, breach of contract, deceit, and conspiracy by a former business associate, makeup artist Ronnan Myers. Myers and Rossi both invested $15,000 in Rossi's makeup company Gretchen Christine Beaute, with a verbal contract that they'd split the profits, with Myers claiming that Smiley put the kibosh on any written contracts.
Her half ALLEGEDLY came to zero.
According to court documents, Rossi and Smiley tried to push Myers out of the company. Myers claims that Rossi took funds out of the joint business account without permission, and accused Rossi of having all profits deposited directly into her PayPal account, which Myers had no access to. Myers is seeking $100,000 in damages.
Then Rossi's ex, Jay Photoglou, sued her for slander and libel after she made public statements that he had stalked her, stolen from her, and threatened her. Photoglou says Rossi lied about the extent of their relationship because she wanted to be on the show and to be depicted as loving caretaker to her dying "fiance" Jeff Beitzel. Rossi was recently ordered to pay $40,000 of Photoglou's attorney fees.
Keep "designing" those handbags Gretchen.
Peggy & Micah Tanous, The Real Housewives of Orange County
Her home is in foreclosure because she and her "business"man hubby owe some $1.3 million on the home with multiple mortgages. So, they are now suing three different banks—BAC Home Loans Servicing, U.S. Bank National and PNC Mortgage—in an effort to save the McMansion.
On top of that, they also have a judgement against them, do to the fact that they owe money to the IRS.
Maybe Peggy should have skipped that last boob job and paid a bill or two.
Alexis & Jim Bellino, The Real Housewives of Orange County
Plus there are all sorts of rumors about foreclosures and losing homes and all kinds of shiz.
But that's how the OC folks make their money.
And lose their money.
Kelly Bensimon, The Real Housewives of New York
Like this one.
Bensimon is being sued by former Elle Accessories colleague Celeste Greenberg for ALLEGEDLY stealing a jewelry design.
The two had verbally agreed to split the profits but Bensimon sold the design--an owl pendant--for $285 under her own jewelry line.
Now, it's sold out.
And Kelly's been sold out as an ALLEGED thief.
Sonja Morgan, The Real Housewives of New York
The former restaurant hostess turned society gal by virtue of her marriage to an old, old, rich man, is being sued by a production company for backing out of an agreement to finance a film--which was ALLEGED to star John Travolta and Rosario Dawson--back in 2006.
Morgan says she did it because she had just been served with divorce papers, but an NYC court has ordered her to pay the production company $7 million in damages.
Morgan has since filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Hopefully the cookbook she's writing, on how to use a toasster oven--seriously--will be a big hit and Sonja crawl out of bankruptcy.
Bethenny Frankel, formerly of The Real Housewives of New York
Now, Frankel's former management company, Raw Talent, claims Bethenny cut them out of the deal when she fired them just days before inking the deal. And they are suing for suing her for $100 million.
Frankel calls the suit "frivolous."
Must be nice to call $100 million frivolous.
i think she needs a Skinnygirl Margarita.
Cindy Barshop, The Real Housewives of New York
But Cindy Barshop and her beauty chain Completely Bare spas were hit with a racial discrimination lawsuit after former employee Altovise Collier filed a complaint with the State Division of Human Rights, claiming she was mistreated, verbally abused, and ultimately fired due to the color of her skin.
Barshop denies the charges and insists Collier was fired for "the quality of her work."
Or the quality of her skin?
And I wouldn't doubt an upcoming lawsuit filed by Cindy against her dentist for her veneers that slipped off her canines. That was an episode in itself.
Sheree Whitfield, The Real Housewives of Atlanta
See, two law firms....two.law.firms....who handled her divorce are suing her because they ALLEGE that she still owes them $180,000 in divorce-related fees.
One of the law firms said Whitfield "ignored and stonewalled any effort to respond to post-judgment discovery about her assets and income," and that she believes she's "above the law."
Soon, she'll be below the poverty level.
By at least seven figures.
Kim Zolciak, The Real Housewives of Atlanta
But, after her single "Tardy for the Party" became an unexpected hit--it reached the Top 10 on the iTunes Dance Chart--Zolciak was forced to temporarily remove the song from iTunes when she was sued by producer Don Vito for nonpayment.
The song has since reappeared on iTunes, leading to speculation that Kim, at least, paid off her debts.
Or that they settled out of court.
Maybe she let the judge cop a feel of her silly cones.
Nene Leakes, The Real Housewives of Atlanta
After the first season of RHoA, it was revealed that Nene rented instead of owned her home and was eventually evicted, owing over $6,000 in back rent.
Her husband Gregg also owed $100,000 in back taxes, and two years ago, the Bank of America filed a lawsuit against the Leakes.
Nene is maybe working extra hard to pay for all those lawsuits and eviction troubles by appearing on every Tv show and reality Tv show imaginable.
She is still, however, a deabeat.
Michaele & Tareq Salahi, The White House Party Crashers of The Real Housewives of D.C.
The Salahis are in more legal trouble than any other reality show wannabe and hasbeen.
They've been named in over 20 civil lawsuits, including ones by vendors, former employees, neighbors, at least three couples who held their weddings at their Oasis Winery, and Tareq's own mother.
When the Salahis wed in 2003, at a ceremony that included 1,836 guests, Michaele's dress cost $6,000. After she wore it, Tareq filed federal fraud charges against the bridal shop for attempting to process his credit card. The store eventually was paid, but only after spending $9,000 on legal fees.
In 2007, Michaele was sued for $4,000 by a different stylist for an "urgent" appointment to update her blond hair extensions, for which human hair was ordered and overnighted to the salon. A judge ruled in favor of the stylist, but the money is still unpaid.
Last year, Dr. Navin Singh of Ivy Plastic Surgery in Maryland filed a lawsuit against Michaele for $500 for "unnamed procedures."
Then there's a suit from December 2009, when the Salahis were being sued for nonpayment by their landscaper. The judge on the case ordered Tareq to give the watch off his wrist--ALLEGEDLY worth $325,000--to the plaintiff to cover his debt of $2000.
It turned out that the watch didn't work, and was actually a fake, worth less than $100.
Still wanna be on reality TV?
Make sure your records are expunged or the cases are sealed.
I'll be waiting for my phone call from Andy Cohen!
via Jezebel
Oh my, I'm probably the only person I know who's never seen any of the "Housewives" shows.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad collection of people. Why are they considered so interesting? Sounds like a bunch of losers to me.
Their stories are almost as frightening as their photos Bob. What a mess.
ReplyDeleteI have to confess that this is quite depressing to read.
ReplyDelete