Kathy Wakile: My Son 'Didn't Mean Harm' Calling Joe, Melissa 'Farm Animals'
No harm, no foul. Kathy Wakile says her son, Joseph Wakile, wasn’t trying to hurt anyone’s feelings by comparing Joe Gorga and Melissa Gorga to farm animals.
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“To be honest, I didn’t know about Joseph’s comments until it was plastered everywhere,” the Real Housewives of New Jersey alum, 55, told Us Weekly exclusively on Wednesday, March 17, while dishing on the new season of her “Eat Live Love Indulge” podcast. “Sometimes less is more, however, [my kids] Victoria and Joseph have seen a lot, heard a lot and have watched people act without heart and compassion. While his response to a ridiculous question was sarcastic, I know he didn’t mean any harm.”
Joseph, 24, sparked controversy in February when he revealed why Joe and Melissa, both 41, weren’t there to celebrate Victoria Wakile, 27, when she married Teddy Kosmidis in West Orange, New Jersey. “Lmao we cut those farm animals out of our life years ago,” he commented on an Instagram post from The New York Post’s Page Six. “That’s why they weren’t in attendance.”
Kathy joined the cast of the Bravo series for its third season, which aired in 2011, making the reality show a family affair. The Pizza Love restaurant owner often butted heads with Teresa Giudice, her cousin, and Melissa, her cousin-in-law. In May 2014, it was announced that Kathy would not be returning for season 6 of RHONJ.
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During a 2018 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Melissa admitted that her relationship with Kathy is almost non-existent.
“Honestly, I feel like because we entered the show together and I stayed and [Kathy] was no longer on the show, she just felt like everyone should have helped her to stay on. I don’t know,” the Love Italian Style author said at the time. “It was, like, a lot of hard feelings after that. … It caused a little tension.”
While her son’s dig at the Gorgas fueled rumors of a feud between the extended relatives, Kathy hopes they can all move forward.
“We were a family,” she told Us. “It’s sad, but you learn to keep going and surround yourself with the people that are there for the highs and for the lows, people that support you and want the highest good for you. That’s what life is about. You have to be real and authentic and live your truth.”
The Indulge cookbook author reiterated that “Victoria’s wedding had nothing to do with RHONJ” and that her family will continue to live “a very sweet life,” despite the drama. When it comes to making a return to the Bravo world, Kathy is weighing her options.
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“I’ve learned to never say never,” she explained. “Reality TV has changed a lot. I’ve evolved and grown since my time on RHONJ … I wish they showed more of the good times [on the show]. There were actually a lot of laughs.”
With reporting by Diana Cooper
