Jennifer Aydin said she was “hurt” by a comment that her “Real Housewives of New Jersey” co-star Dolores Catania made on “Watch What Happens Live.”
In a September 2024 interview on the “AllAboutTRH” podcast, Aydin told hosts Roxanne Bahri and Shantel Butras that while there’s no “bad blood” between her and Catania, she’s dismayed that her co-star didn’t think of her when asked who she’d like to see return to RHONJ next season.
“We don’t really talk,” Aydin said of Catania. “I haven’t really spoken to her too much you know she’s been busy traveling and like, you know. What she said at ‘Watch What Happens Live’ really hurt my feelings.”
“When people ask me like who are the two I’m friends with on the show, my autopilot is Dolores and Teresa [Giudice],” Aydin continued. “It just is. Teresa is like one of my closest friends and I truly like I love Dolores. Like I was a fan of her when I came on the show. She’s someone that you want to be your friend. So it was hurtful when someone asked her who were the two Housewives that you would bring back and then she said Teresa and Jenn Fessler, when Jenn Fessler’s not even a Housewife. Like no offense Jen Fessler, but not even a Housewife.”
On the August 4, 2024 episode of “Watch What Happens Live,” Catania was asked to name which two co-stars should return for season 15 amid talk of a cast shakeup. “Well of course Teresa,” Catania replied. “I’ve always been close with her. And then Jenn Fessler’s hysterical. But I mean, they’re all, Margaret, I love them all, I really love them as a group.”
Jennifer Aydin Texted Dolores Catania After the WWHL Episode
NBCUniversalDolores Catania
Aydin was upset enough by Catania’s diss that she confronted her about it after the “Watch What Happens Live” episode aired in August. “I did text Dolores about it. And she did say that she initially said she wants everybody back, but she had to pick two,” Aydin revealed on the podcast.
She also questioned how much Catania values their friendship. “I just don’t understand like after six years how come her autopilots are not like Teresa and me,” Aydin wondered. “But maybe, maybe she doesn’t like me that much. Maybe I need to start like, it’s okay that she doesn’t like me that much, you know. Like I just have to note it and just like, you know, carry on. I love her to death, but it is what it is. She’s not going to pick me. I’m not going to be her first choice, and we’re good.”
Aydin and Catania have had an up-and-down friendship. At the RHONJ season 12 reunion, Aydin accused Catania of not having her back after Margaret Josephs spread a story about her husband Bill’s affair. Catania later called Aydin a crude name and vowed to Page Six that she was “done” with her.
According to BravoTV.com, Catania talked about why she mended her on-and-off friendship with Aydin during an appearance on the RHONJ Aftershow. “Jennifer and I have history, Jennifer and I share mutual friends — one being very important to me, my friendship with Teresa Giudice — so I don’t want it to be awkward in friendships. And if I can work things out with Jennifer and move on and not expect a lot of different things, then I would like to do that,” she said.
Jennifer Aydin Said She is Not Fired From RHONJ
Bravo Jennifer Aydin, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Fessler of RHONJ.
While she was upset that she wasn’t in Catania’s RHONJ Top 2, Aydin told the podcast hosts that there is no verified news about changes to the season 15 cast or a rumored reboot. And as of now, she’s still a cast member. “I believe that we are going to pick back up,” she said. “And I believe some of us are coming back and some of us are not, is my belief. “
“I will say that I am not fired,” she continued. “So don’t believe fake news. Yeah sorry, for you people out there that are mad, I am not fired. Nobody’s fired, no decisions have been made. We’re like not even like they’re not even thinking about it right now. They’re just thinking about like what is the best way to tackle it, and whatever their decision is obviously everybody’s going to have to abide by it so it’s all good.”
In August, Real Housewives producer Andy Cohen said he’s in no “rush” to make any decisions about the future of RHONJ. “We’re going to take our time,” he told Extra TV, noting there’s no update on a cast shakeup. “I actually thought it was a great season, but I think that it was just very clear that there was no moving forward with this group.”
