Former good friends are now in a bad place.
That, in short, is a status report for The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Margaret Josephs and Jackie Goldschneider.
Why did the former BFFs hit a rough patch? Well, viewers are about to find out more in RHONJ Season 14, Episode 4, judging by a new preview clip in which Margaret and Jackie took time at a charity softball event to read each other the riot act.
“You don't take my side in anything,” Jackie told her ex-best friend. "You're making excuses for why it's OK for somebody to not invite me to a party."
Margaret would have none of that.
"Jackie, my whole life I've taken your side," she said. "I've only championed you ... What have you ever done for me?"
Why aren't Jackie and Margaret friends anymore?
As it turns out, there are two sources of irritation for Margaret about Jackie. One is tied to Jackie’s book, the other concerns Margaret’s late ex-husband, Jan Josephs.
Margaret Josephs attends the New York premiere of "Road House" at Jazz at Lincoln Center on March 19, 2024 in New York City.
Photo: John Nacion/Variety
Rumblings about a rift between Margaret and Jackie, who’ve been close since the latter joined RHONJ in Season 9, started in 2023.
Jackie Goldschneider in The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 14 press portrait.
Photo: Bravo
Jackie revealed that she was “going through something” with Margaret during an appearance on Watch What Happen Live With Andy Cohen in late September 2023, adding that she was "not sad" about the shift.
Margaret later elaborated on her relationship with Jackie at BravoCon 2023 in Las Vegas. During a panel talk, Margaret noted that she and Jackie “are not where [they] used to be in life.”
“We are not as close as we used to be, which is sad, because she informed me, which I didn't realize, that we're not as close as I thought we were. So I think I took offense to that, and it went a little south," she said.
The lack of closeness became apparent after Margaret’s ex-husband, Jan, died in August 2022.
“[Doctors] said it was a pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot,” Margaret said in a confessional in the new RHONJ episode. “It just shot up to the heart.”
At the ball game, Margaret brought up her late ex-husband's passing to Jackie, and said it was the anniversary of his death, as seen in the preview clip.
Taken aback, Jackie admitted, "Wow, I didn't realize."
Jackie's cluelessness wasn't news to Margaret, who said, "I know. You didn't call me all week." She then made a point of noting that Jennifer Fessler and Melissa Gorga both called to check in on her, partially explaining her tension with Jackie.
But that's when Jackie turned the tables and explained that she feels ignored by Margaret.
"I feel like you don't give me the time of day any more," she insisted.
Jackie's memoir then came up in the argument. Before Jackie’s wide-ranging 2023 book, The Weight of Beautiful, came out, certain RHONJ cast members got a sneak peek at what was inside the tome.
Margaret wasn’t one of them, but she told Jackie that she knew that Jennifer Fessler and Melissa got copies, which hurt her feelings.
"I championed you for that book," said Margaret.
Jackie claimed that her own mother hadn't read the book yet and that the publisher made decisions about sending out books.
When Margaret said she was unsurprised that Jackie's mom hadn't read the tome, Jackie reached her limit.
"Wait, wait, wait," she raged. "Margaret, don't get in too deep. I could talk about my mother. You can't!"
That's when the women both gave up on each other. Jackie explained in a confessional that she's slowly come to realize that "for a long time" she's allowed Margaret to feel that she was her superior.
"Like, I was part of her entourage," Jackie said. "Writing changed me as a person. I've become much more confident."
Follow Margaret, Jackie, and the whole cast when The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sundays at 8/7c on
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