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Recap/Review: The Real Housewives of New Jersey, S3, E16 – “Singing in the Pain” (Can’t We All Just Get Along?)

  • By

  • September 12, 2011

  • 10 mins to read

Air Date: Sunday, September 11, 2011, 10:00 pm ET/PT on Bravo

Rating: ★★★★★

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY -- Pictured: (l-r) Jacqueline Laurita, Teresa Giudice, Caroline Manzo, Kathy Wakile, Melissa Gorga -- Photo by: Tommy Garcia/Bravo

A fun race, a happy get-together, and a heartbreaking birthday party. No wonder this episode is entitled “Singing in the Pain.” It reminds me of Rodney King’s infamous question, “Can’t we all just get along?”

I really get a kick out of people who complain how cold it is outside while not wearing a coat. Such is the case with Teresa who whines, “It’s freezin’ out here,” wearing nothing more than a sweater as she waits in her car for Caroline and Jacqueline to pull into the driveway. She’s there to share her happiness over Joey and Melissa showing up at her book signing. But, as she explains to the ladies, there was also a text war between Joe and Joey and now she doesn’t know what to do about Milania’s upcoming birthday party. Should both Joe and Joey be there? Caroline advises Teresa to call Melissa and tell her she needs to reign in Joey and she’ll do the same with Joe to keep peace at the party. Somehow, though, the conversation takes a wrong turn and Melissa starts talking about the past. OMG! Will this never end? Melissa reluctantly agrees to make sure she and Joey will be at the party – she’s not so sure it’s a good idea, but hey! It’s family, right? Caroline’s comment gives me a good chuckle – “I am exhausted by that conversation.”  You’re not the only one Caroline. I think Teresa doesn’t understand how much Joe dislikes Joey and is looking at the whole thing with rose-colored glasses. “There’s not gonna be no tension. If he comes, I’m sure it’ll be fine. Done.” From her mouth to God’s ears, as my mother, may she RIP, used to say.

Everyone is participating in a 5K run for a charity benefitting people with disabilities. Shame on Jacqueline and Chris though who want to give money instead of running. It’s 6:00 AM and over at Teresa and Joe’s, Teresa’s trying to get Joe out of bed. While wanting to run, she’s also dealing with having the runs (pun intended). Did anyone realize Teresa’s pajama bottoms match the sheets on the bed? Who has things like that!? You know that has to be custom made, so I ask you – is that what people who file for bankruptcy should be doing with their money? Speaking of clothing, I got a real kick out of the woolen hat Jacqueline’s wearing. I think it’s supposed to be a giraffe, but I’m not really sure. It’s cute though. Joe calls the Manzos, where they and the Lauritas are waiting, to tell them he’s grinding up sausage to bring to the race along with a jug of wine. Dude, it’s now only 7:00 AM! Your wife wrote a cookbook called “Skinny Italian” and you’re bringing sausage and wine to a 5K run? How laughable!

The race begins and the whole crew doesn’t have their numbers to wear yet. But once they get them, Teresa and Joe take off without the others. The funny part is they run the wrong way. Somehow they manage to right themselves and catch up with Kathy, who is trying very hard to win. I wonder if it’s because of Kathy’s competitive nature, or is it that she really wants to beat Teresa? In the meantime, Joe is back to walking and Chris Manzo, his roommate Greg and Joey cheat and end up in front of the Wakiles. All in all, everyone seems to be having a good time and since it’s for charity, no one’s complaining.

I love the way Chris, Albie and Greg have their apartment decorated for Melissa and Joey’s visit. Their wall is covered like it’s the red carpet runway in honor of Melissa’s song, “On Display,” which is now a CD, although not the final cut. Greg has a “crush” of sorts on Melissa and vice versa. As she explains it, “There’s just something about Greg. Him and I just click. I can’t explain it. He’s gay but sometimes you can’t tell he’s gay. The day he told me he wants to die and come back me, he won me right over.” I bet Melissa. That kind of adoration is right up your alley. Melissa whips out the CD and asks the boys to listen and give her feedback. Although they ask her to perform “On Display” at the launch party they’re having for the Black Water deal they’re handling, I don’t believe they think it’s all that good. I guess they couldn’t come up with a graceful way to turn her down. These boys are just too nice to hurt Melissa’s feelings. I like the little spin Greg puts on Joey’s name and Hoboken, where they now live — “Joboken.” Cute.

They all head over to the Chandelier Room to drink, party and generally have fun. With the Gorgas there, you know the conversation is going to turn to sex. I swear, it’s what makes Joey tick. I was a little shocked though when he tells Greg to “fondle her. I wanna see.” I have to agree with Melissa when she says Joe tends to talk about their sex life a little too much. “Zip it!” she comments. Especially when he tells the guys he calls his “buddy down there…Tarzan…Tarzan’s groomed; he’s ready to rock and roll.” TMI, Joey, TMI!

At Lauren’s age, she and boyfriend Vito should be going out on dates instead of staying in all the time. I have no idea what possesses Vito to bring over a bunch of different cheeses, but he says he wants to show Lauren what he does all day at the restaurant. As Vito and Lauren lean over a big pot of water with mozzarella inside and her using a big stick to stir it, the scene channels the movie Ghost. Or, as Lauren puts it, “I’m kinda feeling like Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in “Ghost” when they were making the pottery together, except Vito’s not dead.” Together, they’re cute so I guess that’s what counts. Lauren is still complaining about being the fat Manzo even though Vito tells her she’s pretty. If you ask me, if she really wanted to lose weight, she’d try a little harder.

It’s the morning of Milania’s fifth birthday party and already she’s acting up. When Teresa tries to put a different comb in her hair (that looks like a crown), Milania throws it on the bed yelling, “I like what I like!” Needless to say, she doesn’t like the dress Teresa has picked out for her to wear either and stomps off like the little monster she is to another room where she goes into a full-blown tantrum, screaming “I want that dress! I want that dress!” Even though it’s not funny, I have to laugh at Teresa’s explanation of Milania’s behavior during camera time: “Milania’s full of energy, very outspoken, but just don’t cross her.” Are you fucking kidding me? We’re talking about a five-year-old little girl, not an adult for heaven’s sake! I about vomited when Teresa told Milania, “You look like a princess. And you want to wear a crown? Squeaky voice rising and squealing, “Oh my God, you’re my princess. Princess Milania, at your service,” as she bows down before the kid. And you wonder why Milania acts the way she does Teresa? It’s because you give her everything she wants!

With the party being held at Joe’s pizzeria, Milania looks ridiculous in her organza party dress, especially with all the little kids in regular everyday clothing. The party guests look like they’re really enjoying themselves when Joe gives each of them a piece of dough to make a pizza and all the toppings to go with it. While Milania is a total brat, saying “I don’t like it,” her sister Gia is the exact opposite. In fact, she’s made up a song for Milania about loving her sister and sings it to her after the candles on the pizza-themed cake are blown out. What a little ham that Gia is! To everyone’s surprise, Gia follows up that song with another one she’s written especially for her mother and Uncle Joey. It’s so upsetting to see her crying before she can even get a note out. When she finally collects herself and sings her song, it’s about how worried she is about things at home while she’s at school. She only wants things to be better between Teresa and Joey. At least Joey and Melissa understand what Gia’s going through.

Joey: “That was rough. She is hurting. She knows what’s going on. She’s hurting the way I’m hurting, and hopefully, this can wake everybody up.”

Melissa: “I was broken-hearted for that little girl. It was the saddest thing. First of all, she shouldn’t even know too much about the whole situation. And if she does know too much, she definitely shouldn’t be sitting home and writing songs about it.”

Or as Kathy puts it, “I hope that Gia crying was a wake-up call to the Gorgas and the Giudices. Sometimes we need a kid to explain things to us.” I couldn’t agree more. It’s about time this family rift was healed.

Tune in next week for “Going to the Punta!” where, from the looks of it, Kathy and Teresa get into it big time during the housewives’ vacation in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Sunday nights at 10:00 pm ET/PT only on Bravo.

For more information on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, go to http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey, where you can see photos from tonight’s episode, read cast blogs, watch unseen footage and full episodes online.

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!