Margaret Josephs isn’t so sure about Teresa Giudice‘s recent reconciliation with Joe and Melissa Gorga.
As Melissa, 46, reacted to questions surrounding the authenticity of their makeup session, as well as their motivation for making nice after years of estrangement, the 58-year-old Real Housewives of New Jersey star admitted she was “hesitant” about Teresa’s intentions and shared her thoughts about her own potential reunion with her castmate.
“I feel it shouldn’t be played out in the press, and I think it’s weird to be played out in the press, but that’s just me,” Margaret told Us Weekly at BravoCon on November 14. “I don’t think every move you make needs to be a public statement. I don’t think that’s really necessary.”
“It’s their family. I want it to be genuine for the sake of Melissa and Joe — I know it’s genuine on their part,” she continued. “I think things like this have to be done in a therapeutic setting and behind closed doors, and not to be played out in the press. This has been done many, many times.”
Although Margaret is glad to see a family back together, she said she wouldn’t be following Melissa’s lead with a reunion of her own.
“Some things would have to really change and it’s not [the] right time,” she shared of making up with Teresa, 53. “I think there’s too many things in the way, and it’s just not correct.”
“I don’t wish her any ill, because I think she has enough pain and enough horrible things going on, and I’m concerned for her,” she noted.
As for season 15, Margaret said she would love for RHONJ to come back — but not as it was amid season 14.
“I love Jersey. I love what we had. I don’t miss last season. That was ugly,” she explained. “I would love the fun Jersey to come back … I’m not allowed to really discuss [test filming]. But, you know, Jersey is always doing something to keep it moving.”
Also at BravoCon, Melissa addressed fans’ questions about her and Joe’s newfound friendship with Teresa during a panel event.
“I know a lot of you, like, there’s a lot of doubt. Right? Which, do I blame you? No. I understand that there’s a lot of questions and there’s a lot of people wondering if things are happening for the wrong reasons and if we’re making up cuz we know we’re the heart and soul of that show and we’re gonna kind of try to bring it back,” Melissa shared, as seen in a clip shared by All About the Real Housewives on Instagram. “But the truth is, the relief on my husband’s face when he came home from that conversation is all I really needed to see.”
In addition to seeing that her husband felt good about his reconciliation with Teresa, Melissa pointed out that she and Teresa have seven children between them who “grew up together.”
“So if my husband looks at me with relief in his face and has one sister on this planet and says, ‘It’s authentic. I feel it. She’s being real, let’s put trust. Let’s try this,’ I’m never gonna look at him and say, ‘No,’” she stated. “I’m never gonna be that girl. So I’m gonna try.”
Continuing on, Melissa said that she and Teresa have taken a different approach to making amends this time around.
“We’re not doing it in front of the cameras this time — this time, which is different, and it feels different. So I have really good faith in this. So trust in us this time. Please, believe in us,” she added. “We’re just like, giggling and laughing. No one’s talking about the past, and it feels really good.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey has been on pause since August 2024.
Emma Slater may have just gotten eliminated from season 34 of Dancing With the Stars, but her boyfriend and fellow pro, Alan Bersten, is still on her team.
“Forever grateful for your love and for the person who took this photo of you kissing me with your eyes open! @alanbersten,” Slater, 36, wrote of Bersten, 31, via Instagram on Friday, November 14.
In the pic, Slater wore a backless, sequined and fringed ensemble as Bersten, in a shimmering white top, held her shoulders and kissed her — yes, with his eyes open.
The image seemed to be snapped during DWTS’ 20th Birthday Party on Tuesday, November 11, during which Slater and her celebrity partner, Andy Richter, were eliminated after surviving nine weeks of competition.
“All I can really say right now is I love you Andy and thank you for changing my life,” Slater wrote of Richter, 59, alongside an Instagram video on Thursday, November 13. “I’m so glad now we are family. @richtercommaandy I cried about a million times putting this together. Look at these memories. You are SO SPECIAL.”
Bersten, who is currently still in the competition alongside his partner Elaine Hendrix, has been a longtime supporter of Slater and Richter’s partnership — despite some viewers feeling he should have been voted off earlier in terms of his skill level.
“Andy is incredible and just touching the hearts of America,” Bersten exclusively told Us Weekly following Week 3 in September. “Everyone deserves to be here. And it’s just a really tough season.”
Slater and Bersten reportedly began seeing each other romantically in 2024, as season 33 of DWTS was airing. Slater and Bersten sealed the rumors with a kiss during an April 2025 live show on tour.
“Did it go viral?” Bersten exclusively asked Us of the romance reveal. “We’re just enjoying life.”
Prior to dating Bersten, Slater was married to former pro Sasha Farber from 2018 to 2023. Farber, 41, for his part, fully supports Slater and Bersten’s relationship.
“Definitely not awkward,” he said during a TikTok Live in October. “I’m really happy for her and Alan and I wish them nothing but the best. That’s all I can say.”
Without sharing details, Farber explained that “things don’t always work out in life” so there’s “no point” to “ever have any hate” toward others.
“Because what’s the point? So you thank each other for your incredible time that you had together — because, you know, the time that we did have together wasn’t bad, it was amazing — and you move on and you wish the other person nothing but the best,” he explained. “There’s no point of hate, because it would only eat you up inside. So we don’t need that in life, right? Just be present, be happy, and the rest is history.”
While discussing their split during a 2023 episode of the “Viall Files” podcast, Slater revealed that “the kid thing” led to their separation.
“It’s interesting because I do want to have kids, I just don’t want to delay Sasha’s path in having kids because I know that he is ready for that,” she said. “I don’t want to talk about him too much because that’s really for him to say, but it’s about kids.”
She continued: “I do want kids. I don’t know what it is, I’m just figuring that out for myself. It’s not something I take lightly and I don’t want to enter into something that I’m not sure about because I would never do that.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hulu.