Bravo's Real Housewives franchise arguably includes some of the best reality shows of all time, which air on the network before becoming available to stream with a Peacock subscription. One of the most popular shows is The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and now Gia and Joe Giudice have gotten honest about how little the family made during its early days.
Teresa Giudice is the face of RHONJ, as an OG who has never left the show during its 14 seasons on the air. But she was a supporting presence throughout Season 1... until that infamous table flip happened. On her daughter Gia's podcast Casual Chaos, Joe appeared and they reminisced about their early days on Bravo. Juicy Joe reminisced about the money the Giudice family put out in Season 1, saying:
Once we signed, it was kind of like a big blur after that. I think the first year we had that big party in my great room. I think that show cost me $150,000 the first year.
In the early season of RHONJ is seemed like money as no object for the Giudice clan. They regularly spent tons of money on parties and home renovations, with Teresa famously shown paying for it all in cash. These scenes would come under new scrutiny when Joe and Teresa ultimately went to prison for a number of charges including bankruptcy fraud and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
So how much did the family get paid for the first season of RHONJ? The show had humble beginnings, and later in the same podcast Joe Giudice offered his memory of the paycheck. As he shared with his daughter:
We got paid nothing the first season. I'll even say, it was like $25,000. It was ridiculous. But, whatever.
Ouch. This sum really seems like a drop in the bucket, especially considering how the cast of the Real Housewives franchises are typically showing off a ton of wealth on camera. The Giudices likely lost money back in Season 1, although Teresa's status as an OG 14 Seasons later likely has resulted in a massive pay raise.
Gia Giudice has grown up before fans' eyes, including her recent appearances on Next Gen NYC and the forthcoming Special Forces: World's Toughest Test (which will be streaming with a Hulu subscription). She spoke about the dynamic of investing money while on the Real Housewives franchise, musing:
You're putting in more money than you're actually getting out of it. Then obviously you grow and make your way and make your name.
She's not wrong. Teresa has been the biggest breakout star from RHONJ, and has appeared on a number of other shows such as House of Villains and The Celebrity Apprentice.
Life for the family changed forever when Joe and Teresa Giudice were indicted on 39 counts of fraud back in 2013. The pair both served time in prison, and Joe also ended up being deported as a result of the saga. Through it all cameras were there, which is why the Giudices have so many loyal fans.
It's currently unclear if/when The Real Housewives of New Jersey will return on Bravo. For now we can re-watch the first 14 seasons on Peacock and patiently wait for an update about casting... especially since Teresa and Melissa's relationship is so fraught.
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