What can you tell us about the new series of RHONJ?
I think it’s the whole aspect of family is just so intriguing and I think that so many people have issues good and bad with family and we are obviously a big Italian family on the show… we love we love hard and when we fight we fight hard but at the end of the day we are family and we always figure out a way to make it work.
I think when something is about family its powerful. We let you in to our everyday lives and what goes on in our marriages and our relationships… I think it touches everyone because they also go through it in their lives
What can we expect from series 5?
I will tell you is definitely one of my hardest (seasons). I think you will see in the previous seasons I’ve always been so willing to try and try I always put my best foot forward with my sister in law, I’ve always tried to fix it and work on it. In season 5 I kinda give up and I start to lose hope with our relationship and I think you’ ll start to see me get very frustrated.
What does it take to be a ‘Real Housewife’?
You definitely need to be. You have to be willing to let people in and be candid about your life and its not easy. It’s definitely not for everyone.
I feel like there’s pros and cons of being on a reality TV show… but its gotta be something your willing to do and willing to open up.
In your book ‘Love Italian Style’ you wrote: “Treat your man like king and you’ll be the queen.” What did you mean by this?
It’s a playful book its meant to be read playfully. It’s about my relationship with joe and being able to juggle a husband and children and still keep your husband interested.
I believe you still need to flirt with your husband, you know, and still have that teasing relationship like when were just dating.
How do you keep the spark alive in your marriage?
I think I think basically listen to him that’s the main thing. I listen to little things that Joe (Melissa's husband) likes. I try to find a red shirt or a red dress and greet him when he comes home and always have a smile on my face even if I’m very stressed out over the show or the kids. Even if I’m just being overwhelmed with everything that is going on I do try to drop everything when he walks in and put a smile on and greet him, give him hug and just I think it sets the mood for the rest of the evening.
Tell us a bit about your music, is it your dream to be a pop star?
Well I’ve always loved to sing… I’ve gotten such a great stepping stone from being on the show and I’ve gotten to talk with great. I do owe a lot of credit to the show for all the success in my music.
The RHONJ women are very outspoken, do you regret some of the things you've said on the show?
When I got on the show I decided I’m gonna do it full force so I wasn’t holding anything back, I wanted to be real and it was very important that to Joe and I to be real, to put it out there and show our lives. We are proud of the life we have built together and we do have ups and down. We have gone through a lot as a family but we were gonna come and be who we are and that’s what we did
What’s your biggest challenge being a wife and a mother an being on the show?
I am extremely hands on with my children. It does create craziness sometimes I’m dropping the kids off to school and then I go back in hair and make up and I’m running around but I love it I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would never enter this world and suddenly stop being a mum or wife first and this (the show) is all secondary to me. I’ve never been scared of a little hard work it’s a lot to juggle but I’m doing it, and so far so good!
Would you ever get plastic surgery or let any of your children have plastic surgery?
Oh my god, my children are so small I can’t even think about them with plastic surgery… But each to their own. I feel like it’s a very personal decision.