Mention It All - Gia Giudice On Next Gen NYC's 2nd Season Glow Up & Iconic RHONJ Memories

Episode Date: June 30, 2026

On this Tuesday episode, Dylan sits down with Gia Giudice to talk all things Next Gen NYC season 2, from why she felt more ready to open up this time around to the cast dynamics that have shifted since season 1. Gia gets into her tension with Ava, Georgia’s glow up, her close friendship with Emira, and what fans can expect from the new cast members joining the group. She also reflects on growing up on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, watching old family moments back, and how the upcoming RHONJ refresh feels different for her family. Plus, Gia shares what it was like filming during BravoCon, moving into her first apartment, and giving viewers a closer look at her work life with her podcast, Casual Chaos.JD Go to the BravoByBetches YouTube page to watch full length episodes every Tuesday & Friday: Youtube.com/@BravoByBetches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Mentioned-All Island Time is brought to you by Shake Shack. Back for another season, the Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake is making its return and not keeping a low profile. This fan favorite combines real pistachio, frozen custard, crispy, toasted katoifi, and a crackable dark chocolate shell for a treat that is indulgent and a little addictive. Smooth, crunchy, and hard to resist. It might just have you switching up your go-to order. Don't overthink the Shake-Shack Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake. This one's worth getting to know. Order on the app online or at your nearest Shake Shack before they're gone. Hey everyone. Welcome back to the Mention It All podcast.

We are back in the mix for NextGen NYC season two. And so we had to sit down with one of our lovely ladies from the cast, Gia Judeyce. Welcome to the show. How's it going? Thank you. Going good. So excited to be here. It's summer in New York.

Summer in New York. Next Gen NYC is back. How does it feel to be back for a second season of this show that you helped, you know, bring to Bravo last year. It's super fun. I'm really excited for season two. I'm excited for everyone to see it. I think it's definitely a better vibe.

And I think everyone is going to be really happy with it. What was it like for you? Obviously last season, you know, you've been on reality TV for like most of your life and we've all watched that unfold. But doing the show that you're a central part of, coming back for a second season, How different was it from season one to season two? Just like personally for you having that experience under your belt. It was honestly really different.

I think going into season one, I was a little more shielded off. And I didn't mean to be. I think it was just, you know, I didn't really let everyone in to my personal life and to me. where I know that's like weird to think about because I obviously, my life has been so open on Real Housewives of New Jersey, but that was, you know, my family's stuff and what my family was going throughout that time. But now filming next to NYC, it's my personal life. So it's what I'm doing, what I'm up to in my personal relationships. So it was definitely a bit of an adjustment.

Going from season one to season two, I realized in season one I just do have to be more open because I want. people to see that side of me where I really don't like drama. I'm there for a good time. And I just like to have fun, be with my friends. And you'll also see a lot in season two my work ethic and what I do for work. You're going to see a lot of stuff with casual chaos and with brands that, you know, just kind of my line of work, which I'm really excited about because I know that wasn't shown too much on season one. And, you know, you're also going to see me moving into my apartment, which is a really big milestone in my life.

So you'll see some family during that. And into my relationship with my boyfriend Christian. You guys have been together for a long time. A long time. It's like fun to see. I mean, I see like on social media and stuff like you guys were just in Japan together. Like it's it's fun to see like even just like little glimpses of different pieces of everyone's lives both on and off the show.

Because I think something like season one, obviously, you know, Bravo fans are very passionate, which is something we love. But they can also, you know, they're not always the quickest to warm up to like a new show, a new cast of characters. And I think by the end of season one of Next Gen, the biggest complaint I was hearing was like, we need more episodes. We need like more of everyone. So I think it's fun that like there is that room to have all the different personalities.

you're getting to share a little bit more about things, you know, that you're doing that maybe weren't on season one. Like, it's fun to spend more time with people and get to know you guys as like all the different sides of you. For sure. I think there's a lot more depth with everyone, even just with our relationships. So I would say going into season two, we're all just better friends, truly. Yeah.

And we're a lot more comfortable with each other. So things are rolling off the tongue a little quicker. And it's just we're really. saying how we feel rather than some of us are getting to know each other. So yeah, season two is great. Yeah, it's interesting, like watching in the first episode too, seeing like how relationships that were in one place in season one maybe have shifted. I know like seeing, you know, Georgia and Eva not not loving Charlie's energy or like things like that where it's like, oh, now we have more of like, there's a lot more layers to the group even after just one year of

of knowing you guys that it's like it makes things a little more complicated too when things maybe aren't going right yeah well that you know it's funny because obviously season one ends off with you guys seeing Georgia move in with Charlie so now you'll see a completely different side of that and obviously that Georgia is not too fond of Charlie at all and we and we thought that would go amazing at the time good job thanks Charlie you're being such a good friend Was there anyone who's like energy from season one to season two maybe like surprised you? Because obviously for for you and for the other kind of like people who had had the housewives experience, it wasn't your first time receiving public attention.

But for a lot of the cast, it was kind of this like new sandbox to play in. And I imagine that kind of shifted the dynamics too. Yeah. I mean, I would say for me personally, I think Ava's. Attitude shifted a little bit. And then I know at BravoCon one question was asked to the cast on who do you think has changed the most since NextGen aired. And a lot of people said Georgia. And I really, you know, and I know they probably meant to in not a nice way.

But I really looked at it as go like pop off. You saw yourself season one. And maybe you didn't like the way your hair looked and you didn't like the way your makeup looked and maybe you wanted to get a stylist. There's nothing wrong with watching yourself on television and then realizing, okay, maybe I need a little bit of a revamp here. There's nothing bad about that. And I mean, hello, can we please look at the timeline of all the housewives from season one

to where they're at now? Like, you look at yourself and you realize, okay, that needs a tweaking. And it's done. So I don't think there's anything wrong with a little glow up, a little bit of change. What I do think could be a problem is maybe when, you know, people's attitude or demeanor gets it in the way. Yeah. I mean, I think with Georgia, too, it's like you don't think about how this works. Then you make one offhand comment about washing your hands.

And then that's your storyline for the whole season. It's like, you have to kind of get into the rhythm of like, oh, so if I say something, then it can and will maybe be used against me. A hundred percent. It's a different ball game. And I think, you know, you have to kind of like play that, you know, mental chess a little bit of like, okay, I want to, I want to be fun and authentic, but also like, I can't be foolish here. Yeah. Let's not be that honest. Yeah.

I mean, with, with Ava, obviously, we see a little bit in the premiere that there's some friction between you guys coming off of last season. And how much was that kind of on your mind going into season two versus like maybe being caught off guard that she was thinking about it? I was totally caught off guard. Yeah. Like completely. And obviously her and I had some tension season one, but it wasn't really my tension. It was just me sticking up for Ariana. And I had then obviously apologized to Ava for being that aggressive towards.

her about the Ariana situation. I was just trying to stick up for my girlfriend. But, you know, as a lot of you have probably seen me say, I've realized that going into season two, I kind of did want to take a step back and focus more on me and, of course, be there for my friends, but I don't need to overcompensate during situations. Obviously, my friends can handle themselves. And I could be that person if they need me to be, but I don't always need to be that person. So, you know, that was something that I obviously had apologized to Ava about. And then there was, you know, just some attitude during press that we were doing for season one. And there was just weird energy from her.

We were all collectively, you know, as a friend group during press and having fun. And she was just very not with us. And that was the energy that we were getting from her, all of us, you know, a lot of the, not I wouldn't say all. of us, but a lot of, you know, I was doing press with, it was me, Amira, Ariana, and Ava. Me, Amira, and Ariana are all hanging out. And Ava was just a little, you know, distant from us and not hanging out with us. But there was no reason for it. We were all genuinely so confused by it.

So then going into season two to seeing her bring up this Instagram thing, again, about my mom. I just am like, why are we dragging this out? Where is this coming from? Yeah. Like, the plane's not landing. And I, you know, and it was weird because like for a little more context, you know, when it got brought up at Amira's party, it was one o'clock in the morning. The night was almost over. Like she... You're like, I was actually calling my Uber right now. Yeah. Like, I was actually trying to order a shot at the bar. Like, we were, it was very much over. And it was, you know, this was also just, you know, them shooting us at another bar and just having fun and really continuing the birthday party. But I just, you know, I'm someone where it's like if something's bothering you, ask it, you know, be direct.

Don't let the whole night go on and then wait until one o'clock in the morning once drinks are flowing and everyone's having a good time. And it clearly just was not the right place or setting to have this conversation. So yeah, that really did throw me off and I was definitely thrown off by it. Yeah, and I think you were saying earlier, like, you're not somebody who is like looking for drama. That's not something that you're like craving going into an and going into a new season. Yeah. You are kind of figuring out like, okay, where are my, where are my like problem areas for the season? Who am I feeling really good with?

And it's, you know, when you have that kind of like show up on like the first big like group night of. filming. I imagine you're kind of like, oh man, now this is going to be. Well, I was just like, really? Yeah. I really just didn't expect it because, you know, even though I could tell that Ava was being very, you know, I'm better than all of you kind of attitude during press, none of us ever confronted her on it. Because it's like, if that's how you want to be, so be it. If that's your, you know, how you're riding this wave, that's fine. But then to bring up something so meaningless of like my mom unfollowing her. It's just it it it didn't land because I know my mom. She's horrible with technology. It just like I feel like I can give you the like

plus one there. I'm like uh-huh. Yeah. So bad with technology. Half the time I open Instagram and she has posted the same story 10 times. I'm like mom, we need to delete a lot of them. It's the same thing over and over again. I mean, we, my sisters and I are very active with like helping my mom with her social media, even when it comes to like posting her TikToks, anything. Like my, this one's a brand deal. We got to, we got to follow the rules. So like I'm telling you, like I know that it was a silly mistake and that it was not intentional. There was no bad intention behind it. So for her to try to like kind of spin it and just try to make it something that it like something that it wasn't just was like very irritating. Yeah. I I do love seeing you with Amira. I feel like that was a fun that was a fun little like duo that kind of came up out of season one. And it seems like you guys still have like a really good vibe with each other.

Oh my gosh. We do. I love Amira so much. She is so sweet, so down to earth. And we really just get along so well. Every time her and I talk. we just get deep right away. And we just, we really get each other. I think we're very similar when it comes to just like motivation, drive and work ethic. I think we're both in that very similar headspace. And I mean, she's just, she's my girl. I feel like she has the perfect balance of like her public persona is very like over the top. And she's very like she doesn't take herself too seriously.

It's a little bit like cheeky. But then it really seems like when you're like sitting. down with her. It's like, okay, this is like a real interaction. Like there's there's kind of that like double sided in a great way. Of course. Like she plays obviously this like cunty batty on like her TikTok and you know like let me give you all the tips and tricks for makeup so you don't look cakey as fuck. And then like she's so real like she's just so real so genuine and we we have a great friendship. Yeah. It's fun like with a show like this with so many different personalities. in the group to see like who really starts to vibe with each other.

Maybe that you wouldn't have met or like expected to kind of spend that much time with outside of this like it's fun to see. And now in season two, it's like those are real friendships. Yes. That are continuing to grow and evolve. For sure. We also have a few new people in the group this season. Can you give me like a little rundown and what you kind of feel like the new energy is

that we're going to see this season? The newbies are great. Rowan, I told you, she's very much humorous. She doesn't like confrontation or drama. You know, she speaks her mind, definitely gives her opinion, but she then tries to like spin it with a joke after. So she's awesome, always down for a good time. Liam is such a good guy, really, such a gentleman.

I think, you know, he is a guy who really knows what he wants and knows, you know, is very respectful. And I really loved that about Liam right off, like right off the jump. Like he was such a great guy. Still, it obviously is such a great guy. You know, I think he definitely goes through some ups and downs throughout the season, but has such a good heart. And Kendall was kind of brought in with Liam.

Kendall is Liam's best friend from high school. And Kendall's awesome. She is such a fun person to hang out with. She is, you know, just a very sweet, good vibes. Yeah, it's great with a show like this to have people that come in and feel like they kind of already exist within the like, you know, circle of the group. I mean, yeah, listen, they definitely made themselves comfortable very quickly. Oh, yeah. Nobody's shy.

They sat right in. No. I know. It's like even in the first episode, I feel like we're already getting to know a lot about Liam. Oh, yeah. I mean, that birthday party was perfect for Liam. Yes. Liam loves horses, loves a rodeo.

Like, that was perfect for Liam. And you find out a lot about him with him, just knowing that he loves, you know, a country theme. He loves it. I was thinking about it watching that episode. I'm like, wow, for so many years, we've watched your mom and her group have these elaborate theme parties. And now it's like, it's your turn to put on the cowboy hat. Yeah. This spring, denim gets a softer, lighter update.

Introducing Old Navy's drapey denim wide leg, a new fit that moves with you. It's everything you want denim to feel like for summer. Easy, breathable, and effortlessly cool. With a fit that creates natural movement and a wide leg that feels modern, not overwhelming. Plus, that signature, wait, for this price, moment. Old Navy's drapey denim wide leg. I'm curious, like for you, um, you know, spending so many years in the orbit of Real Housewives of New Jersey,

are there any, like, moments or memories from that experience that you look back on really fondly that maybe aren't, like, the most viral things that are always being reshared? Like, anything that sticks out to you from your time? I mean, for sure, I started rewatching Real Housewives of New Jersey. And there were just many moments where I think even when my family was going through some hard time, when I realized those were such like crucial years of your teenage years, but I think, you know, it wasn't shown on the show,

and I know I wasn't like that all the time, but where I was very like, these are monumental moments happening in my life, like I'm graduating from high school, I'm going to prom, all these things are happening and like my dad's not here. And I, I wish, like, watching that, I'm like, oh, like, yes, I feel so bad for, like, Gia, but I was like, I feel even worse for my sisters.

I was like, I felt like in that moment I was being so selfish. And, like, my poor little sisters, like, Adriana barely grew up with the dad and a fail, like a male figure in her life. Melania really struggled during that time. And so did Gabriella. And I felt like I was like, me, me, me in that moment. And maybe that's just me also, like, overthinking it and just being this big, sister energy that I know I always give to them and ARF to them.

But, yeah, like moments like that, I'm like, oh, I feel like I should have been a better bigger sister right there. I feel like when you're like a teenager, though, that's like your time in life to be selfish. Figuring your own stuff out. And then I think the fact that now you're in your 20s. When you're in high school, it's like everything also seems like it's the end of the world. Right.

And like now that you're, you have some distance from it, the fact that you're able to say like, you know, it matters to me that I want to be like thinking about my family. Like I feel like that's kind of, that's like the perspective you should have after. Yeah. You know, for sure. For sure. I don't know. But I mean, it is like, yeah, like you just have lived so much of your life and, you know,

and having those, those memories to look back on. It's, it is like not very many people have that experience. Yeah, no, definitely not. I mean, we definitely also have at home videos for the rest of our lives, which are, And they're HD. They're HD. They're very high quality. And I mean, they're the best, though.

Yeah. I mean, season one, season one, two and one and two are just incredible. Just all of the, all of just the moments of my sisters and I being in the kitchen and eating with my grandparents and making sausage and just Adriana being born on the show. Like there was just so many early moments that when I was watching it, it just made me so happy. It's great. And Antonio recently, I know, was watching it and was like posting on TikTok a little bit, like watching it for the first time. And she's like, who are the twins? What's going on? Yeah, yeah. She got inspired to rewatch it after I started watching it. And I know it was funny because, you know, she was younger. She was even younger than me. So she wasn't too involved, you know, in all of it. It there were a couple years obviously where you know there were questions about that show and now they're filming again and your mom is you know going to be on it.

Of course. What is it like for you kind of like seeing it happening now versus when you were younger and maybe it was just kind of like, oh, there's just cameras in our house sometimes. Yeah. I mean, I think when you're younger, it's a totally different perspective. I think you're excited. I think especially as a little girl, I mean, my dream was to be a movie star. So I was like, I ate it up. I loved every second of it.

But now, obviously, it's different. You know, my sisters and I have been through so much on the show. And, you know, having a parent absent. So my mom also didn't have the most traditional filming experience at all times because, you know, typically your husband's there filming with you or you are doing. So then that's why my sisters and I at some points really had to step up and be there for my mom while she was filming the Real House of New Jersey and doing her job because she didn't have my dad present for some year, you know, for, for, well, indefinitely, but I mean, she didn't

have my dad present to help her out while filming the show. Yeah, before Louis and stuff. Before Louis came along, yes, exactly. So now that Louis's here, you know, it's a little, it's easier for her to film scenes and do, and, you know, have this, you know, more of a normal housewife experience. So, I think like our perspective was like wildly different, you know, while filming on Housewives because it was, you know, being there for my mom, also protecting our peace and our family. And so, you know, it's nice to see it kind of ease up now this time around in season 15. And the new girls seem incredible. It's honestly, it's very refreshing.

And I think they needed this refresh. they're all beautiful. They're all such a great time. So I think you guys are going to love season 15. I'm excited to see it. And you know what else I'm excited to see? I think you guys might have been the first cast of film like during BravoCon weekend. Yes, next gen was.

In Vegas. And I remember. So I was there that weekend and a few of your cast were on my flight actually. Oh, were they? That's so funny. I was like, wow, Charlie is very incognito mode when he flies. Oh, yeah. Probably like hood up, glasses on. Exactly.

Yeah. But I remember like hearing the like buzz of like, oh, like next gen is like filming, filming. Because obviously we got little like, oh, like on the plane to BravoCon. What was it like kind of balancing doing BravoCon for the first time as a cast? But then also we're in the middle of everything. How was that experience? Obviously we're going to see it unfold. BravoCon is so much fun.

And it is crazy. But it's really exhausting. I mean, you are on for like 12 hours, just early morning, 6 a.m. glam. And, I mean, honestly, till night, that's probably long, more than 12 hours. I mean, you don't wrap at BravoCon until like six or seven. You know, they're really long days. And it is the best experience ever because you just see, like, the fandom of BravoCon. Like it is nuts and the fans and just all of it.

But it's exhausting. You know, anyone would tell you that BravoCon is insanely exhausting. You have to be on 24-7. You're constantly meeting people. You're talking. You're never not talking. So that was a lot because then straight from there, we had to go film until whatever time for next-gen NYC.

Yeah. So it's like I would be done with BravoCon and then I would have to change into an outfit and go film a dinner with Christian or change into an outfit and sit under the Eiffel Tower with my castmates, you know, recapping BravoCon. And I mean, listen, it was an experience. I think it's going to be really

cool for viewers to also really see like the ins and outs of BravoCon like at glam, but then at BravoCon, the fans and like then what we do afterwards. Like it was super, I think it's going to be a super fun in different perspective and I love that we're breaking the fourth wall. Yeah, it's kind of like chaotic in the exact way that I think people will be really excited to see.

Exactly. And I mean, I feel like chaos is kind of like your brand. Yeah, casual chaos. Is there? There's always something going on. Never a dull moment. Is there anything else this season that you're really excited to watch back and for people to get to see like any favorite moments or maybe moments that you're like, I don't know

what happened there, but we'll find out. You guys are going to see me move into my apartment. I think that is going to be a really deep moment. You guys are going to see, you know, just personal feelings and how certain things, like certain big moments affect me in different ways. So that is going to be really nice, I feel, and you also are going to get a glimpse into casual chaos. I'm going to interview one of my castmates for an episode on casual chaos and she got really deep. So I can't wait for you guys to see that too. I'm excited too. And I think like, you know, last season there was some like back and forth about like, oh,

like housewives kids versus like other people in the show. And I always thought that was kind of stupid because it's like the, the connections that we already had as viewers with some of you on the cast to me was such a like, added element to the show that we've seen Brooks, you know, since he was a teenager on Housewives, you know, Riley and Ariana, just like you, we've seen when they were little kids. Like, I feel like there's so many different like elements at play in this show. And that's part of why it's like exciting to get to get to know you guys in different ways and to get to know new people.

It's like everything is like an additive thing. For sure. And I think, you know, Amira is very. vocal about that like no duh we have housewife kids on the show like that only makes sense it's a very additive thing like it is bringing traction and attention to the show and at least for the first for the first season you know just that really is going to reel in a lot of the viewers it you know that because they are familiar with me ariana brooks and riley so it was never like a one-up thing or you know we were better because it never even came off that way sure and any any of the other

castmates would well yeah if anything it was like the opposite yeah like if anything they were trying to one up the bravo kids and if anything we're looking at them being like bitch sit down but like laughing in the back of our head saying that but you know it was it was never like that and I think you know we are also extremely humble and I mean at least me I've never thought of myself as anybody who is better than the next. Yeah. No, it feels like the group is, like everybody's just here to bring something to the table. And I think you all do.

And I'm excited to see the rest of the season and I think it's going to be a fun one. No, it definitely is. Thanks so much, Gia. No, thank you. Everybody watch NextGen NYC on Bravo and Peacock. Thanks so much for watching. Don't forget to rate review and follow. And until next time, be cool.

Don't be all like uncool. Thanks again to ShakeShack for sponsoring this episode. The Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake is rich, satisfying, and just a little bit extra. Try it today before it's gone. Order on the app online or at your nearest Shake Shack before they're gone. Betches.