Mention It All - Life Is Too Short to Not Eat the Cheese Ft. Jenn Fessler (RHONJ)

Episode Date: May 17, 2023

Just in time for the RHONJ season finale, Dylan sits down with this season’s breakout star, Jenn Fessler. Jenn dishes on her experience of joining the group during such a tumultuous situation, and why being honest about her past was so important. They also discuss the pressures of hosting a filmed event, the whirlwind trip to Ireland, and how she approached attending Teresa’s wedding after such a major blowout. Check out our latest promo codes here: https://betches.com/promo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Betches Media presents Ha ha laugh funny Mention It All A Bravo by Betches podcast We don't say that But now we said it With me, Dylan Hafer Who's gonna check me, boo?

Hey everyone, welcome back to the Mention at All podcast. I'm Dylan Hafer And I am so excited to be talking about Real Housewives of New Jersey Today with one of my favorite new additions to the cast. She is in the studio.

Please welcome Jen Fessler. Hi, hi Dylan. I'm so glad to have you here. You have these sweetest face I've ever seen. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you. A little smile. A great face too. Thank you. Mutual admiration society. So we are really getting up there toward the end of the season. We are. It's your first season. Do you feel like you have made it through in one piece? I mean, I don't know who told you I was in one piece. I don't feel like I'm in one

piece. I'm scattering pieces of myself all over New York. No, I mean, it was, it's, I can't believe the, uh, the end is near. It's in sight. If you could go back a year ago before you started filming, how has the experience been compared to what you thought you were signing up for? You know, it's weird because as a viewer, I had, I thought that I really understood what I was getting into. And I watched it for so many years, not just Jersey, but all of the Housewives franchises. So it was like I expected and also not like I expected. It was interesting and fun and, you know, mixing up with these women. I didn't know all of them and getting to know them.

A lot of it, I guess, is like what I expected in terms of the craziness and the fighting and, you know, sort of, I had a sort of be on guard. But also, surprisingly, I made actual authentic friendships. So that was really great. And, you know, in the moment, you forget that the cameras are there. And I heard that that happened. But it was hard for me to picture a scenario where I would feel so natural and at ease. And you just do.

You just forget it. And you're interacting with these women. And it's real. It's real reality TV, you know? Right. Suddenly you're at, you know, Danielle's backyard eating mozzarella. And you're like, eating is, yeah, that's exactly. I don't know if you can call that eating, inhaling, inhaling, mizarel.

I feel like that was kind of your first big moment on the season, almost. And I'm sure you got a lot of feedback online. I got so much. I got good and bad. There are people who literally, like, just couldn't get past it. They were so grossed out, including my family. So who does that on TV? I guess you really, I really forgot the cameras were there.

Yeah. How was your family, were they immediately on board with you signing up for the show? Or what was that process like? So it's very huge because my husband, to know Jeff Esselers, know that he's really sort of an introvert and he's a serious guy. And he was more enthusiastic than I was. He is living for this. He gets insulted. Somebody came up to me yesterday in a restaurant.

And he was just so put off that they weren't like dying. to meet him. Like they're asking him to take the picture. And he's like, but I'm Jeff Fessler. He's like, I was on camera too. So he was, yes, so he was very into it. I think my kids were more hesitant, but they were very much of the mindset like you do you, mom. Like we may not want to be involved, but you know, go for it. If this is what you want. So do you feel like for your first season being in the friend role was kind of an easier way to get your feet wet a little bit? Yes. God bless the friend role. It is the best. It is kind of. Oh my God. I loved it. I had this opportunity to, you know,

be everywhere, do it all, but not have the sort of same scrutiny that I would have as a housewife, right? Like coming to my home, get to know my life, get to know my family. I'm not saying I wouldn't want that in the future. But in terms of like a jumping off point, I feel like it was just so much easier for me. Yeah. And I think being a new person in the group and obviously some of the dynamics on your show have been bubbling up for years and years, you really kind of get to just sort of survey everything that's going on and then, you know, make your observations where they're, where you feel they're necessary. Yeah. I mean, I had, I don't know how I actually pulled it off, but I think I had an ability to sort of play Switzerland, which I don't think that you can do

for too many seasons, right, without really picking a lane, not a side necessarily. I know, like everything right now is about how there are two sides. And I don't really feel like I'm on one in particular. I have friends on, you know, both sides. And I really feel like pretty good about every one of the cast members. But I liked being a friend of, you know, I liked, it was a little less pressure and still, like, really fun. Do you feel like, so you joined the show this season, along with Rachel and Danielle. Right. And you're in a little bit of a different place in life than either of them.

They both have really young kids. They're, you know, obviously really, you know, attacking this full force. Yes, yes, yes. Do you think you have maybe had a better experience or reception on the show because you weren't so involved in everything? I mean, maybe, maybe I would love to say it's because I am just so likable and people can't help, but just love me. But I guess like the reality of it is when you don't have to be under such scrutiny, it's probably a little bit easier, right, to get people to get on board with you and

your personality. And I think, what do you think? I think people think you're pretty likable. Thank you. You're very funny. Okay, I'll go with that. You're good in the confessional chair. Thank you. That's actually, I have the hardest time doing that. Really? Yeah. Because it's not, you know, you're not interacting. It's just all the focus is on. You're not. You're not interacting. It's just all the focus is on you. And I get in my head a little bit, but I'm getting better at it. But at the beginning, I was really nervous doing confessionals. I think it's tough because I've talked to a lot of people who have been in the same position. And that's something that you're never asked to do in real life. Exactly. Like you're never in a position where you're being interviewed about what's happening

in your friend group. Right. Exactly. So when you're in a situation with the ladies, you're just reacting. You know, you're acting and you're reacting, but you're part of something that's moving. right, as opposed to, here's a question. The cameras are on you. Go. It's such, I don't know, it was a little unnerving for me. So you, as somebody who has seen the show, has watched the show in the past, what was your kind of approach in terms of letting what you had seen on TV, you know, impact your views of people?

I mean, I, I want to say that I went in totally neutral and gave everybody a chance. That was, that was the goal. I don't know. I don't know that I can honestly say that I didn't have bits and pieces of each woman and what I've seen them do and what I thought about them influence my behavior. I really tried not to let that happen. And I was encouraged to don't let that happen specifically by Margaret. Like she, everyone asks, you know, did she expect you to be a soldier? There was none of that. She really didn't. She was great like that. She was like, you know, you do you, remain open. So I like thinking that I went in completely open-minded. but I'm sure there was parts of me, you know, that had expectations. Yeah. Well, I think there's probably a middle ground of you want to be open-minded, but also you have your instincts and you have your, you know, in the back of your mind.

You're like, well, if I've seen you do this to someone else, I'm not going to just, you know, set myself up to get hurt. Also, certain things that, like I, I'm an open book to a fault. Like my mom would tell you, Jennifer, not everybody needs to know everything. But specifically in terms of housewives, being so open, I think served me. And I think it also in part was because I've watched the show for so many years. And for instance, talking about infidelity and being open about it as opposed to letting, you know, another cast member bring it to me and put it out there.

So, you know, who knows? If I hadn't been a fan of housewives for so many years, would I have known to just be so open and honest? I don't know. I mean, I am anyway, really in life. But I think I wanted to almost make a point of, you know, here's who I am. I'm a real person. I've messed up a lot of things in life.

You know, I've made plenty of mistakes. Here they are. Well, I think that's a smart strategy because, honestly, even if something in your life isn't this big secret, if it's something that you haven't talked about on the show, at least to us, we don't know. So it's, you know, if we hear that information, if somebody posts it on Reddit or whatever, all of a sudden it's, it's tea about, you know, I found somebody's dirty laundry and you're like, okay, here.

Listen, I've done again, I mean, like all of us, like I've made a million mistakes. I've fucked up. I let me say fucked. Yeah. Fuck up. Good. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I've fucked up so many things.

But I don't tend to at age 54 have a lot of shame around mistakes. Like that just is a sort of, I think it's like a learned behavior like, you know, you make them, you learn from them. You know, I'm human. So I don't mind talking about my past. which is interesting and sorted. And who knows, as time goes on, maybe you'll get to hear more about it. It seems like a healthy mindset that you're like, look.

I think so. I mean, I know, I don't got a lot of shame in my game. I probably should, but I don't. Your summer starts now with Memorial Day deals at the Home Depot. It's time to fire up summer cookouts with the next grill, four-burner gas grill on special buy for only $199. And entertain all season with the Hampton Bay. West Grove's seven-piece outdoor dining set for only $499.

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shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack. We got to meet your mom last week's episode. Your mom and your aunt. That was, I mean, a whirlwind, those two coming onto the screen. Vargas had whirling dervishes.

I thought that was like the perfect description of my mom and my aunt. They are. What did it, obviously, like you said, as a friend on the show, There's not as much focus on what's happening in your personal life. Right. How fun was it to get to bring the two of them onto the show? The most fun. I cannot even tell you how great it was to take another 81,

but at the time my 80-year-old mother and my 80-year-old aunt and have cameras on them and a car picked them up from Long Island and drove them in. And when they were where, we got there and they're putting microphones on them. I mean, it was such an adventure for them. And I was with my mom for Mother's Day. and she was telling me about how she swims, I don't know, 150 laps or something every day at the Y. Yeah, she's, that's a whole other, that's for another day. But this woman stopped her.

She's like, excuse me, are you one of the twins? I wish I could have, like you could have seen her face. She's telling me this story. And she's lighting up like a Christmas tree. And she's like, and the person knew you. And she said, are you Jennifer's mother? And are you one of those twins? I love you.

in my, you know, I mean, it was just such an experience that I was able to, you know, provide her with and my aunt with. It's just, it was the best. That's so fun. And also because, you know, at that phase of life, it's like, those are memories that you're going to have forever that's on camera. Like, you're going to be able to look back at it. Like, that's really, it's like such a fun thing. And also, like, Margaret and her mom are such a great duo. So it's fun to kind of have, like, it was a great afternoon.

I mean, that's what I mean in terms of like filming a scene as opposed to, confessional because we were all just screaming at each other in the scene. And I mean, the cameras left and everybody went away, the producers, and we stayed at Margaret's house and just laughed their asses off. Yeah, it was great. It is so great. It's funny when, when, like, a family member or somebody that's not in the group is kind of, like, debriefed a little bit on what's going on and just watching, like, watching their

face, it's like, oh, so Teresa and Melissa, it's like, wow. My mother talked out yesterday. She's like, you got, she's like, I didn't know what to expect. Jen, you didn't prep me. and how you're talking about these women? I don't even know what these women are. And I'm saying they're horrible things about them. And I'm like, Mom, that's the show.

I don't know what to tell you. Yeah, it's like, it's for the, you don't need to know the details. Yes. Don't go down that rabbit hole. Exactly. Exactly. Well, now she's like, you know, both them are like avid viewers. They never watched before. They're like, wow.

Oh, my God. Yes, they are into it. That situation with Teresa, Melissa, Joe, this season has really kind of, you know, spiraled to a point that seems like no return. Obviously, you've been to the reunion, you've filmed the, you know, you have more context than we do at this point in time. What was it like jumping into the group this season and being around all of that happening? You know, it wasn't like it is now at the beginning. And I think they were really both sort of making this concerted effort to make it work in some way, right? I mean, you saw Ireland.

They were holding hands jumping into the mud. And so it wasn't what it is, unfortunately, now. So it didn't feel that strained, right? Melissa and Teresa, the way they are at the reunion, is not the way, obviously, they were in Ireland, unfortunately. So I didn't feel really a lot of that throughout the filming of the season. It's sort of new. I mean, it's not new.

It goes back how many years, but in terms of like this particular season. Yeah, and I think this season, you know, that was something that was going on. But it wasn't like the storyline of the whole group for the whole season. That's right. Exactly. Which, I mean, as a viewer, having been on this, you know, train ride for a decade, it was kind of nice. There was other stuff going on. You know, we're figuring out what's happening with this woman, Laura.

Yes. Who? I don't know. No, I've heard the name. We certainly haven't seen her. Yes. Yes. What was that?

What's your kind of take on that whole situation with that room? and Jennifer and Teresa and then Danielle kind of has it. Like what's... So, I mean, to be honest with you, I thought it was really disappointing that it got brought up on camera, that the rumor got brought up on camera. I thought it was, it's disappointing that there is that rumor out there at all. I don't believe it for one second,

but that's something else entirely. But no, I was not thrilled to, you know, see Jennifer talking about it on camera. and now obviously Danielle talked about it at the reunion. I don't know. Maybe if I was in that position, I just don't think I could have spoken those words. But Jennifer will tell you that it's been done to her. You know, Danielle will tell you it was already out there,

whatever they have to say. But I guess it's just very unfortunate, you know. And I mean, it's been said ad nauseum, but there are families involved here. So it's just, it's a little dirty for my taste. Yeah. Yeah. And I think there is kind of, like you said, Jennifer has her explanation.

Danielle has her explanation. But it does feel like the kind of thing where we were hearing about it in like vague terms for long enough that it's like it could have just been left there. Right. Listen, I don't know. I'm a newbie here. But maybe I would somehow get to the point where I would, you know, come at someone with vicious rumors. I like to think that I wouldn't. But I'm, you're laughing because I'm like, yeah, bitch, you're on the house size of New Jersey.

You're like, my arsenal is on level one right now. I mean, I'd like to keep it that way, like I'm hoping, but maybe that's naive. But yeah, I mean, listen, again, I've been watching the show. It's not for years. It's not like I should have been shocked by any of it. But I would hope that there at some point, there have to be some lines that can't be crossed, right? But whatever, it was. It's fine.

Melissa's fine with it. Joe's fine with it. They know it's not true. No one really cares. Yeah. I think that's a good way to look at it. At the end of the day, obviously, it's unfortunate the way it might have played out and people can deal with that on their own.

But then it's like Melissa and Joe are doing their own thing. Yeah. And they knew about, I mean, this was out way before the season started. It wasn't out, excuse me, but they knew about the rumor. Melissa did. Margaret did. So they've been dealing with it for more than a minute. Yeah.

I don't know. I think there's kind of a misconception about Mark. Margaret from some people who watch the show that she like, I don't know, friends are disposable, the way she handles things. And I don't know. Obviously, I'm not in the group, but it's like, I just, I don't think that that's how it really happens. I listen, I can only tell you my own experience, my own experience with Margaret. You know, we met a few years ago and through a mutual friend, she helped me with my business. And for no other reason than she's Margaret. And she was being really helpful. And I mean, we definitely knew people in common, but she never asked anything of me. Like,

come and do my podcast. I want to introduce you to this person. This has to change in your business. Like, she was, she was very generous like that. You know, she has this very generous spirit. And she is very loving. And she is, when something happens in my life, and it could be, I'm a horrible hypochondriac. So that's just one of my many issues. But whatever. But so if Margaret, Oh, my God. I had this. This is really gross. I should not be saying this, but whatever.

But I had like a, I can't believe I'm even saying this. I had a constipation issue. This is so gross. There's something seriously wrong with me. What am I doing? Okay. Okay, okay. Anyway, it was bad.

It was a bad day. But I just remember, like, of all the people, she was like, she was, like, she kept calling. What's going on now? Are you okay? How do you feel? Did it pass? Oh, my God. Whatever. I mean, I'm so, I don't know why I would have pulled that out. But like, she's like maternal. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, when there's something going on with me or if I'm upset about something, like, that's my absolute, like, if I'm going to be close to someone, I do that for my friends. I like when they do that for me, right? Like, it's not just about them. Like, she's not that woman. It's, she's, when she loves, she loves hard. Yeah. Let me think of the context of the show also, people kind of, there are a lot of. I can't believe I just talked about constipation.

It's okay. I have sullied your podcast. No, we're all friends here. Shut this shit down. I'm sorry, Dylan. No, you are. Nasty. No, but I feel like that's why some people aren't into it, but people love that

authenticity. Well, good, because I can't seem to avoid it. I'm very authentic and fucking gross. No, but I think there is a thing of like sometimes watching these shows, it doesn't feel like everyone is kind of has their feet off. on the ground in the real world a little bit when they're dealing with these issues. And I think people have picked up on the fact that it seems like you are, have like one ear in the real world and one ear in the show where you're kind of like, is this, are we,

is this for real right now? This is what we're talking about. I mean, I would say that that's maybe an age thing, but I don't know. I mean, I, I'm almost the oldest. I think Margaret and I are like the same age. But, I mean, you have like, as you get older, again, this is like so cliche, but you're probably like three years older than Teresa. I'm 54.

I'm going to be 55 in August. I was Teresa. I think she was like 50. She's like, okay. She's a baby. You're not like, you're not like old enough to be these women's mother.

I am. I can be Rachel Fuda's mother. Rachel's the only one. I could have birthed Rachel Fuda. That is a fact. I have like two years different like different age from her mom. Yeah. She just turned 32.

Yeah. So, but like in terms of of having one foot in the real world, like I just feel like I can't really help it. You know what I mean? Yeah. I don't get that caught up. Maybe I would have if I was a little younger. I don't know.

Yeah, I think also with people like Teresa and Melissa, I mean, they've been on this show for Right, that too. 10 plus years. They've been through so many life stages, cycles, events, things like that. I think it is genuinely difficult to remember a time when you weren't on the show or, you know, your kids have grown up, like all of that stuff. So it probably is helpful in a way to kind of have that voice that's like, I just got here. Yeah.

And you guys seem like you need some help. Yeah. Yeah. That's true. You're good at this. You should do a podcast. Oh, my gosh. Thank you.

You're welcome. Do you feel like that kind of voice of reason if you want to say that? Do you feel like at reunion, at some of these events where things are happening, do you feel like it's hard to kind of maintain that? Yes. I mean, in the moment, I don't think there, nobody wants to hear any voice but their own. They don't care about the voice of reason. There's no good opportunity for me to say, you know, listen, sit down. Let's talk it through.

There's none of that. Yeah. So at those moments, those, you know, combative moments, I don't really, I don't think I really have. I'm good after the fact, so far at least. Yeah, I think also, you know, there is a little sense of like, you don't want to be the one who's always like, you're acting stupid. right now, everybody like sit down. But if you can find the moment where it's like, take a step back. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I guess I'm thinking about the lunch at my house or I know that I was at one point screaming also. Like, stop it. Stop it. But I don't think it was really listening to me. It was just who is screaming the loudest. You know what I mean? Yes. But then I know like I did have that moment with Margaret after it when I went over to her house and kind of said to her that was out of control, which she was receptive to. That long, that was great. I forgot about that. Oh my God. Margaret on one side, Jennifer. around the other. There's no way for that to be diffused. Oh, my God. Productively. Let me tell you something. That was a good day for the cops over an Upper Sautil River.

They were busy. That is a moment where you're like, how did I get here? What am I doing? 100%. My knee versus her. It was crazy. Crazy town. You and Rachel, both, I feel like the first real things that you hosted, because your lunch and then at the shore, her brunch that she had were like the biggest fights of the season. Yes. We're very proud Rachel and I. I talked to her about that brunch. I'm like, what were, what was going on? The mermaids were just. Oh my God.

The mermaid. But you know what? Everybody was so enraged and they were missing it. It was like that was the Porter House party. I can't remember the name of the state company. There was the most delicious steak. There was this mermaid who was clearly on LSD or something. Like she was the best.

She was like making motions with. her hand. Yeah, she's really committed. Yes, there was so much good stuff happening. I was drinking bone marrow or something or out of a Porterhouse. But everybody missed it, you know, and Rachel worked so hard on it. But yeah, that was, that was another crazy lunch. It's like, were you yelling about a pizza oven when there's delicious steak right here? Oh, my God. I don't miss it. I don't care. Go ahead. You guys do you. I'm taking, I'm eating. I mean, people on these shows put so much into hosting these events. And then it's, you know, gone to hell within 20 minutes. Oh my God. I, having people to my house on a normal day, like I get nervous about. I'm not a born entertainer. So I know that I'm going to have over

all of the housewives and the cameras, I was a nervous wreck. I mean, even though all I had to do was pick up the phone and say, can you help me please cook this food? But still, it's like a lot goes into it. Yeah. When it's in your home, it's very personal. Yes. That it's like, okay, so whatever happens here today, everybody's going to be like, well, at Jen's house. Yes. Yeah. It's a A lot. Yeah. I mean, you made it through, though. I did.

And you were really there all season, which I, you know, I love to see in a friend. Thank you. I do too. Girl, winter is so last season. And now Springs got you looking at pictures of tank tops with hungry eyes. Your algorithm is feeding you cutoffs. You're thirsty for the sun on your shoulders. That perfect hang on the patio sundress.

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So when your mind won't switch off, you've got something that can help. You're racing thoughts and restless nights won't stand a chance. Find Ollie's sleep solutions for the whole family at Ali.com. That's O-L-L-Y.com. Talk to me about Ireland. What was that experience like for you? Because that's a whole other ballgame than just, you know, coming over for lunch. So I had never been to Ireland.

So I was like over the moon that we were going there, first of all. And it was, it's a beautiful place. It's a beautiful country. I mean, we stayed in a palace. So, but it's just fabulous. Like I'm dying to go back without cameras and without housewives because it really is. It's so great. And I want to say that almost every house.

Housewife has said the same thing. Maybe I don't think Danielle had a good time, but like we had such a good time. We laughed constantly. Of course, there were the explosive moments. Wouldn't be Housewives without it. But there were so many great bonding moments that went on. And after like, you know, the cameras went down, which they almost don't. Yeah.

When you're on a cast trip, apparently I was told that and it's true. Yeah. Cameras just on you from like, you know, the time your eyes open until you go to bed. But there were some where we would, it was like one big sleepover. The last night, that was it. We were winding it up. We're getting up. The cars were picking us.

I dragged Rachel Fuda down to the kitchen, which was locked. And I'm really, it's another story I shouldn't probably tell. But I was like, we are getting into this kitchen right now. I don't know how I finagled it. I don't know if I put a knife in the lock or something really, not the right thing to do. What else is new? And I was like double fisting our soda bread. And Rachel's like, you know, she's a lady.

So she's whatever. But we laughed our asses off. We were like, it was like we had just escaped and we would just, it was so much fun. I think the best housewives trips are the ones where you can tell that you guys are genuinely having fun. Yeah, I agree. In a new place, experiencing something cool. You know, you were doing like real activities. Right.

You know, jumping in the mud. Yes. Cave painting. It was the best. It was really, really fun. Yeah. I was a little surprised. how down Danielle seemed after that trip.

Because like you said, it seemed like for the most part, we were having a good time. There were some little moments of tension. But like, it seemed, Danielle was really, that was tough for her. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes. I don't know how to really what to say about that. She definitely was not exuberant during her time in Ireland.

So, and I guess she had, you know, in her mind everybody was, I guess Margaret, Rachel were coming for her. Yeah. I don't know. I felt like everybody was, there was, that was not just Danielle, right? Like Jen and Margaret and Teresa and Melissa. Right. Almost everyone was involved in some way in that situation. But it definitely brought her down. Yeah. I think she's, it seems like she's also had a really hard time with the idea that people are talking about the situation with her brother and her family and that not sort of taking her explanation at face value. Well, I mean, here's the thing about that. So we heard about what was happening with her brother for the first time at my house. That's when I first heard about it,

I think. And we heard the story, and we actually were inside after filming, talking about it as well a little bit. But I didn't know Danielle well. We're not good friends, but she was opening up to this group of women that she didn't know that well either. So, you know, when you hear a story, if it's a really good friend of yours, you ask questions, what happened first? Well, I don't get it. But there was sort of none of that. There was just this story. And as the season progressed, she kept getting upset about it, right? So it was always there. Right. And, but how do you just, if you don't understand what she's talking about, you don't understand. So we had questions like, well, it doesn't seem to make sense. Right. That you guys were inseparable. You were the, I think the brothers,

the godfather to one of her daughters. They, uh, they growing up, they were the best of friends. And then boom, social media. Somebody blocked somebody over, done. Right, and her mother doesn't see it anymore. I don't get, right. So like, to question it, it's one thing if she wasn't upset about it throughout the season, but it kept coming up because she kept getting upset about it. So I didn't think it was, I thought it was natural that there were questions asked. Yeah, I mean, it's one of those things where it's like, if you, if you say it one time and then don't want to talk about it again, that's what it is.

But, you know, if you're, if you're wearing, if you're wearing the clown suit to breakfast, I'm going to ask what you're wearing. Like, it's, you know, you're going to, it's the elephant in the. room if it keeps coming up. I agree. So, I mean, I was surprised that she took it so personally that it was being brought up. Do you know what I mean? Or that there were questions. And I don't think it was a lot of like, well, clearly, Danielle, this is on you. It wasn't like there was a lot of, you know, but there were definitely, there were big gaps in the story. Yeah. Well, I think it kind of comes back to what you were saying earlier about coming on the show, being open about stuff, having this attitude that it's like, I'm just going to say it. Right. So we're all on the

page and you know sometimes that works sometimes there things get lost in the shuffle but you know you you're all navigating this yeah you're all navigating this yeah thing together right and i don't know if it was that bothering her in ireland i think she said it was more you know rachel and margaret coming for her um but it's a shame because it was a great we had a great time did you did you go to the the wedding at the end of the season i did go to the wedding at the end of the season yes how how was that experience for you. I know we're excited to see it on the show in a couple weeks. So that experience for me, first of all, was a beautiful, gorgeous fairy tale wedding. So let's say that. But I went to that wedding after the finale when, you know,

there was this huge blowout. And I decided that I would go and go to the ceremony, go to the cocktail hour, walk into the reception. And then in support of Melissa, I wouldn't say the entire night. It was a dumb decision. I left with Margaret, and I'm not putting any of my decision on Margaret. I'm a grown-up. But in my mind, I was sort of supporting Teresa and Melissa. And then, you know, so I left, and I actually spoke to Dolores. And I don't know. She, you know, tried to sort of like say to me, why would you leave? And it just, you don't go to an important event like that, a wedding, and then try to make your own statement. You know what I mean? It was like in celebration of Teresa and Louis. And my intentions were good, but I regret leaving. Yeah.

And I've apologized to Teresa like more than once and more than twice. So, but, you know, whatever, I screw up all the time. Well, I think it's, it's obviously just watching how everyone in this group has kind of handled the situation. It is really tricky and there's no kind of one size fits all way to deal with it. Well, listen, I mean, again, I, there are things that I would do differently for the past 54 years. So, but this is one of them. Yeah. I wouldn't have left. And you're owning it. I am owning it. Yes. So this season is coming to a close. You mentioned that you would be open to doing more in the future. Is there anything that you feel like you would be really excited to sort of showcase on the show if you were to stick around going forward? You know, I have a business called

F major and it is a high heel shoe business that I made about four, I created it about four years ago and they are high heels for women like myself who still want to feel sexy wearing high heels, but who can't anymore because of a myriad of reasons from bunyan, supplanter, fasciitis. I think that's how you say it. Or just like, you know, as you get older your feet like the rest of your body, they get wider and softer. And for me it became impossible to walk in heels. So with this technology, we were able to create F majors, which are these really hot, three-inch high heels.

Right now they're just in black and beige. We plan on launching other colors. But the tagline is three inches never felt so good. Okay. Which, right, because the brand is, it's really about, like, you know, anti-ageism. I don't want to get too deep. It is a high-heel shoe company. Yeah.

But that idea that, like, as you grow older, for some reason, you don't grow, more sexy, hotter. I could speak for myself. I was a mess when I was your age. I was like an insecure mess, just wandering the streets, thinking just why can't a boy like me? Or, you know, what job am I going to take next?

And so at age, as I've gotten older, and I know who I am, it just, I feel so much more self-confident and so much better about myself. You know, not just physically, but mentally emotionally. And so I want to be able to feel sexy in my clothes. Not dressed like I did when I was 20, but still to have a gorgeous,

sexy high heel that I can actually walk in was important for me. So I'd love to showcase that and talk a little bit more about how as women get older, you know, they do get wiser and in my mind hotter. I feel like Housewives has been kind of a great platform for that message in general, that it's like women in their 40s, 50s, even the 60s have really been able to have these full life experiences and showcase that that we don't always see. And also on Housewives, which is nice, is that people age in reverse. I think it could have something, I don't know, like surgery or something. But I do, you do see that women get younger and younger.

A little help here and there, maybe. I've had plenty of help this year. No, it is funny sometimes to watch like an old season and it's like, everybody looks better. A hundred percent. I know, it's the best. Well, Jen, thank you so much. This has been so fun talking to you. and I'm excited to see the end of this season.

Yes, it's going to be wild. Amazing. Thank you so much. Thank you, everyone for listening. Don't forget to rate review and follow the show. Wherever you listen, you can follow us on Instagram

at Bravo by Betches. Make sure to watch Real House Eyes of New Jersey on Tuesday nights on Bravo. And until next time, be cool. Don't be all like uncool. Mention It All is produced by Dylan Hafer, Sean Kilby, Jorge Morales Pico, and Rebecca Sousa McCat.

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