On Display with Melissa Gorga - REWIND: Respect, Stardom, and Traitors (w/ Mercedes Javid)

Episode Date: January 23, 2025

With Traitors back in full swing, let's revisit a chat with who ALMOST won it all last season. Melissa invites the fan favorite from the latest season of The Traitors, Mercedes Javid (MJ), to talk all about the the pros and cons of being married to old-school men, what happens when two famous partners react to fame very differently, and the behind the scenes secrets of the hit reality show, The Traitors. This week's sponsors:  Apartments.com - The Place to Find a Place: www.Apartments.com Pluto.TV - Streaming TV: www.Pluto.TV (Free!) Progressive - "Name-Your-Price" Tool: www.Progressive.com Prolon - Fasting with Food - Join The January Challenge: www.Prolonlife.com/OnDisplay

We've replaced soap operas and so now we are the soap opera. What's up guys? Welcome to another episode of On Display. So today I have one of my favorite girls in the house. She was part of the heartbreaking finale on the latest season of The Traders. And you also know her from the Shazza Sunset. So ladies and gentlemen, I have with me Miss Mercedes Javid. And as you guys love to call her MJ. I got MJ. What's up, girlfriend? You are so amazing. Hi. Hi, cutie. I just watched you this morning. Oh, you did? Are you all caught up on

The Real Housewives or what's the deal with you watching Jersey this season so far? I am watching and I am all caught up. Yes. Okay. So there's only been like three episodes so far, but tell me what you're thinking. I feel like really bad that Teresa has dragged the show to this horrible level. It reminds me of like when Shaw's was like, you can't get through to certain people because they just are so far gone and there's no like you know like reaching them you know and so it feels like that I don't like to see the scenes with her and Louie I feel like who else is it I don't like Jen Aiden like I try but then um it's just really hard because she's so mean to people. And that's just, that's my biggest thing.

But I love seeing you. I love seeing our girl, Doloris Doloris, and I love seeing Margaret Josephs. And I know that Jennifer, the new girl, what's, tell me her name again. Rachel, Danielle or Rachel or Jen Fessler. Jen Fessler is what I was going to say. So my friends are also glam. My really, really good friends also do glam, right? So one of them is going to do Jen Fessler this weekend. I'm interested in her, how open she was about how much work she got done. She was very, very open about getting a big makeover from the last season to the current season.

Yes, she's actually open to it. And by the way, I gave her the glam she should use in LA this weekend because I was supposed to be out there for this gig and then I'm going to be traveling. So she's going in my... She's going. wait, who's your girlfriend that's doing her glam? So it's Brandon Liberati. Oh, Brandon's, okay. Because she originally was using someone else I gave her. I don't know if it like fell through or what happened. Oh, maybe. This girl Liz. Well, you know what? Brandon does hair. I think Liz is doing her makeup. Oh, so I haven't heard of this name, Liz. Maybe I should try her if she's an LAan. Oh my God. She's amazing. She does a lot of Olivia Coppolo. Did I say that right?

She does her, she does Vanessa Lacey all the time. She's great with like, I don't know. I just, I think she's awesome. I'll give you her number. Can I pull a favor with you right now? Do you know who would die to do your glam? Who? My girl Darian, who has done my glam every single time I'm in New York. Whenever Carolyn wasn't able to do somebody like for Watch What Happens Live, Carolyn Makeup Time, the one that's with Andy all the time. So I found

her because of Brandon and she's like, you know, I would really like to do Melissa and I know you guys are friends. But the thing is that I had Teresa on my page and I was like, you know what? Like I would love to in a very subtle way, suggest you because she does beautiful guest model details where the brow has this natural, and she does really natural work. Wait, she's here in New York? Yeah, she's based in New York. She's really good. Okay.

So DM me when we're done and send me her page and I'll do it. Because I love to try new people when it comes to glam. I really do. And I like to rotate my glam. I feel like I get stuck in a rut. I like to switch it up. And I have three people that I love that I kind of just like, depends the mood I'm in for the look that I'm in. That's kind of who I go to. Definitely. Because you also don't want someone to get comfortable. And shout out to all the artists that are listening, you do get comfortable and you go into autopilot and then that's and we feel shitty because we don't want to tell you something because you've already

been doing our glam for so long that then it's like you kind of stop doing the thing that made us fall in love. It's kind of like- Exactly. You know what happens? They get too comfortable. Sorry, girls. I love you all. But they get comfortable, they throw it on, they know we're going to like it. But we want to be like, sometimes you want to bust out on a carpet and you want people to be like, oh my God, her makeup. Holy shit. Those are the things. I don't know about you, but I do call my glam out and they know me for it. I do in a very nice way, but like I will, I'm known to like text a photo after and be like, hi. So did you see I was like a little blotchy on my forehead or like my under eye had like way too lately. Oh my God, as I get older, if

they come near me, MJ, with powder, I freak out. I'm like, take the powder and shove it with the sheds. I don't want to see no... Very little powder under my eyes these days. I don't want a lot of powder under my eyes. I'm like phasing powder out. I got to tell you, I couldn't agree more because it dries and sucks. There is a really good one that is a godsend and of all people, Reza Farahan handed it to me when he was like, hey, here's a brand that wanted me to give this to you. And I was like, okay. And it was called Flower and it's the most incredible finishing thing that

you could just put it on in the dark. And it's not heavy? No, I'll send it to you. Yes, please do. You have a lot of work to do after this. You have to send me a lot of things. This is why I love when MJ comes on listeners, guys, because she's like my girlfriend. I swear. This is like a true, and MJ, I mean this, and this is why you did so well on Traders too, and everyone fell in love with you all over again. You really are such a freaking girl's girl. When I see you, it's like we barely knew each other a lot of the time, but you just got that thing. You just do. I feel like I'm kind of the

same way. I'm very like down to earth. We're very just like chill humans that like don't get too big for our britches or whatever you say. And I just, I love you for that. I think you're the best. You really are. Thank you. If I had a nickel for every time I was like, you know, I would have such a good time this weekend if I was in Jersey or New York or with you guys, because we have a connection. Like Dolores and I have like a 45 minute long conversation as soon as we got back from Bravacon, Vegas and I hang up and I have these lingering thoughts. Like I love my hands down favorite part of Bravacon was when I would bump anytime I would

bump into Joey, your husband. And he was like, who is she? She's really fun. And I was like, wait, get to know me a little, if only I were closer to you guys, geographically. So yeah, it is a good time. And speaking of a lot to do, I just was thinking about you this morning, because I came from a school tour, because my little guy is going to start kindergarten in the fall. So there's all this paperwork and all I can think of is how disorganized I am to do 10 jobs. So you're a mom, you're a full-time, you don't do anything. This is me describing

myself. I don't do anything but be a mom, but I also am a real estate agent. I do nothing but real estate. Then I also do a lot of radio and I do like radio Andy once a week and my podcasts fill the dirt and here we are together, you and me. And then the school thing with the applications and the shots and the releases and all of these things, I'm like, in order to keep all of these things organized, and obviously I haven't mentioned everything that we've got, I just can't even imagine two or as they get older because it's still, I feel like having one is pretty easy, I will say.

It's not bad having one. I have to agree with you on this. When I look back on even these old videos that are resurfacing, because I just had my... Last week was my 13... It was the anniversary of 13 years that my first episode aired, was a couple days ago. So I posted a clip from my first season with little Joey in a high chair and Joe and me getting my music studio ready to sing on display. And I go back and I see this young 31-year-old girl on this TV show with three kids and an Italian husband that needs so much attention. And I'm going to be honest, Joe needed so much attention back then. He is not like that anymore. And I do owe that to the reality show and to Bravo because he has done seriously like a 180.

And I think it's from a little bit of fan reaction. When you're just hearing it from your wife, like, hey, you're old school, you're a freaking caveman, you need to get with the times. I think you're like, he doesn't... But when you're reading it on all of these platforms and you're getting it and people have a way of telling Joe, but also loving him. As you know, you're not the first person who told me their favorite part of BravoCon was whenever they saw Joe Gorka. Everyone says that to me. Yeah. Because he's got that thing. You just can't not love

him and you almost excuse what he does. I don't know. He's just got that thing. You understand him. Yeah. I go back to thinking about how did I do this with three kids. So I'm actually happy you thought of me. Thank you. Because sometimes I even look back and I'm like, Jesus, Melissa, how did you do that with like not a live in nanny? None of that was going on in the house at this time. Exactly. Because this morning I woke up and I was like, God damn it.

I'm cleaning up the kitchen. I got to do this. I got to clean up. My mom was here for a week. She just lives in Beverly Hills, but she comes over and she stays in our house for a week because we're in the valley. So whatever. So like this morning I was like, God damn.

And I'm an early, early riser. I love and I thrive in the morning. But nonetheless, I was begrudging the time because everything is so hurried and rushed. And so I'm always like feeling like I'm on borrowed time. But to take it back to something very positive that is happening that is beautiful to be watching on Jersey is your family growing up and the girls getting into schools and going away. And those two, like just watching your girl and Teresa's girl going off and like having such being so proud of them and the fact that we got to watch them grow up and see how they're just amazing. Unfortunate as it is that you guys aren't in a better place, I understand how that happens

because I've been through it, but the best part of the season has been the girls and seeing them how they're like, I know it's sad to watch them leave the house, but seeing them getting into college, that's been amazing. For sure. Well, I think the viewers like that too, because they've watched them as little babies. So it's kind of like the viewers feel like, hey, we've known them since they've been running around in tutus and big bows in their head. We get to see them go to college. I feel like the viewers are also appreciative that like, wow, you guys have really stuck through this and let us watch your whole entire life. I wonder if we'll still be here for like, hey, we're going to

Antonia's wedding. You know what I'm saying? How long does this go on, Em? I think so because we replaced soap operas and so now we are the soap opera that people follow. And I do care. That's why, by the way, I didn't want to dismiss Danielle, the new girls that are like full-time cast members and they've been around for the last couple of seasons. The names didn't suck, but that doesn't mean I was throwing shade. I like the new girls and they are a really good fit. Like I like that the way that they really are adding so much to the show, but like it's still anchored

by you guys, you know? It's still like, and the way that you were talking about Joey, I love because about like the way it works the same with my husband. He's got, Tommy's got a lot of fans. In fact, in the school office this morning, there was someone that was like, oh my God, what are you guys doing here?

And then she was fanning out, but I'm like, we're in school, right? So it's a school admissions thing. And she was like, I recognized Tommy before I recognized you. And then we get to chatting. And then I realized that if I say something to Tommy, that he just because like, this also reminds me of the last time that you and I were talking, it's a lot of husband bonding, like a lot of husband trauma bonding. He would say if I were to say something to him, he would to poo poo it and tell me like I'm being critical. But if he hears it as feedback, like he reads

like all the comments and everything, then somebody else exactly what I was Yeah, yeah, then he's like, oh, he'll like low key implemented, or he'll send me, like some video that we follow, like really good accounts, where it's usually someone like a psychologist or like a life coach that's like, gonna tell you like a good little anecdote, you know, and that's how we communicate with each other is like via like this video clip that he appreciated and then I can also say like, okay, that's exactly what I was talking about motherfucker.

Like the thing that I found a psychologist who says it because now it's valid, you know, if I was saying it, I'm a hater. But that's how. Exactly. When I say it to Joe, it's the same thing. It's kind of like, oh, whatever. But when you get like a... When there's people for 14 years kind of agreeing with me and he gets like, from strangers, I really feel like he's done. He really has changed a lot like for the better. Not that he was a bad guy. He's always been a great husband, a great father, a great everything, but he had like a little bit of that old school, too much of the old school. And I also will always say that the

old school in Joe is what makes him the awesome husband that he is also I have to give credit, I'm never going to totally say that I wish he didn't have that inside because that's what makes him as amazing and complimenting and a caregiver the way he is. Exactly. But yeah, I feel like the criticism from the others is what sends it home. Especially when in a generation or two, if we lose it completely, we're going to be fucked. We need old school. We need people who are traditionalist and then the woman can check the man and say like no This is how it is. But having the presence of that, you know, my man is a Queens man. He's old school

I appreciate that. I don't and I get it I've seen the stuff that people want to see you like, you know like if someone comes off as like people want to see you, like if someone comes off as like old school in a good way or like old school, like they want to see Melissa happy and that's just how people learn about their own marriages. They could be like, oh, let me turn on that episode. Fast forward to that scene with Joe and Melissa and now our marriage can actually improve because you're going to sit down and watch this with me and we're going to get through

it together because they got through it. That's what we do. It's so true. And when you're real on reality TV, it allows the viewers to vicariously live through you. And I don't think that these viewers feel almost like they're watching their own daughters go to college when they go to college, right? And they feel like the marriage arguments, they relate it to what goes on in their own home. So I think we're doing the Lord's work here, MJ. Don't you? Absolutely. Listen, honey. Come on now.

I love it. I mean, I think it's fun. If it wasn't for me and Tommy's pod, we would probably not have a whole hour of quality time a week discussing things with intention. It's a casual conversation, but obviously my opportunity to bring in points and topics. If I want to talk about it, low key, I can put it in the pod and say, someone else wants to talk about this, but it might be my own question, like I DM the podcast. Yes. If starting the new year with a fast feels a little daunting, you're not alone. There's an entire community of individuals

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eligible to save money when you bundle your home and your auto policies. The process only takes minutes and it could mean hundreds more in your pocket. Visit progressive.com after this episode to see if you could save. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates potential savings will vary. Not available in all states. I wanted to talk to you because you do have the podcast. It's called Till the Dirt, right? But tell my listeners, what is it about? So it's you and Tommy, your husband. Yep. It's called Till the Dirt with and MJ. And it's just us talking shit every Monday. We just turn on the microphone. We talk about whatever we want. If it's something big that's

happening in Bravo or the news or relationship or marriage or our life, we talk about our kid and our lives. It's like you said, I listen to a podcast because I want to tune in to the friend in my head. Like Wendy Williams, I think coined that phrase, but like we want to someone, it's like a conversation when you call a girlfriend except now it's a podcast. So that's what Till the Dirt is. Right. I mean, have you guys like learned anything new about each other since doing the podcast thing together? Is there any revelations that come out about your marriage or your relationship?

Yes. I think I was really a hypocrite. Sometimes when I criticize him, I also have to learn that if I'm like, you can't complain about this being here and then this is also here. You know what I mean? It's like two of the same. So, you know, Shervin from shots, you remember him? He's like a really good look at, yes, he looks almost exactly like Mike, but he's a totally different guy. Anyway, he, I found out this hack because he is a gym, like he goes to

the best Equinox that is in the state of California. He actually shaves there. And I was like, that is genius because then he never has to make a mess at home. I'm like, how many people- I wish Joe would shave at the freaking gym. Oh my God. That is the worst part of my every day is the little hairs all over the place. Exactly. So he's engaged and I love his fiance. So they were moving in. I helped them move into their new house and I was like, oh, so you guys are going to share a bathroom. It's a good thing that his sink is like in a different room from, it's a really nice house. So she was like, yeah. And by the way, we're doing

like an inspection and everything. And she's like, he never shaves at home. He always shaves at the gym. I'm like, fucking knew he was smart. Now his like stock just went up like a zillion percent. What a genius, you know, Wait a second. That is freaking genius. Like who doesn't like the person that's like genius and I never even thought of that. Take a shower, like the person that's like genius. I never even thought of that. Take a shower, shave, go on with your day. Never mess your bathroom. Men, this is what you should all be doing. That's pretty amazing. Joe, I could never let Joe do that. I'll tell you why. Joe will leave work in his freaking... MJ, you think

I'm kidding? I'm not. I get so embarrassed. He leaves work in his work boots. Because Joe truly has, besides being on reality TV, he goes to work in his work boots, plays in the dirt, real construction guy. And he goes to the gym sometimes in his work boots because he's like, I forgot sneakers. I just need to get like a 30 minute pump in. And I'm like, we have a gym in the house. Like, can you, so could you picture him like from now? He would never shave there because he barely even brings sneakers, let alone a razor. And I always think to myself like, as it is your Joe Gorga grunting in the gym, because he's a grunter on top of it, he's not even like, I swear he's so embarrassing. It's not even just like, you know, there's Joe Gorgas. It's like,

oh, like there's Joe Gorgas in the corner. Oh, and he has work boots on. Like he literally left like work and just jumped in there and work boots and he's, and he's moaning. That's very niche. It sounds very OnlyFans. It would be so perfect if he had his camera live streaming to an OnlyFans and he's got his grunts in and he's got his work boots. I bet you anything that the people who work there are like, oh shit, Joe's coming in, get them off because he's going to be tracking in the construction site. No, for real. He's probably leaving a trail of like dirt as he walks. It's so embarrassing. It's not in your house. I'd rather have it there than at your place, right? No, for sure. But speaking about fame, I want to ask you this about you and Tommy,

because I did see all this news that's coming out with, are you seeing all this shit with like JLo and Ben? Like, are they? I don't know? One likes fame, one does not, right? That's the newest thing that I just read, which I think we knew that from before in the relationship, right? What do you feel about any of this? Are you feeling like they're going to split these two or what's happening here? Okay. I don't like JLo and I'm really, really sorry that I'm one of those people that just has, I've loved the idea of Bennifer getting back together. I just, I didn't let, I do feel like she likes fame too much

and that is the reason why I'm like, was turned off by it, okay? I saw everything that they put out about their splitting. But remember Melissa, how often the paparazzi would catch photos and he always looked so miserable. She controls the paparazzi and she's calling them in order for them to get the car shot. Then he's getting annoyed that he can't get a coffee without a camera guy there. Exactly. And so they're catching these photos. He always looks miserable. Then there's a photo where he's just going, and it's a real long lens because they caught him and Jennifer

Garner and they're having a conversation. And there's a girl who like reads lips and she translates the conversation. And he looks so happy and calm. They're having conversation and I'm like, see? So Ben is having like a really big career in his like directing and he's doing, he's blowing up, he's doing all these great things. She is not selling tickets. Her like original singers who are singing on all her tracks are coming out and saying like, yeah, that was my voice.

I didn't get the credit. We wrote the song, whatever. So I'm like, this is because JLo needs to be in the media all the time. So for me, it's a big turnoff. I am a big small town girl. I want the real life. And I believe that they're breaking up because of that. I think that if you're a guy- Wait, you really think they are breaking up? You think this is happening? This is again? No. Come on. I do.

I was like, no, this can't be true. Then that would mean that she wants it to just be a headline for public, for PR. Neither are good. Here's the thing. I'm going to go on the opposite spectrum. I've always loved her. I've always loved her style. I've always loved everything. I think what's happening lately is just too much of everything. So it's like, I feel like people want to miss her for a minute and she's obviously a workaholic. She has an incredible team behind her that just gives her projects like no other. And I'm just like, but we want to miss you. You know how the celebrities do that. They disappear for a year and then they come back. And I feel like she's not doing the

Houdini. It's not happening. So it's just the next thing. It's the next thing. It's the next thing. And people are just feeling like it's... And probably Ben is like, can we just chill for a minute as well? Totally. Right? Or maybe just focus on watching his projects play out while she just is the wife next to him. Maybe that could have something to do with it. No? Okay. So first of all, I know that you've always been a really big fan of JLo because

you guys both have an incredible like glow, but there's like, you have a great body, she has a great body. You know what I mean? It's like, I like the color. You guys have no overlap because I'm so fond of you and I always have been and I think that you do amazing things. Businesswoman, television star, you know, mother of three, amazing wife, daughter, sister, all of the things. You do it amazingly well. With her on the other hand, I feel like being on tour and doing all these things, she probably wasn't around her children a lot and she continuously chose, you know, her career over that to me that breaks my heart. It's not my vibe. And as I am, I am impressed by what

she's built as an empire. But that's just one thing I wouldn't aspire to that personally. So yeah, I think that there's a that Ben actually does everything behind the scenes and he's living a life that he doesn't need a camera up his ass. And so either way, it's bad because she's either calling PR for a fake divorce headline or she's actually having marital troubles. Neither are good. Right.

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I honestly, I don't want bad for them either. Like I never want someone to suffer. Whether or not I like her doesn't make her life any different. I just don't, I'm not a fan because of that showiness. I didn't like that she came home from a tour on New Year's Eve and said, I only use olive oil and started selling JLo Beauty. I didn't like that. came home from a tour on New Year's Eve and said, I only use olive oil and started selling J.Lo Beauty. I didn't like that. I was like, you clearly don't just use olive oil, so stop it. Those are the kind of things that get to my head or in my head about a person. Between you and Tommy, do one of you like the fame better? He's kind of a ham. One time he was walking down the street because he used to, back in the day before we met,

he would ride his bicycle to work. It was like a mile away. And I thought that was really cool. It was more of like an East Coast Coast thing than what people do in LA. And I was like, you can't ride a bicycle. You're going to get killed. No one is watching. People are on their phones. But when he would be interfacing with people more and he would get recognized, you could tell he was such a ham. He likes it. He's like a Joe Gorga because me, I'm more low-key. A lot of people wouldn't think that about me, but I am. I'm more quietly in the background. I want the back table.

I don't care to walk around and take the pictures where Joe will be like, hey, hi guys. How you doing? Do you want to come over? I'll make you pasta Sunday. I'm like, Jesus, Joe. That's the same over here. Yeah, you're like, to come over? I'll make you pasta Sunday." I'm like, Jesus, show. That's insane over here. Yeah. You're like, you're not the greeter of the restaurant, okay? Let's go to the bar.

Maybe it's a guy thing. Why are they so, I don't get it. I mean, it's a guy thing maybe? I don't know. I just want, no, I think men love attention. Love attention. I agree. And you know what, ladies, anyone listening? Literally just give them attention and they're so happy. They just need a lot of attention. But I cannot let you go without talking to you about Traders because you are a freaking

superstar on that show. You really were. Everyone fell in love with you.. Everyone like fell in love with you if they weren't in love with you already. You did. You played like such a good game and you were very like quiet and that like you just stayed in your own lane. You were a you were I feel like you were quiet and a lot of people like don't know how to do that. It's something that you don't see a lot of the times on that show. So I need to know, what were you going for there?

How did you manage all of that? It's crazy. So if you're... First and foremost, I was sitting around with my friends who watched these other shows that were competition like Survivor and Big Brother and there was that there's a third one like the the gamers right and they were like well in order to last a long time you have to be opinionated but you can't get involved in conflict you can't really have a big alliance with just one group and then like let everyone think that you're too loyal to one side. So I went in and I just wanted to last. That is what I went in with, let me just last as long as I can. And remember, they edit,

right? So of course you're filming for a whole month and then they have 12 episodes, 45 minutes, right? So some of the things that you do, the way that you get to act and behave and move around your friends are not gonna be shown. But I did see like the way that like I felt like it was just to be a good listener and have eye contact when someone is talking to you so that they feel like you're connecting with them. And the worst thing to do is I think, look past

somebody or look around a room. Have you been in a party where someone is asking you a question, but then they- When they're staring at who's going to walk in the door or- Yes. Yeah. And I don't even feel bad. I know that's like a problem. It's some people just get sensory overload and they don't know how to be. I was able to be calm enough and all the downtime, like you get off the airplane and there's somebody that is your producer for the entire month that's like, Hey, MJ, and I love my guy and the crew is amazing. But I was like, Oh my God, how does he know me? And then I was like figuring it out.

Oh, he's going to go back into my hotel room with me. We're going to wait for the security guard. He's going to take all of the cords, every single thing, my watch, my passport, my wallet, everything is going to go. The medication that including like your vitamins that you get at CVS is all going to be given to the nurse Then you're gonna spend like the next three days meeting people one by one and you're not gonna leave the room and there's gonna be a little Black thing on your door So you do have to be mentally fit for that type of a thing and then the next day when you would get to breakfast

You genuinely didn't know if you were who you were to see because they drive you separate, they feed you separate. You do everything in like a sequestered jury, like OJ Simpson trial sequestered. And then you're just waiting to know if you're going to go into the room where they give you the letter to go home, or if you're going to go to the room where they're going to say, go downstairs and knock on the door and say hi to everybody. And then by the way, when you say hi to everybody, you're noticing who's there, who's not there and you're doing the math. And then you see the wall with all of the people that are there and have been exiled.

And you're just trying to figure out, does that person look conspicuous? Did they get recruited as a murderer last night? Is this person acting the same way that they were the other day? All these things are moving parts. So I just tried to be real. And as soon as I noticed someone like Dan, I said it. But then after that, I laid off because then it was everybody else's turn to jump on it. That's why you don't get murdered because you know how to say something and then state

back in your lane and let those people think that there's an allyship. For instance, Dan, he was like, she did call me out, but then after she called me out, after that she spent more time talking to me one on one because you're being open minded. I already told you, I think you could be a trader and now he's banking on me trying to have like a, he's trying to prove himself to me that he's not a murderer or a traitor. So then I would just take it all in and then I would be with everybody one by one and however the opportunity presented itself organically. Well, you did it amazing. I mean, you played that game, but can I tell you the hardest

part that I always think about? And this is what I'm more curious about even than the show, the behind the scenes of it all, you were not freaking out. People come to me all the time when I have them on the podcast. They're like, you should be on Traders, you should do Traders, this, that, everything. Yes, you should. MJ, I don't think I could put my cell phone down. How often could you call your husband and your child? Be honest. What did they really do? Do you want to know that about a week and a half or two in, they allowed me to call and say, hi, it was a supervised call.

Wait, wait. After a week, you had no communication for one week with anyone on a cell phone? And change. Yeah. They take your phone and you get off the airport. So yeah, so they know- No way. If something were to happen on their end, they're gonna your husband is going to contact them. And and God forbid, and then if you wanted to if you were to have there were like divas on set, they were like, Oh my god, no, I can't like I need to call some so and so whatever. So if they made a big stink about it, then they would allow it. I called my husband once and I asked them to put Shams on FaceTime. So, and you know, at the time he was like four years old, he

didn't care. He was just wanted to play. So I lost it. Yeah, total whatever. Like I was like just so shattered that I hung up at that night and I couldn't function. And I was like, fuck, the next time everyone sees me, they're going to think I got recruited as a trader because my whole vibe is different. And the reality is I had a bad call with my son just ignoring me. And so I was like, after that, I was like, I don't need to call anybody. I don't need to call anybody. I don't need to call anybody. I'm good. And that was it.

See, I just don't think I can do that part of it. So when you're done filming for the day, you go into your room by yourself. You have dinner by yourself. Is there a TV in there? Do you watch TV? Like, what did you do all night? Girl, the TV does not have a remote because people can get log on to their YouTubes and their whatever.

So they take the television and they program it just for us to have like CNN, BBC, and like some ratchet channel that is like, maybe you get to watch some, I don't know, whatever. See, that would, I would be mentally insane from the behind, like not even the show. I could handle that show, right? I can handle the people. It would be the stress that I was going through not knowing where the kids are or being able to like call Joe. And like, I'm so crazy with Joe.

We're like so, we're so used to like constant contact that I feel like I would not be a good player just because I was losing my mind over not having any outside like contact. Yeah, you have to. So for me, I think it was easier because I trusted that my kid is going to go to school and come home and his schedule is like, I trust my husband. I'm not worrying about my 16 year old driving because I would probably just not do the show if my kid got his driver's license that year. And then the rest of it is like, you're just checking out for like, what might be one day because I didn't know it was going to be that long because

I didn't know if I was going to turn around and come home or last longer. So you're kind of doing this like one day at a time and I'm here to do this. Let me try. It kind of feels like summer camp. You have to put yourself in that mindset too before even going like, this is what it is. I'm going to have no communication for how long is it, like total, if you stay in there? Shy of a month. A couple days shy of a month.

Okay, so there it goes. Like, I'm never doing traders. It's never happening. It's just never happening. No. What if you do traders and you make it almost to the end and listen, it's not bad. I really think it's really good. I liked it. I wouldn't want to do it twice, but- I know, but it's just not for my type of... I can't physically do it.

I just don't think I can do it. Maybe if I had one child and he was four, I think it would be a different... But I don't think I can handle it. I don't know. I just feel like that really sucks because I've spoken to them at Peacock and everything and I could definitely possibly do it at one point, but I just don't think it's for me. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I just would die of a heart attack. Maybe if your kids are in college, then you would do it. It would be different. I just have to leave Joe out there in the streets for a month.

No, no. Well, but don't even think of it as a month. Just think of it as like maybe a week, maybe two weeks. And then once you get there, if you really don't want to do it, you're not going to be stuck. Yeah, but no, I'm in it to win it. If I'm doing it, I am doing it. I'm very competitive, MJ. If I'm in it to win it. Can I tell you? I had control to vote CT out and then I could have won, but I didn't want to vote CT out because I didn't have the gamer mentality. I was more of like, I'm a human

from Bravo. Like, Bravo people, we don't fuck people over. We're like, I'm a moral person. So therefore, I didn't go to win. I went to be like a faithful, not a traitor. So I'm glad that you have it. And maybe you would absolutely go to the end when the timing's right. The show is hot. It to the end when the timing's right. The show is hot. It's going to be around for a while. Oh yeah. It's killing it.

It's killing it. It's awesome. And you made it so much better. And Jay, I know I've said this a million times. You're such a girl's girl and I absolutely loved catching up with you. I hate that we have to be quick today. I have like a little bit of a heart out, but I love you. Good luck with the podcast.

You are like so much fun. And the guys, is called Till the Dirt. Good luck with all of that. Hopefully, I see you soon. DM me all of these people that I need to know. Yes. Okay. Ciao. Love you. Bye. Bye. Hey moms, have you ever felt like there's more to motherhood than what we're told? Then you need to check out our podcast, Moms Ask Why. Hosted by Chelsea Jules and Brittany Whitney, Moms Ask Why dives deep into the tough questions surrounding motherhood. Our mission?

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