The feud between Melissa Gorga and Teresa Giudice, her “Real Housewives of New Jersey” castmate and sister-in-law, has been simmering for more than a decade.
Giudice takes pains to point out Gorga’s perceived transgressions, citing rumors of infidelity, gold-digging and a past life as a stripper (all of which Gorga has denied) in fights that became recurring story lines for the show and that divided fans into Team Teresa and Team Melissa.
A dispute in Season 3 (shot in 2011) came to summarize the innocuous events that could set off accusations of bad taste when Giudice complained to family and friends that Gorga brought a subpar choice of cookie to her holiday gathering. “She came to my house Christmas Day, and she brought me sprinkle cookies,” Giudice said, specifying that she preferred pignoli cookies, before adding: “Melissa. No one touched the cookies you brought. I threw them in the garbage!”
Gorga used the dis as a springboard for Let’s Sprinkle by MG, a direct-to-consumer line of upscale butter cookies with sprinkles — running $29.99 for a box of a dozen — that she says has brought in over half a million dollars in revenue since its December launch. Beyond being a recurring reference on the show, the sprinkle cookies are also an offscreen calling card for audience members firmly on Team Melissa.
Gorga and Giudice are no longer talking after a bitter last season that divided the cast so deeply that they could not gather to film the all-important reunion show. It’s uncertain who will return to the series, and there are whispers that the cast will be overhauled, as has happened with the New York and Atlanta franchises.
In a Zoom interview, Gorga discussed how she decided to monetize a family feud and leverage her Real Housewife-dom, without seeming desperate. She said that though the scene became a viral moment to laugh about, the sprinkle cookie company came from an earnest love for the dessert. (She does laugh at the gift messages from customers referencing sprinkle cookies in the garbage.) These are edited excerpts from the conversation.
Your sister-in-law, Teresa Giudice, rejected the sprinkle cookies in 2011. How did you decide to now sell sprinkle cookies, 14 years later?
I’ve always said timing is everything. I’ve had this love for sprinkle cookies, which was kind of iconic — obviously, that scene was pretty funny. But I knew in the back of my head it was something I was always gonna do.
People were impressed with how great they tasted. They saw it wasn’t just one of these quick things a Housewife was throwing together to make a quick sale. I waited for it to be the perfect legit business because I knew I didn’t want a one-and-done situation.
It’s hard to not notice this is coming after your relationship with Teresa has devolved into estrangement. Were you worried that commercializing the feud would make things worse?
No, not at all. I didn’t even put the two together really, because they were always kind of about the love that I had for them. They were something that I cherished and loved and was always my favorite dessert. Thank God it didn’t catch on as anything negative at all.
What does your relationship with Teresa look like now? Has she said anything to you about the cookies?
No. We have no relationship. [The day after Gorga launched the business, Giudice posted on X: “You’re welcome”.]
I’d love to hear more about the actual development of the cookie recipe.
I teamed up with a great baker whom I absolutely love. We found the perfect recipe: I wanted them to be sweet, but not too sweet. When people open the box of my cookies, it smells like an Italian bakery in your kitchen. They’re the ultimate butter cookie. They have a little bit of almond paste in them, so they have a hint of almond. It was really important to find the right texture. I wanted them to be soft, with no preservatives, and never frozen. There was some back and forth for a couple of months. When I found the perfect one, we rolled with it. They truly taste like the ones my grandmother used to make.
You’ve done music, clothing boutiques, a book, a restaurant, a podcast, and now, sprinkle cookies. What have you learned about the business of being a Real Housewife?
It has to be authentic. The music was fun; it wasn’t taken as seriously, but there ended up being five great, fun songs that we all still listen to. I love when they start playing “On Display.” I always giggle. But Envy [her boutique] is my mother ship. Envy has been around for 10 years. I put in the work, I spend the time, I am at both stores frequently. I do all the buying. I really put my heart and soul into my businesses where I am 100 percent the owner.
Being in this business for 15 years, you can slap your name on a lot of things. Many Housewives and reality stars do that, but I’ve made sure throughout the years not to.
Why has that been such an important part of your life on the show?
Before I met my husband, I had three jobs in college. I love my children seeing how hard I work. Everyone out there has watched me turn from a young mom, 30 years old, starting on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” and building these businesses from the ground up.
Succeeding as a woman in business and showing people that, when you put in the time, you can break the barriers of just being a Housewife with a product is what I aim for. A few others have broken through and done amazing things. Bethenny Frankel has done beyond, undeniably. But women who didn’t start with a lot, got these platforms like I did, and have built what they have built, show it’s possible.
Are you expecting to be part of Season 15?
Whatever Bravo decides, I’m good with.
If you aren’t cast for next season, would you be happy with your tenure as a Real Housewife?
If this was my last round with Housewives, I can hold my head up high. I’m proud of how I handled myself; how I navigated a lot of the trials and tribulations. It’s not easy to do that with all the different opinions and everybody watching.
