Top 5 real N.J. 'Housewives' problems

Danielle's sex tape, Teresa's financial woes among issues to plague stars

By Marc Malkin

updated 9/6/2010 10:46:34 AM ET

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Teresa Giudice sure seems to be in the news a lot lately. Not only have her financial woes become water-cooler chat, but earlier this week she went on the record with a celebrity rag to deny another tabloid's claim that her husband Joe had cheated on her.

But, as we know, Giudice isn't the only one who's had problems since the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" launched last year. Here, just in time for Monday's second part of this season's cuss-filled reunion, we take a trip down the New Jersey Turnpike memory lane...

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1. Sex: Danielle Staub maintains her sex tape was private. Even so, she signed off on the adult-themed video's distribution after settling lawsuits she filed against the ex-boyfriend who originally put it on the market. Danielle's ex-husband, Kevin Maher, also characterized her as a "nymphomaniac" in a deposition he gave for a defamation suit he's launched against her. Oh, did we mention that Danielle also celebrated her birthday earlier this summer at a strip club?

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2. Money: Teresa and Joe Giudice filed for bankruptcy after a lawyer told them they were — gulp! — $11 million in debt. Teresa has said Joe never told her about their dwindling bank account because he was hoping the real estate business would pick up. But now, she insists the Guidices are living within their means. Their daughters are even wearing each other's hand-me downs. New Jersey Housewives — they're just like us?!

3. Children: Jacqueline's daughter Ashley was charged with simple assault and was fined $189 because of the now infamous brawl at the New Jersey Country Club in Wayne, N.J., in which she allegedly threatened to kill Danielle while pulling out a chunk of her extensions.

Caroline's youngest son, Chris, wants to open a combo car wash and strip joint. Depending on who you're talking to, that could be a problem. However, his older brother Albi's career aspirations took a hit when he flunked out of law school. Albi has apparently suffered from learning disabilities for most of his young life. Even so, he says he's determined to fulfill his dream of becoming a lawyer.

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4. Hometown: The Country Club mentioned above has banned the Housewives cast from its premises after the cuss-filled, weave-yanking theatrics mentioned above. Club president Joe Stanley wrote in a letter to members that his decision to allow them to film there was a "lapse in judgment."

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He also said, "Further, these women do not represent the people and families of our many neighboring towns or the population of the great state of New Jersey."

'Housewives' Teresa says comment about family set her off

5. Gay: We'll get to self-proclaimed Lesbian Superstar Lori Michaels in a second, but first remember when Danielle scolded Teresa's husband for making a gay slur? Sadly, she didn't make the same fuss when her knucklehead friend Danny taunted Chris Manzo by calling him "faggot" during the Country Club fiasco.

Perhaps things are different now, seeing that Danielle has no problem hanging out with — and maybe even dating — Lesbian Superstar Lori Michaels.

As for some of the others, they just wrapped up a gig costarring in Off-Broadway's "My Big Gay Italian Wedding." But not to worry, producers have already announced they'll return for some nights next month.

Video: ‘Jersey’s’ Teresa: Danielle hit below the belt

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Closed captioning of: ‘Jersey’s’ Teresa: Danielle hit below the belt

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>>> there's no argument that the real housewives of new jersey bring drama to the new reality show which was renewed for the third season.

>> they're involved in a dram na joining the cast of an off- broadway show "my big gay italian wedding."

>> hi, guys.

>> hello, everybody.

>> not enough air time , so now we're on broadway ?

>> now broadway starts. next they're in chicago.

>> i know. dena, this was your idea?

>> i'm one of the producers of the show, and i thought it would be a great way to raise awareness for marriage quality and something fun for the girls to do. i had a great time.

>> was it scary?

>> it was terrifying.

>> you don't have to sing and dance, right sf.

>> yeah.

>> you do?

>> give us what you sing, please.

>> hit it.

>> hey, if you're a broadway star, that's what you do.

>> if you two come and see the play --

>> you have to give us one little tiny.

>> you don't do wednesday matinees.

>> i sing a little bit of "ava maria" which is a disaster. i can't sing. that's the point. i cover my face and do everything to the extreme and obnoxious and rap "ava maria."

>> you rap it?

>> i do. at one point it's that bad.

>> you're going to drive her insane, by the way.

>> sorry.

>> you had to learn lines and things?

>> we did some lady gaga moves.

>> what did the audience do when you came out?

>> the energy in the room was unbelievable and the experience itself was unbelievable. it was two hours of absolute terror for me. in high school i was the one painting the scenes in the background.

>> you didn't want to be out in front?

>> not at all.

>> has the bug bitten you.

>> oh, my god, of course. it was like one of those.

>> that's good.

>> they play exaggerated versions of themselves. caroline is the italian mother.

>> by the way, we met your boyfriend a couple week ago. they were cute.

>> we have to talk about the reunion, because teresa what happened on that day was -- it was pretty jarring. andy who is a friend of yours and ours, you picked him up like he was a bag of dirt and threw him down like it was a big nothing. tell us what happened there.

>> i kind of forgot.

>> come on.

>> she's only kidding. i love him. i love andy. afterwards we laughed about it.

>> is it true you had not seen danielle for the year?

>> we saw her that one time at the fashion show , and then the reunion was the second time.

>> okay. and how -- we saw how it was, but how was it, teresa? why don't you tell us?

>> danielle always likes to hit below the belt , and she brought up something that had nothing to do with the show.

>> your reaction made us feel like we need to know what that is.

>> i don't know what you're talking about.

>> i said to her not to bring up my family.

>> you're on a reality show with your family and stuff. isn't that part of the game ?

>> she was saying things that wasn't true and it was going to cause trouble. it was inappropriate.

>> you mean members that aren't on the show?

>> exactly. leave out the people that weren't on the show. she was talking about the birth of jacqueline's baby and she congrat laid tulated jacqueline.

>> let's talk about marriage of quality.

>> that's what america wants. danielle is gone, i guess. are you thrilled and happy and beside yourself that she's out of here?

>> bravo hasn't announced that.

>> if she were gone, would you be happy?

>> obviously.

>> she doesn't bother me. she's no threat to me.

>> she gets on your nerves, though?

>> you know, it makes great tv. she likes to push buttons, when she pushes i push right back.

>> if she's not there, who will push the buttons? somebody else? who is the girls? your relative might be on it. what's her name?

>> i have no idea.

>> you know. what is her name. there's a relative that we're supposed to talk about in the xhat that we didn't.

>> there's a few relatives actually.

>> a lot of my friends got interviewed.

>> they all want to be on it? everybody that's in your life -- you wanted to get out. but you have other people in your life that say, i'd die to be on this with you?

>> some say oh my goodness how can you do it and behind the scenes there's a letter from an anon muss source saying she should be on the show. we don't know who will be on.

>> would you like to --

>> booiven offered it many times. i know how invasive it is. your life ceases to be europe o -- your own. we have to break.

>> we have to break. we wish you great luck. "my big gay italian wedding."

>> go see it.

>> catch part two, the reunion is monday night at 10:00 /9:00 central. pop the popcorn.

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