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Worse Than The Giudices? Joe And Melissa Gorga’s 28 Darkest Secrets & Scandals Revealed

//Melissa and Joe Gorga secrets

Sep. 22 2016, Updated 2:42 p.m. ET

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Joe and Melissa Gorga have always been overshadowed by that other The Real Housewives of New Jersey couple, their disgraced in-laws Joe and Teresa Giudice. But that doesn’t mean the Gorgas lack for drama! From financial trouble to cheating allegations to Strippergate, here is RadarOnline.com’s guide to the couple’s top 28 secrets and scandals.

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga secrets

Joe and Melissa Gorga have always been overshadowed by that other The Real Housewives of New Jersey couple, their disgraced in-laws Joe and Teresa Giudice. But that doesn’t mean the Gorgas lack for drama! From financial trouble to cheating allegations to Strippergate, here is RadarOnline.com’s guide to the couple’s top 28 secrets and scandals.

OK! Magazine’s “So Sexy” NY Party

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

House Of Horrors: As RadarOnline.com exclusively reported, Joe and Melissa Gorga planned to build a new dream home in 2014, but later were forced to put the Franklin Lakes lot up for sale and move back into their dilapidated Montville mansion.  The couple entered the Montville mansion into a lease to purchase agreement with New Jersey businessman Kai Patterson in 2013, and started construction on their new house. But Patterson later claimed to have discovered repairs were needed when he employed his own home inspection. Once he moved out, the Gorgas had to pay the mansion bills themselves; they moved back in and put the other property on the market for $1.2 million.

“Real Housewives Of New Jersey” Season Six Premiere Party

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Tenant Dispute: Joe fought a lengthy court battle with tenant Kai Patterson, who refused to pay rent on the Gorgas’ Montville, New Jersey property because Patterson claimed repairs were never done. As RadarOnline.com has reported, Patterson contended the mess included beavers in the walls, leaky pipes, and garbage bags! In September 2014, Patterson agreed to move out of the Montville mansion.

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Melissa and Joe Gorga 30

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Sour Note: As RadarOnline.com has reported, Melissa has had a pitchy time trying to become a singer. During a 2013 RHONJ episode with music producers, Melissa squealed “wrong words!” after messing up the lyrics and sounding out of tune on the song “Never Let Me Go.”

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Financial Woe?: Star magazine sources claimed Melissa and Joe got embroiled in debt so they could compete with rich friends and appear wealthier than they really are. But reps for the couple denied it and as RadarOnline.com later reported, they looked forward to a great financial future after Melissa raked in money off her critically panned tell-all book.

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Bullied: Melissa wrote in her book that she was beat up in school when her family moved to Florida. She said one day her nose was bloodied by a schoolmate who suspected she was messing around with her boyfriend. Melissa denied it.

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Melissa Gorga and Rolls Royce

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Hit The Brakes!: While RHONJ stars Joe and Melissa have been seen on the Bravo reality show driving a very expensive Bentley, RadarOnline.com exclusively learned the couple was forced to give up the luxury car because they could no longer afford it. “The Bentley was leased by Joe and Melissa, and was strictly done for the show,” a source told RadarOnline.com. “They felt pressure to make their lifestyle appear to be something it definitely wasn’t. The lease was just too expensive at $5,000 a month, and they had to turn it back in early.”

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

The Bald Truth: On a 2013 RHONJ episode in which Joe Gorga got into a brawl with brother-in-law Joe Giudice, Gorga’s hair-raising secret came out—he doesn’t have much! Giudice complained about being covered with “black tar” after grappling with Gorga, who later admitted he’d been using spray in a can to cover his bald spots.

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Family Tragedy: Melissa has confided that her father, Anthony Marco, died when his car hit a tree; she was just 17 at the time. The housewife has also exposed him for cheating on her mother. As she admitted on RHONJ in 2013, “my father was the man that cheats. I loved my dad to death but I’m not going to say he was always the best husband.”

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Melissa Gorga Hosts An Evening At Euro Lounge

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Cheating Accusations: On 2013 RHONJ episodes, Melissa was accused of cheating on her husband Joe with ex-boyfriend Bryan “Bulldog” Bowen. Melissa thought her sister-in-law, Teresa Giudice, was spreading the rumors. Both Melissa and Joe have denied she ever cheated, with Joe defending her to Life & Style, “There’s a lot of lies and a lot of accusations…I love my wife.”

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Shoplifting: Melissa spilled lots of secrets in her book Love Italian Style, including that she had a brush with the law as a teenager. While out shopping with a friend, “I put on a $19 sweater at a store. Even though I had enough money to cover it in my wallet, I walked out with the sweater on.” A store employee caught Melissa. She appeared in court, but was only ordered to pay a fine.

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Christening Crisis: During the third RHONJ season, Melissa’s feud with her sister-in-law Teresa Giudice incited a riot after the christening for Gorga’s son. Melissa was furious when Teresa showed up late for the baptism. Later, the women shouted at each other at the christening party and Melissa’s husband Joe went berserk, resulting in an all-out brawl with various family men.

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Battle Of The Joes: In an epic physical fight, Teresa’s husband Joe Giudice demanded that Joe Gorga apologize for calling his sister “scum.” But instead, Gorga charged at Giudice, head-butting him and sending him to the ground during a 2013 RHONJ family healing retreat in Arizona. And their two wives also went berserk, with Melissa shouting at Teresa, “You are a disgusting pig!” Meanwhile, Joe Giudice complained to his wife, “He was grabbing and biting my n**s. Can you believe it?” They all later made up.

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Sister Versus Sister-in-Law: In one of their many conflicts, Melissa shouted at Teresa Giudice, “Don’t ever get in between my marriage!” after Teresa told Melissa’s husband, her brother Joe, that Melissa would leave him for a wealthier man.

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Melissa Gorga And Joe Gorga Beach Sighting – April 18, 2014

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga
Source: Getty

Strippergate: During the 2012 RHONJ season, Melissa was accused of having a stripper past, which the housewife staunchly denied. Melissa blamed her sister-in-law Teresa Giudice for helping to spread the rumor, but Kim DePaola finally admitted at the reunion show that she was behind the stripper slur.“Something happened in my business with Melissa. She promoted another business that had the same spelling as me and I was annoyed,” DePaola explained. “People at the salon said: ‘My friends owned a club and Melissa used to work there.’ Bingo! Listen, I’m a little revengeful….”

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey – Season 6

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Gorgas Vs. Giudices: The two RHONJ power couples and in-laws have been feuding for years, a fact Bravo has exploited to the hilt. Most of the trouble comes from Teresa Giudice resenting her sister-in-law Melissa for allegedly keeping her brother Joe Gorga from staying close to her.

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey – Season 6

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Holiday From Hell: While Joe and his sister Teresa made amends during season six of RHONJ, a source told RadarOnline.com Teresa was adamant that she wouldn’t spend the holidays with him or Melissa--even though Teresa was set to start her prison sentence in January 2015. “Truly, she can’t stand them, and wants no ‘last holiday’ memories to be made with them,” the source said.

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The Real Housewives of New Jersey – Season 6

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

TV Fakery: A sources told RadarOnline.com that the contentious 2013 fights between RHONJ cast mates and sister-in-laws Teresa Giudice and Melissa were dramatic, but still not juicy enough for producers. The source claimed that “production made the decision to change what they first cut and make sure the drama was edited in.”

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

I’ll Drink To That!: Melissa was accused of having worked as a stripper, and she denied it. However, it later came out her pre-Bravo past included working as a bartender in a gentleman’s club. Melissa confirmed that during college, she had tended bar at Lookers Gentleman's Club in Elizabeth, N.J., wearing, “a tank top, shorts and sneakers.”

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Celebrities Attend The New York Jets Vs Oakland Raiders Game

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Family Planning: In spite of their active sex life, happily married Joe and Melissa admitted they have a disagreement about children. On Watch What Happens Live, Melissa said she’s happy with their three kids, while Joe “would have five,” if he had his way. “In a second,” Joe told Andy Cohen. “I want one more daughter,” said the father of two boys and a girl. 

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Melissa Gorga Previews The Melissa Gorga Jewelry Collection For HSN

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Potty Trained: In one of her most cringe-worthy disclosures, Melissa claimed in her memoir, Love Italian Style, that she never lets her husband Joe know that she does a #2. She wrote, “Girls don’t poop. Me, never have. Never will. It just doesn’t happen. Or, that’s what Joe thinks! We’ve been married for nine years, and he has never once seen or smelled my business. How have I pulled this off? I don’t do it when he’s around or awake. In an emergency, I have my ways of pooping so he won’t hear, smell, or see. It’s a challenge.”

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“Goddess Night Out” Event Benefiting Project Lady Bug Hosted By Dina Manzo

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Salary Secret: In 2013, it was reported that Melissa earns a $300,000 per season for RHONJ.

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Melissa Gorga “Love Italian Style” Book Event

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Marriage Revelations: In her controversial book Love Italian Style, Melissa explained her insights into having a hot, happy marriage. She wrote that her marriage to Joe was rocky at the start because he expected certain things from her to feel respected -- and she balked at giving in to his demands. But later Melissa realized if she treated Joe like a king he would treat her like a queen. Feminists cried foul.

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Melissa Gorga Signs Copies Of “Love Italian Style: The Secrets of My Hot and Happy Marriage”

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Book Controversy: Melissa’s book Love Italian Style received scathing reviews. In 2013, Amazon.com revealed readers gave the book a rating of 2 stars or less. Also, critics charged that the memoir-cum-advice book tore down women and even advocated marital rape, as Melissa wrote, “Every girl wants to get her hair pulled once in a while. If your wife says ‘no,’ turn her around, and rip her clothes off.” Melissa claimed it was all taken out of context.

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Intouch Weekly’s “ICONS & IDOLS Party” – Arrivals

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Sex, Gorga Style: In their season three RHONJ introduction, Melissa and Joe revealed the Italian Stallion has a high sex drive. He talked about releasing the poison in his body by having sex with Melissa and said his penis is named Tarzan.

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2013 MTV Video Music Awards – Arrivals

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Plastic Surgery?: Melissa is one of the most beautiful Bravolebrities, but has she had help from the surgeon’s knife? According to her ex-boyfriend Bryan Bowen, Melissa got breast implants while they were dating. Bowen tweeted to one of his followers, “You wanna laugh I found out some guy paid 4 those while we were together lol she told me her mother paid I even took her 2 Drs.” Rumors have also run rampant about a nose job; Melissa has denied getting her nose fixed.

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Sizzle Tans Grand Opening

//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Who’s The Real Stripper?: While Melissa denied RHONJ rumors that she’d been a stripper, it turned out her husband Joe was the one who’d taken it off for cash! “You know what, I had a g-string. It looked like it was an elephant,” Joe said on the 2012 Bravo reunion show. Joe explained that he had stripped in college and made nearly $2,000 per week.

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Source: WENN

Car Chase: Joe was reportedly involved in a car chase near his New Jersey home in 2014 after he and wife Melissa allegedly became upset after discovering a reporter scoping out their home. A source claimed to Rumorfix that Joe “got in his car and proceeded to chase the reporter and attempt to chase him off the road.” No charges have been filed.

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//Melissa and Joe Gorga

Riches To Rags: When her father Anthony Marco passed away, Melissa revealed in her autobiography, she, her sisters and mother were left impoverished. “All of my father’s money was tied up in the properties that he had bought to develop,” she wrote in the book. “There was no life insurance. No college fund. Hardly any savings.” Marrying Joe Gorga and appearing on RHONJ has apparently changed all that!

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