Ex ‘RHONJ’ Star Jim Marchese Won’t Pay For Son’s College Because He’s Gay, Teen Says
Jun. 26 2019, Updated 7:24 p.m. ET
Amber Marchese’s husband Jim has come under fire for homophobic social media comments in the past. The former Real Housewives of New Jersey husband is now being accused of refusing to pay for his son’s college education because he's gay.
James Marchese, who goes by Michael, started a GoFundMe page to help pay for his freshman year college tuition at Fairfield University. James and his brother Sebastian are Jim’s children from a previous marriage.
“At the beginning of 2018, my father ‘found out’ I was gay,” the GoFundMe description read. “This began two weeks of mental abuse that led to me being removed from his home when I told my Mom (her and my father are divorced) and went to court with her. Since this time, my father has been slowly cutting ties with me until I ‘live according to his standards.’ Essentially, this meant - and still means - that I have to be ‘straight’ and date women while ‘admitting’ that I chose to be gay so that I could get something out of it from my mother.”
He claimed his father refuses to help pay for his tuition unless he “follows his preferred life-style to be good enough to receive any financial assistance with school.”
Despite getting assistance through scholarships and work, he has still fallen short of being able to pay for college. He has been unable to get a co-signer for his student loans. His mother has taken on full financial responsibility for him and his brother.
So far, he has raised $6,340 out of his $35,000 goal.
According to Instinct Magazine, who broke the story, James' stepmother found gay-related material on his brother’s phone, which led to the both of them to come out to Jim and Amber.
James, who appeared on the Bravo show, said he would still like to have a relationship with his father regardless of his views.
But Jim, 50, who shares two younger children with Amber, claimed exclusively to RadarOnline.com that refusing to pay for his son’s college education has nothing to do with his sexuality and that he is “not against the lifestyle.”
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“The school is an utter waste of money,” he said. “I offered to pay for part of Rutgers or another state school. I have three other children. No way that school is worth it. He wants a private school. He doesn’t want to go to a state school.”
Jim continued, “He was not cut off. He made the decision to move in with his mom. He’s nearly 20 years old. He can live wherever he wants.”
He admitted he has “no relationship” with James or his younger son Sebastian.
"Despite his comment that he wants a relationship, he’s done everything to block that relationship,” he claimed.
James has not responded to RadarOnline.com's request for comment regarding his father's remarks.
In December 2018, Jim went on a homophobic rant days after Kevin Hart lost his Oscars hosting gig because of controversial comments.
“For those pushing #LGTBIQ agenda show me a single credible study which links genetics," he wrote. "Being gay is a physical act derived in sexual deviance by definition. No one is born gay it is a lifestyle choice like being vegan. Get over it. You are."
Another tweeted read, “So true NO STRAIGHT MALE wants his son to be gay. A gay son is a curse that takes away your #family traditions #heritage #lgtbiq is a parents nightmare that destroys families. Ruins holidays like #Christmas #KevinHart we support you! #LiberalismIsAMentalDisorder.”
He recently tweeted on June 23, “Disagree... @Disney #ToysStory4 is doing poorly because parents are done with companies pushing #LGTBQ bullshit agenda on our #Children fact is Disney is one of worst pushing this garbage. Kid movies should be just that movies with content for children. #family #heritage.”