Melissa Gorga Explained

Melissa Gorga
Birth Name:Melissa Karen Marco
Birth Date:21 March 1979
Birth Place:Toms River, New Jersey, U.S.
Relatives:Teresa Giudice (sister-in-law)
Education:New Jersey City University (BA)
Years Active:2011–present
Children:3

Melissa Ann Gorga (née Marco; born March 21, 1979)[1] is an American television personality. Melissa is a main cast member on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, joining the show in its third season in 2011.

Early life

Gorga was born on March 21, 1979. She is of full Italian descent and grew up in Toms River, New Jersey.[2] [3] She attended New Jersey City University and lived in Bayonne, New Jersey, while in college.

Career

Gorga joined Bravo's reality television series The Real Housewives of New Jersey as a main cast member in 2011.[4] [5] [6] [7] In 2011, she appeared on the magazine cover of the August issue of Boardwalk Journal.[8] She has also appeared in pictorials for Paper[9] and Us Weekly.[10]

She pursued a music career. Her single "On Display" was released on iTunes on August 13, 2011.[11] Other singles were previewed on several season-four episodes, and Gorga issued a four-song EP. As of July 5, 2012, she has released two additional singles on iTunes: "How Many Times", released April 29, 2012,[12] and "Rockstar", released June 10, 2012.[13] Her fourth single, "I Just Wanna", was released September 2012. Written by and featuring hip hop singer Santino Noir,[14] it was accompanied by a music video.[15] In January 2016, Gorga told E! News she wouldn't be continuing her music career, but expressed interest to returning to music in the future.[16]

Her book titled "Love, Italian Style: The Secret of My Hot and Happy Marriage" was published by St. Martin's Griffin in 2013.[17] [18] [19] In 2014, Gorga introduced a jewelry line on HSN.[3] [20] In late 2015, she opened a clothing boutique called Envy by Melissa Gorga in Montclair, New Jersey, in premises built by her husband, Joe.[21] In January 2017, the store was temporarily closed due to a dispute with her business partner, Jackie Beard Robinson;[22] [23] it re-opened later that month.[24] In December 2017, Robinson sued Gorga, alleging Gorga falsely accused Robinson of stealing merchandise from Envy.

In May 2017, the Gorgas opened a restaurant in East Hanover, New Jersey with Teresa Giudice named Gorga's Homemade Pasta and Pizza.[25] [26] In January 2018, the restaurant closed in search of larger space and new management.[27] [28]

Gorga starred in The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, a spin-off featuring various women from The Real Housewives franchise that premiered on Peacock in November 2021.[29] [30]

In December 2021, Gorga launched her own interview and lifestyle podcast with PodcastOne titled "On Display"[31] named after her first single.

Personal life

She is married to Giuseppe "Joe" Gorga, who also appears on The Real Housewives of New Jersey and is the brother of cast member Teresa Giudice. The Gorgas have 3 children: Antonia (b. 2005), Giacinto "Gino" (b. 2007), and Giuseppe "Joey" (born 2010). and reside in Montville, New Jersey.[32]

Filmography

Film and television roles
Year Title Role Notes
2011–present The Real Housewives of New JerseyHerself Series regular; 151 episodes
2012–24 Watch What Happens Live!Guest; 17 episodes
2015 Teresa Checks In3 episodes
2015 Manzo'd with ChildrenEpisode: "Do You Take, the Manzo Family?"
2018 Lip Sync BattleEpisode: "Ramona Singer vs. Melissa Gorga"
2019The Real Housewives of AtlantaEpisode: "The Float Goes On"
2020The Real Housewives of New York CityEpisode: “Not So Model Behavior”
2021The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls TripSeason 1; 7 episodes

Discography

Title! scope="col" style="width:1em;"
Year
"On Display"2011
"How Many Times"2012
"Rockstar"2012
"I Just Wanna"
2012
"Never Let Me Go"2013
Work Done | Fiber One (featuring: Melissa Gorga, Porsha Williams, Sonja Morgan)2019

Published works

Notes and References

  1. News: Two new members join the cast of 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' . The Record. . May 15, 2011. February 8, 2016. Virginia. Rohan. The former Melissa Marco, 32, grew up in a "100 percent Italian" family in Toms River.... May 11, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150511120303/http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/two-new-families-bring-more-humor-to-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-1.522831?page=all . live.
  2. D'Onofrio, Mike. "Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga visits Liberty Science Center", The Jersey Journal, December 13, 2014. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Gorga grew up in Toms River. While attending New Jersey City University, where she graduated from on 2003, she lived in Bayonne."
  3. Web site: Melissa Gorga . Bravo TV. November 14, 2019.
  4. News: Real Housewives of New Jersey Returns – with New Ladies!. People. April 13, 2011. May 12, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150912045047/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20481566,00.html. September 12, 2015.
  5. Web site: Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" Heads to the Shore in Season Four Premiering April 22 at 10PM ET/PT. The Futon Critic. July 7, 2013. March 22, 2012.
  6. Web site: Takeda. Allison. See The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Cast Picture From Season Five. Us Weekly. April 3, 2013. May 12, 2015.
  7. Web site: 'Real Housewives Of New Jersey' Renewed; Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga & Jacqueline Laurita To Return . . Denise. Petski. February 8, 2016. February 8, 2016.
  8. Web site: New Jersey Housewife Teresa Giudice Takes a Swipe at The Boardwalk Journal. Says. Phyllis Volpe. September 2, 2012. The Boardwalk Journal Magazine: Atlantic County's Best Source for News, Media and Advertising. en. January 4, 2020.
  9. Web site: Talking Fashion With Teresa Giudice & Melissa Gorga From Real Housewives of NJ. October 27, 2016. PAPER. en. January 4, 2020.
  10. Web site: RHONJ's Teresa and Melissa Show Off Curves in Iconic 'Baywatch' Suits. May 26, 2016. Us Weekly. en-US. January 4, 2020.
  11. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/on-display-single/id456290648 "On Display"
  12. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/how-many-times-single/id522896232 "How Many Times"
  13. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rockstar-single/id534600812 "Rockstar"
  14. Web site: Santino Noir's website . March 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130224035012/http://www.santinonoir.com/ . February 24, 2013 . dead .
  15. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-just-wanna-feat.-santino/id559563851 "I Just Wanna"
  16. Web site: Melissa Gorga Reveals Why She Named Her New Store Envy—Get the Scoop. E! News. Lily. Harrison. January 14, 2016. November 20, 2016.
  17. Web site: Melissa Gorga Cannot Believe People Think She Promotes Marital Rape. September 28, 2013. HuffPost. en. December 15, 2019.
  18. Web site: Melissa Gorga's Controversial Book, Love Italian Style: How's It Doing In Sales?. Gajewski. Ryan. October 8, 2013. Wetpaint. en-US. December 15, 2019.
  19. Web site: Melissa Gorga Says Critics Are Taking Her New Book "Out Of Context". Switcher. John. September 30, 2013. Cosmopolitan. en-US. December 15, 2019.
  20. Web site: Melissa Gorga to Debut Jewelry Line on HSN. Tanenbaum. Sharon. April 23, 2014. Us Weekly. August 4, 2014.
  21. Web site: Melissa Gorga Put Joe Gorga to Work on Her New Boutique: "I Had a Vision". December 11, 2015. August 1, 2016.
  22. Web site: RHONJ's Melissa Gorga Temporarily Closes Her Boutique Following 'Difference of Opinion' with Business Partner. People. Natalie. Stone. January 5, 2017. January 5, 2017.
  23. Web site: Here's Why Real Housewives of New Jersey's Melissa Gorga Temporarily Closed Envy Boutique. E! News. Mike. Vulpo. January 3, 2017. January 5, 2017.
  24. Web site: Melissa Gorga boutique to reopen Saturday. NorthJersey.com. Joan. Veron. January 24, 2017. January 24, 2017.
  25. Web site: 'We're Back Together'! Teresa Giudice, Melissa and Joe Gorga Just Opened Up a Restaurant. People. Shay. Spence. May 19, 2017. May 19, 2017.
  26. Web site: 'Real Housewives' stroll the red carpet at restaurant's grand opening. NJ.com. Rob. Jennings. May 19, 2017. May 19, 2017.
  27. Web site: Teresa Giudice and Joe Gorga's N.J. Restaurant to Close After Being Open Less Than a Year. People. Karen. Mizoguchi. January 6, 2018. January 9, 2018.
  28. Web site: Joe Gorga and Teresa Giudice's New Jersey Restaurant Is Closing Less Than a Year After Opening. US Weekly. Leanne. Aciz Stanton. January 6, 2018. January 9, 2018.
  29. Web site: The Real Housewives Are Planning the Ultimate Series on Peacock. Bravo. Jocelyn. Vena. April 26, 2021. May 1, 2021.
  30. Web site: Ramona Singer, Teresa Giudice, More Real Housewives Stars Confirmed to Appear in All-Stars Spinoff. People. Jodi. Gugelimi. Benjamin. VanHoose. April 26, 2021. May 1, 2021.
  31. Web site: Love, Trust…and Lie Detectors (With Joe Gorga) | Melissa Gorga on Display (Episode 1) . . December 20, 2021 .
  32. Stiansen, Laura Adams. "Jersey Girl; Franklin Lakes Real Housewife Melissa Gorga shines in the spotlight", (201) magazine, November 2013. Accessed May 11, 2016.