Harriett Blackmore from Love Island sends fans into a frenzy as she shares details about her "new lover" after breaking up with Ronnie Vint!

Melissa Gorga feared she was in over her head when she swapped out of her Franklin Lakes, New Jersey home into Michelle Clark’s East Point, Georgia home. So, 

The Real Housewives of New Jersey mom of three called up Atlanta peach Phaedra Parks to give her a hand implementing one of her new rules on Season 1, Episode 2 of Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition. 

“We love a cameo, especially a Phaedra cameo,” Melissa told The Daily Dish in an October interview while reflecting on the experience. “She’s like, ‘Girl! What is happening here?’”

It all started when Melissa realized that her temporary husband, Sean, was an extremely hands-on father who was with his young children around the clock. “He cooks, he cleans, he spends every minute with them. But to be honest, the guy needs a break,” Melissa said in the Oct. 28 episode. She decided to enforce a new rule: Sean gets alone time.

“I have something very important that I want to shop for. So, I am gonna take these three little ones shopping today,” Melissa explained. “Because you, sir, are so amazing, but you never get a break to just have a little independence. You can take a nap. Whatever floats your boat.”

As Melissa and the children stopped by a furniture store, Melissa let the kids in on a surprise. “I have a friend that’s going to meet me here. You wanna meet my friend?” she asked. She also confessed a second reason for the shopping excursion. She added, “I really wanna get the Clarks a dining room table. So I had to dial in a local friend in the area to help me figure that out.”

Phaedra was happy to meet Melissa and her “three babies in tow.”  She added in a confessional, “I’ve known Melissa for over a decade. She runs a tight ship. So, when I saw Melissa turn the corner with three young children, oh, give me a Xanax.”

The Real Housewives of Atlanta mom began to quiz Melissa on her experience, asking, “Have you been eating good food?” Melissa replied, “Um, they’re vegan.” Phaedra, who was shocked, answered, “Jesus. I can’t get enough meat in my life.”

Melissa also volunteered that her first night of the Wife Swap involved “juicing,” which also left Phaedra horrified. She commented, “Child, forget the juice, what about the gravy?”

As the ‘Wives shopped, Phaedra spotted a table that was “sort of interesting,” and Melissa declared, “Oh my god, they need that!”

“It’s so important to eat dinner together,” Melissa shared in her confessional interview. “Honestly, sometimes the only time I see my kids, now that they’re older, is at dinner. The Clarks are going to realize as their kids get older, how important this is, and that they need to get used to that now.”

Melissa Gorga explains why she asked Phaedra Parks for help on Wife Swap: Real Housewives Edition

Although Melissa and Phaedra have never been on a Bravo show together before now, they’ve both been part of the Bravoverse for a long time.

“I’ve known her for so many years, like a decade,” Melissa shared in her interview with The Daily Dish. She explained she asked Phaedra for help since she knew the Atlanta area better. “I loved being able to like be like, ‘Hey, come help me find some random store, pick out a table’ and, you know, so she brought me there.”

Phaedra, who has also appeared on Married to Medicine and Season 2 of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, shared how friendly she finds the Bravoverse.

“I mean, I’ve made friends with some people I just adore,” she said on Season 10, Episode 2 of 

Married to Med, and later added, “Bravo definitely has a way of connecting people and forging relationships that will be lifetime relationships. You grow to love these women.”

Melissa and Phaedra have also found time outside of television to hang out. The two posed for a picture together at an event celebrating The Points Guy in January 2025 in New York City. They were joined by 

RHONJ’s Margaret Josephs, Dolores Catania, and The Real Housewives of New York City alum Dorinda Medley.

Melissa Gorga reveals her favorite moment from Phaedra Parks' Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition cameo

One moment stood out to Melissa as the “best” part of Phaedra’s appearance on the Oct. 28 episode: her “swap” daughter Phoenix’s reaction to seeing Phaedra for the first time.

“Phaedra looks like Elsa,” Phoenix declared, describing the Frozen princess. “She has blonde hair too. And I wear makeup too! Like the Housewives.”

Melissa loved the interaction, telling The Daily Dish

, “I was like, ‘Oh my god!’ It was so cute the way she said that."

She continued, “But Phaedra is the best. She's good to bring in like a little humor to everything, you know, and just to like hear her perspective.”

ICYMI, Melissa also revealed in an exclusive interview that her daughter Antonia has a boyfriend.

-Additional reporting by Erik McIntyre 

Continue reading