Melissa Gorga Sheds New Light on Her Decade-Long Friendship with Phaedra Parks (EXCLUSIVE)
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
“We love a cameo, especially a Phaedra cameo,” Melissa told
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.”
A split of Melissa Gorga from The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 14 and Phaedra Park from The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 16.
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
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
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
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
Chicago P.D. Star Patrick John Flueger Takes Leave of Absence to Address Personal Matters
EXCLUSIVE: The Intelligence Unit of Chicago P.D.‘s 21st District will be down an officer for some time this season. Original cast member Patrick John Flueger is taking a leave of absence from the popular NBC police drama, where he plays Adam Ruzek, to deal with a personal matter, sources tell Deadline. He will return later in the season.
The temporary departure was unexpected, and scripts are being reworked to reflect Ruzek’s absence, we hear. According to sources, the time off comes as Flueger has been going through a difficult period personally, with an instance of alcohol use on set.
The Chicago franchise, produced by Universal Television in association with Wolf Entertainment, is known for accommodating its actors when they need a break for personal reasons. Chicago Fire star Taylor Kinney also took a leave of absence, returning to the firefighter drama 10 months later.
Since Chicago P.D.’s inception, Flueger’s Ruzek has been an integral part of the Intelligence Unit led by Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe). After years of an on-and-off relationship between Ruzek and Detective Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati), the couple tied the knot in front of their friends and family in the Season 12 finale. They share a daughter, Makayla, whom they adopted in Season 8. Ruzek also looks after his father, Disco Bob (Jack Coleman), who last season was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and is now living at a nursing home in Chicago.
In the current Season 13, the team is dealing with the fallout of Deputy Chief Charlie Reid (Shawn Hatosy), which Voight orchestrated. As the intelligence team gets back to business after they were cleared, Ruzek and Burgess are focused on their marriage and family, and treading lightly on the streets of Chicago.
