Jenn Fessler did her very least this season on Real Housewives of New Jersey. She wanted nothing to do with her costar’s messes. Therefore, Jenn refused to let others tell her who to be a soldier for. She also refused to sit through scenes that caused her stress, like the finale dinner at Rails. But also, drama is the whole point of being a reality television star, so did Jenn shoot herself in the foot by disengaging, and if so, should she get another season to try and better live up to her Messy Fessy nickname?
I’m on the fence. But I will admit, Jenn makes me laugh.
Jenn’s flight response during Episode 3 stunk
During Season 14, Episode 3, Jenn’s newly formed friendship with Teresa Giudice started bumming some of her costars out. At the shore, Margaret Josephs questioned Jenn on this. In response, Jen explained that she wanted to be a good friend to everyone, no matter what. Her statement landed poorly, as several of her costars began questioning her moves.
Margaret pointed out that Jenn has spoken poorly about Tre’s man, Luis Ruleas. So Jenn’s switch-up move feels odd. Marge then leaned over to Rachel Fuda, telling Rachel how p*ssed off she was at Jenn’s gameplay on RHONJ.
Unable to win, Jenn stood up and left Joe Gorga’s party early. While wanting to exit a toxic situation makes sense, Jenn is starring in a reality television series. Therefore, she has to endure a certain level of discomfort, as an early exit shuts down any further narratives for scenes like this one. If Jenn returns to RHONJ, hopefully, she will arrive wearing comfortable pants because I need her to stay seated for several additional beats.
Her convictions, however, are solid for RHONJ
That said, Jenn did get a few good lines in before she jumped ship in Episode 3. Turning to a very heated Margaret, Jenn sternly asked, “You thought I was going to sit down with Teresa and say to her, ‘You know what? I think that your husband is disgusting?'”
Margaret answered no, but Jenn had more to say. “You realize that I am not going to do that? I ain’t your soldier,” Jenn argued. Margaret paused as Rachel jumped in to speak for her tongue-tied friend.
Jenn shut Rachel down as well. “I will handle my sh*t my way,” Jenn answered. Jenn then turned to both women and quipped, “I got you. But I ain’t gonna be you.”
Instead, Jenn chose to stand by her convictions. I have to admit, that’s a Real Housewives move right there. More of this, Jenn, should you get the chance to return to RHONJ.
Jenn is also hysterical, and RHONJ needs humor
When Jenn does choose to engage, her dry humor and relatable antics are gold. Especially when she first arrived on the scene back in Season 13. While the ladies fought, Jenn shoved large quantities of fresh mozzarella into her mouth, saying, “I’m not letting homemade mozzarella go to waste.” After trying to calm her angry costars once and promptly failing, Jenn gave up and laughably returned to the cheese, like a woman after my own heart.
During Season 14, Jenn dismissed Rachel and Margaret’s frustrations by labeling their cares as “baby bullshit.” Several episodes later, Marge poured Jenn a glass of her “good red.” Jenn sipped it and immediately made fun of how nasty it was, causing Marge to chuckle and shake her head in good fun. Jenn’s little moments help bring a sense of much-needed levity to RHONJ, and if she returns for the reboot, hopefully, she arrives carrying even more sass.
But Jenn avoided the drama once more by skipping Teresa’s summit
Season 14 was all about Jenn finding her voice and her people. In Season 13, she was very close to Margaret. Yet, Season 14 saw these ladies at odds because Jenn tried forging a friendship with Teresa.
This season, Teresa held an informational summit at her house with her lawyer. She wanted to help paint her color-by-number picture of Margaret’s involvement with Luis’ ex. Teresa invited Jenn, and Jenn accepted her invitation. Afterward, Jenn and Marge shared a heart-to-heart talk about this event, causing Jenn to change her mind on her RSVP response.
Jenn isn’t a soldier for anyone, yet one little chat with Margaret saw Jenn changing her mind. If Jenn wants to return to RHONJ, she needs to stand firmly in her decisions. She cannot let another’s opinion(s) sway her antics, even if this causes drama, because HELLO, reality television IS drama.
Jenn also dipped out early from the chaos that was the Season 14 Finale
Jenn is rapidly becoming the queen of the early exit. After Jenn and Dolores Catania organized a whole-cast sit-down, their cast’s conversations veered towards the dark side. As if on cue, Jenn stood up, saying, “I can’t mediate this.” Jenn’s retreating backside marked her final scene of Season 14.
So there you have it. Jenn is a great “friend.” However, Bravo is taking the Real Housewives of New Jersey series in a new direction. If they bring Jenn back, she might need to step her game up, as early leavers can never be seasons-long leaders.
Real Housewives of New Jersey can be streamed on Peacock.
TELL US – WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE JENNIFER FESSLER BACK ON REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY? CAN JENN STEP THINGS UP IF ASKED BACK IN A FULL-TIME CAPACITY?
