WHO: How are you going?
Melissa: I'm good, I'm getting ready for the new season to start which is pretty exciting.
WHO: We've been told new girls Jennifer Aydin and Jackie Goldschneider are joining the gang – what can we expect to see?
Melissa: I say both of them are so great for the show. They are polar opposites which are really funny because they bring their own little pizzazz to the show. They have such different opinions on everything which I think is great. They are super fun to watch and super exciting. It is hard to mesh with us in Jersey and they do a really good job.
WHO: What do you think sets you guys apart from the other Real Housewives?
Melissa: We are family so it is a little bit more intense and the feelings are stronger with family and it is just so real. That is why people come back to us because we are intense. I always say we love hard and we fight hard. We are intense people and they love it. It's real.
WHO: How's your father in law?
Melissa: He was recently back in the hospital not doing so great, but he is out now and he is doing a lot better thank god. he goes in and out but he is ok. he goes in for a little bit and they clear his pneumonia out and then he does better. He is a strong guy and he is always fighting.
WHO: How has the family been rallying around him?
Melissa: We are good. We are a family and when we have an argument, we are so used to the show... We don't get along 100 per cent of the time and that is normal in a family and we just have our conversations, talk it out and then we get back together. We don't hide it from the show because it is a part of our life and if we are having a true argument about what is happening in our family, we do it whether the cameras are there or not. That is what we do.
WHO: Can we expect a few more blowups between yourself and Teresa?
Melissa: Yeah, you are going to see us disagree on a couple of things this season!
WHO: It makes for great TV. We are told you run into trouble with your own dad, can you talk us through that?
Melissa: You are going to see me open up a little bit more this season about my own life at home growing up as a child and some things that come about naturally as we start filming this season. I can't say what they are but there are some things I find out about my father and I try to dig into it a bit more this season. My personal storyline gets pretty deep this season.
WHO: How are things with Joe?
Melissa: They are good. Joe is a crazy guy and he is always working but he is a lot of fun. He works hard and plays hard. Things are great. We are both crazy busy now and it can get difficult because we are so 'work, work, work work work'. We always find time for fun and family. He is the football coach for my boys and it is a good time of year because we go to the football games every weekend and spend time together doing that. he is great.
WHO: How do you juggle the business and family life? There is so much going on.
Melissa: It's not easy. I am constantly juggling and trying to figure out how I can do everything. I own a store, I have Envy, I have the TV show, my social media is a lot to keep up with. There is a lot going on with Bravo. I juggle it all and try to make it work. I am a very hands-on mum and I still like to make dinner for my kids and take them to school because I don't want to miss out on those years and regret it. I get tired at the end of the night and I drop by 9 pm. I am in the bed by then. I do what I have to do and I get up early and by 9-9:30pm I am basically passing out.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey, streaming November 8 on hayu and Foxtel, same day as the U.S.
