Real Housewives of New Jersey’s famous exes, Dolores Catania and Frank Catania, have an unusual relationship. Many years after their divorce, the couple co-parented their two kids and always had each other’s back.
Frank once proclaimed that he was “Dolores’ soulmate.” It seemed like the two would be forever roomies, but times have changed.
Last season on RHONJ, Dolores broke up with her boyfriend, David Principe. Frank, who is still good friends with David, admitted that David “sucks as a boyfriend.”
Dolores found a new man, Paul “Paulie” Connell. In July, Paul had a heart procedure, and Dolores was by his side.
At the Season 12 reunion, Frank landed in hot water with Dolores when he compared Paul to the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear. Dolores was furious.
Frank claimed that Paul had a problem with him. “[But] quite honestly, Dolores seems to be keeping him away from me. I seem to be hitting some walls,” Frank stated. “Because I think he has a little bit of an issue with me.”
Frank confirmed to Page Six that his girlfriend, Brittany Mattessich, will appear on RHONJ this year. Brittany has been welcomed by both the cast and the Catania family.
Dolores and Frank’s daughter, Gabby Catania, is her father’s “harshest critic” when it comes to his romantic life. “Gabby says, ‘How do you not like Brittany? You can’t help but like Brittany!’ It’s not only my daughter; it’s the entire family,” Frank stated. “And Dolores, too!”
Brittany joined Frank for the interview and shared her feelings about being part of the Catania family. “Oh, I love it. You know, that’s all you ever want,” she stated.
Frank and Brittany were friends for 10 years before their relationship turned romantic three years ago. The duo has been in a serious relationship for “six to eight months.” They met when Frank trained Brittany for her fitness competitions. “Same thing like Teresa [Giudice] did when Frank helped her. I was doing the same thing — bikini,” Brittany said. The memory of an orange spray-tanned Teresa in her bikini is seared into my brain.
Frank previously had concerns about Brittany filming RHONJ, but those seem to have faded. “Brittany started to film this year,” he explained. Frank added that “everybody on the cast likes her. You can’t start with Brittany. You can’t argue with Brittany,” Frank remarked. “If you do, you look bad.”
He made it clear that he looks after his lady. “I try to block her from any controversy as well. I’ll interject before it gets anywhere,” Frank stated.
Bravo cameras were rolling when Dolores and Frank called a “family meeting” with their children, Paul and Brittany. I can’t wait to see that sit-down!
“Before me and Brittany were an item, she knew the relationship between Dolores and I. And she knew Dolores; she was around Dolores,” Frank commented. “And when we started dating, I gotta be honest with you, it was not a problem whatsoever.”
He continued, “Brittany came around, [and] it took her a little while just to get used to the semantics. And the more somebody hangs out with Dolores and I on a casual basis, you realize there’s nothing to worry about,” Frank said.
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“And that’s a little bit of a hurdle we have with Dolores’ new boyfriend, so we’re trying to get over that. We’re gettin’ there. We’re doing pretty good,” he added. Frank shared that he and Dolores and their significant others went on a double date.
While Frank and Paul’s relationship is “getting much, much better,” RHONJ fans will not see a bromance like Frank has with David. David and Frank even lived together for a while. “I mean, David’s one of my best friends,” Frank said. He admitted that his bond with David might be one of the “hurdles” in Frank’s dynamic with Paul. “Maybe a little bit it does [bother Connell.]” Frank just wants to “see Dolores happy.”
Brittany has to deal with RHONJ fans lusting after Frank. So, how does she handle it? “It’s a lot. I don’t know if many other girls could do it. But I think I do a good job,” Brittany remarked. “Right, babe?”
Frank concurred with Brittany. “Half the time, she’s the one taking the picture!” he said. “Brittany’s a very secure person. She’s got thin skin, but she’s very secure,” Frank added.
TELL US- ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING BRITTANY ON RHONJ? ARE YOU GOING TO WATCH SEASON 13?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]