Teresa Giudice Denies Bashing Caroline Manzo in Coookbook

USMagazine, Monday, October 10, 2011, 8:12am (PDT)

Teresa Giudice's new cookbook Fabulicious! ruffled more than a few feathers on Sunday's season finale of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

In the introduction, Giudice, 39, writes that her costar Caroline Manzo, 50, "is as Italian as the Olive Garden." She adds that she is a "huge fan of Caroline Manzo, even if she is only one-sixteenth Italian, or whatever she is."

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Though Manzo was initially shocked by Giudice's tiny barbs, the no-nonsense matriarch was more offended that her costar would criticize her son Chris' business endeavors.

Giudice, of course, claims her comments were all written in jest. "My cookbooks are not 'bashing books,'" she writes on her official website. "They're fun and funny and unique...like me."

"If I meant any harm, I wouldn't have put a big, beautiful picture of her in there," she adds. "You don't see any of Danielle Staub or Kim G. in there, do you?"

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The cookbook author says she's made similar cracks about Manzo on The Rachael Ray Show, and her "millions of compliments to the Manzos in the book make it very, very clear I was kidding."

The real reason Manzo is upset, Giudice surmises, is because she's jealous of her success.

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"I remember when I was writing my very first book proposal, Caroline was also trying to sell her own cookbook. Caroline told me I was doing it wrong, that I wasn't smart enough, that I didn't have the right agent, the right co-writer, the right anything," Giudice explains. "I took her criticism like I always do, with a smile, and did what I wanted to anyway. And my book got picked up. Caroline's didn't. Not one publisher wanted it. I don't know why. I wish everyone success in all they do, but I can't help it hers didn't get published."

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The Bravo star adds that she did eventually apologize to Manzo for hurting her feelings. "Heck, I'll throw in an apology to Danielle right now for naming a Puttanesca sauce in Skinny Italian after her," Giudices adds. "I'm sorry though, I can't apologize to Kim G. for anything because it's against my religion to worship the devil."

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