New Jersey Housewives' Dina: We Didn't Want "the Book" on the Show

USMagazine, Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 11:30am (PDT)

Dina Manzo and Teresa Giudice of The Real Housewives of New Jersey tell Usmagazine.com they didn't want "the book" that detailed Danielle Staub's crime-ridden past on the Bravo reality show.

On Tuesday's explosive finale, Danielle accused Dina of unearthing the damaging book Cop Without a Badge, which documents Danielle's past arrests for kidnapping, drug possession and extortion. "I had three weeks of diarrhea and vomiting because of you," Danielle told Dina. The episode ended with Teresa turning over a table and screaming expletives at Danielle.

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While "the book" stirred up drama and made for compelling reality television, Dina tells Us, "We felt it was a little too serious to be part of a lighthearted reality show."

"I would like to make it perfectly clear that we did not research the book, as my sister [Caroline Manzo] has said," she continued. "It was given to us, and we didn't even want it as a storyline on the show at all."

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"But Danielle chose to put it on the show for whatever reasons, and we need to respect that," she went on. "It's a book about her, and we did not research, nor did we spread it around. It was all Danielle's doing."

Added Teresa: "Watch the episode. Danielle brought [the book] to the show, not us."

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If the show is renewed for a second season, Dina said she wants to lessen the drama.

"They should show more about who we really are, rather than following a storyline," she said. "They should show how fun and crazy our family really is. We're a lot of fun and I think that's great TV, without the drama. I mean, we all have our drama in our family, but it's all hysterical. I think that's what people want to see."

Added Teresa, "We love laughing and goofing off and having a good time."