#which is TOTAL BULLSHIT because she skates around people all the fucking time and films herself skating and posts it online and tells me sto

[stellatex]

Nine Questions I Need Teresa Giudice to Answer: Updated

Originally published February 15, 2016 I actually gave up Bravo for Lent, but I've already floundered on day one by continuing to watch, think about, and write about this bullshit. Sunk costs and all that.

So, here is my updated scorecard on the nine questions I needed Teresa to answer if she expected the viewing public to continue watching and supporting her.

1. You said in your statement to the judge during sentencing that you “fully take responsibility” for your actions. You said, “It’s time for me to wake up… I will make this right no matter what it takes.” Why, immediately afterward, in your interview on Watch What Happens Live, did you backtrack and try to deflect blame to your husband while insisting things were just put before you to sign?

In my opinion, she's doing this because she's being coached, either by her lawyer or a new PR team, or both, probably because they mistakenly believe that painting Teresa as some kind of innocent bedazzled Madonna will allow her to keep the Bravo Sunday gravy train chugging along. It's also possible that Teresa's advisors, friends, and various hangers-on, whoever they may be, are telling her how faaaaabulous she is--that's it's obvious she's the wronged party, and that she's so very strong and inspiring, etc., etc.--because they know who butters their bread, and, if history is any guide, Teresa has a habit of cutting out anyone who questions her lies and self deception (as we've seen both on the show and in the news reports about how she fired her publicist, her lawyers, and her co-writer). It's obvious that there are still a few small-time Jersey famewhores buzzing around Teresa in the mistaken belief that she is a queen bee. Typical celebrity yes-men and con-men. We've seen this over and over with celebrities, and it never turns out well, though a lot of people may make a lot of money in the short-term, and get some of that reflected spotlight that they so obviously crave. Regardless, like I said in my original post, if Teresa thinks she can just skate out of federal prison as a sinewy, chilled-out felon and continue to stonewall and deny and refuse to acknowledge any criminal culpability whatsoever, she has severely misjudged the nature of her dubious fame. But more on that in a moment.

Regardless, all of the interviewers asked her a fairly direct version of the question above; shockingly, Andy Cohen pushed it the hardest, asking point-blank, "What did you do? Can you tell us what you did?" And still she played dumb, owning up to merely "signing some papers." Girlfriend, we can all read the indictment. If you're so innocent, why didn't you take your case to trial? You admitted in the process of accepting a plea deal that you were guilty. Accepting a plea deal necessitates that you not only agree to pleading guilty, but that you are fully cognizant of what you are pleading to and that you understand the consequences. We all know what you did, Teresa.

2. You claim to be “business savvy,” telling your husband on an episode of RHONJ, “Like, you know, that’s what I do now. I’m a businesswoman, so I’m thinking business.” You’ve touted your online businesses, your Fabellini drink line, your Milania hair care line, your success as a “New York Time [sic] best-selling author.” So how is it that you are also simultaneously claiming to be a clueless housewife who knows nothing of her own finances, including the assets from said businesses that you tried to hide during both your fraudulent bankruptcy and your sentencing?

See above. This is bullshit.

3. If you are blaming your husband Joe for your ten-plus-years of financial fraud and the year you spent unjustly incarcerated in a federal prison, why are you still with him?

"Because I know he would never do anything to hurt me. He didn't mean to."

Uh, okay. That is also bullshit. Just transparently, obviously, self evidently, undeniably, total bullshit.

4. What would you say to the creditors, banks, and, most importantly, small business owners of New Jersey whom you and your husband fleeced to the tune of millions of dollars? Do you feel any obligation to repay these debts?

Still waiting on someone, anyone, to ask her this obvious follow-up question.

Furthermore, Teresa: I don't want to hear anything else about how this is all Joe's fault, or your brother Joe Gorga's fault, or your sister-in-law Melissa's fault, or your cousin Kathy's fault, or your accountants' fault, or your bankers' fault, or your attorneys' fault. It's not. It's 100% your fault. You're the one who committed the crimes. You're the one who went on national television flaunting thousands of dollars of cash purchases despite the fact that neither you nor your uneducated, clueless husband could possibly ever earn that much money legitimately. And, most importantly, you're the one who cravenly filed for bankruptcy to the tune of $13+ million dollars when you could no longer prop up your charade of nouveau riche consumerism for America's most satanic cable network. You're the one who stole from banks and fleeced businesses. You're a thief, a liar, and, now, a felon.

5. Explain this.

Everybody asked her about this, but instead of answering, she just blamed Joe, who leased it for her (another obvious lie; how did the bankrupt, apparently unemployed felon, who currently has a lien on his house to the tune of half a million dollars, get a lease?). She even blamed Lexus for putting a big red bow on top--which she claims they did because they knew it would be good publicity for Lexus! Uh, okay. I'm sure Lexus wants their brand to be associated with tacky low-life Jersey felons. Sure. Yep. Nobody asked her, "Why not a cheaper car, though?"

6. Why are you and your husband suing your bankruptcy attorney? Furthermore, do you not realize that, in doing so, you will be giving up your attorney-client privilege and opening yourselves up to a new investigation of your finances during the discovery process?

Nobody has asked her this. I am sure she's just say she can't talk about it. But I wonder if these questions have even occurred to her tiny, pisello brain.

7. What are you going to do when Joe is deported?

She demurs on this one, too, probably because--as Vicki Hyman points out--she doesn't want to jeopardize the incredibly small chance Joe has of not being deported per federal guidelines by admitting that she would move to Italy with him.

8. You talk constantly about your love, love, love for your four beautiful dorters. Why did you put them in this position?

I don't think anyone has really asked her this recently, but she is still selling the story that none of the dorters but Gia know what's going on. Which is obviously ridiculous.

And remember how she previously whined on-camera about how haaaaard all of this financial mess (i.e. her multiple felonies) has been on her four beautiful dorters, who don't even have a college fund!

So, you were busy stealing $13+ million dollars, and earning tens of thousands per episode appearing on Bravo, and earning more selling tabloid stories and writing multiple "New York Time bestseller [sic]" books, and buying all those designer clothes and bags and luxury cars, and creating that hideous redone home, and yet you didn't put any of the money aside for your kids? Honey, that's not on anyone but you. And you've made it abundantly clear from your actions that you do not give a single shit about the well-being of your girls. So shut the fuck up with the martyred mother pity party. America ain't buying it.

9. Why should viewers overlook your felonious criminal past and continue to support you by watching RHONJ or buying your books or products?

??????

This is the question.

I, for one, am not.It was clear from five minutes into Teresa's comeback tour that she hasn't changed one whit.

As a fan of the show from the first notes of the opening credits of the first episode, I was shocked when Teresa was sentenced. I had followed the news all day, waiting... waiting... waiting... for the verdicts to come down. And, much like her famewhore family members who allowed their reaction to be filmed (or recreated...) for RHONJ, I was utterly gobsmacked. This zany, silly, thoroughly unserious woman, whom we had all watched for years, was in fact "going away" to prison--and for a not-insignificant amount of time. In that moment, everything changed. This was really real. And I couldn't help thinking about the shock Teresa herself must've felt. She was clearly still in shock when she and Joe sat down for a WWHL special with Andy less than 24 hours after their sentencing.

But it was also kind of cathartic. It was obvious to everyone that the Giudices were Up To Something--from the first episode with the wads of cash and carefree spending. Having followed the case closely and read the indictments, I was not surprised--not really. Even as someone who had a love/hate relationship with the Bravo character called "Tre," it was an awful thing to witness--but it seemed just. And there was a sliver of hope there... that maybe Teresa would, finally, be forced to her own personal reckoning. Maybe, just maybe, all that time away from her children and the onyx manse and the cameras might give Teresa's limited mind the space it needed to feel a small glimmer of shame. That maybe the dawning light of that shame would lead to some actual introspection. She even used the vanity vehicle of "Teresa Checks In" (which I maintain should've been called "Teresa Goes Away") to brag about how much praying she was doing in there. I think many of us more savvy viewers were really hoping she was experiencing genuine remorse.

But nope.

The truly staggering thing to me about all of this is that even eleven months in federal prison wasn't enough to lead to any moral progress at all for this self-obsessed, brain-dead, glitter-bombed Portrait of Dorian Gray.

She will never change.

She is irredeemable.

Her story is over.

There is nothing new to see here. Watching the continuing cautionary tale that is Teresa Giudice is not only a waste of time and potentially personally morally corrosive, but--even worse--it's boring.

And the cherry top? Her blithe, casual endorsement of the candidacy of Donald Trump. I wasn't expecting that--though I probably should've--and it is so much more perfect than either of them could ever realize.

Both of them think they're famous; but, in reality, they're only infamous.

#RHONJ

[violetsystems]

#personal

These days I can’t leave my house too late on a Friday night.  If I do I always end up having an escort.   Some kid from the neighborhood in a spider-man hoodie watching my back.  Mostly to the gas station and back.  People keep close tabs on me regardless.  More so these days than ever.  These days are admittedly kind of weird and confusing for everybody.  I was reading about the outcome of the Mueller investigation and it is plausible there was no collusion.  We’ll never know really.  But ultimately, Trump isn’t a person who particularly cares all that much about America.  He represents something very real that gurgles and spurts out of swamps and cesspools.  He and his followers unabashedly admit it.  Some people even seem to have grown to accept the turbulence.  Others like myself have realized the other glaringly obvious fact.  These people aren’t particularly smart.  The Bannon article in Vogue taught me one other thing.  When confronted and put on the spot, most of these people would rather feign ignorance and run away.  They’re slippery like that.  But ultimately they are guided and fueled by finite resources and unsustainable behaviors on the world stage.  And the obvious churn of the global economy has something to answer to for our bad leadership no doubt.  Some might argue this was all very necessary.  To demean and attack women.  To promote xenophobia and stoke division.  About the only two people I really pay attention to in politics are Ilhan and AOC.  There are often times I disagree but feel engaged in a common dialogue.  I see women in power representing very diverse views on a world stage.  Everyone is watching us.  I was reading about Iran’s “resistance” to current trends in American politics.  I took to the tone of it very immediately.  It felt measured.  I’ve been thinking about Iran a lot in terms of cinema.  Cinema has always been the most honest eye into culture for me.  Chan Wook Park and Bong Joon Ho were the first people to introduce me to Korea cinema.  I learned the basics of a language completely alien to me through their aid.  In China exactly one province over from my favorite city in the universe, Jia Zhangke’s “The Platform” introduced me to forbidden cinema.  His films were banned.  He was a breakdancer at some point I’ve read.  Banned films are always sort of an oddity.  In America, it seems we are only attracted to the most shocking of things.  Nuances and tenderness are always lost in a sea of words.  Although Mandy was pretty fucking good for the record.

I watched the first part of into the spider-verse on the couch last week.  I needed to be in the right state of mind to finish it.  Truthfully, a lot of things have been asked of me over the course of I don’t know how long.  Here it’s been a running record.  A tally for the right people to understand where I’m coming from.  And largely it’s been the only place these days where I feel like I have a voice.  Voting aside.  I started reading the Auge book on the super modern and non-spaces.  Whereas years ago, tribes of people were more focused on creating TAZ’s (temporary autonomous zones) Auge says solitude has evolved into an important archeological fact.  I’ve been alone for a really long time.  It’s a dull ache at times and other times it’s directly in my face.  The reality of it all.  For better or for worse.  It’s all backwards at this point.  I’ve been thinking a lot about fog of war.  People seem to think I act in tandem with some group.  Like I’m some sort of movement.  People exaggerate and project their fears all too often.  All too often we react.  Give up valuable information.  One of the most amazing talents to me about models on the runaway is their ability to visually display a sort of poetry of form.  That there is no real differentiation between the outfit and the wearer.  There’s a performance in that.  One displayed most eloquently between a collaboration by Merce Cunningham and Rei Kawakubo.  An intersect of movement, design and the celebration of the human form.  Becoming something else or becoming more at peace with the moment.  Fashion and grace are linked together in our minds.  Men’s street wear notwithstanding.  Undercover introduced me to Nike through their running gear years ago.  Before that Jun’s aesthetic spoke to me as a sort of disruption.  A return to punk but not in the burn all your record collection and start up a label.  I bought this sweatshirt in the madstore once in parco that said “we make noise not clothes.”  Ironically years later, nobody remembers a thing I did musically.  A friend from Korea in town only jogged my memory about a show I did for Seoul Community Radio.  I remember recording it before they ever set up the video stream.  They were friends of some people from Cakeshop.  I had visited Seoul a total of fourteen times.  Next week will be my third trip to New York this year.  The streets are a runway out there.  And the streets are always watching.  And somehow I seem to remain free to roam about the cabin.  Effortlessly draped in the same old shit with maybe a bagel from Katz and a trip to the Rick Owens showroom on a whim.

I’ve been running to podcasts a lot more lately.  The last one I did was a five mile.  At the end, the coach asks you to run for someone who really inspires you.  It’s at the end of the fourth mile.  It hurts.  You push through and you think of that person.  The other day I was skating near the train yards.  Somebody ran right through.  Kept pushing through unfamiliar terrain.  Me deadass in their face with not much patience left in the world.  And somehow I know when it’s ok and when it’s complete bullshit.  Because I care enough to pay attention.  If America in this cycle of politics teaches anyone anything, people will say anything to get elected.  People make promises to everyone.  But people always end up watching from behind the scenes.  And you can’t hide anywhere.  I guess the real question is what are you actually hiding from?  The old “what is it where is it how will it affect me?”  The first question people want to know is “why should I care?”  Sell me on this empathy thing.  You have thirty seconds.  Shoot.  Nobody has the luxury of time.  Nobody seems to have an endgame.  Nobody talks to each other and everybody is afraid.  Which is why people need inspiration sometimes.  Being a hero is something I read all too much about.  I grew up on comics.  It was only maybe last April that my dad sent me home with my entire collection.  I think they were getting ready to sell that house.  Either way I’ve spent a lot of my time revisiting and reorganizing the things I’ve been inspired by over the years.  They always come back to haunt me.  These days I can’t shake the things that inspire me.  There’s too much love there.  It seems to affect things around me lately.  For awhile I think people couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t react.  Why I was so secretive.  Why I said things without really saying them.  Why I choose my words wisely.  Why I focused so intently on the things that meant so much to me without even questioning.  I questioned a lot of myself in my back room for months.  What it was that I was doing.  The truth was I was sharing power.  Because I care about the future of America.  The only person I colluded with was someone I love very dearly.  Because I care about her too.  If she doesn’t know by now I figure the best way to show it is by saying absolutely nothing at all.  Isn’t that how it works in movies.  Then I pop out of the void of La Guardia and say some dumb shit like “i love you babe” vanishing off into the night in my dilapidated tech wear.  I’ll leave the spider-man costumes to the pros.  <3 Tim