Teresa Giudice denies replacing her family with Louie’s, explaining the ‘chosen family’ comments.

To make things even more awkward than Andy Cohen was quick to remark, “Louie is right here, ten feet away.” In case we were afraid to forget, the cameras kept pointing at him.

It made the moments a little more awkward when Andy asked Teresa a series of questions about the things Louie did on the show and asked if she could defend his actions. While he’s sitting right there? What should she do, call him a crazy idiot?

In fact, Teresa and Louie have been in lockstep on most decisions about how to deal with the ongoing tensions in Teresa’s family, though there was one thing she’d thought about — and one that she’d clearly cast a shadow over.

When Andy asked her if she could defend Louie from calling a “secret meeting” to tell him about Melissa’s alleged affair, Teresa said she told him “not to do that.”

She said Louie told her, “He wanted it because he said, ‘I want him to move on from this because I don’t want what happened to him last year to happen to my brother.’ That’s why he told him.

Andy asked if there were any considerations about inviting Melissa herself to the said “secret meeting,” but Teresa said that was all up to Louie. “I didn’t want to get into that because of what happened when they first came on the show,” she said. “You know, I’ve been blamed for the whole ‘Strippergate’ thing.”

There were no follow-up questions for Louie on this topic or any of the other questions… except for one. Teresa said she can defend Louie for wearing her feather pajamas to make her daughter feel “safe.”

“I did something lovely,” Luis tried to explain, or at least that was his intention. Unfortunately: “It didn’t go down well.”

As for that shade, Andy initially responded when asked if she could defend Louie by saying he didn’t want wedding guests wasting their flashes taking pictures of Joe and Melissa: “I don’t remember — did he before quickly adding, “Oh yeah,” she could defend it.

actress Leslie Bibb was on the show alongside Teresa. A superfan of all things Bravo — as evidenced by her extensive knowledge from multiple shows — she had some strong opinions of her own on the Gorga family drama.

She and Teresa didn’t even always agree, and Leslie was afraid to comment on Louie’s claim that Joe Gorga gassed his sister. “I don’t know, it’s so disturbing,” she said, but Teresa said it actually happened. “I live it.”

Another thing that came to light in Tuesday’s season finale was Louie’s claim that he was in control because he hired a private investigator. When Andy asked Leslie if she thought he actually hired one, she replied, “I have a feeling maybe you did,” but Teresa closed things out with a simple, “no.”

However, when Andy previously asked Teresa if she could help Louie hire celebrity detective Bo Dietl to dig up dirt on the “RHONJ” group, she said, “Yes.” So what is it?

When asked if she thought Teresa would replace her own family with Louie’s, Leslie thought she might, but out of necessity, adding, “She needs a family.”

However, Teresa denied this, saying that she did not replace her family, but that Louie’s family was “wonderful.” Both women agreed that Teresa’s request for his family to be bridesmaids wasn’t meant to eclipse Melissa.

No shadow on Melissa either, that came up in the after show. Teresa had talked about this before Access Hollywood’s Housewives Nightcap back in March, but was happy to revisit it and explain why she used “chosen family” at her housewarming.

It was Margaret Josephs who questioned that there might be more to the phrase than nothing when she asked Melissa, “What’s the point?” Given the family tensions, the question arose as to whether Melissa wanted to diss her Family by speaking of “chosen family”.

As it turns out, the reason she chose that phrase was much simpler. She had only recently heard it and liked it. It was at the communion of the child of her sister-in-law Veronica Ruelas’ partner. If you followed everything, this is the person who used the expression.

“She said there are many family members here, but everyone else is ‘chosen families,'” Teresa explained. “Louie and I were there and I was just so impressed with her speech. I said, ‘Oh my god, I love that.’ I said, ‘Next time I have to give a speech, I want to use that.’”

And she did. “So it was never a dig at my brother and Melissa,” Teresa added. “It’s Margaret, starting with the S— but you know, whatever.”

We must note, however, that Margaret is not the only one stirring this particular pot. At the end of Tuesday’s season finale — after Melissa declared that they have no intention of going to Teresa’s wedding — their list included: “Melissa is planning a housewarming at her new house. Teresa and Louie are not invited. Select family only.” .”

Alongside a panel of questions about the larger Bravolebrity world, Andy asked Leslie if she thought Teresa should try to reconcile with her brother and sister-in-law. It was obviously mixed, but Leslie was hopeful.

Addressing Teresa directly, she said: “You only have one brother, so I hope that happens, but I think this season — this season has been tough. It was hard.”

“And I just got married, my only family member did this to me right before my wedding,” Teresa replied. “It is so sad.”

You can read all the details on the aftermath of Louie’s ‘secret meeting’ with Joe Gorga, Melissa’s alleged infidelity and the explosion that may be the final nail in the coffin below.