
Renee talks to Big Ang(Yay!) about her upcoming family therapy session with AJ. Ang is all for it. She says that it’s not only good for them, but that it is also very sweet on AJ’s part to truly show how much he loves and supports his mother. How much do you want to bet that Ang was thinking of her own AJ during this?
Speaking of Renee and AJ – sigh!
AJ meets with Renee and her counselor for family therapy. My heart breaks all over again. Poor AJ! After these past couple of seasons of inappropriate sharing with her son, Renee finally listens to AJ’s side of things.

I have always thought that AJ was checked out with his mom because she was simply too much of a Drama Queen. But, actually hearing his side of his mom’s depression, while talking about how depressed it made him, really brought it home to me. I suspect that Renee’s addiction issues, as she is wont to call them, were there prior to her surgery. I think that AJ was a kid who did what he could to enjoy his mother’s good days and find a way out of the house when she was having a bad day. But, actually hearing AJ talk about what he felt?
AJ tells his mom that he doesn’t understand or support her addiction. He sees no reason to use drugs, because he gets depressed too. That is when he separates himself from her (my heart broke when he said that!). For once, Renee actually hears what he is saying. He tells her that he always knew when she was too high to deal with – that was why he would do what he could to get out of the house and away from her.
He doesn’t want her to be clean for him. He wants her to get sober for herself.
You guys, I couldn’t stop the tears after that. AJ even had a talking head interview about it and I couldn’t snark on that.
Think about what it would be like to have Renee as your mother. Then, think about what it has been like for AJ. I just can’t imagine. She is like her own hurricane, laying waste to everything in her path. When you add the addiction element, AJ was the sole survivor before she realized she needed help. It’s not fair to a teenaged boy to have to deal with that.
Renee breaks down. She says that she never knew that AJ realized she was high. She had no idea that her issues had such an effect on him. AJ is forgiving because he knows that his mom needs to do this for herself and not anyone else. I love PoorAJ so much right now! Renee cries all over him and he comforts her. And for a second, I wonder if he has seen her get this way before. Then, I realize the difference being that there is actually a counselor there (even if he HAS agreed to allow this to be filmed) to help them move forward.
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26 Comments
UGG.. as hard as I tried this episode to put my feelings aside about some of these women, I cant. I watched Karen say all the right things, but it just seemed to forced and fake to me. Maybe it is just the way she talks that irritates me.
This episode was very hard to be snarky about. Even Karen and CSU were kinder than I thought I would ever see them. They still bothered me, because I just don’t like them..
Drita makes me want to shake her, even if she can kick my ass. I hate that she’s letting Lee back into her home with her kids, because really he’s been gone so long it is her house and her kids’ house. Like you said he should have to work around them, not them around him. That said, I do understand how she can be torn. Aside from how she feels about Lee, I think she is really trying to do what is best for her kids and right now she’s confused and thinks him being home with them is what’s best. It’d be nice if he has changed, but who knows. I just hope she’s not kicking herself later for this decision, but I do have a feeling that if things get bad, she is not going to hesitate to do what’s best for the girls.
AJ broke my heart. He really did. I would die inside if I knew I did anything to make my kid feel that way AJ has felt. As much of a smug ass I think he is, I can see why he’s the way he is. An asshole dad who blew him off a lot of the time. A drugged out drama queen mother who didn’t protect her kid from the drama but instead threw him right into the middle of it. Yeah I take back some of my comments about him. That poor kid. I’m glad Renee actually heard him and saw what she had done to him. Let’s hope that they can recover and move on.
@PA – Your Grandma was a special lady, I got choked up reading the first page!
Now on to da bitches! I was on the fence with Drita and Lee – until she brought up “Sleeping with the Enemy ” – Hell no! Why would she want to subject her kids to that? And why was he at her house?? I was so mad that they ended it there. Next week looks good. Can’t wait (this one was depressing) .
PA, I totally understand how emotional you got watching this epi considering what you’ve been through. I’m in SF (surprise!) and we have earthquakes here but since ’89 nothing major, thankfully. I admire your work with the Red Cross and the food bank.
This was tough for me to watch. It’s one thing to see it on CNN but quite another to witness it in the perspective of a few women you follow and kind of know and see their personal take on the disaster. I actually began to love Staten Island because of this show, even though they probably only show the good parts. To see it destroyed really hit me.
As if I couldn’t love Big Ang any more….She’s honest, open, loving and has such a big heart. I got her book recently and it’s not a surprise to see her cooking hot meals for people because, hey a good home cooked meal goes straight to the soul and she’s all about family and friends. She’s giving to a fault. Her homes have been burglarized so many times because she would let so many friends and friends of friends in. She never pursued them even though she knew who they were because she felt if they were compelled to steal from her they must have been in pretty dire straits. Personally I’d get out the dusty book of mob connections but that’s just me. If you love Ang, I encourage you guys to get her book, it’s hilarious and a good insight into what makes out favorite bahtendah tick. I tell you I love her so much it pisses me off to hear people talk mess about her looks. My husband knows to watch his tongue after my last side-eye of death.
As for Drita, I agree with you 110% PA. What the hell is she thinking? Did you hear her talk about Love’s stabbing incidents? She said if she tried something like that on Lee it would have been over for her. The hell? And she wants this abusive a-hole back into the house with her and her kids? It’s perplexing because aside from her rage issues, which she’s managed to keep in check so far, I actually find her to be very careful, even keeled and goal driven. She’s a very good business woman. I admit, I bought a t-shirt and a little make-up from her line. Just Me by Drita (don’t look at me like that) and of all of the Mob Wives she’s going to be the best off. The only thing I can think is that she’s lonely. It’s tough when you’re a single parent but to also become an instant celebrity and fame and fortune…you just want to share that with somebody. I dunno, I might have to fly over to Staten Island and talk some sense into her. OK I’m taking this too far.
Renee is winning me back too. I BAWLED when AJ grabbed her and held her. It was so moving. You know it’s tough for boys to do stuff like that, especially if they’re on camera. I so hope that her recovery is lasting and she doesn’t fall back into her drug abuse but I just don’t have a good feeling about it. I don’t know how long she was in there but it did seem too short. I’m too lazy to research but didn’t she enter into Promises in LA or something recently? Renee seems like the kind of person, if it’s not one thing it’s something else.
Damn that was long. Sorry
Dang Drita…you have to do better. Lee shouldn’t be in your house enough to where he’s upset about where all Alyeeha’s hair products are.
This episode was hard to snark on especially since this tragedy just happened. You did a great job of sympathy and snark. But I wonder how they keep the pettiness going even after the tragedy. All I could think of was eewww is that how they are acting even though their next door neighbor’s house was swept away?
Crap…I almost forgot to say this about Big Ang. I love that woman. The way she rallied for help, she made me smile. She’s a great woman.
Plath, I’m sure many were grateful for your grandmother during that time. I live in Mobile and was here during Katrina and even though it wasn’t as bad as NO, we were without power for about 2 weeks. I enjoyed this episode because everyone was pitching in and helping others.
I’ll comment more on the ladies after I finish reading the recap.
Living in the midst of this disaster it was really hard to see it all again but thank goodness people were and are there for each other.
I understand Drita being in love with Lee…but I hope she is still strong enough to kick his ass out if he starts up with the girls…..I think she might take crap from him but the first time he makes one of his daughters cry I have a feeling Drita will be on his ass in a heartbeat….at least I hope so…if not I have lost my respect for her.
Renee…get over yourself…..it’s not about you…..it’s time to do the HARD WORK you need to do to stay sober….poor AJ.
Great recap….thanks for the story about your Grandma…
I was shocked that Drita just proved to the world she will throw her kids under the bus for her own happiness to be with lee she don’t give a damn the kids will be subjected to the monster and abusiveness shes said all along that Lee is but to say Sleeping with the Enemy and he’s not one that’s ever happy and all that others stuff but yet shes telling her petrified daughter how everything changing why hasn’t any protective services went out to check and make sure these kids are ok cause Drita clearly thinks she’s un touchable and that she can do what ever, well when it comes to kids I was an abused child and I get very angry to see low life mothers like Drita brag about it like it’s ok to trash your kids so you can be happy.
Thanks you guys for letting me take an entire page to discuss my grandmother. It was very nice to be able to honor her by sharing something that she never even considered a big deal.
This was definitely the toughest recap I have ever done. I like to consider myself a coldhearted bitch when it comes to making fun of reality shows, but this episode wouldn’t let me.
I can’t wait to get back to petty bickering and hair pulling brawls, because this type of touching episode is bad for my snark mojo.
I’ll be responding to each of you a little bit later after I’ve had a chance to really read your comments. But, I do want to say that if Drita takes Lee back, I will not only be horrified, I will lose so much respect for her. And you guys know that’s not said easily on my part because I loves me some Drita.
Drita played it really close to vest on Twitter so as not to give away future story lines, so I have no idea if she actually did take him back. So, let’s keep our fingers crossed on that. At least we know that he had to go to a halfway house before coming back home, so let’s hope that gave her the chance to really and truly evaluate whether or not this is a good situation for her girls and make the right decision.
I think I’ll see how the Drita situation plays out before commenting.
I was nice to see everyone helping out, but I don’t know if it’s because I can’t stand them or what. But it just seemed like Karen and CSU’s interactions with that lady seemed forced. CSU just had this dumbass look on her face like she was just waiting for the lady to be quiet. It’s a look she always gives off when interacting with the extras. It like they’re props so she can have a storyline or mention Lefty. Which I surprised she didn’t do this episode.
Plath, your grandmother sounded like a wonderful person.
Why in the hell was Love kept from us for so long? That woman is the bomb.
One even calls her a mother-figure – think about how messed up that guy’s life is.
What was with CSUs freak out when Karen was walking around with her shoes on?
I saw a picture that someone tweeted of Big Ang, Carla and Lee. The site also mentions something about Big Ang being on team Carla.
Can’t wait to see Carla meet her doppelganger.
I really hope Drita is more in love with the idea of Lee than with Lee himself. Alarm bells went off in my head when she mentioned the movie reference, and for the first time, Aleeya looked afraid when Drita was talking to her about her father. I want to give Drita the benefit of the doubt, but I dunno. I’ve known women who end up putting their happiness with a man before their kids, and it never ends well. That’s how kids end up seeing Renee as a mother-figure.
Maybe I’m just a bitch (well, I am a bitch, but maybe I’m being an extra cynical bitch right now), but Karen and CSU’s “caring” and “helping” didn’t ring true to me and I’m willing to put money down (a very small amount – I’m a poor bitch) that they were really playing it up for the cameras. If the cameras weren’t there, maybe they would have written a check or thrown a turkey sandwich out their car window as they rolled past. I could be wrong and they really would have done something but the way they did it, for the cameras, just seemed like a show to me.
Now, I definitely believe that Big Ang, Carla and Drita would do what they were doing without the cameras – they didn’t make a point of talking about how much they did like Karen and CSU, they just did it. On one hand I’m disgusted with Karen and CSU for making this horrible thing all about them but on the other hand I’m glad the victims reaped the benefits of their disgusting display.
And if Renee were there, she probably would have been crying and freaking out about it and claiming that Joonya had something to do with it to get back at her and kill her and then poor AJ would go blind because his eyes would be rolling so much they would friggin’ fall out of his head. Poor AJ.
@Chicken Lips, that what I was trying to say about CSU and Karen. I was on my phone so I couldn’t type as much. But for some reason when they were on camera it just seemed fake. If you ever notice whenever they’re on camera with anyone other than Renee, Ang, Carla, or Drita, it’s like they’re just waiting for the person to shut up so they can say something about themselves.
@Caligal, LOL. Your last line was funny and true.
@Labowner, I’m liking Love also. I love that she finds the only embarrassing thing about stabbing her boyfriend is that his mother was there. I really want to know what he does that warrants her stabbing him so much. I wish they would have added her last season and spared us the crap that is CSU.
Speaking of CSU, did anyone else read that she’s planning to get married in June and have a huge reception even though the groom won’t be there? While everyone is there, she plans to pass the phone around so they can speak to the groom.
Not sure why my picture changed. lol
Nvm, it’s my email addresses.
Hi, everyone. I share the sentiments about Karen and CSU! They showed up with a mop and a bucket while Drita had an endloader full of donations & Big Ang (Yay!) had a truck of supplies at the Drunken Monkey PLUS tons of homemade food for the victims! I’m hoping their appearances on last weeks PSA helped, but who knows… Plath, heartwarming story about your grandma! With that being said, I’m not sure if anyone here is aware… or if its even been mentioned on the show BUT… CSU’s grandfather is Lefty Two Guns!!! You know… the Donnie Brasco guy? Just so everyone knows!
@Keke Wha??????? re CSU’s pending nuptual & tacky ass reception. What a f*cking idiot.
Ok…I had to go look that up because I thought you were pulling my leg.
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/ramona-rizzo-mob-wives-star-engaged-to-joseph-sclafani-planning-wedding-without-him-2013142
Man, she is an IDIOT. And that whole story about not knowing about the drug dealing? Pffffft….complete BS. She says she’s known him since they were little. She so knew what he was doing and STILL thought it was a good idea to move her kids in with him. She really makes me want to punch things. Ugh.
I really hope Drita thinks things through when it comes to Lee. Maybe it’s the initial \he’s going to be home\ that has her acting like a fool and once that wears off she’ll come to her senses. I’m trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, because I love her so and I really do think she’ll put her kids before herself. Let’s hope she doesnt disappoint me.
@Yeknom, CSU is too stupid for words. There isn’t anyone who can tell me this dummy didn’t know he was selling drugs. There is no way in hell she didn’t know. I mean isn’t this something that Lefty’s granddaughter would just know? lol
I’m hoping that’s the case with Drita also, but I think she feels she would be putting her kids before herself by taking him back since she says he was so close with Aleeya. I really hope she comes to her senses but I’ll wait and see.
Well, unless he was selling the drugs to her, for her or talked constantly about her while doing it, I believe CSU’s story that she didn’t know about the drugs because since it didn’t involve her she wasn’t paying any attention.
Cannot wait to watch this— I had to read the recap going in–I am from NY and know folks who lost their homes and some folks from Breezy Point are great friends of ours.
Thank you for sharing your story Plathy— you are Plath-tastic and I will tell everyone that!!!
I haven’t read this recap yet but let me just state, Plath, your grandmother was an amazing person who humanity was lucky to have. I live in New York, and the devastation that happened when Katrina was unbelievable to me, and when we got hit with Sandy, I could finally understand what that sort of loss felt like.
I, too, donate blood every chance I get. I have also placed myself on the marrow donation registry, because I have children, and maybe my blood or marrow could help save someone’s child. As a New Yorker, while most believe us to be cold and rude (and we totes can be!), in a time of crisis we have a tendency to unite and help out. It’s nice to know this sentiment is echoed throughout, and that your beautiful grandmother was an angel helping those out in need.
Thank you for recapping. I did not watch the episode on purpose, there are things I can’t really handle having been there. I cannot watch any 9/11 videos, and re-living what people endured through Sandy is still too fresh for me, so I appreciate your recap.
Hi
I finally got to watch this.
Here’s the thing with OCD. Rodel has it and he doesn’t go into a rage where people have to be scared pissless if they aren’t neat.
I think the worse thing he ever did was yell, “I just can’t train you woman!” when I forget to…
Oh let’s view the list.
1. Clothes are NEVER to touch the floor. Socks are ok because they have touched the floor already.
2. Put paper trash in the food trash can. Absolutely no comingling!
3. When using the thing to wash the dishes never ever use it to wipe down counters, that is what the cloths on the counter are for.
4. Do not wash the dishes with said “counter cloths”.
5. Never leave clothes in the dryer, it’s just not done.
It’s not enough of a concern that I feel as though I should warn the kids that Rodel will blow up if their coats touch the floor.
So in saying that maybe Drita should be concerned that Lee and his loaf of bread is volitale and uses messiness as an excuse to be nasty. I don’t like Lee and I haven’t even laid eyes on him yet.
Renee and Junior, I did cry.
He really is giving his mother what she needs to focus on staying clean. I really hope she does.
I do think that Renee is the first reality person that I have ever prayed for.
I’m not a prayerful person!
So there’s that.
PS..Ramona is very pretty…until she speaks. gah
I fully understand what your saying but Drita is putting it to the point that this Lee comes in and everyone better be marching top his best of suffer the consequences,but yet that’s ok? no secret Drita It’s a TRAIN WRECK she will do anything to portray her self as this still call Lady Boss, she’s surely not that and she’s not tough by any means,but to try and caputali on fame and fortune just for your own benefit and happiness A’s not take your kids safty in consideration that’sa problem. just cause Lee is their dad doesn’t givehimtheright to abuse them and for Drita not to stand up and protect her kids.
I found a picture of Lee!! He has huge hands! I don’t know why that caught my attention. Cannot wait till the next recap – so much to tawk about!! Here’s a picture of Lee and Drita – http://poponthepop.com/gallery/lee-davanzo-picture/