Real Housewives

Teresa Giudice says she would have gotten house arrest if she was just Jane Doe, claiming she was sentenced to hard time because she's a celeb.

Teresa will be on "TMZ Live" Thursday, and she's very clear about her belief ... she had a big fat target on her forehead because she's high profile.

The 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star says her daughter Gia has changed career paths because of the sentence and her mom's harsh treatment behind bars.

Watch 'Live' Thursday ... she also talks about where she stands on the 'Housewives' power rankings.

Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos get all the anchor shine, but news reader Amy Robach snatched the big Teresa Giudice interview away from her GMA colleagues.

TMZ has learned Robach nailed the 'RHONJ' star's first post-prison sit down -- a big get for sweeps, which ABC's news hounds had to be dying to get. It's the kinda thing Barbara Walters and Diane Sawyer used to battle over.

Our sources tell us Amy got the nod based on her history with Giudice -- and in fact, the ex-con laid down the law ... saying it had to be Robach or the interview was off.

Amy first interviewed her in 2014, and we're told Giudice liked that one enough to come back for more. The full interview airs Tuesday morning, but GMA already released a clip of Giudice talking about her finances.

Teresa Giudice is a shoo-in for season 7 of 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' but 3 other women are suddenly unemployed ... TMZ has learned.

Our production sources tell us Dina Manzo and the twins Teresa Aprea and Nicole Napolitano all got the ax.

No word yet on who will fill the vacancies ... we're told Bravo's currently shopping for other housewives.

As of now, Teresa's sister-in-law, Melissa Gorga, and former member cast member Jacqueline Laurita are the only others locked in ... but it's gonna be the Teresa show all the way.

'RHOA' star Peter Thomas denies hitting a bar patron so hard the guy smashed his head, and TMZ has the video that could clear Peter's name.

We obtained surveillance video from inside Sports One -- Peter's bar in Charlotte -- where a guy named Brandon Link claims Peter pushed him into a table and he fell over and hit his head.

The security cameras definitely captured a dispute between Link and Thomas, and there is a shove. The injured head part -- is not so clear. In fact, it's non-existent in the video.

As we've reported ... Link filed a police report, claiming battery, and cops have issued a criminal summons for Thomas to talk to investigators.

Peter Thomas isn't in the clear for an alleged bar brawl in his Charlotte sports bar -- investigators want to have a sit down with him to get his side of the story.

Cops issued a criminal summons on Monday for the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star. As we first reported, Brandon Link claimed Peter attacked him during a business meeting at Sports One, which Peter and Cynthia Bailey own.

Link claims Peter threw him into a table ... but Peter claims Brandon was belligerent and only injured himself by slipping on ice outside the bar. Cops responded, and made no arrests but they continue to investigate.

Teresa Giudice says "Orange is the New Black" pales in comparison to real-life lesbian free-for-alls in the prison she called home in 2015.

Teresa's releasing a new book in which she says even straight women became "gay for the stay." She says women would often trade sex for commissary money.

In a preview of the book, obtained by the New York Daily News, Teresa says there were full blown shower escapades, and nocturnal nookie sessions. She says, "I could see two women ... writhing around ... I cannot believe this is happening!"

The "RHONJ" star says there was so much sex the prison's nickname was The Boom Boom Room.

Teresa says she stayed clear of the other inmates in the sex dept.

She also had a nickname ... "Hollywood."

'RHONJ' star Teresa Giudice is all business and gives very little away for free.

Our photog got her outside The London in NYC Tuesday and asked the most basic of questions ... what she ate on her first night of freedom.

We know this much ... the recipe's in her new "Skinny Italian" cookbook.

Teresa and husband Joe are still hustling to pay the rest of the restitution since Joe is headed off to prison soon.

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Peter Thomas got a visit from cops in Charlotte after a guest in his bar claimed Pete tossed him like a rag doll and busted his head.

A guy named Brandon Link claims he was talking to Peter about renting space in Sports One Charlotte -- which Peter and his 'RHOA' wife Cynthia Bailey own. Link says during negotiations early Sunday morning, Peter yelled ... "You think I give a f**k about your money!" -- and then threw him across the room.

Link claims he hit his head on the corner of a table. He immediately called police.

Peter remembers things differently -- he tells us Link was aggressively drunk, and had to be escorted from the bar by security. Peter says once Link was outside, he slipped on ice and hit his head.

Link says he suffered a concussion, but responding officers saw no reason to make any arrests at the bar.

Monty Brinson, the ex husband of Kim Richards, has died from lung cancer .... TMZ has confirmed.

Kim and Monte were married for only 3 years -- from 1985 - 1988 -- but they remained close after their split and even lived together in past few years when he was battling cancer.

Kim was very open ... Monty's struggle sometimes pushed her over the edge in her own battle with addiction -- something well-chronicled on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

Rick Hilton says, "We have lost Monty Brinson after a brave battle of cancer. His heart was as big as the moon and he was loved by all he met. He will be sorely missed. I love YOU always."

Monty was 58. RIP.

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Apollo Nida is learning who his real friends are while he's in prison, and two very unlikely suspects have remained loyal ... Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker.

Apollo phoned us from prison to say most people won't take his call, so he was really surprised when Kandi and Todd took the time to jawbone with him when he reached out.

What's more ... Apollo says the couple constantly check up on him and even put money in his commissary account.

Lisa Vanderpump showed her support for Bravo's newest housewife franchise -- "The Real Housewives of Potomac" -- when the cast stopped by PUMP Restaurant Thursday night for dinner.

Lisa wasn't there but we're told she sent a note welcoming the women to the Bravo family and hooked 'em up with PUMP hats. The new 'Housewife' franchise premieres Sunday, and we're told Bravo execs think it's going to be their new hit.

The ladies are definitely saving the drama for the cameras -- we're told there was no argument about the bill at PUMP. They each paid separately.

Here's Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kroy Biermann proving bikini bottoms aren't just for women -- rockin' a pair of grape smugglers on a beach vacation with is famous reality star wife.

Teresa Giudice gave 15-year-old daughter Gia the full celeb treatment Thursday night -- prepping her for the future ... Gia hopes.

3 weeks after getting out of the pen ... Teresa went to support sister-in-law Melissa Gorga's opening of her Envy boutique in Montclair, NJ.

Gia's an aspiring singer -- who's already released a music video -- and she's clearly learned a thing or two from mom about dressing for success.

Dr. Paul Nassif wants a former bodyguard to pay for making explosive accusations about child abuse -- a claim he only made when he was about to be fired ... according to Paul.

According to the lawsuit, Kevin Villalobos, screwed up on the job earlier this year, and got wind the doctor planned to 86 his ass for it. That's when Nassif says Villalobos emailed his resignation with this line: "I could not silently standby while you hit and injured your children in angry outbursts."

Villalobos included Paul's ex-wife Adrienne Maloof on the email, according to the suit.

Nassif denies hitting his children at all. He says the ex-bodyguard keeps trying to piss off Adrienne by repeating the accusations.

Dr. Paul's suing for libel and defamation ...and there's side beef too.

'Real Housewives of Orange County' star Gretchen Rossi claims her Range Rover has been a dud from the get-go, but the car company still won't take it back ... so she's suing.

According to a new lawsuit, Rossi plunked down $111k for a brand new Range Rover in 2012, and says she drove all of 200 miles before some big problems surfaced ... problems with acceleration, the battery, fuses, and a smoking tail pipe.

She went back to the dealer in November for an idling problem, and this time she was told the vehicle was out of warranty, which she says was especially galling because she had been there 3 times before for the exact same problem.

Fed up, Rossi claims she tried to exercise her rights under the Lemon Law by returning the vehicle to the dealer, but she was shut down. She says the dealership offered to fix the problem for free, but only if she gave up her rights under the Lemon Law.

Rossi told them to take a hike, which will probably be her new mode of transportation, and she's filed suit.

Amiyah Scott might be telling people she walked off the set of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," but producers are singing a different tune ... she was just boring as crap so they scrapped her.

Scott -- who would have been the first transgender female cast member -- got a trial run and claims she walked off the set because they were trying to sexually exploit her.

But our production sources say Amiyah never walked off ... she just didn't make the cut because she brought nothing interesting to the table ... being transgender doesn't make you automatically interesting.

As for claims she was forced to wear lingerie ... producers say that's ridiculous. Porsha Williams -- who has a lingerie line -- thought Amiyah was beautiful and made the offer and Amiyah declined ... simple as that.

It all worked out in the end for Amiyah ... Lee Daniels has just cast her on a new TV show.