Jackie Goldschneider Addresses Her Father's Comments About Her Past Struggles with an Eating Disorder
"I think it was very much a poor choice of words," the RHONJ mom said on WWHL.
Jackie Goldschneider is an open book when it comes to her past struggles with an eating disorder; it's been a topic on Season 10 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. And the conversation resurfaced during an emotional moment with her dad this season when he said, "You're a good inspiration to kids who are heavy. You know something? It's almost worth it... Look at you now."
When Jackie appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on January 15, she addressed his comments and offered some clarity on that moment.
"He felt really bad. I think it was very much a poor choice of words. I don't think he meant in any way that it was worth risking your life," she said in the Clubhouse on Wednesday. "But I never shared with my parents all the things that I did in order to get thin, so he didn't really know what lengths I went to."
She added that being open about it helps her: "I was happy to share it because it's been inside for so long and I'm happy to talk about it and I still struggle with certain things, so talking about it helps me."
In the Clubhouse, Andy Cohen said that eating disorders aren't a topic that comes up very often on any of the Real Housewives franchises, noting that it was an emotional topic for Jules Wainstein when she was on The Real Housewives of New York City several seasons ago.
Jackie mirrored the sentiment she shared on WWHL in The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 10 After Show (clip above). In the After Show, she shared what actually upset her the most about that moment.
"I think he came across really poorly. What upset me more than the actual words was that my little girl was sitting next to me and hears this man say, 'Whatever you have to do to get thin, even if you almost die doing it, its worth it,'" she said. She added, "Comments don't really trigger me, it's more internal."
Jackie opened up more about what triggers her in the After Show clip above. In another interview with The Daily Dish, she added that she's "super close" to her father, so she knows he meant no harm.
And she also noted that she hopes this moment opens up the conversation about how serious eating disorders are and how "secretive" of a topic it can be for those dealing with it. "I also think it speaks to the bigger picture of what's going on in the country now with men making decisions about women's bodies," she said. "It's a level of understanding that you can't have unless you're in that body."
She proudly added that "to be the voice of that [issue] now, even if it only helps a few people, that's worth it to me."
Below, she reflects more on your childhood and upbringing.
