Jackie Goldschneider Opens Up About Being a Friend of the Ladies on RHONJ Season 13
Jackie, who was a full-time 'Wife for four seasons, revealed why being a friend was the "best thing" for her during RHONJ Season 13.
On Part 2 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13 reunion, friends Jennifer "Jenn" Fessler and Jackie Goldschneider joined cast members Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Margaret Josephs, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Aydin, Danielle Cabral, and Rachel Fuda on the reunion stage.
Jenn reflected on her first season, while Jackie offered updates on why she was a friend of the ladies on Season 13, and how she's doing now in her recovery from an eating disorder.
Why Jackie Was a Friend on RHONJ Season 13
After being a full-time cast member from Seasons 9 through 12, Jackie became a friend of the 'Wives on RHONJ Season 13. She spoke with host Andy Cohen about why it was the "best thing" for her during the reunion.
"For me, it was a little bit hard. It was hard, yeah," she said about taking on a friend role. "I was only a few months into recovery when we were talking about casting. I was not in a very good place. I gained a lot of weight in a very short period of time, and I just didn't feel good, and I didn't want to move backwards."
Though it wasn't an easy move for her to make, Jackie explained that she was happy to get some extra time back in her schedule.
"It was the best thing for me, and I also had a chance to write my book, which was really important to me, and important for my recovery," she added, referring to her forthcoming memoir, The Weight of Beautiful, which is set to be released on September 26.
Where Jackie's at in Her Recovery Today
After taking time to focus on her recovery, Jackie shared that she's in a much better place today. When Andy pointed out that Jackie was glowing, she agreed.
"I think I needed a little extra weight on my face," Jackie told Andy. "It makes me look younger."
When she appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen back in April, Jackie opened up about how she "turned a corner" in her recovery.
“It was difficult for a while, and I was trying to put on a happy face, but I would say for the first eight months of the recovery… it was difficult,” she said. “Because I put on a lot of weight, and I wasn’t that comfortable. And then I turned a corner.”
The mom of four added that she feels "so proud" and "so happy" with how she's doing, and she hopes that her story can help others who may be in similar positions.
“I really want to be a voice of recovery, and really just show people that recovery is a great thing,” she shared.
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