Loading ...
Gretchen Rossi has been ordered to court to disclose her finances according to RadarOnline. This all has to do with Jay Photoglou of course, and the $18,900 he was awarded in legal fees connected to a restraining order case she filed against him last year.
A Newport Beach, California Judge ordered the Real Housewife of Orange County to appear in court March 10 to provide information about her finances and assets.
Which brings us to Gretchen’s new interview with the LA Times, during which she opens up about her financial situation, more importantly sets the record straight on the $2.5 million her deceased fiance Jeff Beitzel left her in his will. While Gretchen admits she was left $2.5 mil by Jeff, she also insists she has yet to receive the money as Jeff’s estate is in a deficit.
Gretchen also discusses her never-ending feud with Tamra Barney, as well as where they stand today. She also talks Slade, the whole Alexa Curtin ordeal and how she deals with the negativity that comes with being on the show. What she doesn’t talk about however is Jay.
Excerpts from Gretchen’s interview below -
It was hard to track you down. You’re a busy gal. What are you working on right now?
Oh, gosh. If I told you, you’d be worn out by the time we were done.
Maybe you should tell Vicki [Gunvalson]…
That’s so true. I should call Vicki up and say, “Come spend a day with me and let’s have a little chitty-chat about what I really do.”
Right now, at this given moment, the last week has just been kind of crunch time for my makeup line (Gretchen Christine Beaute) that I’m launching.
And we see that you’re not rolling in the dough — as some suspected — after Jeff’s death.
Everybody had this misconception that I was with Jeff for his money. And that Jeff had millions and millions of dollars and … he didn’t; meaning right now his estate is in the deficit. It really was never information that I thought was appropriate to share but, unfortunately, when his will gets released to the public and everyone is reading it and saying he left me $2.5 million — well, he did. The problem is, is that if he doesn’t have $2.5 million to give me — you know, his estate doesn’t have it because it’s in the deficit — I’m not going to get it. If somebody doesn’t have the money, it really doesn’t matter. That’s where I think the misconception comes in. Everybody thinks I got left millions of dollars — which I did — but I have not received it. The thing, too, is that I never saw Jeff’s money as my money. It was always nice to be in a relationship with someone who was well off at the time that we were dating; I was spoiled rotten, yes. And I had a great lifestyle with him … but I also made my own money and the show really didn’t show that side of me. They didn’t show me as the entrepreneur that I was.
So how did you get involved? Did you audition?
For me, it was a different scenario. I was at a girlfriend’s party down at a restaurant here in Newport. Jo [De la Rosa] and Slade [Smiley] were actually sitting across the table from me at this party and I was being my crazy, flamboyant, obnoxious self and they started whispering to each other. I was like, “Are you guys talking crap about me?” — teasing them. They were like, “No, but you’re perfect for the show.” I was like, “Perfect for what show?” Cause they hadn’t been on for a couple of years so I wasn’t really sure what they were talking about. And they said I’d be perfect for “Housewives.” I was like, “You guys are smoking crack. I’m not doing that.” Slade kept insisting.
The next morning, I get a phone call from the casting agent at 7 a.m.; she said, “I hear you’re perfect.” It took a whole day of phone calls back and forth for them to even convince me. It really came down to me sitting down with Jeff. He was the one who convinced me to do that. I think the reason for that was that at that point, we had been in and out of the hospital for the last three or four months. We were right at a point where we thought we would get told he was going into remission. He was like, “You know, honey” — cause I had actually been approached three other times to do reality shows; I just turned them down because it wasn’t something I wanted to do. He just said, “Honey, you keep getting these opportunities. Maybe there’s something in the universe telling you to do this. And I’m really kind of sick of everything, everyday being about cancer. This sounds like fun.”
I think he saw it as an opportunity to travel and have an excuse to go do things. So he was the ultimate reason I ended up doing the show.
The rift seems to now center on this blog entry you wrote. Tamra [Barney] wants you to take it down, but you refuse. Can you talk a little bit about why?
I’m not going to take it down. There were so many things that Tamra put out there to the press and the show that were contradictory or that were lies. All those things are out in cyberspace forever and ever. So as soon as she can figure out a way to get all those things taken down, then I’ll be happy to take it down. But as long as those things are out there, the blog is my only source of truth and my only source of getting what really happened out there. I was rather taken aback by her because I believed she was my friend all season, and when she attacked me at the reunion show I was like, ‘Where in the hell did this come from?” So I wanted to clear the air up.
So are you guys still somewhat friendly? I mean, we see that you do have fun when you’re in a group setting. Have you reached out to her since news of her divorce?
No. Tamra and I don’t talk. We’re not girlfriends. We don’t call each other and say, “Let’s go hang out and have coffee.” I never really had problems with Tamra. I always liked Tamra; I got along with her and I thought she was funny and I thought our personalities were very similar. I liked her. But you just know when there’s poisonous people in your life and you know when people are trying to pull wool over your eyes and, for me, she’s one of those people. She might not be that way with other people, but she is with me. She is someone that I work with and someone I will be cordial with. And we’ll have a good time. The whole situation with the divorce and stuff … after the way she treated me after Jeff passed away, I don’t necessarily see myself calling her up and saying, “Hey, how ya doing?” Cause of the way she treated me. I’m a big believer in treating people the way they treat you.
CLICK THE READ MORE BUTTON TO READ THE REST –
We also see tension develop between you and Lynne [Curtin] after your attempt to reach out to Alexa. Some of our readers were on Lynne’s side, saying you had no right to get involved. How are things between you and Lynne?
Lynne and I seem to be fine. I’ve talked to her a few times and she’s like “Oh, it was forever ago.” If you really review the footage, I never ever once gave Alexa advice. And I never ever once told Alexa — or even Lynne — that she was a bad parent. All I said was that her daughter is obviously reaching out and acting out; she’s saying she wants some guidance. She wants some direction. And you, as her mother, maybe needs to reevaluate that because you keep saying they’re difficult … she just kept acting like it was just cause they were teenagers. And I do believe that that’s the reason to some degree. I was a teenager. I know. But there has to be certain sense of responsibility for the parents as well. I just didn’t feel like there was a sense of responsibility.
And it angered me when she said I didn’t have kids and so I didn’t know what I was talking about. Sometimes, there are some things in life that are just common sense. I don’t have kids. But I’ve been around kids my whole life. I’ve been a nanny eight times over. I ran a children’s fitness facility. I also have a degree in psychology and a minor in family studies and child development … so I actually was trained to look out for the signs of young girls struggling. So when Lynne brings in a youthologist that doesn’t have any of that formal training, and the girl doesn’t have kids herself, why the hell is she beating me up saying, ‘You don’t have kids, you don’t know” but she’s gonna bring in some youthologist that doesn’t even have the degree I have? It’s just kind of cuckoo if you ask me.
Again, I love Lynne. I did only did it out of concern for Alexa. It had nothing to do with trying to make Lynne look bad. I went to Lynne first. Unfortunately, it went in a different direction. But Lynne and I have talked since then. I think it’s all worked out. I think in the future … I’ve learned with this group of friends — and I shouldn’t even really call them friends — that it’s best to keep my distance on certain things.
But I guess that’s what I don’t understand. You’re not an actor … just a regular gal. So why, if you don’t have to, would you put yourself in a situation where you face this kind of scrutiny and have to deal with the so-called lies and misunderstandings?
It comes down to the business aspect. I’ve had so many great opportunities come my way …
I didn’t intend to use that as a transition, but let’s talk about Slade. How did you guys become involved?
I’ve known Slade for eight years. I knew him from the real estate business. He was in the title business. I was working for the top producing real estate agent at the time. He was one of the top title reps so we worked together a lot because of that. By the way, just so you know, I’m frosting cupcakes right now. If that’s not housewife enough, I don’t know what is. Frosting cupcakes for Valentine’s Day. That’s very housewifey. Anyway, Slade and I have been friends for eight years. And I really, truly, never expected to be in the relationship that we’re in right now. We just always have been great friends. It was always Jo and Slade. And I was married at the time when I had first met Jo and Slade. And then I was in a relationship with Jeff after that. It just was never an option or a thought. When I was going through what I was going through with Jeff, he was one of the only people who truly cared and stayed in contact with me.
I guess because viewers weren’t aware of the back story on your relationship, it just seemed as if he was riding your coattails … trying to take advantage of you.
Here’s my favorite part about that argument. I keep looking behind me for those coattails. What coattails is he riding on? I don’t have anything for him to take advantage of. Quite honestly, if there’s anybody riding on anybody’s coattails, I’m riding on Slade’s because he’s the one that has the contacts and has really, really helped propel me into getting these opportunities that I have. We all know I’m not rich. It’s not like I’m Angelina Jolie and making $8 million a movie while he’s sitting at home smoking a cigar. If it was like that, then I’d think people have a valid point. But that’s just not the scenario. Slade is one of the hardest working men I know.
Can I ask — just out of my own curiosity — what exactly does Slade do now?
He owns a consulting business. And he basically consults brands. He takes brands and really turns them into bigger brands. He’s been able to bring a lot of opportunities to me. He works with a lot of big companies. He’s so good at it. He is helping me out a lot with the empire I’m trying to build.
This should be interesting She may be living off her BRAVO “paycheck” but she also now has baby Slade to care for and you just know that’s dead Jeff’s cash!!
I am not sure what to believe anymore. If he has this great consulting business, why is Slade listed as a “deadbeat dad” with legal documents claiming that he has zero income? What other reality shows approached Gretchen? The Bachelor?I read Gretchen was supposed to be on two seasons ago as Slade’s girlfriend. I just don’t think we have the full story here.
Gretchen is the show now. Alexis is attractive but people are not really attached to her. Lynne can be funny. Vicki is separating herself from the ladies. Jenna is gone. I wish she would come back. Laurie wants nothing to do with the show. Tamra is just a mean hot mess that many absolutely people despise. I see Gretchen in magazine after magazine. She wins all these polls. My guess is they will spin off Gretchen in to her own show after RHOC dies out.
There are a lot of questionable “truths” in this interview, but this IS Gretchen so I’d expect no less.
Gretchen claims that Slade and Jo discovered her at a chance meeting, and that Bravo called her the following day. That’s funny because in an interview last November, Jo said that her and Gretchen were friends and she felt betrayed by Gretchen’s hook up with Slade.
I’m glad the lying gold digger has to go to court. When the court investigators start digging into her finances, she won’t be able to continue talking crap about Jeff being broke. She’s either going to garner a lot of sympathy for being poor, or she’s going to be proven a liar. My bet is the latter.
I don’t believe jack that she says. Too many inconsistency’s with all her other interviews. LOVE it that she has to go to court, and maybe Tamra was correct about Jay??
If she doesn’t have Jeff’s $ then how is she affording the makeup line? If she put all her money into the makeup line, then how does she afford to keep Slade? and what happens if the makeup line doesn’t sell as well “online” that she hopes it will? I doubt it would sell retail, as Vicky said too many makeup lines on the market.
These women need to listen to Vicky, she is successful and they aren’t, simple as that.
Not to get off the Gretchen train, One thing about Alexis, why is she always looking for a fight? Every week she has a problem with someone or should I say a problem with Vicky and the chick trying to pick up Jim [gag me]
If she’s trying to get the estate to hide that money until the court business w/ Jay is over, she can forget it. Jay’s not going anywhere. He’s got her number and all of her lies will be exposed.
I really hope what she says is true, that Jeff got the last laugh by telling her she was going to get this money before he died, only to have it tied up in other debt. What doesn’t add up is how she paid for that house and its furnishings. Escorting? She would have jumped at any offer she got for tv. People line up for blocks on the streets for those cattle calls. Nobody has to approach anyone to do them.
You can tell from her long winded boring rhetoric that she’s looking for her own show. You can also tell by the way that she’s calling her cheap, slap your name on it, generic makeup line an ‘empire’ that she’s hoping to hawk it on QVC. That will never happen b/c of her tainted rep as a reality tv whore.
Slade has no business experience to be a consultant. The only consulting he’s doing is with her money, and she’s even got to pay him for that.
As usual, I agree with puhp very much!
Anyway, Gretchen’s lies will eventually catch up with her, and I think they’ve started to do that already. Like Tamra said, so many people are already onto her bullcrap.
Kally: Alexis is a classic narcissist. Her compulsive exercise and upkeep to hold onto taliban Jim is all that she’s about. Take that away and she has no identity. She’s jealous and threatened by anyone she thinks can take him from her.
When she talks about anything other than her routines, she’s ridiculed and laughed at, so she lashes out. Judging by how STUPID she is, I doubt she has ever been able to scape out more than a meager wage for herself, so she needs to attach herself to a pig like Jim to feed her narcissistic lifestyle.
When Vicky mentioned that Donn worked, that’s all she said. She didn’t call anyone out for not having a job, yet Alexis was the first to take offense, even though she doesn’t have a job. Having 2 nannies and a maid disqualifies her from being considered a housewife. She’s a kept woman, nothing more.
You said it Kally. From the very beginning, Alexis has had an axe to grind with Vicky, even before meeting with her. I suspect she is intimidated by Vicky’s strength, success and overall superiority. Her only weapon is to try to discredit her as a mother/wife, which is a moot point since Brianna and Michael turned out well, and Donn was never unhappy. That was just the spin that Simon tried to put on it. Also, it’s been said many times, but it bears repeating…..Nobody wants Taliban Jim except Alexis!
She better hope that she can settle out of court with Jay, so that she can keep her personal financial information to herself. Otherwise it is all going to be out there,and she won’t be able to continue with the lies. Although I think this Jay guy is a p.o.s. All Gretchen would have had to do is own up to the fact that they were in a relationship and just be honest about the whole thing,then maybe all this crap would not be taken place who knows,but this guy is on a mission to bring her down and he could care less how long it takes and how much it costs.
As far as this interview, I agree with the other posters too many”questionable truths,and inconsistency’s with all the other interviews that she has given.
Court documents will prove her innocence. Jay is a psycho who needs to get a job instead of constantly trying to steal Gretchen’s money.
The dirtbag already owes her from money she loaned him before. This lawsuit (just like Jay’s pathetic life) will go nowhere.
I find it interesting that he sues her just around the time of her Turbo tax commercial and now launching her makeup line.
She is obviously doing very well financially and is the most popular housewife for sure and he is trying to mooch whatever he can off of her. What a loser.
If Slade is one of the hardest working men Gretchen knows what does that tell us about the quality of the “men” in Gretchen’s circle of friends? Losers.
As for Alexis and Jim Bellino- check out this pic taken of them celebrating Valentine’s Day in Las Vegas. Alexis looks like she forgot to inflate the girls and Jim looks like he got his hair cut and styled at the same place they took their young son in a recent episode.
http://www.realitytea.com/wp-content/new-uploads/2010/02/alexis-and-jim-bellino.jpg
Blah,blah blah…..she just talks in circles.
Is it just me, but I think Gretchen was better looking in the previous season. What happened to her nice face? She looks way older and unattractive…
Mila, she lost weight, looks gaunt, and her head is starting to look bigger than her body! You are very correct.
It looks like her cheekbone implants have dropped. She does look gaunt. I think the drinking and drugging are starting to catch up with her. If she got fake boobs, she would look odd like Heidi Montag and Tori Spelling, b/c of her petite frame.
She has to wear low cut v neck outfits all of the time so her head doesn’t look so oblong and big.
Has anyone else noticed the really bad complexion that Gretchen has? She wears tons of “filler” and pancake makeup to make her skin look flawless when it isn’t. When Gretchen was giving Lynne parenting advice, I noticed that her face was loaded with bumps and what looked like acne scars.
If her “Gretchen Christine Beaute” makeup line is anything like the heavy spackling compound she wears, I’ll pass — thanks anyway.
As usual everyone is hating on Gretchen. Jay is such a low life and you people are defending him like he is some great upstanding citizen. He only called Tamara because its has been obvious from the beginning how jealous she is of Gretchen, so of course she would believe all his lies. As far as Tamara, we have recently seen what type of person she is with dating her husband’s friend and they are not even divorced. Plus the fact that she has children that will be reading all about their mother and what she has been doing. She is always calling Gretchen a liar but that is definetly the pot calling the kettle black. Maybe she should hook up with Jay, that would be a perfect match. As for Gretchen’s money, that really is no one’s business but hers. Would you want people all in your finances? I don’t think so. And don’t give me this stuff about her being on TV so we have a right to know because we don’t.
I agree Gretchen does not look good this season. Last year I thought she was beautiful, the way she dressed,her hair,everything , this season, not so much. Living that rough life,will catch up with you.
I do not think people are defending Jay,and certainly do not think he is a fine up standing citizen,they have pretty much said what a p.o.s. he is,and he really is. How anyone could do this to someone loved is beyond me. He is one scorned,hateful man, and his mission is to bring her down..Gretchen you never should have lied.
Well, Barb, I don’t know…there are those of us here on RT that think Jay is slime.
Not sure where you connect that just because some on here support Gretchen that automatically means they like Jay.
Not at all.
Personally I think he is obsessed and desperate for money. I think he is blaming Gretchen for his decline in business, however with the economy going down, I think he’s going to have a hard time proving his claims.
And why would he want it to be publicly known that he was involved with Gretchen during the time she was engaged to Jeff?
WHY WOULD ANYONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH PULLING A FAST ONE ON A CANCER PATIENT?
btw, if other posters here like Jay, what’s that to me? Its their free speech to say whatever they want as long as what they say conforms to the T&C of this site.
I would really like to believe that everything we see on this show is true to nature. However, I know that it is not. I confess…I am addicted to the gossip and sensationalism of it, but I know the difference between fantasy and reality. What makes me sad is that these women can get sucked into a complete sense of false reality. I feel that Vickie and Don are the most “realistic” couple. They both work to contribute and their children are older and don’t require constant attention. Very balanced for their stage in life. Lynn and Frank need to strap on some balls. I think they’re well-intended, but are going about it the wrong way. There are certain expectations that kids must meet. Teenagers are difficult, but they must do what is expected of them. Take away cell phones, allowance, etc. Make it hurt. I know my parents did. As for the wives with small children, I hate to say it, but I feel like they’re riding a band wagon. I have small children too, but it’s a team effort with my husband. I work full time and go to college, with one Batchelor’s Degree obtained already. It just annoys me that they have to ask for permission. So ridiculous!
Gretchen looked especially bad the last 2 episodes. She didn’t have her sky blue contacts in, her brows drawn on, her fake eyelashes and she did have a ton of pancake on her face.
She’s starting to slip b/c of all of the blow she does. She can’t keep track of her lies and is focusing so much of her time beating down Tamra that her real enemy, Jay, is gaining ground.
She’s probably not going to get any money from Jeff’s estate if it goes through the courts. She will have to pay out to Jay for the lies she told about him stalking her and her house will go up her nose.
Alexis is probably on coke also. It keeps her from realizing what a NIGHTMARE her life really is.
puhp, OMG, I just LMFAO at your comments! Hahahaha. I agree with them as well. Jay and Gretchen are both pathetic and disgusting human beings. Therefore, they deserve one another!
HELP ME RHONDA, NEW ORLEANS LADY, KARLALA, REAL JEWEL, DYANA, LIZZIE, PUHP, SCARLETTE, WTF, TOOTSIE, JEN, MINXY, GABBY, MADGE, JOJO, JOAN, MILA, KALLY, REALITY BITES, MONICA, BETH, MVT, ANNA, JENNY FROM THE BRONX, WBH, ANICA, and whoever else has posted on this website -
MAKE YOUR COMPLAINTS KNOWN IN REGARD TO THE HARASSMENT BY “ANON” & “JORDAN” by using Contact on top to voice your grievances to RealityTea directly like I just did. I DON’T HAVE TO COME ON THIS WEBSITE TO BE HARRASSED (SEXUALLY) and BULLIED BY DELINQUENT, CANDY-@SS BULLIES.
STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS AND LET REALITYTEA KNOW THAT THEY WILL LOSE THEIR COMMENTERS/CUSTOMERS IF THESE TYPE OF VULGARITIES CONTINUE.
“STRENGTH THROUGH UNITY, UNITY THROUGH STRENGTH”
NOBODY MESSES WITH THIS NYC BROAD!!!
AM I RIGHT JENNY FROM THE BRONX!!!
Gretchen’s parents seem pretty normal so I wonder who’s to blame for how she turned out. It’s kind of creepy for her to wear her front plunging bathing suit in front of her parents cooking breakfast.
You can tell Slade isn’t in love with her and was totally disgusted w/ her remarks about ‘leasing’ people. It’s kind of what she did w/ Jeff so he shouldn’t be too surprised. I guess it’s a different story when it’s directed towards him.
Did anybody else catch that in this interview she said she met Slade and Jo when she was married. But, earlier in the article she said that after she met Slade and Jo, Jeff talked her into doing the show. Hmmmm, so she was married at the time, but with Jeff too! And I like Gretchen – at least I thought she was honest. If you’re going to lie, at least try and keep your stories straight in one interview!
I must be on drugs. I just read my post and cannot believe I said I thought Gretchen was honest. I apologize – I have apparently just lost my mind.