Joe Giudice's immigration battle brings the real world to Real Housewives of New Jersey

The Outline

"The detainment and deportation of Teresa Giudice’s husband cracks the show’s apolitical fantasia," says Meher Ahmad. "The Real Housewives franchise has made a few passing attempts at discussing politics directly: the New York City series featured a stilted debate about Trump and Hilary, while the Beverly Hills housewives became embroiled in an intense debate about the rape accusations leveled against Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. But Real Housewives is a show explicitly made for thinking about nothing," says Ahmad, adding: "When the show bumps up against real life, when the 'horrible things' seep into its perfumed universe, viewers are forced to consider that the Giudice family’s pain might be happening elsewhere. Maybe they carry on blissfully unaware of any human suffering triggered by our imperious immigration system. But the real world can’t be avoided forever, not even on Bravo."