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Credit: Instagram
Jo De La Rosa called out Jennifer Pedranti and Gretchen Rossi after the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
In a “fact-checking” post shared to her Instagram Story, Jo, 45, reacted to Jenn, 48, asking, “Who’s Jo,” on the RHOC: After Show. She also fired back at Gretchen, 46, who downplayed their past friendship and accused her of being “desperate” to regain her position on the Bravo reality series.
“What’s wild to me is I literally met Jenn at the season finale last year at her engagement party. I thought she was the sweetest, nicest person. I used to work for [Ryan Boyajian]. I got her number. I said, ‘It was so nice to meet you.’ And then I was trying to get together with her for lunch because I had some things I wanted to tell her.”
She continued, “So we have text messages, trying to figure out a time to get together. So I just think it’s wild when she’s asking Gretchen who I am because she knows who I am,” Jo explained, showcasing a text exchange between them.
Moving on to Gretchen, Jo said they’ve had a “very long and messy journey.”
“We started out years ago as friends — even though she claims we weren’t friends. So maybe that was my mistake. I thought we were,” Jo admitted. “She was literally in the back of my music video back in the day when I used to do music, and I invited all my friends to be there. I had gone on a double date with her when I was with [Slade Smiley]. She had come to an iHeartRadio event with me. In my head, that’s definitely more than an acquaintance.”
Jo even “tried to be there for” Gretchen amid her legal drama with ex-boyfriend, Jay Photoglou, whom she accused of defamation years ago.
They were even friendly at a BravoCon event years ago, where they presented Vicki Gunvalson, 63, with the Wifetime Achievement Award.
“I went up to Gretchen after years of not talking to her, and I just said, ‘If there’s anything that I ever said, I’m sorry. I just want to start over,’” Jo recalled. “[And] all I was looking for in that moment was an apology back. I never got it. Fine. But I truly felt we were starting over again.”
But amid filming on RHOC season 19, Jo learned Gretchen had been trash-talking her on podcasts, “talking about how desperate [she was] … to get back on the show.”
Gretchen also accused Jo of “calling all the housewives” to try to get back on the show. However, when Jo created a group chat for the cast, she did so in an effort to gather donations for one of her friends, who had been impacted by the recent fires in Los Angeles.
As for claims of calling production, Jo said she did call one of her producers, whom she’d known for years, to tell her she enjoyed being on the finale and would be open to future appearances.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, considering I was first season cast,” she reasoned. “[Gretchen’s] continuing to spin a narrative that’s not true. I’ve stayed quiet long enough.”
“Her and I are not good, and there was actually an entire argument that happened at [Heather Dubrow]’s party that never got shown,” she continued. “An entire blowout happened. Slade jumped in at one point, which, I’m so sorry. Gretchen doesn’t need a mouthpiece. You don’t need to speak for her. She can defend herself. It just, it got ugly. It got messy, and at one point, Gretchen grabs Jenn and brings her in to try to make her point, and I’m just not down with the whole gang up.”
Lastly, Jo took aim at Gretchen for calling her “Slade’s ex.”
“My name is Jo. You can call me one of the original cast members on housewives, and we can call your husband ‘Joe’s ex,’” she declared.
Following the sharing of the video, Jenn clapped back at Jo, wondering why she felt the need to make her claims against her in public, rather than reaching out in private.
“Hi Jo- girl you still have my number!!” she began. “I thought the EXACT same thing about you! I felt like you were so sweet and kind! I absolutely loved meeting you- I have not watched the after show.. but if I said who’s Jo — to be honest when you showed up at my filmed engagement party last year that was the first time I met you.. hence why I said ‘who is Jo’ … You are correct- since then.. we’ve had a couple of lovely text exchanges. Truly, I don’t see the need to make a TikTok so [Tamra Judge] can go repost it. You could have easily used the number you have for me and we could have had a discussion. Now.. wanting back on the show and doing whatever you need to do to position yourself is a different story.. I can respect that. And if that’s your wishes I truly hope it works for you!!!”
“You have my number, please call me if you want to chat,” she added.
The Real Housewives of Orange County season 19 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
