Forget gold — Joe Gorga is going for the bronze! Posing in an ad for Sizzle Tan tanning salon, the Real Housewives of New Jersey star shows off his tanned, toned physique for all of the Garden State to see.
Gorga’s shirtless torso appears on a billboard for the New Jersey-based company, which has locations in East Hanover, Morris Plains, Totowa, West Caldwell, and Rockaway. The larger-than-life sign is located in Totowa, N.J., just off Route 46 — which happens to be right near the home of the Bravo star’s estranged sister, Teresa Giudice.
“She has to pass it every day,” a source tells Us Weekly. Incidentally, Giudice has a history of shilling for the tanning salon, too. Back in 2010, she did an on-camera ad for Sizzle Tan in which she showed off her bronzed bod in a bikini. (Jersey Shore star Snooki has also worked with the company.)
“Teresa did the Sizzle Tan commercial as a one-off thing,” an insider tells Us. “Joe didn’t replace Teresa because she wasn’t working with them anymore. Also, Joe only did the billboard shoot — he’s not a spokesperson for the company.”
Still, Giudice is apparently not happy about her brother’s ad. “Teresa is pissed that everyone is congratulating Joe on Twitter,” the source says.
It could be worse, though. Insiders say Gorga was supposed to do the ad with his wife, Melissa Gorga, who is a main source of conflict for the brother-sister duo. “Sizzle Tan originally wanted both Melissa and Joe, but Melissa wanted Joe to have the spotlight,” a source tells Us. “So he did the billboard himself.”
Gorga’s sister and wife have an ugly history, to say the least. Giudice famously plotted to expose Melissa’s alleged stripper past during Season Four of the Real Housewives of New Jersey, leading to several explosive confrontations within the family. In a reunion special after the epic spat, Giudice told her sibling, “You’re not my brother anymore.”
Earlier this year, the women attempted to put their differences aside to attend a birthday party for Giudice’s daughter Gia. However, photographs of the two arguing suggest there’s still bad blood between them.
