You Won't Believe What's Causing Drama Between Teresa Giudice & RHONJ Newbie Traci Johnson

You Won't Believe What's Causing Drama Between Teresa Giudice & RHONJ Newbie Traci Johnson
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There's a new Jersey girl on the scene.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey fans will meet a fresh face when the hit Bravo series returns for season 12 tonight: say hello to new "friend-of" the cast Traci Johnson, wife of famed former New York Giants football star Tiki Barber.

Traci and Tiki joined RHONJ thanks to their longtime friends Melissa Gorga and Joe Gorga.

"Melissa would be like, 'Tracey, really should join or at least talk to the girls. You're so great, I think you really fit in,'" Traci told E! News exclusively, adding that now that the couple's two young daughters are in school, she thought, "'I have the time, why not give it a shot?'"

Traci was familiar with the NJ Housewives. "I think if you live in New Jersey you know about the table-flipping regardless if you watch Real Housewives or not. It's such an iconic Jersey moment in history," she dished. "But I did watch the seasons because I was a friend of Melissa's and wanted to support her."

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Traci admits she "was pleasantly surprised by most of" the women. "You know that they are not always how they are portrayed on TV, so that was a nice moment to really get to know the real them and figure out my own relationships, not just what I watched," she shared.

"I absolutely adore Dolores [Catania]," she gushed. "I mean talk about loyalty, she would walk in front of the bus for anyone. Margaret [Josephs] is absolutely phenomenal along with Jackie [Goldschneider]. I was like, ‘It's so nice to have some blondes in Jersey. So great that was great.'"

Traci Johnson, Teresa Giudice, RHONJ
Instagram/Bravo

As for RHONJ's longest running housewife Teresa Giudice, Traci revealed, "As the O.G. of the show I thought Teresa would be very territorial and not wanting a newcomer to come in and I will say I was very surprised and very happy to see how she welcomed me into the group of friends. She was very great in the beginning. Things may get rocky with us throughout the season."

Traci continued, "I just feel like I have drama with Teresa this season. It probably intensifies the further along we get. You know with anything with Teresa, you never know what you're gonna get."

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The source of their drama? "My husband," Traci admitted. "Tiki causes is a little bit of drama in Jersey."

Traci Johnson, Tiki Barber
Instagram

In addition to stirring the pot a little, fans will also see fun times between Tiki and the rest of the RHONJ husbands.

"The Jersey husbands are the best like all the franchises," Traci gushed. "I think they initiated him and he becomes like a house husband. He is like a full-fledged house husband at this point. He has always been such a great friend with Joe and all the other guys really welcomed him into the group with some teasing and hazing of course I'm sure."

Traci and Tiki, who met when they were both working at the Today show, will celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary this July.

"For me, 10 years is a really profound moment for all those people who ever doubted the love that we had or my love for him," Traci explained. "So I think it's a great milestone. I'm really, really excited to celebrate it this year."

The Real Housewives of New Jersey premieres tonight at 8 p.m. on Bravo.

(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family)

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