Gia Giudice Breaks Silence on Unexpected Drama with Riley Burruss: ‘I Didn’t Think It Was That Deep’

Gia Giudice is finally setting the record straight about where things stand with Next Gen NYC co-star Riley Burruss, following a wave of speculation surrounding their relationship.

“I honestly didn’t think it was that deep,” Gia, 24, shared exclusively with Us Weekly while promoting Bravo’s new show. “I guess I just don’t know how to please her.”

The Casual Chaos podcast host opened up about a minor misunderstanding with Riley, 22, explaining that the tension began when she made what she thought was a lighthearted comparison between The Real Housewives of New Jersey and The Real Housewives of Atlanta. (Their respective mothers, Teresa Giudice and Kandi Burruss, are longtime stars of RHONJ and RHOA.)

“I even saw a TikTok about it,” Gia explained. “It was from the same guy who always comments on drama, and honestly, he nailed it. He said, ‘I don’t think Gia was comparing Kandi and Teresa,’ and I wasn’t not in any way.”

Gia emphasized that her comments were never intended to offend. “I was just trying to start a conversation,” she said. “All I meant was that each Housewives franchise has its own personality its own niche. But in the end, they all share one thing in common: they’re groups of friends, and there’s always drama.”

She added, “It was really just about our moms both being on Bravo. That’s all. But I guess it didn’t sit well with her.”

Gia had first touched on the topic during a recent episode of her Casual Chaos podcast in a conversation with RHONJ castmate Dolores Catania. “Atlanta could definitely give us a run,” Dolores said on the episode, prompting Gia to share that she’d made a similar remark to Riley one that hadn’t landed well.

“She looked at me and said, ‘No, they’re very different,’” Gia recalled. “I was surprised. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just trying to connect over something we have in common.”

Initially, it seemed that Gia, Riley, and Ariana Biermann were destined to become Bravo’s new power trio ahead of the Next Gen NYC debut. And while Gia and Ariana, 23, maintain a strong bond, Ariana’s connection with Riley appears even closer. (Ariana’s mom, Kim Zolciak, is also a former RHOA cast member.)

Reflecting on their unexpected friendship, Riley shared with Us that she hadn’t seen Ariana in nearly a decade. “I thought we’d get along, but I didn’t expect her to become my best friend,” Ariana added. “I didn’t really know what to expect, but we just clicked from the very first day.”

Ariana also teased that the show will feature some unexpected turns that will put friendships to the test. “There are definitely some twists that shake things up and make certain relationships a bit rocky,” she said.

Next Gen NYC premieres Tuesday, June 3, at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.