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Why Dolores Catania’s Boyfriend, Paulie Connell, Thinks Frank Catania Should “Grow Up”
Paulie is convinced that he knows why Frank *really* has a “problem letting go” of his relationship with Dolores.
During The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13 premiere, Dolores Catania said she “[couldn’t] believe how smitten and gushy” she was about her new boyfriend, Paul “Paulie” Connell, but there’s one person in her life who is still struggling to get used to the relationship: her ex-husband, Frank Catania.
Though Frank and his girlfriend, Brittany Ann Mattessich, are getting serious, the businessman hasn’t appreciated how little he’s been seeing his ex-wife. He was also offended when she declined to stay at his shore house during the group’s trip there earlier this season.
In a preview of the April 4 episode, which you can watch above, Dolores tells Paulie about Frank’s disappointment. The Irishman says that Frank is “really not letting up” on the fact that Paulie has become the man in Dolores’ life and that their relationship has changed.
“Frank needs to grow up,” Paulie says. “He’s got Brittany, who’s really crazy about him, and you guys had a great relationship, but it’s gone.”
The electrician wonders if Frank regrets splitting up with Dolores more than 25 years ago.
“It seems to be that Frank is the one who has a problem letting go of what your relationship was,” Paulie adds. “Maybe he’s at a point [in] his life that he’s realized he made the biggest mistake, Dolores.”
Though Frank and Paulie were in a tough place during Season 13, Dolores revealed that things have improved between her ex and her current beau since filming wrapped.
After Frank said at the Season 12 reunion that Paulie looked like Buzz Lightyear, the two men have been able to move on and make light (pun intended) of the moment. As Dolores shared during a February episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, during the 2022 holiday season, Frank “had a blanket made for [Paulie] with his face on Buzz Lightyear for Christmas.”
Dolores also shared that she and her boyfriend “have talked about a future together,” so there’s a good chance that Frank and Paulie will be spending even more time together down the line.
Watch The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo Tuesdays at 9/8c and the next day on Peacock. Catch up on the Bravo app.
