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Dolores Catania
This is an I heart podcast.
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Teddi Mellencamp
Remember when people were nice? When we could occasionally stop fighting and come together? Well, here's some good news. The Ripple Effect is here. Hosted by comedian Jenna Kim Jones. It's a show about how powerful it is when we reach out to one another. It's the perfect weekly proof that goodness isn't gone. The Ripple Effect is more than a podcast. It's a reminder that you can start a ripple that changes every everything. Listen to the ripple effect on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Dolores Catania
Two teas in a Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamara Judge.
Teddi Mellencamp
Hi, it's Teddi Mellencamp.
Dolores Catania
Camera touch.
Teddi Mellencamp
Welcome back to Two T's in a Pod live from Bravocon in Las Vegas.
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It's such a fun, busy weekend and we want to make sure you get as many episodes as possible. So we have a special guest co host for you.
Teddi Mellencamp
Dolores Catania is here. Take it away, Dolores.
Dolores Catania
Hi everybody. It's Dolores Catania here with two T's and a very special guest today. Today is going to be a special episode because it is me with my now fiance, Paulie Connell. Hi, Paulie.
Paulie Connell
Hi, Dolores. Thank you.
Dolores Catania
Oh, you're welcome.
Paulie Connell
Special.
Dolores Catania
Yes, it's very special. And I decided before that you and I spoke to anyone, Paulie, that my loyalty, and you know loyalty is my motto, that two T's are like my family now. So I wanted to speak to two T's first and all our loyal friends because loyalty is what it's all about. But of all of you, all of you who if you haven't heard, Paulie and I got engaged a couple days ago and we're really going to sit down and talk about it for the first time even to each other because it's been such a whirlwind of emotion and surprise and everything you can imagine because I had no idea that, that I was actually going to the Apple store for anything other than the new iPhone. So I'm going to let Paulie here take over because Paulie, sharing with everybody right now, I'm going to ask you for the first time, how did you come up with this amazing idea? Number one, to get Engaged. Because it wasn't on my bingo card that day. And number two, the way you did it. And it was so thought out to reenact our first day. But the floor is yours. As Alan Cummings says, the floor is yours.
Paulie Connell
Why, thank you, Dolores.
Dolores Catania
You're welcome.
Paulie Connell
You look gorgeous today.
Dolores Catania
Thank you.
Paulie Connell
As always. Well, obviously, I was always planning this. You know, from the first time I met you at the Apple Store, it was a very surreal moment. Cause even though by the time I got to meet you, I kind of found out you were on tv, I didn't know what TV was all about. To me, it was just like, whatever, big deal, and just go meet her and hang out.
Dolores Catania
You were gonna get to know.
Paulie Connell
Yes, I was. So I feel like, you know, that that always resonated with me. The first time I met you. There was always, like, important to me, because, number one, you stalked me. Because you drove by the Apple Store that day and you see my car there.
Dolores Catania
You didn't stalk you. I would have stalked anybody with a Rolls Royce at that time.
Paulie Connell
So I would have went, coincidentally, you walk into the store that I'm in, stalking you.
Dolores Catania
My phone. Stop it.
Paulie Connell
We can say we want to speak from the heart.
Dolores Catania
Yes. Let me do it from the heart. Okay. But I'm going to tell you, if I see a Rolls Royce in the parking lot, I need to know who owns.
Paulie Connell
No to everybody out there with a Rolls Royce park in front of the door. Works out okay.
Dolores Catania
Oh, is that how you would do it?
Paulie Connell
Yeah. No. So, yeah. So it was. It was meaningful for me. So when I seen you walk in that day to the Apple Store, and it was just after the whole Covid thing, I remember I had a mask on. I'm like, the knock. This cannot be fucking Dolores Catania. Because I. I'd only seen you on Instagram, right? And we talked.
Dolores Catania
We talked through DMs.
Paulie Connell
Yeah. Yeah.
Dolores Catania
I thought you were gay. Somebody introduced us. A friend. A mutual friend. So I went on your Instagram and I'm like, oh, this guy's gay. So cute.
Paulie Connell
I have that video. Actually, you know what? I think I'm gonna post that video. I think he deserves a post.
Dolores Catania
Oh, my God. So I left him a dm.
Paulie Connell
Because there's nothing wrong with being gay, right?
Dolores Catania
So, no.
Paulie Connell
I might love a guy that came off very feminine. Right?
Dolores Catania
If you are, it's okay, Pauly, you could let me know.
Paulie Connell
I think you would know by now, Dolores.
Dolores Catania
Okay.
Paulie Connell
Do you think I'm gay?
Dolores Catania
No, I think you have a feminine side to you.
Paulie Connell
Like A mommy's boy or gay?
Dolores Catania
No, both. They're both.
Paulie Connell
Oh, yeah.
Dolores Catania
Okay. Yeah. Okay. But I'm just gonna say that we were talking and it was actually just kind of kismet that we both wound up. Our phones were broke at the same time. We wound up getting our phones fixed.
Paulie Connell
On the same day, you know? Yeah, we'll put it like that, but it's stalking, so. I mean, listen. So you walk into the store for me, like I said, you were larger than life, right? And you know, I make joke about your hair, your boobs, your Lululemons and your ass, but your presence just filled up the whole store. And I always remember when you come over to me, you just this. You just made me disengage with my nerves. I'd pull the mask up all over my face. You could only see, like, barely see my eyes because I was my pants. If she comes over to me, I got what I say. And meantime, I meant to be going out with you that night. So for me, it was like, dude, stop being a wussy. So you came over, you broke the ice, and it was cool. It was very cool. I remember we spoke outside. We went to the Panera Bread. We spoke there for a while.
Dolores Catania
Three hours, Paul.
Paulie Connell
Yeah.
Dolores Catania
And didn't feel like three.
Paulie Connell
Didn't feel like three hours. And then we were going.
Dolores Catania
Can we get back to the. The Apple store? I remember you were shaking. You're. When you went to. Because I had, like, probably 25. No exaggeration, because I lose my headphones all the time. I was trying. While I was talking to you, I was deleting all my headphones.
Paulie Connell
You were deleting all the DMs you were getting, saying, okay, I found the right guy.
Dolores Catania
Nah. Yes, you were so. But anyway, I noticed you went to show me something and you were, like, shaking.
Paulie Connell
Was I?
Dolores Catania
Yes, you were. And I knew. I knew I had you a little bit then. I didn't know how much. But anyway. Sorry, go ahead.
Paulie Connell
I was definitely shaking last Monday.
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So.
Paulie Connell
Yeah. So that's kind of always been a place in me. And obviously our relationship, you know, bloomed into what it did. Right. And then obviously the tent, which you didn't put together. November 10th is when you officially took residency in the Undercliff. That's when you officially decided to move in.
Dolores Catania
I did not realize that, Paul.
Paulie Connell
Well, that's. Yeah.
Dolores Catania
How do you know? Did you document that?
Paulie Connell
Of course.
Dolores Catania
You wrote it in your.
Paulie Connell
I wouldn't have to write it.
Dolores Catania
I would just know that I moved in your house. So so for everyone that doesn't know I was living, remember that my beautiful townhouse? Well, it was a rental while my house was getting done and Paul and I had a heart to heart one day and I was looking at other places to live for a short time because my house still wasn't actually done. And he said, what did you say to me?
Paulie Connell
Do you remember you were looking to move to the neighborhood to be close to me, which at the time we were having that conversation. And I said to myself, it's either. It's either like, let's do it together or, you know, you moving somewhere else doesn't really like, doesn't make sense. Right. If we're going to be seeing each other, why not move here and then figure out if it doesn't work, then you can move back out. And you were, you were hesitant for about three minutes and then you said yes.
Dolores Catania
So that was a big.
Paulie Connell
It was a big deal.
Dolores Catania
A big deal for both of us.
Paulie Connell
Yeah. So. Which I never looked back on, you know, I didn't understand that I was going to inherit all the dogs.
Dolores Catania
Well, it's a package deal.
Paulie Connell
So very soon after that we had some furry friends coming around the house.
Dolores Catania
And your. And your bachelor pad was never the same.
Paulie Connell
It was never the same. So. But it's. It feels more like a home now because there was a coldness to it. I remember when you used to first come over back in the day, but. Yeah, but there definitely is a warmth to it. And it's not just from the piss of dog that she leaves everywhere and the stench that she leaves everywhere because she lives. And she dropped. What? How the fuck is. When we're there, she drops these little bombs. You look around, you're like, hey, dog, what's up? You throw them back. There's like a bomb there. It's like she sets traps up for you to walk on. She wants part of the action. Shout out to dog love dog.
Dolores Catania
You love her now.
Paulie Connell
You do.
Dolores Catania
You sleep together every morning.
Paulie Connell
It was a package deal with you two guys. So she definitely persuaded a little bit on the end. Just so you know, she. She brought it over the finish line.
Dolores Catania
Okay.
Paulie Connell
If you want to know the truth.
Dolores Catania
Well, I have to say, I do judge a man by the way he treats his kids and his dogs. So the way you treated her even though she ruined all your brand new floor. Like, what do you call those floors? They were wood.
Paulie Connell
I call them wee wee pads now. One big wee wee pad everywhere.
Dolores Catania
Paul, Paul, what is that? It's like wood.
Paulie Connell
What it's wood. It's not that hard, Dolores.
Dolores Catania
It's.
Paulie Connell
What?
Dolores Catania
No, no, it's like.
Paulie Connell
You want to call it something else?
Dolores Catania
What?
Paulie Connell
It's like, okay, it's a light wood.
Dolores Catania
Well, you didn't have it sealed because it shouldn't stain from piss.
Paulie Connell
It's gray. It's light gray. No, it shouldn't stay for piss that's wiped up. But when you walk by, it's six times doors. Cuz you're on two T's or whatever.
Dolores Catania
Like a busy two. Two T's comes first.
Paulie Connell
Okay, Real. I see that.
Dolores Catania
Good. So your decision to get engaged there was because it was sentimental to you from us meeting there for the first time?
Paulie Connell
Yes. Yeah, it was. And I was thinking of other places, obviously. Then that night we went to Rocco's for dinner. But then I was like, I don't really want to do it in a restaurant. Then I was thinking, like, I spoke to one of our friends. We were talking about a nice rooftop with a backdrop of New York City.
Dolores Catania
That would be the fashionable couple.
Paulie Connell
Yes, it was.
Dolores Catania
Yes. I'm glad the gay men told you their rendition of what? An engagement.
Paulie Connell
I had picked a place and then they wanted to bring it to Jersey, so.
Dolores Catania
Okay.
Paulie Connell
Yeah.
Dolores Catania
Okay.
Paulie Connell
So. And then it was about having your family there. Who do we invite? Who would you not invite? And it just got to be a. It got to be such a mess. I was like, it's now taken over what it really means from. From my side. And I know what you. You would expect, right? So you want the most, you know, meaningless way for it to happen for you. You want, like, from. From my heart.
Dolores Catania
I wanted it from your heart, yes.
Paulie Connell
And I felt like that was. And again, I don't want this to sound the wrong way, but that was when I still. That was for the very short time that I knew you as Dolores Catania and not a housewife. That's when that time was to me, before my world just fucking opened up to this whole, like all things bravo is a very different universe to. If you. It takes you a long time to get used to it, to settle in all the pros and cons to it, which. But there's a lot more pros than the. You know, I just felt like, for me, I felt a very sentimental. And I just kept on tying it back to there. And I'm like, you know what I think this is gonna be. This is gonna mean a lot to her, and she's gonna feel this. And it's very hard to catch you out because coming from the background with your dad and your brother and the cops. It's like fucking dating a fucking FBI agent, you know? So everything with you is like. You think I'm a conspiracy theorist? Everything. Holy shit. So I had to do something that would throw you off. And then we just start putting the wheels in motion and the timing was. And I'm like, you know, the 10th is an important day to me, so let's go. I'm going to do it.
Dolores Catania
Wow. And. But to do it before BravoCon, you didn't. So you had anything that had to do with. Bravo had nothing to do with your engagement because you. You didn't care what was gonna happen here.
Paulie Connell
Absolutely not.
Dolores Catania
You didn't care what anybody was gonna think, that it wasn't this elaborate like engagement on a yacht in, you know, Greece or whatever you wanted it to be what we are outside of this.
Paulie Connell
We could have done. We. I could have proposed to you anywhere I wanted it because there is no restrictions for me to do it. I chose there for it to be most meaningful for me and you. I could have. I could have walked you in Brabicon. I could have done the middle of floor of Bravicon. I could have done it on the plane. I could have done. I could have done it anywhere. I picked that because that's what I meant was the first time I met you. And I always remember, distinctly remember how you made me feel when you walked into that place. And when we start talking and I was like, you know what? It felt right to me. And I went with the gamble. And it worked out.
Dolores Catania
It did. Because I can tell you this from me finally figuring out you were proposing and you were not seizing because you were so nervous.
Paulie Connell
Cause I got so fucking nervous.
Dolores Catania
I know, Paul, but I had no idea. So when I. I couldn't have wanted it any other way.
Paulie Connell
You're a very important person, Dolores. Like, you're a serious important person to a lot of people. So, you know, speaking to your dad, speaking to your family, I was like, you know, this is a big role to take on. You can date someone, but taking like the responsibility of having the best for them for the rest of life, it's a big deal. And that's a. That's a big ask to. To put yourself in. So I had to make sure that you were okay. You know, I was always worried about maybe you didn't feel I was the right. You were going through the time. Would you say yes? I mean, I asked everybody, did they think she would say yes? And they all said yes, But I still had the hesitant piece of me to say, if you'd have said, nah, I like my life the way it is, maybe we'll look at it. Because that's the kind of person you are. You speak from how you feel, right?
Dolores Catania
I do, I do. But I also felt, Paul, that it was time for us to make a different move. You're now divorced, which a lot of people gave us a lot of flack about. I know. What a lot of people don't know is, behind the scenes, what goes on in our life, okay. Is it's very simple outside of this. I mean, people look at what we have like, we like nice things. Right. But we do live a fairly simple life. No.
Paulie Connell
Don't you think? I would like to think so. A lot of people won't, but I think so. And we could be a little bit more extravagant if we wanted to be what we don't.
Dolores Catania
Right. So I know. Which never bothered me. But it bothered you very much that people gave you a very hard time about one not being divorced.
Paulie Connell
And they should have. I'm actually okay with that.
Dolores Catania
They were not wrong. And that's. And that's a man that loves you. Because a man who loves you will never get mad at somebody who's actually sticking up for you in the right way with the right intention. So that is just one of the many million of things that when you just sit in front of me and say that, I know that you do truly love me and care about me, because I've watched other men, when their friends stick up for them, if they're doing something wrong, get mad at the friend. You know what I'm saying? And I always look at the intention behind things. So the intention behind this whole engagement meant the most to me that you did it from your heart, that you were so sincere, that you went out of your way so much. You bought me the ring. I said, go, I want a big ring. I said, wait a long time. I want to feel it on my finger. I want to feel it on my hand. And you did an amazing job. But what a lot of people don't know is that you are a tough guy. You're from the streets of Dublin. You could really handle just about anything. But it hurt your feelings when people used to give me a hard time about your situation, but it didn't hurt me. And I never took that and said, this is what people are saying now. You have to get divorced. You have to get engaged to me. I never once pushed you to do that because I Always tell people, if you have to ask somebody to do the right thing, it's wrong.
Paulie Connell
You never, you never forced it. You always supported it. You went through with me, like, you really understood it. And, you know, obviously one or two times we got into, like, conversations, and rightfully so it ticked you a little bit. But that's. You just letting the arrow. Because as you're going through the process, you have to kind of let the, let the, let the pressure out a little bit as you go along. But you, you supported me and you knew what was going on. So at the end of the day, you knew what, you know, listen, should have, should have gone faster. A lot of things happened in that divorce that were based on nothing to do with either side. You know, unfortunately, at the end, the attorney got sick, like, and pushes everything.
Dolores Catania
On the stairs pretty much.
Paulie Connell
But you never, you never went against it. You always supported it. And, and that's, that's one thing that I will always be thankful for you. Because while everybody else was shitting on it, you could have jumped on that wagon and you could have emphasized, been like, you know what? This is fucking. Fuck you. Do this, whatever it is, and you never once did it.
Dolores Catania
And because, Paul, at the end of the day, I don't care what other people think.
Paulie Connell
And that's why I appreciate about you the most. You don't care what anybody else thinks?
Dolores Catania
I don't, but we care what I think.
Paulie Connell
But that's.
Dolores Catania
I do care what you think.
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Dolores Catania
Now moving forward after I am so shocked at the Apple Store, I want you to know and I don't know if I've told you this since because the past couple of days have been a blur. What went more to me than the ring and what meant more to me than how you went out of your way to have everybody in the Apple Store in on this and telling me I'm going to get a phone and having me get my makeup done in the morning saying having my assistant tell me I had a meeting that was canceled and you saying we had to get a 10 o' clock appointment otherwise I was gonna lose my phone and then getting there and being absolutely surprised. What meant more to me is the things that you said to me before you got down on one knee because I don't hear those things from you ever. Although I felt them, but sometimes you need to hear them. But I can tell you this. If there was ever a doubt in my mind that maybe this isn't something I didn't want, which I never thought that that would have been a whole nother. Like the things, everything you said to me is what I've always wanted to hear. Do you remember what you said to me?
Paulie Connell
I do. Of course I do.
Dolores Catania
What were. Tell me again. Pressure. Go ahead. I want to hear it again. Because now I'm calm. Now I'm not surprised.
Paulie Connell
I'm still not calm.
Dolores Catania
I want to soak it up. Tell me what you said before you got down on one day and you studied.
Paulie Connell
I told you.
Dolores Catania
You said. What did you say about getting engaged?
Paulie Connell
Chatgpt is a disaster for me that day because I was.
Dolores Catania
Thank you. I thought it was like from your heart.
Paulie Connell
No, I was. No. So what I was looking up was like how to get your speech across meaningfully. Like, make eye contact. Don't hold her hand straight away. Don't kneel down, stand up. And I'm fucking. It's like. Do you ever think a golf swing, 6,000 things go through your head as I'm standing in front of you. I'm like, get down. Stay up, Talk. Don't talk. Like, go grab her hand, make eye contact as I'm trying to talk to you. That's probably why you thought I was.
Dolores Catania
Having a stroke, because I was trying to sweating. You were saying things like, I've been around people that are like that and you were saying things that didn't make sense to me. So I wanted. I was more worried about your health in the moment. And I. And I knew what you were saying was everything I wanted to hear. But now that I'm not. Could you say it again?
Paulie Connell
I basically told you how important you were to me, how you've made me elevate as a person and how much of a better person you've made me and how my life has become so much better from meeting you. I've also told you about my children, how they feel towards you, how I feel towards your kids, how you've made me a one part of your family. And when I spoke to your family even before this went down, like just the stuff they said to me just reassured me you are part of this family. Like, this is. This is real.
Dolores Catania
And what does that mean to you? Because a lot of people are not family orientated.
Paulie Connell
You know, it's everything to me. It means everything well, the families are important to make it work as well. They don't hold the key to your happiness, but they're very important to the. The process of happiness when you're moving into that life with somebody.
Dolores Catania
I think everybody who gets engaged, it's a package deal, whatever's going on in their life, whatever they have. And you have to love what they love, even if you don't like it. You have to love what they love. And one of the most important things for me about you was you had to take on all the philanthropy work. I don't ask you for a Chanel bag, Paul. Have I ever asked you once for a bag?
Paulie Connell
Yes.
Dolores Catania
Okay, maybe. Did I ever ask you more than once?
Paulie Connell
Yes.
Dolores Catania
No. Shut the up.
Paulie Connell
Now you are talking. The truth.
Dolores Catania
The truth. When. What do I ask for, Pop?
Paulie Connell
Nothing. Oh, no. Yes.
Dolores Catania
Tell the truth.
Paulie Connell
Nothing. Okay. Zero.
Dolores Catania
Yeah. So. But what's more important for me is for you to take on. To write that check when I say, paul, we're going to a dog event tonight.
Paulie Connell
Yeah.
Dolores Catania
You know you're gonna write a check. Oh, you have no problem, like. Or my family or, you know, the kid. You know, that kind of stuff.
Paulie Connell
Yeah, I'm. Whatever. That's. That's whatever stuff. Yeah. I got you.
Dolores Catania
Like, that's for me, what I needed you to be okay with, because that's very important for me. I want you to treat my friends, my family and I. And that's my treats from you.
Paulie Connell
Yeah.
Dolores Catania
And then the other things, too, like. Well, like my watches. No, but. But I'm excited for this for us. And then I come home to premiere events by. Rema is one of my very closest friends. She has amazing. She's. She does flowers for weddings. And I had a thousand roses at my house with candles lit everywhere and a big sign that said, she said yes. The photographers met us back at the house, and then you asked me to go get dressed. I was not ready for that, Paul.
Paulie Connell
I know.
Dolores Catania
I had to wear a dress that I had hanging up that was too small for me.
Paulie Connell
It was great.
Dolores Catania
It was not.
Paulie Connell
You looked awesome.
Dolores Catania
And then to go back to the restaurant where the whole staff was waiting for us at night and the booth that we sat in, right down to the wine that we drank.
Paulie Connell
Correct.
Dolores Catania
That night was really special and beautiful. And, yes, I could not have asked for more. So what's next?
Paulie Connell
I'm glad you said yes.
Dolores Catania
Me, too. So, yeah. Now that I wanted to share that very special day with all of you. And I thank you for always being there and listening and Stay tuned for part two about where we go from here to the future. Foreign.
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Dolores Catania
All.
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Dolores Catania
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Hosts: Teddi Mellencamp, Tamra Judge (with Guest Co-Host: Dolores Catania)
Date: November 13, 2025
Notable Guests: Dolores Catania, Paulie Connell
Setting: Live from BravoCon in Las Vegas
This special BravoCon episode of "Two Ts In A Pod" features New Jersey housewife Dolores Catania as guest co-host, joined by her new fiancé, Paulie Connell. For the very first time—on air or even privately—they sit down together to tell the story of their surprise engagement and reflect candidly on their relationship journey, family dynamics, and the public nature of their love life. The conversation is unscripted, funny, heartfelt, and packed with real-life Bravo energy.
Theme: The whirlwind engagement of Dolores and Paulie, the significance of loyalty and family, navigating public scrutiny, and what makes love last beyond reality TV.
Dolores shares her shock at the proposal:
Paulie’s Perspective:
Comedic Banter:
“I had no idea that I was actually going to the Apple store for anything other than the new iPhone.” (04:08 – Dolores)
“It’s not just about the proposal—it’s about the meaning behind it, for me.” (12:20 – Paulie)
Moving in was a big step.
Family and Package Deals:
Paulie’s Secret Plan:
Paulie’s Engagement Speech:
“You’ve made me elevate as a person and how much better you’ve made my life.” (27:33 – Paulie, recounting his words to Dolores)
Dolores addresses the timeline:
Loyalty Theme:
What Matters Most:
Celebrating at Home:
On their unique start:
About nervousness:
On love and blended families:
Engagement Day Words:
On pressure and timing:
On true partnership:
The tone throughout is heartfelt, teasing, candid, and occasionally irreverent—classic Housewives banter paired with rare vulnerability from both Dolores and Paulie. Their frankness about public scrutiny and private happiness is refreshing and relatable, weaving humor and warmth into every exchange.
This episode gives listeners an inside look at Dolores and Paulie's real-life romance, far beyond Bravo headlines. From the first Apple Store encounter to an emotional, low-key engagement, fans learn what truly matters to the couple: loyalty, family, speaking from the heart, and standing strong together in public and private. Stay tuned for Part Two, where Dolores promises to share what comes next!
[End of Part One; stay tuned for the next episode on their future plans!]