Jim Marchese says the flight attendant who claimed Marchese assaulted his wife recognized him from 'RHONJ' and called him a derogatory name
Former "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Jim Marchese, who filed a federal lawsuit against Virgin America Tuesday in connection with his domestic violence arrest at Los Angeles International Airport in April, tells NJ.com that he suffered damages "well in excess of $10 million."
Marchese was accused by a flight attendant of roughing up his wife Amber while waiting for their flight to New Jersey to take off, but prosecutors in Los Angeles declined to file charges. Marchese had previously threatened to sue the airline for $100 million.
"Not a day goes by that I don't deal with [the arrest]," says Marchese, a mortgage broker who also appears on the current season of WEtv's "Marriage Boot Camp" with Amber. "I've been called a wife beater at least 100 times."
In a new detail revealed in the lawsuit, he says that shortly after he and his wife boarded, the flight attendant recognized him as the villain of season six of "RHONJ," and that she called him a vulgar name, although not the one favored by Marchese's co-stars.
"It's not right," Marchese says, but, he adds, "at least they didn't quote the Housewives."
The Marcheses, who live in Colts Neck with their four children, are suing the airline and the flight attendant for defamation -- they claim the flight attendant was looking for her "30 seconds of fame" -- as well as negligence, infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, among other claims.
A spokesman for Virgin America tells NJ.com that there is "no merit to this lawsuit and Virgin America will defend the claims made against our teammate."
Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out Remote Possibilities, the TV podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or Spreaker, or listen below or here.
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