Danielle Staub

Danielle Staub
Born	Beverly Ann Merrill 7/29/1962
Birthplace	Wayne, New Jersey, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Television personality, author
Spouse(s)	Kevin Maher (m. 1986; div. 1987), Thomas Staub (m. 1993; div. 2007), Marty Caffrey (m. 2018; div. 2019)
Children	2

Danielle Staub (born Beverly Ann Merrill; July 29, 1962) is an American reality television personality and author who rose to prominence as a cast member on the Bravo series The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Born in Wayne, New Jersey, Staub joined the show as a main cast member for its first two seasons from 2009 to 2010, during which her conflicts with fellow cast members — most notably Teresa Giudice — became some of the most memorable moments in the franchise's history. After departing as a full-time cast member following Season 2, Staub returned to the series in a recurring "friend" capacity for three additional seasons between 2017 and 2020. Throughout her tenure on the show, Staub became known for her outspoken personality, her tumultuous personal life, and a backstory involving a controversial tell-all book that became a central plot point in the series. She has also been married three times and is the mother of two daughters, Christine and Jillian.

Early Life

Danielle Staub was born Beverly Ann Merrill on July 29, 1962, in Wayne, New Jersey. Details about her childhood and upbringing prior to her television career have been limited in published sources. What became publicly known through the course of her reality television appearances — and through extensive media coverage — was that Staub had a complicated past that predated her fame on The Real Housewives of New Jersey.

According to reporting by the New York Daily News, Staub's background included involvement in criminal activity earlier in her life. Documents obtained by the newspaper revealed that before she adopted the name Danielle Staub, she had been connected to criminal behavior that would later become a significant aspect of the narrative on the reality show. This past was detailed in a book titled Cop Without a Badge, written by Kevin Maher, Staub's first husband, which chronicled events from their time together and alleged criminal conduct on Staub's part.

The book and its revelations would go on to play a central role in some of the most dramatic moments in the early seasons of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, as fellow cast members confronted Staub about the allegations contained within it. Kevin Maher later spoke publicly about his connection to the book, detailing how his account of events involving Staub contributed to one of the franchise's most iconic scenes.

Career

The Real Housewives of New Jersey (2009–2010)

Staub was cast as one of the original main cast members of The Real Housewives of New Jersey when the series debuted on Bravo in May 2009. The show, which followed the lives of affluent women in the northern New Jersey area, quickly became notable for its intense interpersonal conflicts, many of which centered on Staub.

A defining storyline of the first season involved the other cast members discovering and discussing the contents of the book Cop Without a Badge, which contained allegations about Staub's criminal past, including claims that she had been involved in activities under her birth name, Beverly Ann Merrill. The confrontation over the book culminated in one of the most famous scenes in Real Housewives franchise history — a table flip by Teresa Giudice directed at Staub during a dinner at a restaurant. Kevin Maher, Staub's first ex-husband and the subject of the book, later revealed the extent of his role in the events that led to that moment, stating that the book's account of Staub's past was based on his own experiences with her.

Throughout her two seasons as a main cast member, Staub's feuds with the other women on the show — particularly Giudice and Caroline Manzo — drove much of the dramatic content. The interpersonal tensions, accusations, and confrontations became signature elements of the series and helped establish The Real Housewives of New Jersey as one of the more volatile installments in the franchise.

In September 2010, it was announced that Staub would be leaving The Real Housewives of New Jersey as a full-time cast member. Her departure came after two seasons of escalating conflict with her co-stars that had made her both a controversial and compelling figure on the show.

Other Television Appearances

Following her departure from The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Staub pursued additional opportunities in entertainment. In 2009, while still on the show, she made a guest appearance on the long-running ABC daytime soap opera All My Children. The cameo represented a crossover between reality television and scripted programming that was characteristic of the growing cultural reach of the Real Housewives franchise at the time.

In 2011, Staub was linked to a potential reality television project alongside Heidi Montag, another prominent reality television figure known for her appearances on MTV's The Hills.

Staub also made media appearances during this period, including an appearance on the talk show The Dish in September 2010, where she discussed her departure from the Real Housewives and her ongoing disputes with former co-star Teresa Giudice.

Return to The Real Housewives of New Jersey (2017–2020)

After a seven-year absence from the series, Staub returned to The Real Housewives of New Jersey in 2017 in a recurring "friend of the housewives" role. Her return coincided with the show's eighth season and represented a significant shift in the dynamic of the series, as she returned to a cast that had changed substantially since her original tenure.

Notably, Staub's return involved a surprising rapprochement with Teresa Giudice, with whom she had feuded intensely during the first two seasons. The two women appeared to develop a friendship during this period, a development that attracted considerable media attention given the history of their conflicts on the show.

However, the friendship between Staub and Giudice proved to be strained over time. According to subsequent reporting, the relationship between the two women deteriorated once again during Staub's later appearances on the show. Despite this, by 2025, Giudice indicated that she and Staub had developed a sense of "mutual respect," suggesting an evolution in their long-running dynamic.

Staub continued to appear on the show in a "friend" capacity through the 2019–2020 season, after which she was no longer part of the cast. Her total involvement with the series spanned parts of five seasons across more than a decade.

Post-Housewives Career

Following her second departure from The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Staub continued to be a figure in the reality television landscape. In 2026, Andy Cohen, the executive producer and host of Watch What Happens Live, mentioned Staub's name while providing an update on the future of the Real Housewives of New Jersey franchise, indicating her ongoing relevance to discussions about the show.

Staub has also discussed plans to address the truth about her relationship with Lori Michaels in potential spinoff projects, indicating a continued interest in television work beyond the main Real Housewives series.

Reports have also indicated that Staub moved away from the New Jersey area that had served as the setting for her time on the show, marking a physical departure from the world of the series as well.

Legal Disputes

Staub's post-Housewives period was marked by legal entanglements, particularly with her first ex-husband, Kevin Maher. In October 2010, reports emerged that Staub was involved in a lawsuit connected to Maher and the book Cop Without a Badge (also referred to as The Naked Truth in some reports), which had been the source of significant controversy during her time on the show. There were also reports of a settlement between the two parties around the same time.

In December 2010, Staub was reported to have been sued again by her ex-husband in an ongoing legal dispute. The legal disputes between Staub and Maher underscored the contentious nature of her past and how it continued to follow her even after her departure from the reality series.

In 2025, Kevin Maher spoke publicly again about his connection to the tell-all book, providing additional details about his role in the events that had been depicted on the show and the book's significance in creating one of reality television's most memorable moments.

Personal Life

Staub has been married three times. Her first marriage was to Kevin Maher in 1986; the couple divorced in 1987. The marriage and its aftermath became a significant public matter due to Maher's involvement in the book that detailed aspects of Staub's past.

Her second marriage was to Thomas Staub in 1993, from whom she took her surname. The couple had two daughters together — Christine and Jillian — before divorcing in 2007. Both daughters have been featured on The Real Housewives of New Jersey during Staub's tenure on the show, and Bravo's official website published photos of the two as they grew up in the public eye.

In May 2017, Staub became engaged to Marty Caffrey. The couple married in 2018 but divorced in 2019.

Staub's personal life has been a subject of significant media coverage throughout her career. According to reporting by Bustle, Staub has been engaged numerous times over the years, with some reports indicating as many as 19 engagements. The number of engagements became a recurring topic of discussion on the show and in the media.

Recognition

Staub's primary recognition has come through her role on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, which established her as a notable figure in the reality television genre. Her feuds with fellow cast members, particularly the confrontation with Teresa Giudice that resulted in the now-famous table flip, are considered among the most iconic moments in the history of the Real Housewives franchise.

The table flip scene, which aired during the first season finale, has been referenced and replayed extensively in discussions of reality television and has become a cultural touchstone associated with the genre. Kevin Maher's 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly detailing his connection to the book that precipitated the scene highlighted the enduring interest in the event more than fifteen years after it aired.

Staub's profile on Us Magazine lists her among the notable personalities associated with the Real Housewives franchise. Her continued presence in entertainment media — including Andy Cohen's 2026 mention of her name in connection with updates about the Real Housewives of New Jersey franchise — demonstrates her lasting association with the series.

Coverage in publications including People, Entertainment Weekly, the New York Daily News, TMZ, and numerous entertainment outlets over the span of nearly two decades has kept Staub in the public conversation. Her return to the series after a seven-year hiatus in 2017 was itself a notable event, reflecting the degree to which audiences and producers recognized her as an integral part of the show's identity.

Legacy

Danielle Staub's impact on The Real Housewives of New Jersey and the broader Real Housewives franchise has been significant, particularly in establishing the tone and dramatic intensity that came to define the New Jersey installment. As an original cast member, her presence during the first two seasons helped shape the show's identity as one of the more conflict-driven entries in the franchise.

The table flip incident involving Teresa Giudice, which was precipitated by the confrontation over Staub's past as detailed in the book connected to her first ex-husband Kevin Maher, remains one of the most frequently cited moments in reality television history. The scene has been referenced in countless media retrospectives and discussions about the cultural impact of the Real Housewives franchise.

Staub's willingness to return to the show in 2017 after years away, and her complex relationship with former adversary Teresa Giudice — which evolved from open hostility to what Giudice described in 2025 as "mutual respect" — illustrated the long-running narrative arcs that have become characteristic of the Real Housewives franchise.

Her story also highlighted the ways in which reality television can amplify and transform personal histories, as aspects of her past that might otherwise have remained private became central narrative elements of a nationally broadcast television program. The legal disputes, personal revelations, and interpersonal conflicts that marked her time on the show contributed to broader conversations about the ethics and consequences of reality television production.

As of 2026, Staub's name continued to surface in discussions about the future of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, reflecting her enduring connection to a franchise that has been a significant part of American popular culture for nearly two decades.