When you open a legal documentary with Danielle Staub and the words Cop Without a Badge aren't mentioned, I'm already a little skeptical. But nevertheless, Danielle persisted in joining the ranks of legal experts, victims, and reporters alike to comment on The Housewife & the Hustler, ABC News' new documentary about Erika and Tom Girardi. Of course, Danielle Staub and Erika aren't friends — something the former RHONJ Housewife makes clear moments into her interview — but has that ever stopped the woman? Let's explore more into just why Danielle made an appearance in The Housewife & the Hustler.

Danielle launches us into the hour-long special with a comment that has little to do with the actual allegations being launched at Tom Girardi and Erika, and more to do with ~vibes.

"Erika Jayne, I have seen on the show, and I also worked with her on ‘Watch What Happens Live’ one or two times. Didn’t get the best vibe from her — I know a lot of fake people, and it turns out, she’s just one of them."

"Didn't get the best vibe from her," is a scathing comment for someone who has been known to create fascinating "vibes" during her time on television (and WWHL for what it is worth).

Regardless of Danielle's vibes and Erika's vibes (word of the night is "vibes," by the way), I decided to dive a little deeper into how well these two women know each other.

• Instagram: Neither woman seems to follow the either. As far as 2021 goes, mark this one as NOT FRIENDS.
• Shakers: In spring 2020, Erika explained on WWHL that while she and Danielle both worked at the go-go club Shakers, they didn't work there at the same time and they "don't know each other through there," aka NOT FRIENDS.
• Bravo: While they're both in the Bravoverse, and there's a chance they've run into each other at Bravo-focused events, the two have only been on one episode of WWHL together as cameos in 2017. Most likely they were in a holding room together at some point, so perhaps they're familiar with each other but they're definitely NOT FRIENDS.

Does this make Danielle unqualified to discuss Erika's legal woes in a documentary? No, because even I would take the gig with the promise of a free lunch and good lighting, not knowing Erika either. But as for the two of them being friends? Something tells me if it hasn't happened yet, Danielle's appearance in documentary isn't exactly going to bring them closer together.

Images: Hulu