Son says TV celeb parents won't pay for his college because he's gay

Amber and Marchese attend an event in October 2016. [File Photo: Getty Images]

James Michael Marchese, the son of former "Real Housewives of New Jersey" stars Amber and Jim Marchese, says his father has refused to pay for him to go to college because he's gay, according to Yahoo Entertainment.

"At the beginning of 2018, my father 'found out' I was gay," said James, who goes by the name Michael. "This began two weeks of mental abuse that led to me being removed from his home when I told my Mom (her and my father are divorced) and went to court with her. Since this time, my father has been slowly cutting ties with me until I'live according to his standards.'"

The young Marchese is Jim's son from a previous marriage.

He said he will attend Fairfield University, which will cost 65,000 U.S. dollars a year, but that he has won merit-based scholarships to cover almost half of the cost. As of Thursday afternoon, 291 donors had contributed more than 11,000 U.S. dollars to his GoFundMe campaign to raise the remaining 35,000 dollars he needs.

According to Yahoo, the young man said his mother is unable to offer him money for his tuition, and that he is unable to take out a student loan.