Vicki Gunvalson stands by Judge Tamra, but admits she wasn’t a fan of how her longtime friend treated Shannon Beador.
The “Real Housewives of Orange County” OG, who counts both women among her friends, told Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” that she found herself playing peacemaker as tensions between Judge and Beador exploded during the filming of the upcoming “Real Housewives of Ultimate Girls’ Trip.”
“As you’ve seen this season, I tried my best to act like a mediator, but also say, ‘This has got to stop!'” Gunvalson said of the current RHOC series. “What are you guys fighting against in the real world?”
She continued, “OK, let’s say you don’t respect each other. Let’s say you don’t like each other. But we have to work together, we have to be able to accomplish this. So, you know, I think things will evolve a little bit.”
The latest chapter in Judge and Beador’s fractured friendship is revealed in a scene filmed at Newport Beach hotspot The Quiet Woman, where Judge tells his former best friend that he will never have a home or find lasting love.
Despite the tough exchange, Gunvalson believes viewers will see a different side of the judges this season on “RHOC.”
“I know Shannon didn’t want to apologize because she didn’t think she did anything wrong,” she explains. “Tamra really showed her softness this season, which I loved, because Tamra is a quality human being.”
Still, Gunvalson says she didn’t always agree with the judges’ approach.
“I love Tamra, but I didn’t like the way she treated Shannon,” she says. “We’re both friends, so why are you being so mean?”
Gunvalson also weighed in on another fracas in the premiere episode involving Jennifer Pedranti, who told the judge that Heather Dubrow had allegedly made negative comments about their friendship.
“I didn’t like it either,” Gunvalson said. “I just want everyone to get along and have a good time. … I think she’s probably trying to find her own way a little bit, which is fine, but it wasn’t Jen’s place to do that.”
Gunvalson, who has only appeared as a “friend of” in recent years, said returning in a more substantial role in Season 20 gave him a different perspective on the cast’s dynamics.
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“I haven’t made a movie with them in four years,” she says. “We were ‘friends’ for a few seasons, but that was the worst thing. We didn’t know what was going on and we were like, ‘Okay, what are we doing now? Why are we all so mad at each other?'” So it came from a different place. ”
These days, the Bravo veteran says age has taught her that there’s no point in holding onto grudges.
“As you get older, you start to see what’s really important to you to stay true to yourself. You can’t just keep fighting season after season. You figure it out and move on,” Gunvalson said.
“And I think we’re going to see some resolution this year.”
“The Real Housewives of Orange County” airs every Thursday at 8pm ET on Bravo, with new episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.
