Vicki Gunvalson is a big part of why the Real Housewives of Orange County is what it is today. Even though she has left the building, Vicki still makes time for RHOC events. In Season 14, she was cast as a ‘friend of,’ and this season showed her as a guest. During this year’s BravoCon, she was honored by Andy Cohen with the Wifetime Achievement Award. As much as Vicki pretends she is beyond the show, she keeps returning. Is it because she hopes to one day be recast? I would say yes. For the most part, I would argue that fans have moved on from Vicki and her antics from the early 2000s. But the OG is holding on tight to the pummeled orange she carried for so long. However, she also might be burning bridges after a recent interview.
Vicki Gunvalson is willing to make cuts
The OG of the OC doesn’t let anyone forget that she started the very first Real Housewives franchise. Even though she no longer holds an orange, the mother of two has some strong opinions. While on the Jeff Lewis show, Vicki opened up about a few changes she would make to the Real Housewives of Orange County. She shared with the host she didn’t know where producers were at. She didn’t hold back when she asked, “When is enough enough with a person? There’s no substance. There is no core. I want to be inspired.” When pushed for an answer, Vicki quipped, “Well, I’d definitely get rid of Tamra.”
The Coto Insurance founder continued, “Enough is enough with this. Throwing napkins and ‘F yous.’ And she knows I’ve felt that way.” As fans know, Vicki and Tamra Judge have had a massive fallout after she left Tres Amigas. “She’s always in people’s stuff but doesn’t want anyone in her stuff,” the OG added. “I don’t know why Heather is doing it. Why is she on the show? We do it for the money and for the fame … she’s got all that.” Yikes, shots fired!
Vicki Gunvalson says she made a “deal with the devil” when joining Real Housewives
If Vicki is thinking of a comeback, she has an uphill mountain to climb. She recently spoke out on the Dark Side of Reality TV with Vice, sharing, “I definitely feel like it’s a deal with the devil.” The 62-year-old claimed she was paid “nothing, zero” for her first season. After the first season’s success, Vicki revealed, “Season 2, I believe I got paid $5,000 for the whole season. Not much money, I didn’t even have an attorney look over my contract. I had no idea what I was doing.” But for Vicki, the seven-figure paycheck came at a high price, including losing her marriage.
Bravo won’t be happy with her next answer. Vicki noted, “People ask me if I regret doing the show, and when I look at my relationships, I’d say yes. With Donn, 100%, the show had an impact on our relationship. Being on TV, 100% had a role in our divorce because it puts a lot of pressure on a marriage. I think we would’ve survived if I wasn’t on the show. So that I regret.”
Vicki Gunvalson is holding a grudge against Bravo
During the same interview, Vicki opened up about her mother, Joanne Steinmetz, passing away during Season 10. As Vicki was delivered the terrible news, Bravo cameras kept rolling. Vicki recalled the horrible day as she fell to the floor, sharing, “I was really upset that production knew for an hour, and they didn’t tell me. They were out of line, and I think they should have taken me aside and said, ‘Your mom has passed. Talk to your daughter off-camera. If I was a producer, that’s what I would’ve done.”
But Vicki wasn’t a producer. She is still mad they, “Let me scream and cry on my own and be mad. It was very, very traumatic. I will never forgive Bravo for that.” So even if Vicki rethinks a job on Bravo, the network might keep her at arm’s length because of her inability to stop criticizing them.
