Vicki Gunvalson and Kelly Dodd’s friendship might never be the same again.
Monday’s episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County picked up in the aftermath of the fight that found new housewife, Emily Simpson, threatening to kill Kelly.
But Vicki wanted to know how her boyfriend, Steve Lodge, wound up being put on blast. If you watch The Real Housewives of Orange County online, you know that Kelly was livid to learn that Steve was friends with her ex-husband.
For Kelly, it was like a betrayal, and it was made worse that her then-BFF Vicki failed to see the issue with all of it.
Gunvalson unpacked what went down with Tamra Judge and Emily.
“Kelly thinks Steve’s mad at her, and I don’t know what’s going on,” Gunvalson solemnly said to her friends. “And now, Steve doesn’t want anything to do with her.”
“Shane neither,” said Simpson as though anybody cared whether her pot stirrer husband would be friends with the newest cougar in Orange County, adding “he doesn’t have time for it.”
In all honesty, Shane was the one who butted in when Dodd was trying to get the answers from Steve, so if anything, he should be apologizing to Kelly for trying to sink her storyline to get one of his own.
Emily then went on to say that she was wrong about the way she reacted to Kelly.
“I probably shouldn’t have said, ‘I’m going to kill you, but obviously it’s a figure of speech,” she said, trying to defend her actions.
“[Kelly] said the entire time, ‘I just wanna go talk to Steve and fix it,"” added Tamra of the whole scenario.
“She doesn’t give a rat’s a— about Steve, and I guarantee you she wants to see our relationship fold because she doesn’t want anyone happy,” Gunvalson balked, adding:
“Miserable people like miserable people. I was there.”
That’s when Tamra opted to light the fuse on the dynamite and secure her contract with the show for another season.
“She said that Steve is only with you for your money,” she said while acting like it was not going to cause another war between the housewives.
“I thought it appropriate to tell Vicki about what’s being said because the worst thing in this group is a rumor going to another person, another person, another person and not the person who’s directly involved,” Tamra said in defense of her actions.
“Of course Kelly says that!” Gunvalson screamed as she stopping chopping vegetables.
“Shame on her for talking about my relationship. It’s bulls— that everybody’s always after what I have! Leave me alone! And by the way, I don’t have that much money.”
For what it’s worth, we did get to see Kelly and Tamra have that conversation earlier in the episode.
“Do you think that guy is hitting it and quitting it?” Kelly asked, of Steve to Tamra.
“My friend was dating the girl that Steve was dating. He told the girlfriend that he’s only using Vicki for money. Swear to God. Dinero! Money talks and bulls— walks.”
“In my book, Steve’s a bad guy,” she added. “He’s hiding something. And everyone should know what kind of a person he is.”
While Tamra was trying to imply she was being nice to Vicki by telling her about the earlier comments, there was also footage that suggested she, too, was not taken in by Steve.
“She doesn’t love him,” Judge said during a group dinner sans Gunvalson. “I’m sorry, she does not love that man.”
Never one to come to a party without some proof, she reminded the ladies of Shannon’s matchmaker.
“When I was talking with the matchmaker with her, she was like ‘Maybe I should go to him too?’” Judge recalled.
While everyone seemed to be against Gunvalson’s relationship, it was all playing out swimmingly for the cameras.
“You better not let me down,” she told Lodge as they celebrated her birthday.
“I feel great at 56. It’s been a bumpy couple last three years, but now that Steve’s in my life, I finally feel like I’m at peace.”
“I don’t need a man for money, and he doesn’t need me for money,” she continued. “I don’t care about stuff. I care about the person.“
“I would date a trash collector if that’s who I fell in love with.”
Lodge seemed to agree. “I think in her mind she feels, ‘I’m successful I don’t need another man’s money, so I’m going to fall in love not because he has money,’ ” he said. “Unlike some other people we know.”
That last little bit of word salad was very likely a jab at Kelly.
Oh yes, it’s on.
What are your thoughts on the latest action?
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The Real Housewives of Orange County continues Monday on Bravo.
