No more friends, soul mates and sisters.
In an exclusive interview with Page Six’s podcast “Virtual Reali-Tea,” “Real Housewives of Orange County” star Tamra Judge slams her ex-BFF Vicki Gunvalson for playing a smaller role in season 18 of the Bravo reality show.
“She’s a side bitch on the show. She can’t even get a clementine, let alone an orange,” Judge says, further joking that Gunvalson isn’t even able to get her hands on a “cutie,” the familiar brand of clementine from the supermarket.
“She gets no sweetness, no clementine and no orange.”
The 56-year-old Judge, who held an orange in his hand for 14 seasons as a full-time cast member of “RHOC,” thinks another citrus fruit would be more appropriate for the 62-year-old Gunvalson.
“I think we should give her something like a grapefruit,” says the TV personality, who made her Bravo debut in season three in 2007. “She’s so mad.”
Gunvalson was part of the original cast of “Orange County” when the series launched Bravo’s hit franchise in 2006. She remained on the show full-time for 13 consecutive seasons before being demoted to a “friend” of the cast in season 14.
The CEO of Coto Insurance skipped seasons 15 and 16 entirely, but has since made guest appearances in seasons 17 and 18. So far in the current episode, she has appeared in several scenes as an ally of Shannon Beador – another former friend of Judge.
Judge – who was fired from “RHOC” after season 14 but made a triumphant comeback in season 17 – and Beador, 60, clashed for several reasons. The two ladies’ conflict was particularly highlighted by disagreements over the latter’s drinking habits following her arrest for drunk driving in September 2023.
This dispute ultimately led to Judge dropping out of the “Tres Amigas” live tour with Beador and Gunvalson.
Although the dynamic between Judge and Beador deteriorated, the Vena CBD founder insists she and Gunvalson had “no problems” throughout the discord — until Season 18 began airing this summer.
“The whole season went smoothly, and when the season was over, she was constantly ranting about me,” she says.
According to Richter, Gunvalson “crossed a line” this year when she allegedly asked the audience to chant “F–k Tamra!” during one of her revamped live shows with Beador.
“And I just thought, ‘I haven’t had any arguments with you. I’ve been friends with you for a long time, even if you’re not happy with me because I don’t support Shannon? I’ve never done anything to you, Vicki, and that shows your true character,'” Judge says, describing her inner dialogue about the situation.
“I would simply never go down that path.”
Judge notes that she was particularly upset when the self-proclaimed “OG of OC” publicly demeaned her character, saying in a recent episode that she had a “black heart” and that “vinegar” ran through her blood.
“When I say I have vinegar in my veins and a black heart, I’m saying, ‘Honey, I’m not the one messing you up. You mess me up. So what have I done to you?'” she tells Virtual Reali-Tea.
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Judge says she is glad to have left her friendships with Gunvalson and Beador behind her – behind the scenes, she says, the two had trouble getting along.
“One reason I didn’t want to be on the show…they were arguing all the time,” she claims. “And I was the one they went to when Shannon was talking crap about Vicki and Vicki was talking crap about Shannon.”
Judge believes the duo’s relationship is “toxic” and that they “take advantage of each other.” She also “felt taken advantage of” as one third of the “Tres Amigas.”
“I just decided it wasn’t working for me,” says the co-host of “Two Ts in a Pod.”
As for the future of Beador and Gunvalson’s friendship, Judge isn’t sure it will last.
“Shannon has argued with everyone on the show. She’s bad-mouthed everyone she’s attacked,” she says when asked if she thinks the seemingly close couple “might be losing their wheels.”
“It wouldn’t shock me… It’s the nature of the show. It happens to all of us, but (Beador is) not an innocent bystander.”
“The Real Housewives of Orange County” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.
