The women of the Real Housewives of Orange County make my head spin. After a tumultuous season, Vicki Gunvalson is still standing by her man Brooks Ayers.
In an interview with WetPaint.com Vicki opens up about what happened this season, and her relationships with her daughter and former friend.
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How is your relationship with Briana now?
My relationship with Briana is amazing. We definitely went through a month or so of conflict, but we are amazing now. She and Ryan moved back into my home, and they are fixing up the baby’s room and have decided to help me around this big house.Ryan unfortunately has to return back to Afghanistan in November, and Briana really wanted to have me near her to help her out. They are very happy together — and once Ryan returns in 10 months, they will be purchasing a home. All is good!
Has Briana’s pregnancy brought you closer again? What are you looking forward to about welcoming your first grandchild?
Yes, absolutely. I am teaching Briana how to sew pillows and baby crib bedding, and we spend our nights together making dinner and taking the dogs for a walk. I am looking forward to watching my daughter love her child unconditionally, as I have loved her and Michael. I think she will finally understand that you love your children sometimes so much it hurts.What did you think when you watched your fight with Tamra [Barney] on-screen? Do you still feel the way you felt then?
I am embarrassed and saddened on how I reacted. Hindsight of course is always 20/20 vision; we should have just left and discussed it off camera on another day. Unfortunately, the problem between Tamra and myself had been brewing for a few months, and my patience had worn thin.I’m saddened and hurt that we have drifted, and wished it had never happened. I was in a very tough place, and it was unfortunate she was making me choose between her or Brooks. When cameras were off, we were all friends — when the cameras came on she was a different person towards Brooks.
What was your experience with this season’s reunion?
I feel it was a very good reunion, until the last hour, and then it turned ugly. I hope my fans will be proud to support me as this season comes to a close. Overall, new friendships were made and others were tested, but that’s life. Our life is played out in front of the camera, but we all understand that is the essence of the show. For me, to close my seventh season, as the only original cast member, makes me only look forward to a bright future!Alexis [Bellino] has been very outspoken about the way you’ve had her back and been a true friend. Do you feel the same way about her?
Absolutely! I really have come to love Alexis. She’s an amazing woman, mother, and wife and has always been very real, kind, and honest with me. It’s nice to be around someone who doesn’t want to judge or pick a fight with someone all the time.
Vicki talks further about her rift with Tamra in her Bravo blog, writing, “Tamra and I obviously are not in a good place. Other than her not accepting Brooks, I really don’t know how or why she decided to do what she did this year to our friendship. We had a strong bond, and I felt that no one or nothing would have ever come between us. We had too much history with each other, and too much genuine care for one another to let things get as bad as they did.”
She blames Tamra’s friendship with Gretchen Rossi, citing, “Tamra and I obviously are not in a good place. Other than her not accepting Brooks, I really don’t know how or why she decided to do what she did this year to our friendship. We had a strong bond, and I felt that no one or nothing would have ever come between us. We had too much history with each other, and too much genuine care for one another to let things get as bad as they did.”
Vicki discusses happier times with Brooks, Tamra, and Eddie Judge and the travels the couples would take together. She reveals, “When I told her that I would never do anything to hurt her or Eddie, I wouldn’t. There are many things that have not been disclosed about Eddie (or Tamra for that matter) and as a friend I would never want to deliberately hurt them or their relationship by disclosing anything negative about them. We were completely honest with them, as we trusted them with our relationship. I guess we were wrong.”
No Vicki! Spill it! Spill what you know about Tamra and Eddie! I kid, I kid…kind of. 🙂 You’ll notice though that she doesn’t mention anything about that damning 20/20 segment in which Brooks’ ex-girlfriend exposed him for being a deadbeat dad. On the special that aired June 29, Nicolette Catanzarite made many statements against her child’s father, including, “He has not supported his child. He bailed on the hospital bill, the pediatrician bill, and left me with all of it.”
RadarOnline.com obtained a legal letter from the swanky Beverly Hills attorney hired by Vicki Brooks. It reads, “On July 11, Mr. Rufus-Isaacs wrote to ABC demanding a retraction of the story and threatening to bring a lawsuit seeking damages for the injury to Mr. Ayers’ reputation.”
The letter also contained a statement which Brooks which claims, “ABC never gave me a reasonable opportunity to tell my side, and therefore the story, which is based on an interview with an ex-girlfriend, contains many mistakes. I am outraged that ABC should behave in this manner.”
Brooks’ attorney takes a dig at the network, stating, “ABC is making a habit of mounting witch hunts against men whom 20/20 unfairly brands liars, cheaters and deadbeats on national television without having done a proper investigation or interviewing the men in question. This is irresponsible journalism from a once respected icon of television news.”
Hmmm, 20/20 or Brooks. Who to believe, who to believe…
Vicki was kind enough to update her Facebook status to read: “Everyone comes with a little baggage. Find someone who loves you enough to unpack.” Can I get a collective “Awwww?”
Cast mate Heather Dubrow also took up for the couple while in the WWHL clubhouse, telling a caller, “I’m very fond of Vicki and I’ve had nothing but lovely interactions with Brook.”
Well, we all know that who Heather is NOT fond of, and that is Alexis. On the first part of the reunion, Heather discussed how horrible Alexis is to the Housewives production crew. She accused, “I’ve never seen anybody treat a [TV] crew the way you treat this crew,” and later told Andy Cohen, “She speaks to them like trash and like they are beneath her.” I’m not going to lie, I can totally see that happening.
Heather further explains to UsMagazine.com, “For me, I’ve really tried to restart with Alexis a few times, and right after the reunion I thought we were on the road to recovery, and then she turned around and trashed me in an interview. And I thought, ‘you know what? At some point you have to know when to shut the door,’ so I think I’ve shut the door.”
Alexis admits to the same sits that she is only in contact with Vicki, and she isn’t sure she’ll return for another season. She says, “I don’t know at this point.. Honestly, I think I’ve taken a pretty good beating and I don’t know.”
