SPLASH: I want to get into the season a little bit. It’s off to a crazy start. There’s a lot of heat between the ladies. Are these relationships salvageable?
Vicki Gunvalson: I’m always open to salvageable relationships, but it has to be both sides. They are fixated on the past and they won’t move forward. I am over it, literally. You’ll see coming up that Tamra says I tried to attack her family and attack her marriage. That is not the case. What is the truth is [that] Tamra approached Kelly when we were in Ireland and asked Kelly …
Kelly Dodd: “Did Vicki say my husband cheats on me and my husband is gay?” And then I said, “No, she didn’t say, ‘cheats’ on you. And then that’s when Heather Dubrow goes, “You can’t get your story straight.”
VG: Tamra had it in her brain — she never thought it was going to be aired and now she’s fixated saying that I tried to ruin her family. I didn’t try to ruin her family. I don’t care about ruining her family, I’m not that kind of girl. So I don’t understand why she is stuck on this. She is causing it to have so much life when it didn’t have to. She could’ve moved on and not talked about it this year, but she’s playing a victim. I didn’t go after her marriage; I didn’t go after Shannon’s marriage. They keep saying it over and over and I don’t understand it. If they don’t want to draw attention to it, then why do they keep talking about it? You’re going to see a lot of that this year.
KD: I think that I don’t have a problem with anybody until the end. I get along with everybody. But we also laugh and we have a good time. We go to Iceland and some major drama happens there.
VG: As usual. Every cast trip — it’s crazy. I think it’s a great season.
S: It seems like Lydia McLaughlin and Peggy Sulahian came in trying to mediate the two sides. Are they helping or hurting the situation?
VG: I think Lydia came with a pure heart. Lydia came with good intentions, and same with Peggy. I do think it maybe helped a little bit. You know, no one wants to see women fighting over and over about the same subject. I didn’t hurt them, but they love to talk about me, which is fine.
KD: They’re still talking about Brooks!
VG: It’s so crazy, two and a half years after him. I’m not talking about Simon. I don’t care about Simon. It’s an old relationship and it’s just ridiculous that they continue to talk about it. I don’t talk about Sidney. Why doesn’t [Tamra] have a relationship with Sidney?
KD: You’re not bringing that up.
VG: I’m not bringing up all the stuff that just came up in the press that I already knew about.
S: During moments like the drama between Tamra and her daughter, is that a time where the ladies can rally together and support one another? How does that play out amongst the group when things like that happen off camera?
VG: I texted her and told her that I wish her the very best and I’m sorry she’s going through a tough time. The problem is that it’s never reciprocated with her towards me. When I was going through all that I went through two years ago, not once did she ever reach out to me and say “I’m your friend for 10 years, what can I do?” Never once. It’s a lopsided friendship a little bit.
S: Kelly, you got a lot of heat last season and I imagine it was hard for you. Why did you decide to return?
KD: Because Heather Dubrow left. And why not? There’s a lot of upsides and opportunities. Like what we’re going to do right now: We get to go to Coldplay, I get to meet certain people. It opens doors, so why not?
S: You both seem to be happy this season, and I do think viewers at home would rather see women getting along rather than women fighting. Vicki, is this your best season yet?
VG: Well, yes. I think [the first 7 or 8 years] when I was on [the show] with [ex-husband] Donn and my family, those were all great years. I went through a bumpy year with the past relationship, but my relationship [now] is great. We’re solid, we’re happy and the kids love him. Every single day life can take a turn. I just value good people in my life. What was the saying we heard today? “If you don’t like me and don’t want to spend time with me…”
KD: Then walk away.
VG: I’m not going to force anybody to be my friend. We work together, we have to have some sort of camaraderie or it doesn’t make sense. Like I said to Shannon last year, “If you don’t like me, then get off my show.” It’s very clear. We have to work together. We have to have a sense of friendship or it doesn’t make sense.
KD: You can’t film a show when people are at odds. There’s always going to be arguments like that, but if you’re refusing to… Like in Iceland, they refused to go to dinner that the guy cooked for us. It was completely rude, completely uncalled for, the girls are getting paid big bucks to film and they’re like, “I’m not going.” It’s annoying. You can’t film a show if they’re not willing to at least have some sort of friendship.
S: It is confusing for viewers — especially in the beginning of the season — to watch the women refusing to see each other. You’re filming a show together, so I think you’re going to run into each other.
VG: They’re causing their own demise. If they don’t want to film, then they can go back home.
KD: They’re burying themselves.
S: Do you keep in touch with Heather Dubrow at all?
VG: We don’t talk to her.
KD: No! I run into her more than anyone. I run into her at Orange Theory all the time.
S: Is Tamra still friends with her?
KD: They were never … that was a fake friendship.
Read full interview courtesy via SPLASH Magazine HERE!
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Monday nights at 9pm/8c on Bravo! For International TV Listings, click here!
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