Tamra Judge threw some major shade at Steve Lodge during a chat with Brandi Glanville on the latest episode of her podcast.
Weeks after Steve confirmed he is engaged to Janis Carlson, who is 26 years his junior, the Real Housewives of Orange County alum slammed Vicki Gunvalson‘s ex, looked back on the moment husband Eddie Judge nearly quit the show, and shaded Taylor Armstrong while discussing her addition to the Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip season two cast.
“When we filmed the [Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip], [Steve] moved out of [Vicki’s] house, and according to Vicki, he moved right into this new girl’s house. So he had to have been dating her at the same time, which is pretty messed up,” Tamra told the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star on the January 17 episode of Brandi Glanville Unfiltered on Patreon.
Then, months later, after proposing to his new leading lady, Steve announced his engagement to PEOPLE.
“And Vicki’s like, ‘Why are they reporting it?’ I said, ‘Because he’s connected to you. That’s why.’ Nobody gives a flying f-ck about him but what they do care about is, it’s shady, it’s quick, it’s weird,” Tamra explained, noting that Steve “rented a one-bedroom in the same complex” in Mexico where Vicki owns a condo.
“It’s almost like he’s asking for the drama. I think he thinks he [is a housewife],” Tamra laughed.
While Tamra believes Steve loves the attention that comes with his connection to Vicki, her husband does not. In fact, while he wouldn’t stop her from returning to RHOC, he’s told her, “I don’t want you to go back. Ever.” And, at one point years ago, he tried to quit.
“Third season he’s like, ‘I don’t want to do it.’ I’m like, ‘Wait, you’re already two years in. You have to do it.’ So it became a little bit of a fight between us and then he ultimately agreed to do it,” Tamra recalled.
Although Tamra won’t be returning to RHOC anytime soon, she did recently join the cast of RHUGT for its second season.
“I wasn’t originally asked when all of you guys were asked,” Tamra informed Brandi, who will also be featured on the upcoming installment of the Peacock hit. “And so when Vicki told me, I’m like, ‘Thank God they didn’t ask me because Brandi’s going and that would be horrible.’”
As fans will recall, Tamra and Brandi found themselves in quite the online feud years ago after Tamra compared Brandi to former castmate Kelly Dodd.
“And then literally two weeks prior to filming, Andy called me and asked me,” she continued.
Looking back at her time filming the show, Tamra admitted Vicki was “a little pain in the butt the first few days.” However, after going “to the doctor,” she was “suddenly” better and able to enjoy herself.
“[Vicki] really didn’t want to be there. She found out [Steve] was going to be moving out like as soon as she got there. I don’t think she did want to be there. She just wanted the money. But she snapped out of it,” Tamra shared. “And then she started to have fun.”
As for the rest of the cast, Tamra labeled Taylor as a “filler girl.”
“They always need a filler girl. This is mean, maybe, but I kind of felt like Taylor, she’s very quiet and timid, kind of just the filler girl. Maybe someone that’s not as outgoing… They always need one person like that on the cast,” she reasoned.
When Brandi then asked her about who she’d like to see on an upcoming RHUGT season, Tamra made it clear that Shannon Beador isn’t on her list.
“I don’t want to see Shannon on [RHUGT]. I don’t really want to see that,” she stated. “I think [Gina Kirschenheiter] would probably be the best.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County season 16 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.