Credit: Trae Patton/Bravo
Heather Gay opened up about the recently taped Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion on Tuesday’s episode of Watch What Happens Live.
As she defended her friendship with Lisa Barlow, 50, spoke of Jen Shah‘s release from prison, and explained why there wasn’t footage of what went down between Meredith Marks, 53, and Britani Bateman, 54, on the plane, Heather, 51, shared how the show has impacted her life, reacted to Meredith calling her a liar, and answered a series of rapid-fire questions about the upcoming special.
On the December 9 episode of WWHL, Heather shared that Meredith was in the hot seat the most, Bronwyn Newport, 40, cried the most, and Lisa got the most heated. She also said Angie Katsanevas, 51, brought the most receipts, named Whitney Rose, 39, as the “MVP” and person she felt closer to after the taping, and said Meredith delivered the most genuine apology.
“This might be controversial, but I feel like Meredith at some moments. She did,” Heather stated.
On the WWHL: After Show, Heather was questioned by a fan who wanted to know how she’d been a good friend to Lisa, while claiming Heather did nothing but accuse Lisa of leaking stories without evidence.
“I have full evidence,” Heather began. “[And] I love Lisa Barlow. I am here because of Lisa Barlow, and I’ve never said otherwise.”
That said, Heather pointed out that true friendship involves honesty.
“Calling a friend out with hard truths about their game play is not not being a friend,” she stated. “When you reach a level of hard conversations, that’s when you know you are true friends, and if that friend can’t accept hard conversations, that’s where you know where you are in their hierarchy.”
Another person wanted to know her thoughts on Jen’s then-upcoming release from prison.
“I don’t think I’m going to be hearing from her. I haven’t spoken to her, and I don’t know, but I think that chapter is closed,” she reasoned.
As for what’s surprised her most about her time on RHOSLC, Heather first admitted, “that people liked me.”
“That they resonated with that story, with my story, and that they took interest in all of our stories,” she continued. “And in Salt Lake City, we’re a tiny, insular mountain west town that’s very peculiar, and the fact that we’ve had such a great response from the audience and the Bravo community has been the most astounding thing. It’s given us all new identities, new hope, independent thought, independent income, it’s changed all of our lives, and I think that’s what makes Salt Lake City special.”
“It’s been the greatest opportunity of my life, and I’m grateful. I’m so grateful. It’s changed everything, and I think it broke generational chains for myself and my family,” she added.
Back on the live broadcast, Heather was questioned about why there was no audio or video from the plane incident involving Britani.
“I think you have to tune into reunion. I think we really nailed down a lot of those reasons. Also, I don’t know if anyone remembers the sprinter van where we attacked Britani for recording us … you don’t record each other, especially in times of crisis,” she noted.
She then shared why Meredith calling her a liar was such a big deal when she hid the information surrounding Jen’s involvement with her black eye for months.
“Withholding information is a lie of omission. Meredith has never called me a liar before and she’s never had reason to and me protecting myself in a really really tumultuous situation with a pretty violent person is very, very different than her looking at me when I saw something with my own eyes and saying, ‘You’re my friend but you’re also lying about me,’ when I wasn’t,” Heather explained.
Also on the live broadcast, Heather revealed that if Meredith made her pick between her and Britani, she’d pick Britani, since “friends who give you ultimatums aren’t friends,” agreed that Lisa speaks for Meredith too often, and defended Cartier watches, saying they’re for “cool, chic, fashion-forward people.”
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season six airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.