Credit: Instagram, Bravo
Tamra Judge revealed the unexpected reason she was “well received” by her castmates during filming on The Real Housewives of Orange County at the season 20 premiere party last week.
As she also confirmed a fight with Vicki Gunvalson, 64, about her estranged daughter, Sidney Barney, 28, addressed the “villain” label she often receives, and offered an update on the Tres Amigas, Tamra, 58, teased the upcoming season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip, explained why the Real Housewives fanbase is confusing, and more.
“I didn’t cause any drama [this season],” Tamra confirmed during an interview with Extra TV. “[The cast is] all shocked.”
According to Tamra, she wanted to lay low after a tough season 19, which filmed amid Teddi Mellencamp‘s brain cancer battle.
“Last year was really difficult to me, and it was just so incredibly hard … I didn’t know if I wanted to come back, and I came back, and I think that watching a good friend go through stage four cancer and seeing how life can change so quickly,” she explained. “I just said, ‘You know what, I don’t need to call people out. I don’t need to be the tough girl. I can let my guard down, which I’m not good at. I’m just not.’ I did that this season, and it was received very well.”
While Tamra claimed she didn’t cause any drama, she did find herself in some after calling out Vicki while “very drunk” after she mentioned Sidney in “not a good light.”
“I got in one fight [with] Vicki. It was warranted. She did something not very nice and talked about my child,” Tamra stated. “I have an estranged daughter, and it’s very heartbreaking. When I got divorced, you know, two of my kids don’t speak to their dad [Simon Barney], and one of the kids doesn’t speak to me. It’s a very hard situation, and I hate it, and I don’t want it for either of us.”
During another interview with Zachary Reality, Tamra was asked if she considered herself a villain.
“Am I the villain or am I just getting sh*t done?” she replied.
Then, asked about the upcoming season, Tamra said, “I think that season 20 is insanity.”
“That we’re actually here. I can’t even believe that. Every year, I treat it like, this is my last year, like, you know, the show’s gonna end now, and it just keeps coming back and back. It’s like a bad STD,” she joked.
Regarding her relationship with the Tres Amigas, which includes Vicki and Shannon Beador, 62, Tamra revealed they were “in a good spot right now.”
She also said that The Real Housewives of Rhode Island is her favorite franchise to recap, and she named Jo-Ellen Tiberi, 38, as her favorite cast member.
“I feel like I taught her everything she knows — but I didn’t. I feel like she’s doing it all,” Tamra noted.
Looking back at filming on season 20, Tamra said she was happy to welcome Jo De La Rosa, 45, back to the show.
“I love Jo. There was a lot. I had a party and invited all of them that could make it. I think I had like 12 previous housewives come,” she revealed.
Tamra also said she was “super excited” for RHUGT.
“I think it was [Porsha Williams] that said, like, the [RHOC cast] is the one that brought it,” she shared, pointing to herself.
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During a third interview at a panel event, Tamra spoke of the differences between franchises and why she often finds fans’ reactions to the series “confusing.”
“Every show is different. Every franchise is different. We’re all watching [RHORI], and I’m in awe over that cast. They fight like no other. They’re talking about cheating; they got records. They’re insane. They’re crazy. And then you have, like, [The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills], that their drama doesn’t get too deep. And then you go over to [The Real Housewives of New Jersey], and oh my God, they can tear you apart and chew you up and eat you,” she explained.
“The thing that’s confusing to me,” Tamra continued, “is when we have a lot of drama on the show, ‘Oh, get rid of her. Fire her. Oh my God, we don’t want her.’ And then if she’s not, ‘Oh my God, the show’s boring. We want drama. We don’t want drama. Yes, we want a little bit of drama.’”
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The Real Housewives of Orange County season 20 premieres on Thursday, July 9, at 8/7c on Bravo.