As Emily Simpson and Gina Kirschenheiter head into their sixth season The Real Housewives of Orange Countythe dynamic duo hits back at anyone who questions their rightful place on the show.
Simpson, 47, and Kirschenheiter, 39, spoke to PEOPLE at BravoCon 2023 about approaching the record for “longest-serving housewives on a motherhood show.”
“You spend enough time as an underdog, you learn how to be a top cat,” Kirschenheiter confirmed, while Simpson said they have “a lot to be proud of.”
Gina Kirschenheiter Says It Was ‘Really Good’ to Film ‘RHOC’ Sober: ‘I Felt Much More Present’
Rich Polk/Bravo via Getty (3)
The RHOC friends also react to OC return comment Housewife Tamra Judge said their former co-star Vicki Gunvalson made about them last year when she reacted to Judge’s return to the series.
Although the conversation ended up being private over the phone, the 56-year-old former CUT Fitness owner revealed on Friday’s Housewife2Housewife: Comeback Queens that the original plan was for Andy Cohen to “announce it on Watch what’s happening live when I had Vicki with me.”
“Not a good plan,” she admitted.
She then recounted her phone conversation with Gunvalson, 61. According to Judge, the “OG of the OC” — who left the show in January 2020 after 14 years — said she was “happy” to have her friend back, then pointedly asked : ” Why the hell do Emily and Gina still have their jobs and I don’t?”
Judge summed it up: “She cried, she yelled, she got over it.”
Vicki Gunvalson Says She Cried When She Heard Tamra Judge Was Returning To ‘RHOC’: ‘I Have FOMO’
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Trae Patton/Bravo via Getty
On Saturday, Simpson and Kirschenheiter said Gunvalson needed to “let it go.”
“Obviously we earned our spots,” Kirschenheiter said. “The point is that we [are relatable to] real people. Me [resonate] with real moms, and I’m not going to apologize because I know real moms and real people really love us.”
Simpson added that Bravo fans not only connected with her, but also with her husband Shane, her children and their family.
“Seriously, Victoria,” she said jokingly with a wave of her hand, “get over it.”
Vicki Gunvalson and Tamra Judge Feud About Teddi Mellencamp ‘Truth’ Before Explosive WWHL Comments (exclusive)
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Vicki Gunvalson. Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
Gunvalson was one of the original housewives when RHOC premiered in 2006, but became a friend of the franchise during the 14th season.
Announcing her decision to leave the show after one season in a reduced capacity, Gunvalson shared a statement on Instagram: “I will always be the OG of OC, but it’s time to say goodbye to The Real Housewives of Orange County. It’s been an amazing ride over 14 years and I want to thank you all for your support, your love and for ‘turning it on’!”
But it seems the situation wasn’t completely beyond repair — Gunvalson made another long-awaited appearance in Season 17 and was honored with the first-ever Wifetime Achievement Award at BravoCon 2023.
For more information on PEOPLE’s BravoCon, click here.
The Real Housewives of Orange County can be downloaded in its entirety on Peacock.
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Source: HIS Education