The Real Housewives of Orange County is getting a facelift. The last remaining original cast member, Vicki Gunvalson, will not be returning for season 15. After being demoted to "friend" status for season 14, Gunvalson is out along with her long-time frenemy, Tamra Judge.
Vicki wasn't a full-time cast member during season 14, but that didn't stop her from showing up for trips or other group activities. It also didn't prevent her from being the catalyst for some serious drama. Vicki may go down as one of the most polarizing Housewives ever thanks to her antics onscreen and off. Here are five reasons we'll miss Vicki and five reasons why she needs to leave.
Why We'll Miss Her: She's The Last Original Cast Member
Not only was Vicki the remaining OG, but she was also the reigning OG of the entire franchise. RHOC premiered on Bravo in March 2006. The Real Housewives of New York City and the Atlanta installment followed two years later. New Jersey, D.C. and Beverly Hills followed in quick succession.
Not counting the current cast (Kelly Dodd, Braunwyn Windham-Burke, Shannon Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter, and Emily Simpson are all onboard for the season) or Judge, 14 women come and gone, so Gunvalson's staying power is pretty impressive. Vicki's a familiar face (despite her multiple plastic surgeries), so her absence is bound to resonate with viewers.
Why She Needs To Leave: She Calls It "Her Show"
Being an OG started going to Vicki's head a long time ago. For years she's been calling RHOC "her show." During the season 14 reunion, she was especially antagonistic to new castmate Braunwyn, calling her out for trashy behavior. The newly-engaged Vicki appears to have forgotten her bad behavior over the years as she stated the show quality had deteriorated.
Vicki either amped up her diva antics in the hopes of keeping her job, or she could see the writing on the wall and decided to go out with a bang.
Why We'll Miss Her: She Loves To Whoop It Up
Vicki has always been a party girl, and she's known for "whooping it up" regularly. Even after the birth of her two grandchildren, Vicki continued to throw back shots with her younger co-stars.
On the season 14 girls' getaway to Key West, Vicki can be seen drinking beer directly from the bar tap. Vicki did begin to tone down her behavior in some respects once she became involved with her fiancé, Steve Lodge, but she never missed an opportunity to knock a few backs, even engaging in an all-nighter after being released from the hospital.
Why She Needs To Leave: She Spreads Vicious Gossip
Vicki was responsible for spreading some vicious and unsubstantiated claims about her co-stars and/or their significant others. Vicki claimed that Tamra's husband Eddie is gay and that Shannon Beador's ex-husband David had abused her physically. She's gone after former castmates Gretchen Rossi, Meghan O'Toole King (née Edmonds), and Lauri Waring Peterson.
She insinuated Kelly Dodd did cocaine. Kelly's been a favorite target for Vicki who took potshots at Dodd for being an absentee mother and spreading rumors Kelly pushed her mother down the stairs, wasn't allowed to visit her daughter's school, and engaged in promiscuous sexual behavior. All of these accusations have been refuted, but Vicki's words had traction and lasting effects on those she singled out.
Why We'll Miss Her: No More Briana
Vicki's daughter Briana has been a fixture on the show from the jump and a favorite among many of Vicki's co-stars. When the show began, Briana was still in high school, and viewers have watched her graduate, become a nurse, struggle with an assortment of health problems, elope (much to Vicki's dismay) and become a mother of two.
While Vicki and Briana are incredibly close, their relationship became strained once Vicki began dating Brooks Ayers in 2016. Whereas Vicki is high-strung and prone to freak out with little or no provocation, Briana is always cool and has successfully managed to distance herself from her mother's issues with her fellow cast .
Why She Needs To Leave: She's Getting Married
Vicki's still over the top, but she's toned down her behavior a bit since she became seriously involved with her fiancé Steve Lodge. The demise of Vicki's second marriage to Donn Gunvalson played out over several seasons before the two divorced in 2014. After a tempestuous on-again-off-again relationship with Brooks Ayers, Vicki found romance yet again. Vick's love tank is finally full thanks to Lodge, an ex-police officer.
Many of the Housewives' marriages have gone off the rails in a spectacularly public fashion. Among those who have had to change their Facebook status from married to divorced, and from to single to "it's complicated" (sometimes more than once) are Vicki's former cast Shannon, Alexis Bellino, Meghan, Gina, and Tamra, along with RHONYC's Ramona Singer, RHOA's Cynthia Bailey and Kenya Moore and RHONJ's Teresa Giudice -- to name a few. It seems like reality TV can strain the healthiest of marriages and be the death knell for ones that are struggling. This will be Vicki's third trip down the aisle, so it's wise for her to step out of the spotlight.
Why We'll Miss Her: She's A Mess
Vicki is kind of a walking disaster area which is something fans can relate to on occasion. She's a hypochondriac, but she also has had some legitimate accidents such as the dune buggy roll during season 11 that resulted in Vicki being airlifted to a medical facility. On a vacation to Iceland during season 12, Vicki was rushed to a local hospital after fearing she was having a heart attack. She suffered some allergic reaction that caused her face to swell up when the ladies went to Jamaica during season 13.
Vicki's also plagued with deep insecurities which have led to multiple plastic surgeries. Slade Smiley, who has been in romantic relationships with several former Housewives, and Kelly Dodd have compared Vicki's appearance to a pig. Vicki's looks have drastically changed from season 1 to the point where she's barely recognizable now. It can't be easy feeling like the ugly duckling among a sea of blonde hair, big boobs, and perfect bodies.
Why She Needs To Leave: She's Mean To New Cast
As an OG, Vicki's seen many cast come and go, and she hasn't been very nice to most of them. Except for Shannon and Tamra, Vicki's bumped heads with the new girls, and nothing is off-limits. She's been particularly critical of women who don't work 9-5 jobs, but she's ed judgment on everything from their religious beliefs to their parenting styles to their spouses and even their IQs.
For someone who is so hypersensitive about the way she's perceived by both the viewers and her co-stars, Vicki isn't very gracious to newcomers.
Why We'll Miss Her: She Tells It Like It Is
Vicki has proven she's a mean girl, perpetuating a multitude of inexcusable girl-on-girl crimes. But there are times when Vicki's brutal honesty is on point and appropriate. Amid other cast ' marital woes, Vicki encouraged them to work through their problems, citing that just about anything is preferable to divorce.
She offered some tough love to Lydia after she had a spat with Tamra, urging Lydia to learn from her mistakes. Vicki's a hard worker, and even though her delivery often sucked, her advice that women should be financially independent and not rely on a man is hard to dispute.
Why She Needs To Leave: She's Shady AF
Vicki is quick to point out other's flaws, but she's reticent to it her mistakes. She was at the epicenter of one of the franchises' biggest scandals: her ex-boyfriend Brooks faked having cancer. Vicki couldn't keep her story straight. One minute she insisted she didn't know and another she confessed she was looking for sympathy.
She claims to be a good Christian yet she told Gina, who lingers somewhere between agnostic and atheist, that she has no moral com. This coming from a woman who itted to cheating on her spouse.