The Shady Side Of Vicki Gunvalson

Vicki Gunvalson is the OG of "The Real Housewives" series, having starred in the first installment of the Bravo trainwrecktastic franchise. She's credited by fans on Reddit for having "created the mean girl formula that is the housewife show." Some viewers even speculated that without the melodrama, shade, and catfights that comprise "The Real Housewives of Orange County," future spin-off shows wouldn't have followed.

Throughout her tenure on the show, Vicki never ceased to bring the theater, continually at the center of the histrionic, shocking, and sometimes downright absurd drama — and we loved every minute of it. But in January 2020, she revealed she was quitting "RHOC" after being demoted to a "friend" role the previous season. "I will always be the OG of the OC, but it's time to say goodbye to 'The Real Housewives of Orange County.' It's been an incredible ride for 14 years, and I want to thank all of you for your support, for your love, and for 'whooping it up' with me along the way," the reality star posted on Instagram. 

It looks like Vicki's preparing herself up for a whole new kind of drama, though — of the political kind. Gunvalson's fiancé, Steve Lodge, is running against Governor Gavin Newsom in the September 2021 California recall election. Meanwhile, her TV exit was fittingly controversial and sensational, and it's safe to say she went out in a blaze of fire and fury. Grab the Chardonnay, folks, as we take a look back at the shady side of Vicki Gunvalson.

Vicki Gunvalson and Meghan King butted heads from the moment the model sashayed onto "RHOC." A ferocious feud kicked off after Meghan challenged Vicki's then-boyfriend, Brooks Ayers', cancer diagnosis. "Don't you ever question if he has cancer again. I'll take you down," Vicki threatened during a heated brunch battle. The duo clashed again at Tamra Judge's "sex party," with Vicki calling her nemesis "evil," "classless," and "crazy."

Meghan had married ex-baseball star Jim Edmonds just before joining "The Real Housewives" franchise, so Vicki appeared to strike for maximum impact. "I'm sorry for you, I feel for you. ... She's really nasty," she told Jim, before claiming their marriage would never last. She added (via US Weekly), "Jim, talk to me in five years when you're divorced."

Bizarrely, Vicki's split prediction was bang on the money. Meghan and Jim announced they were divorcing one day after their fifth wedding anniversary in 2019. Perhaps equally bizarrely, considering their history, Vicki was quick to tell Life & Style, "[My] heart truly goes out to Meghan during this tough time. I hope that, with time, she will find peace and happiness again." However, she was later back to throwing shade. "They were so mismatched, he had no love in his eyes for her, and she was coming after me, and like, bye-bye b**ch. You know?" Vicki said on the "Behind the Velvet Rope" podcast. "... Everything I was telling her was because I lived through it."

As far as deceptions go, most would probably say that faking cancer is right up there with the worst. But that's what Brooks Ayers allegedly did — on national television, no less. Brooks revealed he'd been diagnosed with stage III non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The tear-jerker storyline featured heavily throughout "RHOC" Season 10. But Vicki Gunvalson's co-stars were suspicious of her then-boyfriend's claims, so they did what every other regular person would do — consult a psychic over lunch. "The cancer issue. It's just wishy-washy to me. I just don't see it," the psychic said, unwittingly unleashing a beef-busting tsunami.

Per Entertainment Weekly, it didn't take long for the accusations to fly. "If Brooks is ill, show his labs and say eff you to everyone," Heather Dubrow suggested. "What does Brooks need to do? Die to prove everyone wrong?" Vicki demanded. Brooks did eventually produce his medical records from the City of Hope hospital. The problem is, they were apparently fake, as a spokesperson for the facility told E! that "David Brooks Ayers" had never undergone treatment with them.

"We're done; he doesn't deserve me," a tearful Vicki told Tamra Judge on "RHOC" after the news broke. Both Brooks and Vicki claimed she wasn't in on the supposed con — and he insisted to ET that he did actually have cancer. But Vicki copped to having lied one on occasion. "I fabricated because I really was looking for compassion from somebody," she admitted during the Season 10 reunion show. However, E! compiled a list of eight possible Vicki Gunvalson "Cancer Gate" fibs.

When Shannon Beador joined the "RHOC" cast in Season 9, she became fast friends with Vicki Gunvalson, confiding in her about her troubled marriage. According to People, Vicki even attempted to step in and fix Shannon and husband David's relationship woes with a couples' Mexican getaway. However, just months later, during the reunion show (via Radar), Vicki confessed to "flirting" with her friend's "sexy and hot" hubby.

In the Season 10 premiere, Shannon revealed that David had been having an eight-month-long affair and that they'd started therapy in a bid to save their marriage. "Some moments can be difficult, but I am focusing on the positive," she wrote in her Bravo blog. It soon transpired that Shannon's marriage wouldn't be the only battle on her hands, though. Shannon was furious to learn that Vicki had been gossiping about the intimate details of David's affair that she'd shared with her. Cue an explosive showdown.

"Thank you so much for being the true friend and not telling anybody my secrets, because your friend just said a lot of stuff about my past," Shannon sarcastically told Vicki. "... Thank you. Thank you. You're such a great friend." Vicki maintained her innocence, later insisting to the camera, "It wasn't like I was telling a secret. Shannon had already told Tamra [Judge] and Heather [Dubrow], and I was just telling [my brother, Billy, and his girlfriend, Rhonda] what they were going through, because Billy knows David and Shannon."

When Vicki Gunvalson announced she was leaving "RHOC," she was gracious. "I want to thank Bravo and Evolution for this incredible experience which my family and I have [sic] will never forget," she wrote on Instagram. But it soon became apparent that Vicki wasn't totally okay with being axed from the show. During an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment's "Housewives Nightcap," she admitted how disappointed she was not to be cast in the show's spin-off, lamenting, "I hope one day they bring me back on something."

Shedding more light on the situation in her "Behind the Velvet Rope" interview, Vicki claimed that her lack of "whooping it up as much" was behind her firing. "I was like, 'I whoop it up every day. I whoop it up. I'm a whoop-it-upper,'" she insisted, before blaming ageism: "People, unfortunately, want to cut you down because you're old." Vicki also claimed that a producer had held a grudge against her, opining, "I'm sure he probably said, 'She's a problem; let's get rid of her.'" Finally, Vicki blamed "insecurity and jealousy," and suggested Bravo would prefer to "bring in cheap labor."

However, Vicki saved her best post-"RHOC" shade for the Beverly Hills Housewives, claiming, "I don't think they give me the time of day. They wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for me starting this d**n thing."

Vicki Gunvalson unwittingly created a Twitter storm in April 2020. Just months after the reality star announced she was leaving "RHOC," California had been placed on lockdown as the COVID-19 pandemic grew. So, the former reality star had a lot of time on her hands — and she was apparently concerned about them: Vicki needed a manicure. STAT!

"@GavinNewsom Let's get America who is healthy back to work," Vicki tweeted to her 684,000 plus followers. "We need hairdressers, nail techs, small businesses, and restaurants to start reopening May 1st. Please?" There was no response to Vicki's plea from Governor Newsom, but the tweet didn't go unnoticed. A few of Vicki's followers agreed with her. "You're absolutely correct! Scared people can stay home; let the rest go back to work!" one fan replied, while another wrote, "I agree; thank you for supporting small businesses."

However, the vast majority of comments were far from supportive — or even positive. Vicki was accused of, well, not reading the room (or, at least the CDC's guidelines). "So you want others to risk their health so you can get your roots done? Or your tips filled in? Lack of adequate national testing + your tone-deafness = the next wave of sickness," one person opined. "You are entitled and ridiculous," another Twitter user commented. "I think you just found the rock bottom of shallow and selfish," someone tweeted, while another person declared, "No one wants to die so you can get your nails done, Karen."

Vicki Gunvalson became embroiled in a long and bitter legal battle back in 2013. According to Radar, she was sued by her ex-business partner, Robert Williamson III, for alleged "fraud, civil conspiracy, breach of contract, breach of covenant of good faith dealings, misrepresentation and unjustly enriching herself, and intentionally inflicting emotional distress." The lawsuit centered around "Vicki's Vodka" — a drinks brand the duo launched together. But, Williamson claimed Vicki failed to promote it as agreed. Vicki's then-boyfriend, Brooks Ayers, was also named as a defendant in the case. The lawsuit was packed full of other explosive accusations, including allegations of embezzlement, extortion, and blackmail.

However, as per Radar, the case went from explosive to nuclear after it was claimed Williamson had been spreading rumors about Brooks trying to hire a hitman to kill him. The lawsuit against Brooks was tossed out in 2015. The judge ordered Williamson to cough up $132,641 to cover Brooks' legal fees, prompting him to immediately file for bankruptcy, and Brooks transferred the awarded sum over to Vicki. However, due to Williamson's bankruptcy status, she reportedly has yet to receive a penny of the money. 

After five long years of mud-flinging and legal wrangling, Vicki finally agreed to settle the suit in 2018. She went on to claim the lawsuit had been "a publicity stunt" by Williamson.

Vicki Gunvalson hung up her "Real Housewives" Louboutins after 14 years of controversy, scandals, fights, backstabbing — and seriously, amazing reality TV. So, perhaps keeping true to form, she went out in a pretty dramatic manner. The "RHOC" Season 14 reunion show was packed with heated confrontations, name-calling, and vicious verbal altercations — and Vicki was at the heart and center of most of it.

Vicki already seemed pumped up before even setting foot on stage. Because she had been demoted to a "friend" role during her final season, she was allocated less camera time than other cast members. She was also forced to wait backstage until it was her moment to enter. "You know what? They made me wait. And every hour I waited while they're out there filming makes me feel like a has-been," she told her fiancé, Steve Lodge. Basically, it's not surprising that Vicki appeared locked, loaded, and ready to go from the second she sat down. "I'm waiting back there. My temperature's at like 150. Don't f**king do this to me," the "OG of the OC" immediately told Andy Cohen. She then launched into a screaming match with Kelly Dodd over her Bravo lawsuit. Braunwyn Windham-Burke was next to find herself in Vicki's crosshairs. But it was the arrival of Emily Simpson's husband, Shane, that led to Vicki storming off stage, before yelling at a cameraman to "f**k off!" 

Was this a fitting finale for Vicki Gunvalson's time on "RHOC"? We'll leave it to you to decide.