Reality TV may thrive on drama, but few storylines are as unexpected as not seeing Vicki Gunvalson on The Real Housewives of Orange County. For fans who assumed the OG of the OC would at least make a guest appearance in Season 19, the news is both surprising and a little telling.
During a recent chat on Jeff Lewis Live, Vicki appeared alongside longtime friend (and occasional frenemy) Shannon Beador. When a caller asked if she’d be making any appearances this season, her answer was blunt: “I miss you too. And the answer is no. They never called me.”
The shock in the room was immediate. Even in seasons past, after her full-time departure, Vicki had made quick pop-ins or cameo appearances. This time? Not even a dinner scene.
“Nothing. Which is very rare,” she emphasized. “Yeah. I usually come in and do something. If not full time, I’m doing something.”
Shannon was visibly affected, saying she felt “sad” about her friend being left out. But Jeff Lewis suspected there might be more going on behind the scenes. He brought up Vicki’s appearance on Vice’s The Dark Side of Reality, where she criticized how Bravo portrayed her learning about her mother’s death on camera.
Looking back, Vicki didn’t sugarcoat her regret: “The Dark Side of Reality. I should have never done it,” she said. “And I knew they were setting me up, and I told Andy about it. He goes, ‘Well, you said that you’ll never forgive us.’”
She doubled down on why the experience still stings: “It was pretty sh*tty. End of the day, if you’re hearing that one of your parents died and they’re rolling cameras in your face, and then you have to see it going back in time.”
Jeff noted that other Housewives have spoken out and still found their way back to Bravo. But Vicki didn’t seem particularly interested in playing the comeback game.
“Whatever. I’m working on my own sh*t right now,” she said.
Whether this marks the end of the Vicki-era for good or just a temporary pause, fans will be watching. But for now, RHOC rolls on—without its original queen bee.
