In an absolutely stunning move, Bravo is demoting Vicki Gunvalson to "Friend" of the Housewives.
Fans are almost speechless about this polarizing move, but Vicki claims that she’s still negotiating.
In the mean time, her own castmates — well, most of them — are reacting with sympathy.
Vicki losing her title as the OG of the OC has hit hard.
Some fans can’t even believe it.
RadarOnline spoke to an inside source who says that Vicki’s demotion is shocking and sad to her castmates, too.
"Tamra feels really bad for her, of course," the insider says.
"All of the ladies besides Kelly Dodd do," the source adds.
Kelly Dodd and Vicki have been feuding intensely, lately, and Kelly has even pushed for Vicki’s removal from the show.
She finally got her wish.
However, Kelly isn’t the only one who feels tha tit’s past time for Vicki to step down.
"Vicki set herself up for this," the insider says.
Apparently, some of the folks at Bravo felt that deposing the queen was a long time coming.
"It wasn’t just one particular incident," the source clarifies.
"It was," the insider then explains. "A culmination of a lot of different things over the past couple of seasons."
Her baseless accusations that Kelly Dodd is a coke fiend were only the latest hurtful, serious rumors to which she gave voice.
But more to the point, Vicki just didn’t have a storyline this season.
It has been entertaining to watch Vicki’s on-screen flirtations with Steve Lodge.
However, her castmates — other than Kelly — hope that her romance can blossom off-camera.
"The ladies saw Vicki go through so many relationships," the source notes.
"And," the insider says. "They do feel like she and Steve could have a chance of staying together if she leaves the show."
"From what I hear," the source shares. "He is supportive of her leaving and wants her to focus on her health and her family."
That’s great!
Vicki has reportedly balked at the offer to become a mere "Friend" of the Housewives.
She has stated on Twitter that she is still in negotiations. It is unclear if she will accept a diminished role.
"She’s expected to return to the U.S. either Wednesday or Thursday" the source says.
"And," the insider adds. "She has to make up her mind about what she is going to do about the RHOC friend role offer when she returns."
That is a tough decision.
Quitting the show altogether is an option, and may feel more dignified, but being a "Friend" could be a path back to Housewife status.
Besides, surely some of her castmates would miss her.
Notably, Vicki very recently mended fences with both Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador after ages of feuding.
Two years ago, they would have been dancing on the grave of Vicki’s career. Now, not so much.
With Vicki gone, Tamra will be the longest-running Housewife.
Tamra has had her own off-screen drama lately.
Her adult son went on a vicious transphobic rant, calling for the murder of transgender individuals.
Any threats of indiscriminate violence against vulnerable minorities is serious business.
And the trans community is notoriously a target for both bigotry and violence.
Though Tamra apologized for his words, she had clicked "like" on one of his posts, deeply alarming fans of the show.
While Tamra is of course not responsible for the hateful words of her adult son, that "like" was deeply disturbing.
If it becomes part of a pattern, will Tamra be the next to lose her Housewife status?