Last week’s episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County showed Tamra Judge and Braunwyn Windham-Burke’s big makeout.
It was impossible to miss and it got everyone talking.
Some fans of the Bravo show were horrified by the display, either because both women are married or because it happened so publicly.
(Let’s be real, folks – when the Housewives are dining out and cameras are rolling, they play by different rules … for better or for worse.)
Others cheered them on and thought that it was refreshing to see the night out take a turn for the … something other than arguing.
But cast member Gina Kirschenheiter has her own thoughts on the matter, as she tells Hollywood Life, and she was unimpressed.
That’s putting it mildly. Take a look:
Gina has some opinions to share
She was there for Tamra and Brauwnyn’s big kiss — and what followed. Unlike (possibly) Meghan King Edmonds, she wants no part in that.
Remember this?
After a bit of indirect flirting, in part through producers quoting the other woman, Tamra and Braunwyn finally made good on that sexual tension by making out. Some viewers were horrified that they did this in a restaurant. Others see this as normal party behavior, and note that Housewives going out to dinner is not like the rest of us doing so.
Gina had a front-row seat
If you read our recap, we pointed out that Gina was sandwiched between Tamra and Braunwyn at first, and was awkwardly in the middle when the flirting began. She later moved to a different seat and, well, that’s when the sparks really began to fly.
But Gina was unimpressed
“I want no part in it,” Gina makes it clear in an interview with HollywoodLife.
She wants to be clear that she’s not being a bigot
“No, it’s just not my,” Gina begins, before clarifying: “To each their own, but that’s just not my jam.”
This should be no surprise to viewers
“You could see my face when it was going down,” Gina observes. Notably, the camera and editors made more of a point of showing Vicki’s overly dramatic response.
She speculates on WHY it happened
“The thing is Tamra’s not really a big drinker,” Gina points out. Well, Tamra is especially tiny. Some people can do 10 shots and just feel like it’s bedtime. Others drink two glasses of wine on a full stomach and get a case of the sillies.
Tamra has a pattern
“When she does drink she just gets completely s–t,” Gina assesses. That’s … well, we won’t debate that. There’s a ton of video evidence to back that up.
In other words, Gina blames alcohol
“So it’s a problem for her with, in that aspect of it,” Gina says, trying to explain why Tamra was having such a good time that night.
Well what about the other woman?
“Braunwyn, I don’t know,” Gina begins.
She thinks it could be a reality show thing
“I mean I wouldn’t personally do it, I think it kind of comes off like she tries a little, like she’s trying a little too hard,” Gina expresses.
In other words …
She thinks that Braunwyn’s desire to stay relevant to the show and have a storyline may have been a motivating factor. There’s an arc, to be clear, from Gina’s train rumors to Braunwyn’s threesome stories to her makeout with Tamra.
However …
“But I also do think she’s attracted to women,” Gina concludes. “So I don’t know.”
Is she right?
Braunwyn has stated that her sexuality label is “straight.” People get to determine their own labels, even when they get visibly distracted by how attractive a castmate is and then make out with that castmate for an extended period. But Gina’s assessment is … not unfair. Braunwyn was thirsty and Tamra was exactly the beverage she sought to quench her thirst.
Vicki had her own opinions
She made it very clear during the episode itself that she did not like what she was seeing
She overplayed it a bit
Vicki vigorously shook her head. Remember, Vicki knows that cameras want over-the-top reactions, which gives her more screen time. That’s why Gina’s face of vague disapproval didn’t get as much play in the final edit.
But did Vicki go too far?
Vicki’s dislike for Braunwyn was clear, but was it just resentment towards a newcomer who, from her perspective, “stole” her Orange?
Or was it something worse?
Freaking out about two women kissing … well, it can come across as homophobic. Sometimes, women who have very progressive acceptance of gay men can be, for example, biphobic towards bi men (not seeing them as good partners) or biphobic towards women (not seeing them as trustworthy, or viewing them as icky).
Is that what went down here?
Well, neither Braunwyn nor Tamra identify as bi — they were just making out at a party. As many viewers noted, this can be standard party behavior for younger women, so why not for them?
Vicki was probably just acting out for the camera
That’s her job — that’s all of their jobs — after all. However, Vicki’s play-acted revulsion did remind a few viewers of her taunts about Eddie Judge’s alleged sexual history. It’s not a good look for Vicki.