“The Real Housewives of Orange County” alum Vicki Gunvalson has had numerous meltdowns and screaming matches showcased on the Bravo reality series. She was caught up in her ex’s fake cancer scam, whooped it up too hard for her own good and gagged on camera more times than we care to count too. But she believes that the cable network went too far back in 2015 when they taped her learning about her mother’s death in real time.
In an upcoming episode of Vice’s “The Dark Side of Reality TV” series, the former Bravo star shed light on the production of that episode, sharing that her family members, including daughter Briana, had repeatedly called to tell her that her mother, Joanne Steinmetz, had died. But Gunvalson was shooting Season 10 of the franchise-launching reality series, specifically playing Bunco at pal Shannon Beador’s house during those calls. So her family eventually called the production team to get her on the phone.
According to a clip obtained by People, Gunvalson said the production team fitted Beador’s wrapping-paper room with lights and camera operators to film her getting the emotional phone call.
“I was really upset that production knew for an hour, and they didn’t tell me. They were out of line, and I think they should have taken me aside and said, ‘Your mom has passed. Talk to your daughter off camera,’ ” Gunvalson said. “If I was a producer, that’s what I would’ve done.
“Let me scream and cry on my own and be mad. It was very, very traumatic. I will never forgive Bravo for that.”
Representatives for Bravo did not comment Monday when reached by The Times.
The 62-year-old, who starred in 14 seasons of the franchise since it debuted in 2006, left the show in 2020. She has still popped up in more recent seasons in a lesser “friend” capacity but is no longer a series regular.
In the poignant scene about her mom, Gunvalson collapsed on the floor and devolved into screams upon getting the fateful phone call. The devastated reality star tearfully said she had just spoken to her mother that morning, that Steinmetz hadn’t been sick and that she wanted her mom back.
She previously spoke about the scene in a 2015 episode of Bravo’s late-night talk show “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.” Although at the time she said she had not yet seen the episode, she expressed gratitude that Steinmetz wasn’t in the scene and that cameras didn’t show her mother on her deathbed.
However, the businesswoman said at the time that she wouldn’t be upset about the scene because of it was a part of her reality. She also said she “blacked out” during the call and didn’t remember much from that evening.
“I lost my mother and I signed up for all areas of my life to be exposed, the good and the bad,” she said at the time. “There’s been a lot of great moments that have been aired and there’s a lot of moments that I wish wasn’t on a reality show. This is not a moment that I feel, as of right now, I regret.”
“The Dark Side of Reality TV” episode focusing on the “Real Housewives” franchise airs Tuesday on Vice. The series has already tackled the reality series “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Joe Millionaire,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and Season 1 of “Survivor.”
