Tamra Judge has heard the villain label plenty of times over her years on The Real Housewives of Orange County. At the season 20 premiere party, Zachary Reality asked her if she sees herself as one. She did not hesitate.
“Am I the villain or am I just getting sh*t done?” she replied.
That is a very Tamra answer, and it sets the tone for a season where she insists she played things differently.
New Details On The Vicki Fight
Tamra told Extra TV that her only blowup this season was with Vicki Gunvalson. She also shared a detail she hadn’t mentioned before. She was “very drunk” when she called Vicki out for mentioning her estranged daughter, Sidney Barney, in “not a good light.”
“I got in one fight with Vicki. It was warranted. She did something not very nice and talked about my child,” Tamra said. “I have an estranged daughter, and it’s very heartbreaking. When I got divorced, you know, two of my kids don’t speak to their dad, and one of the kids doesn’t speak to me. It’s a very hard situation, and I hate it, and I don’t want it for either of us.”
Family estrangement is a tough topic to discuss on camera. It’s easy to see why Tamra wouldn’t let this one go, even in a season where she aimed to stay calm.
Why She Toned It Down This Season
Tamra said her castmates were “all shocked” by her drama-free season. She shared what made her change. Watching her friend Teddi Mellencamp fight stage four cancer in season 19 changed her priorities.
“Last year was really difficult to me, and it was just so incredibly hard. I didn’t know if I wanted to come back,” she said. “Watching a good friend go through stage four cancer and seeing how life can change so quickly, I just said, ‘You know what, I don’t need to call people out. I don’t need to be the tough girl. I can let my guard down, which I’m not good at. I’m just not.’ I did that this season, and it was received very well.”
Her Take On Season 20 Comes With A Joke
When asked about the milestone season, Tamra expressed wonder at the show’s lasting success in her unique way.
“I think that season 20 is insanity. That we’re actually here. I can’t even believe that,” she said. “Every year, I treat it like, this is my last year, like, you know, the show’s gonna end now, and it just keeps coming back and back. It’s like a bad STD.”
Only Tamra would compare her own show to an infection and mean it as a compliment.
A Tres Amigas Update
On her friendship with Vicki and Shannon Beador, Tamra kept it short but positive. The trio is “in a good spot right now,” she revealed.
This somewhat matches what Shannon has said. But she has made it clear that she is keeping some boundaries. “Good spot” and “fully reunited” mean different things. The gap between them could be one of the season’s quieter storylines.
Old Faces And New Favorites
Tamra shared that she was thrilled to welcome Jo De La Rosa back to the show this season. “I love Jo. There was a lot. I had a party and invited all of them that could make it. I think I had like 12 previous housewives come,” she said.
She named The Real Housewives of Rhode Island as her top franchise to recap. Her favorite cast member is Jo-Ellen Tiberi. “I feel like I taught her everything she knows, but I didn’t. I feel like she’s doing it all,” Tamra noted.
She teased the new season of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip. She said she was “super excited” and noted that Porsha Williams credited the RHOC cast, especially Tamra, for bringing the energy.
Why Housewives Fans Confuse Her
At a panel event, Tamra explained how each franchise works differently. She also shared why the fanbase confuses her.
“Every show is different. We’re all watching Rhode Island, and I’m in awe over that cast. They fight like no other. They’re talking about cheating; they got records. They’re insane,” she explained. “And then you have Beverly Hills, that their drama doesn’t get too deep. And then you go over to New Jersey, and oh my God, they can tear you apart and chew you up and eat you.”
Then she landed on the contradiction that bugs her most.
“The thing that’s confusing to me is when we have a lot of drama on the show, ‘Oh, get rid of her. Fire her. Oh my God, we don’t want her.’ And then if she’s not, ‘Oh my God, the show’s boring. We want drama. We don’t want drama. Yes, we want a little bit of drama.’”
She has a point. Fans fire off “she’s too much” and “the trailer is boring” in the same breath, sometimes about the same person. After 17 years of hearing complaints, Tamra likely understands that contradiction better than anyone at Bravo.
