'Real Housewives of Orange County' Star Emily Simpson on Alexis Bellino's 'Disaster' Return and Shannon Beador's 'Public Humiliation'
Nov. 1 2024, Updated 6:42 p.m. ET
Real Housewives of Orange County star Emily Simpson has shared her thoughts on cast mates Alexis Bellino and Shannon Beador as Season 18 comes to a close.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Simpson didn't hold back when giving her opinion on the drama-filled season, including Bellino's "disaster" return and the "public humiliation" Beador has suffered, as well her DUI and lawsuit from ex-boyfriend John Janssen, who's now dating Bellino.
Simpson, 48, reflected on the ups and downs of Season 18 in an interview with Variety.
The attorney was asked about the unlikely alliance she and co-star best friend Gina Kirschenheiter formed with Beador, who faced a particularly rough couple of months.
When asked if the level of compassion she showed Beador in light of her DUI arrest, break up and subsequent $75,000 lawsuit surprised her, Simpson admitted she went into filming not being the "biggest Shannon fan".
She went on to confess she "didn’t really have a relationship with (Shannon)" while noting they have had "ups and downs" and weren't "necessarily close".
Nonetheless, Simpson said she and Gina had "genuine sympathy for what she was going through" and how Beador was "deeply" hurting.
Simpson added: " And not just the DUI — I felt so badly that the woman couldn't even move on from the DUI before she got sued, and then she couldn't even settle the case because (Janssen) wouldn't settle it.
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"Not only are you dealing with active litigation while you're filming a TV show, but your ex's new girlfriend is in your face and friends with the people that you used to be friends with. I can't even imagine dealing with all those things all at one time."
While on the topic of Bellino's relationship with Beador's ex-boyfriend, Simpson admitted she initially didn't think the former was breaking any "girl code" by dating Janssen because she and Beador were not close friends and typically did not film together.
She confessed: "When I heard Alexis was coming on, I remember thinking, 'Well, that's good TV. Shannon 'activated' is good TV.'
"But at the time, I didn’t know that the plan was a total takedown of Shannon and public humiliation."
The Bravo star added: "I anticipated that it was nothing more than a superficial, petty 'I'm dating your boyfriend now!' moment, that we would all move past that quickly. That’s not what happened."
When asked about Bellino acting as her boyfriend's "unofficial spokesperson on the show", Simpson called the situation "so annoying" and "obnoxious".
Simpson said: "I think she did herself a complete disservice by constantly being his mouthpiece, and constantly bringing up the lawsuit at any possibility she could."
She later added: "And I think it was a disaster that she was never her own person."
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