Vicki Gunvalson's Ex-Fiancé Steve Lodge Engaged To New Girlfriend Janis Carlson, 37, Months After Split From 'RHOC' Alum
Jan. 3 2022, Published 10:48 a.m. ET
Can someone please check on Vicki Gunvalson?
Three months after the 59-year-old Real Housewives of Orange County alum painstakingly announced that her then-fiancé – 63-year-old Steve Lodge – had dumped her, the failed California gubernatorial candidate proposed to another woman.
Steve and 37-year-old Janice Carlson got engaged two weeks ago – several days before she made her Christmas debut on his Instagram page.
"I did ask Janis on Dec. 20 if she would become Mrs. Steve Chavez Lodge, and she happily agreed," he told People, adding that their engagement will be a short one. "We will be married in April 2022."
The three-time divorced father of four noted that he and the never-married third grade school teacher were "both very excited, incredibly happy, totally in love and look forward to our life together."
Lodge and Carlson have reportedly been dating since September, which is the same month Gunvalson revealed she and the conservative politician had split after five years of dating.
Although the breakup initially seemed amicable, the former reality star made it abundantly clear that it was actually anything but when she accused him of cheating on her, lying to her and using her for both money and fame.
Vicki even seemed to insinuate that Janice was in the picture long before she and Steve went their separate ways.
"He used me, he lied to me, he's been dating a 36 year old and is not what he portrays himself to be. No Christian man would do what he's done," Gunvalson alleged on an Instagram post shared by her friend and fellow RHOC alum, Tamra Judge, at the time.
"While I was out of town working on a biz trip, [Lodge] took [the woman] to my condo in Mexico!" Gunvalson added in another comment. "He's been flaunting around my town in OC making out in public places. It's disgusting."
For his part, Steve insists he and Vicki broke up in December of 2020 and that all her accusations against him are baseless.
"The absolute lies she is now spreading on social media [are] very disappointing and disingenuous, to say the least. But I cannot say I'm surprised," he previously told Page Six. "She should not be dragging Tamra or anyone else into her lies. With that being said, I still wish her all the best."
But Vicki is far from over it.
In fact, just last week, she accused Steve of robbing her of her time.
Fellow Bravolebrity Lala Kent has been on a bit of a media tour lately about her split from movie producer Randall Emmett. Most recently, she appeared on Amanda Hirsch's Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, where she explained, "At the beginning of our time together, I was being spoiled a lot. That was not how it was throughout our relationship. I was doing anything I possibly could to make sure he and I would stand the test of time. And to feel like I was doing all of that really for nothing..."
"I look back on these years with him, and I can't remember," the Vanderpump Rules star added tearfully. "I can't remember any of it."
Commenting on a clip of the sit-down that was posted to Instagram, Gunvalson lamented, "Sounds very similar to the man who stole almost 6 years of my life that I will never get back. So hurtful, so wrong."
After much insistence, Steve proposed to Vicki in April of 2019.
