Gina Kirschenheiter is still coming to terms with Shannon Beador‘s behavior as new episodes of Real Housewives of Orange County air.
“I’m very angry and I’m very disappointed. I’m very upset by it. I don’t understand it. I don’t know why I’m the target of it and I don’t even think she gets it,” Gina, 39, exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, September 5, adding that it’s “very disappointing to me” for Shannon to be talking about Gina’s past legal drama with the group.
Bravo viewers know that the drama started when Shannon accused Gina, Emily Simpson and Heather Dubrow of spreading rumors about her relationship with now-ex-boyfriend John Janssen.
Things took a turn, however, when Shannon went on to claim that she was the reason Gina didn’t lose custody of her children to Child Protective Services (CPS) following Gina’s 2019 DUI. While watching the episodes back, Gina questioned why Shannon didn’t reach out to apologize after the fact. (Gina shares kids Nicholas, 10, Sienna, 8, and Luca, 6, with ex-husband Matthew Kirschenheiter.)
“I was shocked by that. If nothing else, you send the text to save face. Just check the box. At least that’s clearly the right thing to do. I was honestly shocked because I didn’t know and I did forgive her when we were filming the season,” Gina told Us. “But also she didn’t really take full responsibility [or] accountability. She didn’t really even admit to actually saying the things she said. And then not only did she say them, but she was giving a speech about it at a table with some people that I don’t even really know.”
Gina Kirschenheiter, Shannon Beador. Andrew Eccles/Bravo (2)
After referring to Shannon’s behavior as “inappropriate,” Gina admitted she isn’t sure whether they could work things out at the upcoming reunion.
“She had so many opportunities. Plus, this is not the first time or the first year that I’ve asked her to please stop talking about this. And she has apologized and said she’s not going to do that moving forward. And then she does it and then adds in new false tidbits for extra flare, I guess,” she continued. “It only seems to be getting worse. I feel that at this point, what is that apology worth? It’s like her stock has crashed.”
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Gina also weighed in on the conversation happening on RHOC about Shannon’s drinking. (Their fellow costar Tamra Judge previously accused Shannon of being an alcoholic — citing her allegedly not remembering her behavior.)
“That’s a huge problem. I don’t care if Shannon wants to say she has a problem with alcohol or not. I’m not here to judge anybody or diagnose anybody but that and her drinking is a problem for everybody else,” Gina explained to Us. “And you would think that somebody would want to look at least that part of it.”
Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti, Tamra Judge, Taylor Armstrong, Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow Casey Durkin/Bravo
Shannon has previously denied the accusations that she relies on alcohol. “It’s hard. I know that that’s not who I am. My kids watched the episode with me and they were pretty upset about it. They’re like, ‘Mom, that’s not who you are,’” she exclusively told Us in June. “I feel as though when I’m on the show that I will point out something unkind that a cast member’s done. But I try to avoid putting general characterizations out there about people’s personalities because it’s damaging.”
While reflecting on the drama, Gina pointed out that her children were the ones most affected.
“Shannon has not damaged me. She has damaged my children. My kids are this close to being of an age where they’re on social media. This is clickbait for people and I see it and my children should not have to see that,” she concluded on Tuesday. “If their friends see it and they come to me, ‘What is this that just opened and why?’ Just to me, it really is cruel.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Bravo Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
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