Monica Garcia addressed her infamous season on Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and she shared why she didn’t apologize for her ‘troll’ page at the reunion. She also revealed why she lied about visiting Meredith Marks’ store, gave insight into her relationship with Jen Shah, and slammed co-stars’ hypocrisy.
Though castmates seemed to treat Monica’s Reality Von Tease account like a war crime, they immediately forgave Heather Gay, who lied for Jen – a convicted criminal who reportedly scammed the elderly. They also didn’t seem to mind that Heather suggested a producer gave her a black eye – when she knew who actually did.
Speaking with The Cut, Monica was asked if her genuine self was shown on RHOSLC.
“You did see a lot of the real Monica during the season. You saw me battling with being new in the group and feeling insecure about that when it came to the purse and trying to fit in with these women,” she said. “Whitney and I actually had a really great moment in Bermuda that wasn’t shared on-camera, but she was having a rough time with the passing of her friend and we ended up spending the night together comforting each other in my bed. I think there were a lot of very real moments throughout the season, and there were a lot of moments that I wish I could have done differently or changed.”
During the season, Monica also navigated her relationship with her mom Linda.
“My mother is very up and down. When we started filming, we were in an okay place … But as you saw, it went badly so fast — and that’s very, very accurate for how it actually is in my real life with her,” said Monica. “My mother and I have been through a lot. Truly hell and back. But I’m actually shocked at how many people are in the same exact situation. I felt alone with my mother, like I was the only person who had a mother like this. The show showed me that there are so many more people who deal with this kind of dynamic.”
What was it like watching Heather tell co-stars about Monica’s ‘troll’ page?
“I don’t know where I was [when they filmed that]! I’m assuming I was getting ready,” she explained. “For me, watching it back is a very different experience than I’m sure the fans. I can appreciate that we are making a show and it was incredible television, 100 percent. But I also have a lot of knowledge and insight as to what was really happening and going on. Watching it back, I definitely was rolling my eyes a lot, for sure.”
But Monica wasn’t surprised her account got exposed.
“Oh, I knew it was going to come out, 100 percent,” she revealed. “What I wasn’t prepared for — and why you see I’m so shocked — was for my ex-best friend to give them a bunch of other information.”
So why join the show if she knew her secret would be exposed?
“I truly did not think it was going to be a big deal,” she said. “This was a bigger deal than Jen getting arrested and going to prison. It’s comical, in a sense, that they are more upset at me about a snark page than they are about someone scamming elderly people out of millions of dollars.”
“I was prepared to own it, because the page was never about them. It was about Jen!” Monica continued. “They want to say, ‘It bullied us for four years’ — first of all, the page was only open for, like, a year. Second of all, it really was about exposing Jen. Lisa Barlow’s hot-mic rant was worse than anything we ever said on Von Tease.”
Monica was also asked how she felt about getting compared to Jen.
“I feel like it’s an easy out. I don’t think that it’s even close to accurate, because if I really was like Jen, these women would have not been treating me the way that they are treating me! They let Jen get away with much, much, much worse,” she explained. “The women were scared of Jen, and they are not scared of me. I think it’s hilarious to say, ‘Oh, she’s just like Jen.’ Because if I really was just like Jen, you guys would be kissing my ass and be terrified of me, and you’re not!”
She then shared her theory about Jen’s persuasiveness.
“When you meet Jen, you are very captivated. You are very drawn to her. She makes you feel like you are best friends right out of the gate,” said Monica. “She was so much fun. She was so energetic. She had this incredible way of making you feel like you were so important and special to her and that she got you, no matter what … and then you start to see the mask slip off and see what’s really going on.”
Monica said Jen was like a “child” to those around her.
“Everyone had to take care of her and cater to her. Everyone had to monitor her temper tantrums,” she said. “But reflecting back on the entire relationship, she was a lot like my mom, if that makes sense.”
Monica then revealed why she didn’t apologize for the account.
“So this is the thing. I am sorry that I ever involved myself in this account and that I got myself in this situation. The reason why I did not apologize is because I am not going to give a fake apology. At that moment, I did not have it in me to apologize, because the women were relentless. I felt like they still weren’t willing to hear me,” she explained.
“They said I lied for ‘months,’ but really, I was just getting to know them. I didn’t have existing relationships with them. But Heather lied to their faces, lied to production, lied to investigators, lied to producers, lied to Andy Cohen, lied to the fans for over a year,” she said. “But I am being completely massacred. You want me to apologize in that moment? I couldn’t do that. I didn’t have it in me to give a half-ass apology because it’s what people wanted to hear, because it would make me look better in the moment. I want to get to a place where I can actually sit down and have a civil conversation about this and give a genuine apology. But at the reunion, on that stage, in the situation I was in, it would not have been a real apology, so why even say it?”
She claimed her message to casting – which was shown in the reunion – wasn’t the full story. During the episode, she alleged she told casting that the show’s ratings were bad and the show was about to be canceled.
“I was actually really sad that they showed that email, because that wasn’t the email! That was literally three sentences of me just asking what I needed to do. You can’t apply with three sentences,” she said. “I had to write an entire biography. I had to show several photos. I had to talk about my children, their ages, why I thought I would be good on the show, what I would bring to the show. I mean, that wasn’t the email that was in question, so that was frustrating.”
Monica also called out co-stars for being fans of the franchise – while slamming Monica for it.
“Heather has admitted several times that she is and has been a huge Housewives fan for years,” she said. “All of them are on there. All of them continue to be on there. So painting me as this fan trying to get on the show, that’s fine, whatever, but so are they!”
Why does Monica believe Jen did not leak her involvement with Reality Von Tease?
“Jen is … Jen, but she is also very smart,” she shared. “You think Jen gives a s**t about a troll account over the fact that Heather is going to say that she physically assaulted her? The only thing Jen is going to care about is the fact that Heather is out here telling people that she punched her in the face.”
“At the end of the day, I didn’t do anything that other people do not do. People have burner accounts. Housewives, Bravo-lebrities, whoever,” she continued. “Or they have troll accounts, where they’re feeding information to blogs and trying to push a narrative out there. I mean, we are all troll accounts at the end of the day. People go online and they stalk their exes or their best friends … Anyone with fingers and a mouse has been a troll at one point in time or another. So to make it seem like I am just this crazy, insane, one-of-a-kind person is absolutely ridiculous.”
Does she believe fans can trust her again?
“I think that will come with the realization that I am not the only person in this franchise to lie, to deflect, and to deceive. I am far from that. I am one, yes, but I am not the only one,” she said. “If they can find grace and forgiveness for others, and give them other chances, then I think that should be awarded to everyone. But I think it will take time.”
Monica also revealed why she lied about saying she never visited Meredith’s store.
“I said this at the reunion and it didn’t get aired. When I pulled up to Meredith’s shop, production came up to me; they said, ‘Okay, we’re going to play this like you’ve never been here before.’ And I said, ‘Well, I have been here before. I’ve been here with Jen.’ And they were like, ‘It doesn’t matter. That’s not how we’re going to play it. We’re going to play it like it’s your first time here,’” said Monica. “They did not air that, but that’s the honest freaking truth. I’ll sit here and I’ll take it, and people call me a liar, but that’s what happened.”
Monica made clear that her absence from next season – if it happens – will not be her decision, but that of the “cast and Bravo.”
