The last Real Housewives of Orange County episode was very Lydia-focused. With that said, it wasn’t the most exciting episode, even with Lydia McLaughlin’s conflict with Shannon Beador at Tamra Judge’s granddaughter’s birthday party. Lydia inserted herself in Shannon’s business within minutes of meeting her and Shannon truly went off the rails. It wasn’t a good look for either of them.
During the season premiere, Lydia said that she is the “Friendship Whisperer” and it really does seem like her heart is in the right place when it comes to uniting Vicki Gunvalson with Tamra and Shannon, but she just really overstepped her boundaries. She just returned to the show, she obviously didn’t keep in touch with Tamra and Vicki, and on top of that she just met Shannon. Talking to Shannon about her known enemy isn’t the most effective strategy to befriend her. Now Lydia is explaining herself and where she was coming from during that birthday party debacle.
As expected, Lydia has a ton to say in her Bravo blog and none of it was at all humorous. She admitted, “I was really excited to meet Shannon. Tamra is a good friend of mine and she said great things about Shannon. Believe it or not, but I brought up Vicki to Tamra and Shannon because I was trying to help!” I get that, but maybe she could have waiting until the second time she saw Shannon instead of mentioning Vicki immediately- plus it really was a little much for a child’s second birthday party, but at least Tamra’s lavish unicorn-themed party got a lot screen time.
Lydia insisted, “I didn’t want to be shady and not tell them about getting drinks with Vicki. I was trying to tell them: ‘Hey I got drinks with Vicki. She is hurt. You guys are hurt… let’s all move on.’ But I didn’t get to finish my train of thought.” I get that, but she really shouldn’t have lead with that and it’s expected for her to get drinks with Vicki since these people are contractually obligated to go out to lunch and discuss each other’s personal lives.
Lydia went on an on to explain this situation. She wrote, “Shannon just heard me say, ‘She is just like Vicki.’ And obviously took great offense to that. However, I feel I didn’t say that. She is seeing my words as hurtful but that wasn’t what I was even trying to say! I was trying to explain that they are alike because they both are hurt.” That makes total sense, but Lydia is just being overly enthusiastic with this Friendship Whisperer thing. Take your time, Lydia. It would go much better than just jumping right into this. Then again, that probably wouldn’t make for as interesting television.
On a sad note, Lydia shared, “Vicki shared with me how Shannon’s kids use to call her Aunt Vicki and how she feels a sense of loss and got hurt as well.” Still, Lydia adamantly declared, “I wasn’t trying to take sides but was trying to let them see that everyone is hurt. Shannon can disagree with that, but there is a way to communicate with people, and the way Shannon was talking to me was combative and erratic.”
Lydia made my point that she has no business getting into this drama right away when she admitted, “I wasn’t around the last few years, I didn’t watch RHOC and I really haven’t kept up with drama. I didn’t know all that had transpired besides what my friends told me.” Then why don’t you just get to know Shannon before trying to mend her relationship with Vicki? It really does seem like Lydia’s desire to help is genuine, but the execution is just all wrong.
She admitted, “I like them getting along. In my mind I was trying to go on the road of forgiveness by bringing her up, but the opposite happened.” That’s for sure.
Lydia wasn’t done though unfortunately. She wrote, “Please remember that I had never met Shannon. I had no clue how ‘expressive’ she is. I felt like she was attacking me, and for something I felt didn’t even say. However, Shannon wouldn’t let me explain myself. She was fixated on me saying she’s just like Vicki but I didn’t say that. She didn’t let me finish my thought. They are alike in that they both have been hurt by each other. Hurt is hurt. I am not condoning what either party has done, nor will I understand the pain the families have endured. I was really trying to help the whole situation but felt like I was misunderstood and was never given the opportunity to explain myself. I was trying to remain calm but was quite frustrated. Shannon just stormed off and I went home really upset that day.” Totally get where you’re coming from Lydia- it was just too much too soon.
Lydia continued, “I felt like Shannon flipped out about me bringing up Vicki but you can see on my face how blown away I was at her reaction towards me. I don’t understand her and have never had anyone I just met talk to me in the tone or intensity she did that day. I wanted to explain myself, but when I realized a resolution wasn’t happening, I just didn’t want to be fake and meet up again for dinner a few days later.” Oh, Lydia- that’s what the Housewife life is all about: having drama and then meeting up at a nice restaurant to hash it out in public.
TELL US- DOES LYDIA GENUINELY WANT TO HELP THE LADIES MEND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS OR IS SHE STIRRING THE POT? WAS LYDIA OUT OF LINE ASKING SHANNON ABOUT VICKI THE FIRST TIME THEY MET?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
