The finale of Real Housewives of Orange County was last week. It was…odd. On the whole, the season was good in that the women opened up their actual lives on camera. Emily Simpson showed us the anxieties of having a loved one in the hospital with COVID. Gina Kirschenheiter showed us the aftermath of domestic violence and divorce. Kelly Dodd was an all-out idiot and Shannon Beador was exhausting (some things don’t change). Elizabeth Lyn Vargas brought nothing to the table (not even Vince Neil) until she revealed she was raised in a religious cult. And Braunwyn Windham-Burke broke her back carrying the season with the chaos that is her life.
There was no attempt made in the finale to depict these women as actual friends outside the show. The season ended abruptly on the beach with the fakest toast ever seen on a Housewives series. It was super apparent that these women are united only in their mutual disdain for Braunwyn. There is no need to reiterate that she is going through major life changes. Whether it’s all true or for camera time doesn’t even bother me because she’s imploding her own life, not her fellow cast members’. Regardless, her cast mates think everything she’s doing is for likes and camera time. But I think in one case they’re deflecting from their own ignorance.
Last week, Emily appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Andy asked Emily, “do you agree with Elizabeth and Kelly that Braunwyn uses important social justice events for social media clout?” Emily responded, “absolutely. 100%.”
The fact that Emily, Kelly, and Elizabeth are shading a Housewife for loving attention is ludicrous. No one does this show because they’re okay not getting attention. Emily doubled down on her response saying, “I think that woman lives for likes and comments and accolades. So, yes.”
RELATED: Braunwyn Windham-Burke Says Emily Simpson And Kelly Dodd Are Ingrained In Their Privilege
Let me take a second to over-analyze. Andy was asking specifically about Braunwyn posting about “social justice events.” Kelly, Emily, and Shannon are representative of a certain group of people (aka Karens) who contribute, unconsciously or not, to the oppression of other people by going through life believing it’s their right to remain blissfully unaware of injustice.
Braunwyn might be a mess right now. She might even be turning it all up for TV. But don’t come at her for posting about social issues. Braunwyn is a white woman with heaps of privilege. It is the time for white women to use that privilege for the betterment of others and stand up for those who have been marginalized. This kind of vitriol from the other women of the OC is a huge deflection from their own inability to recognize their own privilege, outdated beliefs, and that times need to change. Even Tamra Judge seems to understand that.
RELATED: Elizabeth Lyn Vargas Slams Braunwyn Windham-Burke For Saying She’d “Be Heartbroken” If Her Husband Dated Someone Else; Kelly Dodd And Emily Simpson Chime In
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT EMILY’S COMMENTS? IS BRAUNWYN DOING THIS ALL FOR ATTENTION? SHOULD THEY BRING TAMRA BACK?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]
