The OG of the OC, Vicki Gunvalson, is no one to be messed with, as viewers of the Real Housewives of Orange County learned early on in the flagship series. The mother of two was never one to back away from a moment in the spotlight, often setting fans up for some suburb blowout moments that would span a 15-year career.
Family Van
Two words always ring true when quoting from the Book of Vicki; “Family van.” During Season 1, Vicki was on the edge of losing it after she had painstakingly planned a family trip for her husband, children, and a few of their friends. However, they needed transportation to fly out of LAX, which turned out to be a much smaller version than she had expected. Vicki had arranged a limo for the trip, but what turned up was an unwelcomed van. Could this have been the moment the van became synonymous with the Real Housewives? I think so.
The insurance whizz wasted no time in getting on the phone to complain. She conveyed her annoyance through high-pitched screams, asking, “When do you ever bring a family van to pick up six people? This is ridiculous.” Poor Vicki expected a nice stretch limo and to be relaxing with a mimosa, but instead, she gave viewers one of the best scenes of her life.
Tequila Shots
To say Vicki loves Mexico is an understatement. But one of the most iconic moments came from a Tres Amigas trip to her favorite Cabo bar. Now, Vicki, Tamra Judge, and Shannon Beador are all smart cookies, but for the life of them, they couldn’t figure out how to take a shot. For reference, ladies, it’s lick it, suck it, slam it. Vicki knows how to whoop it up, and even with her fake pucker face, she knows how to have a good time!
Skinny Dip
Season 10 showed a side of Vicki that people knew and loved – her drunk side. Again, the Tres Amigas were out partying, taking straight shots of straight vodka this time. Their table laughs turned into licking antics in what felt like a softcore porn your grandma may star in? The ladies took the fun back to their hotel, where Vicki proceeded to jump into the pool while still wearing her white dress and wedges. Not one to leave anyone out, Vicki grabs hold of Shannon and yanks her into the pool. Needless to say, there were no more Fireball shots to be had.
Vicki vs Gretchen
Vicki was never known to be nice to the new girls, and Gretchen Rossi was no exception. The Coto Insurance founder waltzed into Bunco looking like Pat Benatar on crack. Vicki’s eyes were bulging out of her head as she approached Slade Smiley and Gretch. The feud started when Slade cracked jokes that Vicki resembled Miss. Piggy. Not cool, Slade.
Vicki was trying to pretend she had the moral high ground, but Gretchen quickly reminded her that calling Slade a “deadbeat dad” wasn’t nice either. The ladies took it to another level that only dogs could hear as they battled over who was worse, Slade or Brooks Ayers, as both were absent fathers. Honestly, pick your poison with these two. In a final attempt to win the argument, Vicki unleashed yelling, “You’re not a mother! You have no idea. You are a piece of sh*t.”
Vicki Backs Brooks
The entirety of the Season 10 reunion showed Vicki still battling for her love, Brooks. The entire season, she had everyone questioning Brooks’ cancer story, with multiple holes being poked in it. Shannon had helped set up appointments, Meghan King did a deep dive into Brooks’ background, a psychic didn’t “see it,” and stuff wasn’t adding up. The biggest red flag was that Vicki’s children didn’t like him, but she fought the good fight.
In 2008, Vicki really thought Brooks was dying of cancer and was duped by her boyfriend’s fake paperwork. Even when confronted with all the facts, including fake hospital letter head, Vicki couldn’t admit that she knew Brooks was faking cancer. This reunion is the most pivotal scene as it shows how badly Vicki didn’t want to admit she was wrong. There are over 15 years of classic scenes that star Vick, with some fans, including myself, hoping Bravo brings her back for a visit to create more.
TELL US – WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE VICKI GUNVALSON SCENE?
