From the moment Monica Garcia spoke about her affair with her brother-in-law in her first scene, I was hooked. I genuinely believed that the new Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star would be a great addition to franchise. And while I wasn’t exactly wrong, because she gave us some iconic moments, she wasn’t the RHOSLC housewife I thought she was going to be. Instead, she turned out to be a modern-day P.T. Barnum and the queen of poppycock.
Monica Was a Bully
As a girl who went through her teenage years in the early 2000s, I remember the jungle that was high school. Fun fact—I grew up right next to the town where Mean Girls was based. We often had formal assemblies regarding bullying, especially regarding burn books and hits lists. It was no laughing matter since many of the schools were trying to avoid another school shooting. So when Monica whipped out her homemade burn book, I was immediately triggered and did not find the move funny at all. In fact, it left me thinking that Monica should have known better.
There is no doubt that Monica, no matter how small her part, was an online bully via her troll account, Reality Von Tease. Heather Gay made sense as she shared, “It’s not iconic to be a bully. This has ruined my experience as a Housewife…every Housewife on every franchise would say that the worst part is the trolls and the bullies.” Bravo states they have no tolerance for this behavior. So, the network should commit to not allowing Monica back for this reason alone.
Monica Failed To Take Accountability
Monica claims that she always knew her participation in the Reality Von Tease profile would be outed, yet she didn’t even try to get ahead of it; instead, she only responded when she finally got caught. The mother of four could have easily come on the first episode and explained herself. I mean, she had no problem talking about her affair, mother, or lack of money.
Yet, Monica failed to present a valid argument during her constant bickering with the women. Instead, she just yelled out, “You’re an a**hole” or “You’re a bit*h,” which, let’s be honest, doesn’t land well when you should really have a better case to present. Monica lied about stalking Jen Shah‘s house at one point, claiming the FBI asked her to stake the home out. And it very much feels like nothing that comes out of the rookie’s mouth can be taken at face value.
Why Bravo Won’t Invite Monica Back
While she may be considered one of the most iconic one-season housewives, I feel like we are giving Monica more credit than she deserves since she earned the title from the pain and suffering of others. After part 3 of the reunion aired, Bravo revealed that Monica would not be asked back for Season 5. Variety was the first to report that Monica would not be returning, quoting Andy Cohen. “I think that if Monica had come out and was able to sway even one of the women back onto her side, then it might be a different conversation right now,” Andy said. “But she didn’t do that.”
Showrunner Lori Gordon told the outlet, “The women just need a cooling off period, and I think it’s just too soon. They’ve articulated it. It’s too soon for them to reenter into a friendship—a trusting friendship. Not enough time has passed.” While Lisa Shannon who is the SVP at Shed Media, noted, “We’re starting to film relatively soon, and I think that everyone needs a minute. Never say never. You never know.”
Personally, I say never. Just because it might bring in season-high ratings doesn’t mean Bravo should perpetuate the idea that housewives, or anyone for that matter, can act in such a dangerous and careless way. Thanks for the memories, Monica, but you have been voted off the island. Goodbye.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK MONICA GARCIA DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE ON THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF SALT LAKE CITY?
