‘RHOC’ Star Tamra Judge Admits She’s A “Problem” When She Drinks: “I Just Say Whatever I Feel Like Saying”

Tamra Judge has never been one to tread lightly — especially when giving her opinions on her friends’ lives. Longtime Real Housewives of Orange County fans previously saw Judge spar with Vicki Gunvalson over the latter’s ex-boyfriend Brooks Ayers, who infamously faked his cancer diagnosis. This season, Judge has been outwardly critical of Shannon Beador as she’s continued to drink alcohol in light of her DUI arrest. And while she might be facing backlash on social media over her delivery toward Beador, Judge insisted that she was “not worried about what people think.”

“I know her better than anybody,” Judge told DECIDER. “I have been there for her. I have kept her secrets. I have lied for her. I have done everything to protect her for so many years, and I just can’t do it anymore.”

In fact, Judge believes Beador should be “thanking” Alexis Bellino for rejoining the series as a friend. Why? Well, with Bellino dating Beador’s ex-boyfriend John Janssen, Judge said her former friend’s “drinking isn’t in question” with the other ladies.

However, Judge isn’t the only one raising concerns about her co-stars’ drinking habits. When we talked to Jennifer Pedranti last month, she said Judge is “a problem when she drinks,” pointing out the upcoming “dinner party from hell” where the podcaster calls out her boyfriend Ryan Boyajian’s legal woes with the FBI after having a few too many beverages.

“Oh, I am a problem when I drink. I’m an asshole when I drink,” Judge admitted when we asked for her response. “I just say whatever I feel like saying. I don’t lie. That’s one thing. But I just say the things that are deep down inside.”

According to Judge, she even slowed down her drinking after that dinner, which has not yet aired on the show. “I rarely drink the rest of the season. I mean, I didn’t have to run my car into a house to say, ‘You know what? I need to stop drinking,'” she said with a not-so-subtle dig at Beador.

Judge recently stopped by DECIDER’s offices, where she dished on her “shocked” reaction to Gina Kirschenheiter claiming Emily Simpson has changed since getting closer with her, that hilarious scene in which she sucked Pedranti’s toes in Big Bear, and her new podcast Talking A Big Game. Check out the full story below.

DECIDER: It’s no secret that you are such an iconic Housewife. How do you do it?

TAMRA JUDGE: I don’t know. I just do my thing. I don’t even think of myself as iconic. But I mean, thank you, first of all, I appreciate that. I think just being myself and not playing for the viewers. I am not worried about what people think. I’m just being my true self and say how I feel. Sometimes I’m like, “Oh, did I have to say that?” But I did and I can’t take it back.

I want to get into this season’s drama. You’ve gotten some backlash on social media for how you spoke to Shannon at Gina’s dinner party, but it seems like you are the only person who isn’t coddling her. Is it frustrating when people can’t get past your delivery to see to the real heart and concern behind your words?

Yeah. And I think sometimes certain things are cut out so they don’t really know the backstory. I was there for Shannon after her DUI. Of course, I went to Scotland the day that I found out, but I was crying on the phone with her. I got back — there was a week that I got back that I wasn’t allowed to reach out to her because, per my contract with Traitors, you’re not allowed to. I couldn’t even do my podcast. I couldn’t make money. I couldn’t do anything. I had to act as if I was still in Scotland. And by that time, I ended up in the hospital. I was so sick. So I contacted her there. We talked. I told her that I didn’t think it was a good idea that we go forward with the Tres Amigas Show. I thought that she should get some help first. And then we continued to talk.

I did end up doing the first show because they had signed a contract while I was in Scotland. So I had to. Moving forward, I didn’t see a change in her. Sure, she was going to her therapy program with an alcohol component. It wasn’t a rehab program. And I know her better than anybody. I have been there for her. I have kept her secrets. I have lied for her. I have done everything to protect her for so many years, and I just can’t do it anymore. And now what I see happening is everybody enabling her and Vicki [saying],  “Drink. Drink. Go ahead.” And the other girls are just sweeping her DUI and her drinking problem under the rug because they’re so worried about Alexis and John. I said this before — I think that Shannon should be thanking Alexis because her drinking isn’t in question. But fun fact, every one of the reunions, her drinking has been brought up, but one.

I completely understand that you have to do what’s best for yourself when it comes to your friendship with Shannon. At the same time, I love when you guys are getting along. Do you ever miss that? And do you think there’s a chance you’ll ever reconcile? 

I think right now she is going to try to destroy my character. She does it moving forward on the show. What I have learned about people with drinking problems is they take it out on the person they are closest to. I was really hoping if she went through a program that she would come to me and apologize because a lot of people know that have dealt with people with drinking problems — there’s a lot that goes with it. There’s narcissistic behavior, there is anger, there is the blame game. It’s everybody else’s fault. And I thought for sure she would be like, “I’m so sorry that I put you through this for so many years.” But she won’t. She will go run and apologize to Gina who she doesn’t even like to save face.

When Vicki made her cameo she said you have “vinegar running through your veins and a black heart.” What do you say to that? And do you think you would make up with Vicki or Shannon sooner?

I would say as far as the Vicki situation, I have done nothing to Vicki. I have been there through her lying about cancer and through [her ex-boyfriend] Brooks [Ayers] and through [her ex-fiancé] Steve [Lodge]. And I’ve cried on the phone with her for many, many years. We’ve gone through issues with kids and marriages and divorces and grandchildren. I am sick to my stomach that she would go to that extent to say such horrible things about me.

As far as her live show, she had the people chanting, “F Tamra,” in the audience. It just shows her character. I am not doing that to her. I am not talking about her. I don’t speak about her on my podcast. She wants to say all these horrible things, but yet she’s nice to my face, so I don’t do fake. And if that’s the game she wants to play, she’s already gone after my husband and I took her back. I’m done. She’s dead to me. So I would probably say Shannon before Vicki, for sure.

Alexis claims to have these videos of Shannon that John took the night of her DUI. Have you seen them?

Let me clarify that. John didn’t take these videos. These are ring camera footage, so it’s not like she’s acting up and he took his camera out. That’s not what it was. So he has security cameras inside his house and ring cameras on the outside and they captured her showing up to the house and what went down. And there’s a bunch of videos. It’s not just one night. It’s years.

What do you think of her bringing that up on camera?

I do think that she probably — John will never release those videos, I don’t think. I think that they will be brought up at the reunion. And I think that Alexis will probably tell everybody what’s on them, and I think everybody’s going to be shocked. I’ve heard, and it’s bad. It’s really bad. Alexis has said many times, “I don’t want these to come out. But she keeps pushing us and she keeps pushing us.” And I think if Shannon would just leave John alone, just leave him alone and say she’s sorry. She would call all of us drunk and say horrible things about him and the next day go, I didn’t say that. That’s not true. But she did it with David too. Remember? She called Vicki and said that David beat her, and then the next day said, “That never happened. You’re lying.” So she has a pattern of doing this to people. 

She’s doing it to me now, and I laugh at her. I mean, there’s times where I’m like, are you kidding me right now? She’s sitting here going, “I will never talk to Tamra.” I’m like, “I had to back up from you because you’re drinking. I’ve done nothing to you, but be a good friend.” We obviously get into it this season for a ton of reasons, but the only reason I said what I said to her at that dinner table – calling her an alcoholic – is because what you didn’t see, she came for me and she came for Alexis. All that was cut out … I do believe that it will come out if it’s at the reunion or if it’s a flashback or whatever, we will see it.

It seemed like you even started to get annoyed with Alexis for how much she talks about Johnny J. How long do you think this “puppy love” phase will last? 

Well, I don’t know. I mean, they seem very much in love. It’s going on a year now and we just poke fun at her because we’ve seen Alexis in past years and whoever she’s with, she’s very into and very supportive of her man, and I respect that of her. But we went on this trip to not talk about any of that stuff. And I clearly say in the car — which I don’t think they showed — “Guys, my Big Bear house is zero drama. It is called My Happy Place. We do not talk negatively at the cabin.” And it just came up. It just came up. But I love seeing Alexis giggle and laugh. Her giggle is infectious and she’s funny and there’s so many other things she talks about, but they just haven’t showed it.

Everyone was split into two different trips in this week’s episode. Was there anything you were surprised to see from the La Quinta trip that you weren’t privy to before?

I was totally shocked with this narrative that I am turning Emily into an asshole. Emily’s a very smart woman. She’s educated. She’s an attorney. She has her own opinions. Me and Emily do not have powwows talking about how we can possibly be bitches to people. And I took offense to it and I thought, “Wow, Gina, that’s what you think of me. You think that low of me that [you think] I’m going to go persuade people to be mean.” It was just a couple episodes [ago when] she was yelling at Jenn to pay her bills and calling her a squatter. So who taught you how to be a bitch? So it’s very confusing. It just wasn’t okay with me. And I’ll take that up at the reunion because I have always had a decent friendship with Gina. And now to hear when she goes into her confessionals or behind my back, she tends to come for me. And this has been a pattern for many, many years now, and I’m like, “I don’t get you.”

It did feel a little misdirected.

Well, I just feel like she’s playing for the camera is really what I think.

Well, over in Big Bear, you were sucking Jenn’s toes. Would you say that’s one of the wildest things you’ve done on a girl’s trip? Did you end up letting Jenn put it on OnlyFans for some quick cash? 

No, because she didn’t set up an OnlyFans.

Missed opportunity!

Yeah, missed opportunity. Or get a real estate license or do anything. I mean, I thought it was funny. I watched back, I’m like, “Oh my God, what was I doing?” I couldn’t even blame it on alcohol. We barely even drank that entire trip. It was just having fun and just being girls. Like, I would suck Teddi [Mellencamp’s] toes. I wouldn’t suck Eddie’s toes though.

You suggest that Gina might’ve set Katie up when it came to the drama surrounding Heather’s paparazzi photos. Why do you think that’s something Gina would do?

Well, first of all, it was because of what Katie had been telling me. Katie told me that basically months before we started filming, Katie and Gina became friends and Katie gave Gina this information and Gina said to her, “You need to bring that up. If you get cast on the show, you need to bring it up because Heather — it would be so great. And it would be so funny. Heather would think it’s funny.” And there’s some talk going on now where Gina says, “I called you back 10 minutes and told you no, it wasn’t a good idea.” But she did tell her that.

She was just pushing for Katie to be on the show. She was calling each one of the cast members trying to sell us on Katie. And we’re like, “Okay, but we don’t do the hiring, but whatever. That’s fine.” Then when Katie does say it, Gina got questioned at the golf tournament and I think somebody said, “Well, Gina, you know about this. You were sent the text messages confirming that Heather called the paparazzi.” And she suddenly couldn’t use her phone, didn’t know why it wouldn’t turn on, and was like, “I got to go.” And she acted very suspicious. So I’m like, “It looks like she set you up.” So we’ll see. We’ll see what happens though.

It definitely seems a little sketchy.

It was sketchy. And then Katie’s stories are a little inconsistent too, so I’m still watching.

Well, it’s no secret that you and Jenn hit a rough patch later in the season.

Oh, that’s because of Shannon.

What happened there?

Shannon tries to destroy my friendship with Jenn and shows her a text message from two years ago that was taken out of context to make it look like I was doing something behind her back, which was absolutely not the case … And I think that Jenn was like, “Oh, yay. I finally have something to yell at Tamra about, so let me go after her.” And I just sat there and laughed.

When we talked to you before the season aired, you said you brought up the FBI to Jenn and Ryan with help from some liquid courage. However, Jenn told us that you can be a “problem” when you drink. What’s your response to that?

Oh, I am a problem when I drink. I’m an asshole when I drink. I just say whatever I feel like saying. I don’t lie. That’s one thing. But I just say the things that are deep down inside that I’m like, “Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it. I said it.”

So yeah, I went into that dinner at Katie’s house — it hasn’t aired yet — but not wanting to be around Ryan. Eddie absolutely did not want to be around Ryan. And Ryan did some pretty crappy things and went on podcasts and did all these Instagram posts about me, about Eddie, about my son, about my business. And Jenn’s like, “Well, you talked about Ryan.” I go, “My husband has been talked about and gone after by Vicki, Kelly Dodd — did you see him one time go on podcasts to talk about Vicki? No.” He’d rather suck his own toes. He would never do that. He’s a man, he’s a standup guy and he’s got class. So in that situation, me and Ryan kind of went at it.

And I had known about the FBI investigation and them being raided by the FBI for probably about four months. So it was something that I didn’t want to bring up, but Emily had brought it up at my house and it was talked about a little bit. It hasn’t shown, so I felt it’s already out there. Why not just throw it out there? But was I wrong?

On a lighter note, it’s been really fun to get glimpses of your daughter Sophia this season. Does it feel good to have her part of this experience again finally? 

It feels so good because Sophia has lived with me this entire time, but every time I’d film, she’d have to sneak behind the camera, go upstairs. I’m like, “Can you guys just film us walking up the stairs so people know I have a daughter and a son that live here with me?” And for some reason, legal reasons, they couldn’t do that. So she always felt like she wasn’t a part of this, and she’s a huge part of my life. She’s my best friend and we do everything together. In fact, she’s going to college. I’m like, “Should I take some classes too?” She’s like, “No, you shouldn’t.”

But it’s great that she can be shown and she can speak her mind. And it was a little bit of a learning curve. She’s a little nervous at the very beginning and then she found her footing and she enjoys it. She’s an extremely talented singer and she writes her own music and she does it all. So I’m hoping that she will go to school in New York. That’s my wish for her.

Your podcast platform, Two T’s In A Pod, is wildly successful. You recently just started a new show with your The Traitors co-star Dan Gheelsing called Talking A Big Game. Can you tell us more about what you have planned?

Yes. So I was doing a podcast just recapping Traitors Season 2 and Dan was one of my co-hosts … and he really caught iHeart’s eye. They’re like, “He’s good.” I didn’t know a lot about Dan’s history. I didn’t know he had been podcasting for 20, 30 years. He’s got a YouTube channel. He’s on Twitch. He’s a huge gamer. I’m like, this guy sounds like a radio announcer. He’s so good. They came to me and said, “Would you be interested in doing a reality competition show with Dan?” And I go, “Yeah, I would.” And he makes my job so easy. He’s so good at what he does. We have some amazing guests coming up. And every competition show out there, we’re just looking for the gamers out there that know what they’re doing, that win these. If it’s Dancing with the Stars or Big Brother, it’s going to be really good … And we’re hoping when Traitors comes out, we’re going to be discussing Traitors on a weekly basis.

That’s amazing! What else can you tease about the rest of the season of RHOC? Anything you’re excited for? Dreading?

I’m definitely dreading the scene at Katie’s house, the dinner party from hell with Ryan. I was so nervous, so I had a few too many drinks and after that, I rarely drink the rest of the season. I mean, I didn’t have to run my car into a house to say, “You know what? I need to stop drinking.” I’ll tell you that right now. I think that I’m very excited to see more of Sophia on the show, and she shows a little bit of her music side, of her and her creativity. I think that there’s going to be a shift in the tide for sure with Shannon and I think that you’re going to see that maybe she didn’t stop drinking or maybe two drinks is not all she does.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs every Thursday at 9/8c on Bravo. New episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock.