Real Housewives of Orange County alum Vicki Gunvalson’s daughter Briana Culberson has lost more than 45 pounds in the past four years. She and her husband Ryan have been on a Keto journey and have been documenting their new, healthier lifestyle on social media. But now accusations are swirling that they used Ozempic to boost their weight loss, which Briana quicky denied.
“There’s been some ridiculous chatter wandering around the interwebs today following a pic of us I shared earlier,” Briana posted on Instagram. “Some people have started a rumor that we’re on Ozempic.”
“First of all, hilarious. Second of all, I would NEVER,” she continued. “That goes against everything we stand for and everything we’re doing for our health and wellness.”
“I spent too many years of my life being terribly sick,” the mom of four added. “Too many years of not having any respect for my health … [We ate and drank] whatever we wanted in the moment. I was on a long list of medications, admitted to the hospital OFTEN, sick, fat, and miserable.”
Over the past four years, Briana and Ryan have made “many, many lifestyle changes” to improve their health and wellness. “Clean eating, clean lifestyle, daily movement, daily choices, emotional healing, and targeted high-quality supplements and essential oils have completely changed our lives inside and out,” the registered nurse said.
The former RHOC regular shared that the new health regimen wasn’t just a weight-loss program. This was never about being able to fit into a smaller dress size. Although, all the healthy eating had the effect of doing just that. Briana, who received a lupus diagnosis in 2016, is slimmer and feels better. Best of all, her lupus symptoms are under control.
“What’s more important to me are the changes on the inside,” she said. “I’m off all medications (with the exception of my thyroid replacement for my thyroidectomy). My health hasn’t been this good in over 20 years.”
“It’s a lot of little daily choices and consistency that add up,“ she continued proudly. “I’m a better mom, better wife, better friend, better person now that my health and wellness are a priority. No gimmicks, no nasty medication, just staying consistent and being intentional with my daily choices … You can take that Ozempic chatter somewhere else because it ain’t here.”
Leva Bonaparte is determined to get her team at Republic Garden & Bar under control. After a debut season of cast members bending the rules, most specifically, the one that prohibits drinking while on shift, the Southern Hospitality boss wants to do things differently this time.
And unfortunately, it was single mother Lucía Peña that was made an example of. She was caught taking a swig while at work and was fired as a result. However, she returns to Republic to speak to Leva in person during the Season 2 premiere. Mia Alario tries to speak on her behalf as well. It all went a little sideways though.
Southern Hospitality Season 2: Mia “doesn’t get” Leva’s decision
“You were looking for an apology from Lucíafor drinking on the job?” Mia asked her boss after Leva walked in on a conversation between Mia and VIP manager Maddi Reese.
The Southern Charm star explained that an apology from Lucíafor disrespecting her place of business, “would personally mean a lot.” Leva felt that the single mother was indebted to her after she was brought “back” post-maternity leave. That statement fired Mia up.
“[You brought her back] after having a baby? After maternity leave, basically what normal companies do for women?” Mia questioned.
It’s a worthwhile point. One which Leva can’t exactly respond to except become indignant and say, “What are you doing, Mia?”
“I’m upset,” the finance professional answered. As the conversation gets more heated, Mia broached “the hypocrisy you are showing as a boss.”
“What are you talking about? If you are back of the house and you are drinking, [that’s an] immediate fire,” Leva retorted. “That’s the rule. Have you ever read your manual? If you drink back here, you’re done.”
Perhaps this has to do with the rule breaks last season. Also, it’s worth noting that Maddi leaves in the middle of work later in the episode to confront her cheating boyfriend. She retains her job despite a presumed rule that prohibits leaving mid-shift.
Mia doesn’t “understand” Leva’s point of view. “I don’t get it,” Mia said of not being able to “understand” Leva’s point of view. To which her manager responded, “I don’t need you to get it.”
“Employees have drank here so many times,” Mia pointed out.
Leva was forced to ask, “OK, so who did I keep in here who is drinking back there?”
Mia named herself as one example. To which Leva promptly fired her. It’s admirable for Mia to stand up for her friend. Even if she really didn’t need the job at Republic Garden & Bar.
Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images
Reality TV is made to appeal to the masses. Rarely does the genre pretend to be something it’s not, and as such, it becomes easy for anyone to digest, even celebrities. With most of their franchises, Bravo has found a pretty consistent winning formula.
Bravo will get a group of interesting, usually attractive people together, put them in situations of pressure, and watch the on-screen fireworks unfold. A quintessential example would be Below Deck. The franchise is appealing not only for the cast dynamics but for the setting.
There’s a catharsis in seeing not only the lavish yachts and destination spots but also the struggles of employees working for a living with difficult co-workers and burdensome clients. The formula is so winning that even Jennifer Aniston can’t get enough. Here’s what she recently revealed.
Jennifer Aniston and other stars who love Below Deck
On December 7, The Hollywood Reporter put out its “2023 Women in Entertainment Power 100.” Jennifer finished fourth on the list (alphabetically by last name). Speaking with THR, Jennifer said she couldn’t believe she got sucked into “Below Deck, all 335,000 versions and episodes.”
Jennifer Aniston would be far from the first A-lister to admit their fondness for Bravo’s long-running yachting franchise. Many fans are aware of Jennifer Lawrence’s affinity for reality TV, with Below Deck being no exception. Other stars who have gone on record as Below Deck fans include Seth Rogen and Christina Applegate.
As for Jennifer’s other comments shared with The Hollywood Reporter, she spoke about certain revelations she had during the writers’ and actors’ strikes. Her main observation was “How fractured we are – as with our country in general, we need to remember we have more in common than we’re led to believe by people whose own interests are served by our division.”
Out of four marriages, Kody Brown has managed to hold onto just one. Keep in mind that there was a point when all four of these marriages were happening at once.
Now, the only union that remains is that of Robyn Brown’s. However, the writing might be plainly on the wall for Kody and Robyn as well. Kody refers to Robyn as “the wife left standing.”
Viewers have seen Kody’s relationships deteriorate on Sister Wives Season 18. Now, even the one relationship he has left may slip through his fingers due to his anger.
The Sister Wives: One on One special aired this weekend. In the third episode, as Robyn and Kody spoke with one another, he admitted he felt he was sabotaging himself due to “frustration and anger” after his other wives removed themselves from the plural marriage.
Kody explained, “I thought of myself leaving Robyn and having another lover and looking at this lover and going, ‘I don’t love you. I’m in love with another woman. I’m in love with a woman that I left because I was too much a piece of sh*t to manage the relationship.’ And what it was just anger and I’m embarrassed.”
As for Robyn’s take on whether Kody was sabotaging the relationship, she shared through tears, “He tries to. I have to stop him all the time.” She went on, “We’re in different places about the bomb that went off on our family. And like, I’m in a major place of mourning and he’s angry … He just wants to just go find whatever, you know? And I’m like, no, I can’t feel like that.”
You can stream Sister Wives online on TLC GO with your pay TV subscription.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF KODY’S SELF-SABOTAGE? WHAT DO YOU FEEL FOR ROBYN?
(Photo by: Eugene Gologursky/Bravo via Getty Images)
In the last 17 years, many Real Housewives stars have come and gone. The franchise has become a bit of a revolving door, and while some housewives have said goodbye for good, others have proven you can always come home again. Here are Real Housewives who’ve returned to the franchise after leaving.
Fans were first introduced to Tamra Judge as a fiery, petite blond on Season 3 of Real Housewives of Orange County. Over the next 12 seasons, the mother-of-four created a dedicated fanbase as she rebuilt her life after her divorce from Simon Barney. Fans watched her reinvent her professional life and her love life, and we were so here for it.
For a while, Tamra felt like the heart of RHOC, so fans were shocked when news broke that she would not be returning to the show for Season 15. However, the California native’s hiatus was short-lived. She returned to RHOC for Season 17 as a full-time cast member.
NeNe Leakes (Real Housewives of Atlanta)
(Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
NeNe Leakes has to be one of the most entertaining housewives of all time, so naturally, fans were devastated when she left Real Housewives of Atlanta after Season 7. Lucky for us, NeNe decided to give the show another try when she returned as a full-time cast member for Season 10.
But her comeback was short-lived. She left the show for the second time after Season 12. Since her departure, the former peach-holder has been critical of the network. In April 2022, she filed a lawsuit against against “NBCUniversal, Bravo, True Entertainment, Truly Original, and executive producer Andy [Cohen]” citing “unfavorable working conditions.” The lawsuit was later dismissed.
Shereé Whitfield (Real Housewives of Atlanta)
(Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images)
Shereé Whitfield left RHOA after a drama-filled Season 4 but later returned to the show for Seasons 9 and 10. Thankfully, that wasn’t the last of Shereé. She re-joined the cast of RHOA in 2022 for Season 14.
Let’s hope Shereé holds onto her peach longer the third time. The show simply isn’t the same without her.
Heather Dubrow (Real Housewives of Orange County)
(Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images)
Heather Dubrow made her Bravo debut in Season 7 of RHOC. She was a brunette in a sea of blondes and fans quickly took a liking to the new cast member. We loved her relationship, her humor, and most importantly her huge, gigantic house.
Heather left the show after Season 11 but later returned to the franchise for Season 16 of RHOC.
Bethenny Frankel (Real Housewives of New York)
(Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo via Getty Images)
Bethenny Frankel is an OG Real Housewives of New York star. Fans were first introduced to the Skinny Girl founder as a scrappy, young entrepreneur trying to make her way in the world. She became an early fan favorite, probably because she was the most relatable of the girls.
Bethenny left the series after Season 3 but later returned as a full-time cast member in Season 7. She turned in her apple for a second time following Season 11, which was a very emotional season for the Bravo star. Now that Bethenny has been calling out Bravo on her podcast, we doubt she’ll return to the show in the future.
Lydia McLaughlin (Real Housewives of Orange County)
(Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Lydia McLaughlin made quite an impression when she joined RHOC for Season 8. The mother-of-three wasn’t afraid to get involved in the drama and fans were excited to see more of her.
Unfortunately, Lydia did not return for Season 9 but she did give it one more try in Season 12. However, she decided to throw in her orange for a second time after just one season.
Dina Manzo (Real Housewives of New Jersey)
(Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Dina Manzo left Real Housewives of New Jersey after Season 2 but made a comeback for Season 6. However, her return was short-lived. She left the show for a second time after she relocated to California.
TELL US – WHICH EX-REAL HOUSEWIFE ARE YOU HOPING MAKES A COMEBACK?
Scandoval may have been a nightmare for Tom Sandoval and Rachel Leviss but it was a dream come true for Vanderpump Rules. The Bravo series celebrated 10 years on the air this year, making it one of the most successful spin-offs to come from the network. However, after a decade, the show was starting to show its age. Executive producer Alex Baskin told Deadline in August 2023 that Vanderpump Rules was on the verge of ending before the cheating scandal.
Alex’s confession begs the question, Did Sandoval and Rachel’s affair save Vanderpump Rules? We certainly think so. Here’s why.
It Introduced New Viewers to the Show
(Photo by Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty Images)
Scandoval wasn’t just a topic of discussion among Bravo lovers. It broke through to the mainstream, with everyone from The View to the New York Times covering the story. The coverage of the scandal piqued the interest of the public, and many new viewers hopped onboard the Vanderpump Rules train.
The ratings for Season 10 of VPR were impressive. According to Deadline, the season reached “over 11.4 million total viewers,” and Part I of the reunion broke a record for being “the most-watched Bravo episode of any series in over nine years.” Wow, that is quite a feat.
It Brought Back Old Viewers
(Photo by: Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty Images)
When I first discovered Vanderpump Rules in college, I was obsessed. I probably averaged about three episodes per day and sought out other VPR-obsessed fans to share my thoughts on every problematic cast member. But as the series progressed and the cast matured, I started to become less interested in the Bravo series. There were fewer wild, booze-filled trips to Vegas and more storylines about the cast buying property and starting families. Other fans seemed to be feeling this as well because interest in the series started to wane in the last couple of years.
Alex Baskin told Deadline that the show was in need of a revival moment when news of Sandoval and Rachel’s love affair broke.
“The timing of [Scandoval] happened to have been perfect. It was insane and proof that there can still be a monoculture. The story of Vanderpump is one of survival more than anything. We were coming off a really tough ninth season and we had the cast firings before the season and there was a low energy season during the pandemic. To the network’s credit, they gave us another run at it and we had a resurgence anyway.”
Scandoval reminded fans why they love VPR. We fell in love with the mess, the bad behavior, and the cast’s head-scratching decisions that often landed them in trouble. While it’s awful the resurgence cost fan-favorite Ariana Madix a broken heart, it might have been just what the show needed to continue.
It Guaranteed the Show Another Season
(Photo by: Nicole Weingart/Bravo via Getty Images)
Alex mentioned in his interview that the show was on rocky ground following a less-than-stellar Season 9. However, Scandoval changed all of that. Now, the series is more popular than ever, with new and old viewers waiting with bated breath for Season 11. The messiness of the scandal gave Vanderpump Rules a chance to save their show.
Will the Show Be Able to Sustain the Success?
(Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
VPR has been given another shot but whether they can sustain the momentum is still a mystery. The cast has changed a lot in the last 10 years. They are no longer 20-somethings partying their worries away with no concern for the future. They own homes and businesses, and some of them are literal parents.
Even after Scandoval, the show is missing some of the chaos that drew fans to the series in the first place. I think to sustain the show, they need to add new cast members. I know it wasn’t successful the last time they tried to do this, but it is worth another shot. We can’t watch Sandoval and Tom Schwartz get blackout drunk for ANOTHER 10 years. Come on, let’s be reasonable.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK VPR WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM AFTER SCANDOVAL, OR WILL THE SERIES FALL FLAT?
For years, Kody Brown has been serving up a piping-hot dream of polygamy that has gone quite cold after losing three wives due to his lack of personality. The father of 18 forced his Sister Wives family to move from their comfy cul-de-sac in Las Vegas to four spread-out homes in Flagstaff, Arizona, on a whim.
It never felt as if any of the women wanted to move to Arizona, with the exception of Robyn Brown. However, all were promised space on Coyote Pass, land that the Browns bought to build their mecca. The plural family splashed out $820,000 only to risk losing their property very soon.
The Dream of Coyote Pass
(Photo credit: TLC/YouTube)
The original inspiration behind Coyote Pass was a mix between their hold plural home in Lehi, Utah, and Las Vegas. Kody knew he was losing control of his marriages and offered up a plan to build one big home on their multi-parcel acreage. However, none of his wives wanted to live under the same roof. The land was purchased in 2018, with the initial plan being that each wife build their own home.
Kody dropped a bomb, noting that he wanted his own space, too, and would be building his own cabin. The arguing started pretty quickly as each wife vied for a prime position on the land. Meri Brown was set back in the trees, Janelle Brown had access to the pond, and Christine became jaded by the dream.
Do the Browns Own Coyote Pass?
Photo Credit: TLC/YouTube
The family has yet to build and actually owes money. Together, the family owned 14 acres, with Kody explaining during an episode that the size of each parcel didn’t matter because each was appraised at the same value. However, when Christine Brown left the family, she sold her parcel back to Kody for just $10. The Sun then reported in June that Janelle and Kody had paid off two parcels of Coyote Pass for the amount of $340,000, even though they split in January 2023.
There Is Trouble in Coyote Pass Paradise
TLC/YouTube
You can imagine how Sister Wives fans were surprised to learn that even though Janelle and Kody have paid off their and Robyn’s parcel, the family is still at risk of losing the land. As the Thanksgiving holiday approached, In Touch reported that Kody was behind $4,858.73 in property taxes owed. The 54-year-old is listed as the owner of five parcels. As of November 1, Robyn and Kody are listed as owners of three of those five parcels.
It turns out that there is still money owed on the land. You would think by now Kody would have figured out some financial plan, but nope. According to the outlet, Kody owes $539.24, $890.15, and $1,292.42 in late property taxes. Even more surprisingly, Meri and Janelle are listed as owners on the fourth parcel with a balance of $1,246.77. And the fifth parcel has an overdue amount of $890.15, with Kody and Janelle listed as the owners.
Kody Might Need To Sell
TLC/YouTube
Kody only has a limited time to pay off his entire bill or risk losing the land. Kody is drowning in financial issues, and if he doesn’t figure out how to pay the massive bill, he risks defaulting on his mortgage. The patriarch doesn’t seem to have a head for numbers, with a recent episode showing that he was unwilling to include Meri in the land division. The proposed agreement noted that Kody would take four acres, Janelle would take four acres, and Meri would only receive two.
The mother of one quickly called out the hypocrisy, stating, “I don’t think that’s fair. Because regardless of the fact that he and I haven’t had a relationship for, you know, eight or ten years… I’m still part of the family, and I still financially put into it. And so I deserve to have some of the property and not just what he decides I’m worthy of.” Now that we know Meri has also left the marriage, it becomes clear that Kody will also have to buy her out and pay off the debt. It is very hard to see a world where Kody might actually come out unscathed.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK KODY SHOULD GIVE UP ON HIS COYOTE PASS DREAM?
The Real Housewives are a dramatic bunch. These women understand their assignments, and they play their characters well. So well in fact that, sometimes, their storylines have felt staged, or perhaps, embellished. From knowing how to hold audiences captive, to stirring the pot just enough to keep their jobs secured, these ladies are pros.
Not shockingly, many of these women hold a background in theater and/or film. We’ve just sorted through all of their varied roles played, when not yelling about owning it or demanding that we talk about the husbands on Bravo. From these, here are the best performances from Real Housewives actresses.
Kyle Richards – The Halloween Trilogy
Rotten Tomatoes Trailers/YouTube
Kyle Richards spent her childhood running from Michael Myers, and her adulthood running from the drama on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. In 1978, Kyle was cast in the first Halloween film, starring as Lindsey Wallace. Her young character survived Michael’s attacks, making Kyle able to reprise her role in 2021 for Halloween Kills. In 2022, Kyle wrapped up this series with her best performance yet, avoiding Michael’s wrath once again in Halloween Ends.
Kim Richards – The Witch Mountain Franchise
Disney Plus/YouTube
Like her sister, Kim Richards began her career at an early age. In 1975, Kim scored the role of a psychic alien named Tia on Escape to Witch Mountain. A few years later, Kim reprised her role as Tia in Return from Witch Mountain.
When Disney completely remade this film with Race to Witch Mountain in 2009, Kim made a brief cameo, but in a totally different role. This franchise saw Kim’s best performance, as it launched her to stardom, which she mentioned a few times on RHOBH.
Garcelle Beauvais – Black Girl Missing
Top Trailers Plus/YouTube
Long before Garcelle Beauvais went against the Fox Force Five on RHOBH, she spent her time acquiring an impressive portfolio of acting gigs. While many know her for her time spent on the Coming to America films and The Jaime Foxx Show, Garcelle’s most recent work best reflects her current direction.
Helping to bring awareness to the lack of media coverage and resources for when Black women and girls go missing, Garcelle starred as Cheryl, the mother of a missing daughter, in the film Black Girl Missing. With genuine emotions behind her role, this was one of Garcelle’s best performances yet.
Lisa Rinna – Days of Our Lives
Liquid Soap/YouTube
Lisa Rinna was one of the biggest drama starters on RHOBH, so it’s not shocking that she excelled on the popular soap opera, Days of Our Lives. The original player of Billie Reed, Lisa and her lips lived in the fictitious town of Salem from 1992 – 1995.
Former RHOBH star Eileen Davidson already knew Lisa prior to her time on Bravo, as she also starred on Days of Our Lives. Her double role as Kristen Dimera and Susan Banks was equal parts hysterical and weird. However, Eileen gave these twin-like roles her best performances, even when wearing a horrible mouthpiece with large teeth.
Denise Richards – Wild Things
Boxoffice Movie Scenes/YouTube
Denise Richards has always been an icon, and she will stay an icon, with or without the support of her newly rejoined RHOBH costars. Often playing the hot girl roles, Denise has raked up a long list of credits. However, Denise’s role in Wild Things is the one that we cannot get over. Nailing her role as the seductive antagonist, Kelly Van Ryan, Denise’s performance, and on-air death, was one for the books.
Kenya Moore – The Confidant
Official Kenya Moore/YouTube
Kenya Moore is known for her witty shade on Real Housewives of Atlanta, but watching her star as Eden Patterson in the film The Confidant proved that our girl is worth so much more than just her bite.
Back in 2010, Kenya’s role as a protective and seductive wife was equal parts messy and entertaining. Mrs. Twirl was also a producer for this film, further making The Confidant one of her best performances yet.
NeNe Leaks – Glee
Relics ni Lee/YouTube
Former RHOA star NeNe Leakes gave the series some of its best one-liners ever. In a non-shocking twist, NeNe’s other roles have also included her signature sassy ways. As for our favorite, that’d hands-down be NeNe’s role as Coach Roz Washington on Glee. This character was one of NeNe’s best, as she nailed the wit and sass required for the job.
Kim Fields – The Facts of Life
The Norman Lear Effect/YouTube
I miss my childhood, and I miss Kim Fields character of Tootie over on The Facts of Life. Sadly, Kim failed to last long on RHOA. However, she will forever have a spot in our hearts, as she played young Tootie with such a high level of humor and skill, making this role her greatest performance in her long list of credits to date.
Kandi Burruss – The Chi
The Chi/YouTube
Everything Kandi Burruss touches turns to gold, minus the latest season of RHOA. Like the others, Kandi has an impressive collection of film, television, and music credits. Most recently, Kandi’s appeared on 13 episodes of The Chi, a dramatic series on Showtime.
Portraying Roselyn Perry, Kandi’s character has had several highs and lows, and for this range, we think it’s easily one of Kandi’s best performances.
Heather Dubrow – Jenny
PrettyDishes/Instagram
Don’t make fun of Heather Dubrow‘s extensive IMBD page, as doing so failed to end well for her Real Housewives of Orange County co-stars. All throughout Season 17, our little Mrs. Fancy Pants defended herself extraordinarily well in petty situations, which made us heavily root for Heather this season.
As for her best performance outside of the Real Housewives franchise, we loved watching Heather play Karen Kilgariff on Jenny, opposite her real-life friend, Jenny McCarthy. In our opinion, Heather shines the brightest during lighthearted moments. So, now our main question is, how do we get Jenny on RHOC alongside Heather for Season 18?
TELL US – HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THESE FILMS AND/OR SERIES? IF YES, THOUGHTS? ARE THERE OTHER REAL HOUSEWIVES ACTRESSES WHO HAVE SURPRISED YOU?
