Just about the only thing Real Housewives of Orange County star Heather Dubrow can’t control is the weather. Though, if that were possible, there’s no doubt that she would—and flawlessly.
The formidable, chic, and expertly eristic Bravo royal is known for hosting tasteful, immaculately curated events. The one I arrive at in early August was no exception. It is on the balcony terrace of the restaurant at one of Manhattan’s swankiest hotels and adorned with a forest of lush foliage, archipelagos of plush lounging areas, and numerous flight paths of trays filled with champagne and hors d'oeuvres piloted by swoon-inducingly handsome servers.
Ever the consummate host, Dubrow is engrossed in conversation with guests who mingle by her corner perch. Staff ensure everyone’s glasses are always bubbling to the rim, while offering their apologies and empathy. There is one detail that even Heather Dubrow couldn’t make sure was perfect: It was the hottest, muggiest day of the summer thus far. My God, were we all sweaty.
I waited for my turn to chat with Dubrow. The event served multiple purposes. It was to promote her clothing line and raise awareness for her sparkling wine collection in partnership with Family Equality, which provides resources to LGBTQ+ people who want to become parents. Then, of course, it served as a posh and classy victory lap for her current status as the MVP of RHOC, which I was very eager to pick her brain about.
Before that could happen, though, there was the sweating. Dubrow’s husband, plastic surgeon and Botched star Terry Dubrow, came over to commiserate.
Gina Kirschenheiter, Heather Dubrow, and Tamra Judge
BravoWhile we chatted about the couple’s astonishingly expensive, ambitious plan to take the $16 million, 9,000 square foot Beverly Hills estate they’d recently purchased—the former home of legendary filmmaker Dino De Laurentis—down to its studs and rebuild it according to Heather’s design plans, we begged servers for cloth napkins. “We’re shvitzing,” Terry says, laughing while we dabbed our foreheads. “Not a bad place to shvitz though.”
When I meet up with Heather, she is, as always, polished and composed. Champagne in hand—yay!—and a waterfall of sweat cascading from every pore—gross!—I apologize for the sad state of my appearance. “Honestly, you don’t look that bad. Really,” she says, so earnestly and convincingly that I’m immediately soothed—and reminded that, prior to her reality TV career, she was a successful actress. She then pivots a fan that had been erected for her to point at me.
There’s no overstating how impressive Dubrow’s ascendance to top status of Orange County Housewives has been.
This is her third season back after a four-year hiatus. She ended last year’s tumultuous season vindicated, a fabulous, well-appointed phoenix rising from the ashes of the cast’s coordinated attempt to spread gossip that would make her look bad—but in the end exposed them as mean girls with fraudulent agendas and cemented Dubrow as the voice of reason.
In the episodes that have aired in this season thus far, she’s proven a compassionate and tough ally as castmates precariously claw their way back up from various rock bottoms: Shannon Beador crashed a car while drunk and was arrested, while her ex-boyfriend began dating a former cast member who is her sworn enemy; Jennifer Pedranti was evicted from her home after not paying rent and is now embroiled in massive gambling scandal involving her fiancé; Gina Kirschenheiter made the decision to ask her boyfriend and his children to move out of their shared house.
Dubrow’s sniper-like ability to hold anyone who challenges her to account can be lethal. Most recently, she effortlessly eviscerated new cast member Katie Ginella, who dared come for Dubrow with alleged proof that she had staged paparazzi photos with Terry amid rumors that the couple was on the rocks.
That ability to produce and expertly navigate the explosive drama that Bravo fans crave is one tier of Dubrow’s appeal. The other, and the reason she came back to the show, she tells me, is to showcase her family’s happy, wholesome, and celebratory existence: three of her four children identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community.
It’s a fascinating time, then, to talk to Dubrow about how she’s feeling about her time on the show—a midseason check-in amid one of Bravo’s most successful cast member’s comebacks in the network’s history.
Emily Simpson and Heather Dubrow
BravoAt this point, how do you think the season is going?
In general, I think everyone’s pretty much firing on all cylinders. I think it looks beautiful. It’s shiny. We’ve got new cameras this year. We have a new DNA. I feel like the show literally, just physically looks better than it’s ever looked. But you know, I think there’s some tough things for me.
Like being confronted by the new Housewife?
There’s a lot of untruths being told, and a lot of it’s just really weird.
Is the crux of that the confrontation over the paparazzi photos?
There was a laundry list of things that this girl is upset with me about, which is just bizarre. I’d met her twice [before the season started shooting]. And so it just, it kind of feels like, what's going on here, really? And why do you care?
From a fan’s perspective, it’s always interesting to see how a newbie comes into the show. Whether they’re going to be a wallflower or charge in guns blazing. Both could be good or bad strategies.
I don’t know. When I joined the show, I hadn’t seen it, and I didn’t go back and rewatch. When I left for a few years and came back, I still didn’t go back, because I think it's really important, not just on our show, but like in life, to meet people where they are and get to know them for who they are. Maybe you have a different relationship with them, but when you come in with preconceived notions or vendettas against people, it’s not a great place to start.
There’s no hope for building when you haven’t even started a foundation.
Look, you all have known me for a long time. I don’t swear on the lives of my children. I did hear someone make a comment as if [my defense] was semantics, like, “Well, maybe she didn’t actually call [the paparazzi]. She had someone else do it, and that’s why she could stand on that soap box.” So I just want to say emphatically that I had nothing to do with it. I didn’t call anyone, tell anyone to do it, have any part of it…nothing. And if I had, why would I care? Lots of people call the paparazzi. Who cares? But this is character assassination. I don’t like it.
You returned to Housewives two seasons ago. Now that it’s been a few years, how are you feeling about being back?
That'’s a really good question. You know, it’s funny when. When I made the decision to come back, I remember talking on the phone to Andy [Cohen], and I was like, “I’m excited!” But he’s like, “Yes, because it’s really exciting…and it’s gonna be annoying, and it’s gonna be great,” and he listed all of the emotions that you go through when you’re on the show.
It’s certainly a dramatic range.
So what I would say is, for me, the pros so outweigh the cons, because I get to show my family and our lives. I get to show the work I do. I got to throw an event for Family Equality this year. That was the reason I came back. I felt like we could start conversations through those groups, and talk about family, fun, and the work that we do. I presented at the GLAAD Awards with Meredith Marks, which was so fantastic. Plus, [my daughter] Katarina and I volunteered at the LGBT Center in LA, which was great. All of that means something. It means something to me, to our family, and hopefully to other people that are watching. It’s visibility.
That must be a huge difference from the first time you were on the show.
It gives it purpose. The first time I was on, I didn’t know what I was doing. I had no idea what I was getting into with this. It’s an incredible platform. It did a lot for our family. And then I left. Coming back, it had to be for a reason. People have their theories. “Oh, she needs to be famous.” “Oh, the money.” Whatever. But none of that is true. I really came back because I thought, “Wow, you can now use this product for something bigger.” And how cool is that?
Tamra Judge, Heather Dubrow, and Emily Simpson
BravoThere was an interesting thing that happened before this season, and often happens with Real Housewives fans. In the off-season, some dramatic stuff happened, like Shannon’s DUI and Jenn and Ryan’s gambling scandal. Fans' reactions were, “Oh, this is going to make for such great TV.” That can be pretty dark and macabre. What do you make of these sometimes tragic things being fuel for fans’ excitement?
It’s kind of like driving by a car accident, right? People are interested to look. I do believe that there’s a faction of people that watch these shows because they want to see the aspirational lives and the trips and the clothes and the lifestyle, the houses. And then I think there’s other people that want to be able to say, “Oh, well, at least I’m not like that,” or, “At least my life doesn’t look like that.” Sadly, seeing other people in despair sometimes makes one feel better about oneself. I don’t subscribe to that. It’s odd that people feel that way, but I also really believe that they love the friendship that we all have, and the camaraderie, is why people watch.
It’s definitely a huge appeal.
It’s funny. My son, Nick, was at a concert recently, and he turned around and Shannon Beador’s three girls were standing behind him. Look, Shannon and I have had our ups and downs and whatnot, but we love each other. And I will say that, because I promise you, I think she would say the same thing. Then Nick was like, Wait, are you Shannon’s kids? They had the best time together. She was texting me today about something. I truly feel very blessed to be connected to other women like that. AndI know that authentically, God forbid, if something is wrong. Any of them could call me. I would do the same.
