Season 15 of Real Housewives of Orange County is coming to a close and all I can say is… THANK GOD. Here I was thinking anything would be better than Vicki Gunvalson and her uncontrolled screeching or Tamra Judge’s desperate antics to stay relevant. Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but too much in your face can make an audience irritable. Which is why most everyone from cast, to viewers, to my next door neighbor’s dog is over Braunwyn Windham-Burke.
In a season dominated by the Rona, Braunwyn’s multiple problems managed to overshadow all other storylines. To say her cast mates are not very fond of her would be accurate. To say fans are frustrated is an understatement. But when you dump sobriety, coming out of the closet, refusing to get divorced, admitting you’re punchy with family, and seven kids are involved in the mix – it’s more concerning than interesting. After such a rough time, Braunwyn wasn’t looking forward to the reunion. You’ll never guess what she almost did to avoid it.
Spoiler alert, you’ll totally be able to guess what Braunie ALMOST did in an effort to avoid the gang up she would inevitably receive. Look, her journey to sobriety should be respected, full stop. But Braunwyn’s journey had about 20 exits off the highway and we’re all pretty damn lost at this point. Her alcoholism wound up being questioned after her 10th startling revelation, but hey, if you’re looking for the Snowman, at least she’s generous with her contacts. Allegedly.
All of the drama took a toll on Braunwyn. And when it was time to film the reunion, she almost bailed. And by “almost bailed” I mean got plastered off an old bottle of vodka hidden in the linen closet so she would be too wasted to show up. Braunwyn spoke to Us Weekly about her decision to stay on the wagon. “Before the reunion I was right there next to my bed, on the floor, crying hysterically.” This is basically what viewers said after every single episode.
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Braunwyn admits, “I almost drank — I mean this is horrible to say — I almost drank because I thought if I drink, I can go to rehab and won’t have to go to the reunion.”
Going to rehab should have been her first move. Not calling Bravo production to decide how to film her untreated problems. P.S. what’s stopping that rehab trip now? “I almost drank so I wouldn’t have to do my job,” she said. I get it, I almost drank so I wouldn’t have to do 2020. Braunwyn added, “My sobriety is not fake, and this is hard, and I do struggle.”
The mom of seven shared she doesn’t want to return to RHOC (this old chestnut?) “and be attacked all year again,” saying “It was stressful.” Right, so check into a good in-patient program and come back not hitting family members, not keeping your husband hostage, and living a healthy lifestyle.
RELATED: Braunwyn Windham-Burke’s Daughter Says She Sent Her To A Hotel When She Had An Eating Disorder And Mocked Her For Not Eating A Vegetable
Good on Braunwyn for not drinking to avoid the reunion. That said, most of us may have to sip on an adult beverage to tolerate the reunion. Hopefully she will end up repairing some relationships and getting better for her children. What the future has in store for Braunwyn is a mystery. And if it’s up to her, the mystery will be televised.
TELL US- HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BRAUNWYN? DO YOU THINK HER ALCOHOLISM IS REAL? DOES SHE NEED TIME OFF?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
