When Real Housewives of Orange County came back for season 16, the big news was supposed to be Heather Dubrow’s triumphant return to the franchise. After dropping ratings, Bravo dumped Kelly Dodd, Braunwyn Windham-Burke and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas. Only Shannon Beador, Gina Kirschenheiter and Emily Simpson remained. Bravo still had to round out the cast with some fresh faces. Enter Dr. Jen Armstrong and Noella Bergener. We all know how Dr. Jen turned out. But Noella…..where do I even begin?
Before the season even started, news of Noella’s husband owing over $5 million in back taxes surfaced. Which was then immediately followed by him blindsiding her with divorce papers. Since the cameras were rolling, Noella had her built in storyline. But that didn’t even begin to touch on what Noella was bringing to the table. Because she immediately gunned for the top dog – Heather. And naturally, it didn’t go over so well. The two spent all season going at it and Noella found herself alienated, but defiant. And ultimately, dominating all the attention coming out of the show.
But Heather likes to have the last laugh and she’s already busy alluding to Noella not being housewife material. As reported by Reality Blurb, Heather took to her podcast, Heather Dubrow’s World, to discuss why she hates Noella. I’m paraphrasing, of course. Heather started, “The problem is, when you get people that have watched too many reality shows and feel like they need this big storyline or they wanna… ‘I’m going to fight with this person. I’m going to do this. I’m going to do that.'” She added, “It doesn’t ring authentic, the audience responds to it and that doesn’t get longevity on this show.”
Heather claimed that she’s not here to judge how Noella handled her divorce or the death of her father. Both of which weighed heavy on Noella throughout the season. But Heather is willing to judge Noella trying to “make a moment” out of “taking off her rings on camera, twice.” And let’s not forget her going down to a river to scream into the abyss. Heather noted, “I think you see with the audience too, that it doesn’t ring true.”
In Heather’s opinion, Noella both complained too much about her new castmates not checking on her, while simultaneously keeping her distance from them. Heather explained, “[Noella] seems to be always pissed when she’s with everyone and everyone’s not asking her how she’s doing and what’s going on and not a part of the group. [But] she was constantly separating herself from the group. And for someone who says they wanted to be a part of things, I just don’t really get that.” She confessed, “It just felt like she wanted to be on a show by herself.”
In addition to her behavior towards the cast, Heather accused Noella of acting up for the cameras. Heather revealed, “Talking out loud to yourself by yourself when the cameras are there is a put-on. You don’t walk around your house and go, ‘I wonder if I can light my guitar on fire.’ You’re talking to the camera. It’s just all so inauthentic.” Heather griped, “She knows exactly what she’s doing. She’s playing a game. I just think it’s B.S.”
Finally, Heather recalled the final night of filming the season. Said Heather, “As soon as the cameras went down, she was off in the corner. ‘Miss I Wanna Have Fun, I’m Always the Center of the Fun’ was in the corner doing nothing while we all had fun, had drinks with the crew, had drinks with each other, we were dancing on tables.”
TELL US – DO YOU THINK NOELLA IS INAUTHENTIC? IS HEATHER MAD THAT NOELLA STOLE HER THUNDER? DO YOU WANT TO SEE NOELLA COME BACK FOR ANOTHER SEASON?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
