This is the Season 3 Real Housewives of Salt Lake City finale. Let’s get right to the recap!
Heather Gay Wrote A Book?!
This week’s excuse for an extravagant party was Heather Gay’s Book Cover Reveal. The book is not even out yet, but they have a cover! Let’s have a party! Who knew Heather could even read, let along write a whole book. But who am I kidding? She most likely had a ghost writer.
Hostess Heather was the first to arrive at the party’s location. Giant decals of her book’s title, Bad Mormon, were plastered on the windows overlooking the city. Heather made a beeline for the bar as soon as she walked in the door, proving right away that she is, in fact, a Bad Mormon.
In a confessional, Heather admitted to hoping that if a fight should break out (as they usually do in this group, especially if Jen Shah is in attendance), it would take place right in front of the Bad Mormon windows, which would be super on-brand for these women.
Lisa Barlow complimented Heather on how much better her formerly black eye looked. “It’s totally gone!” she remarked.
“Just like the memory of it,” Heather quipped. Although as Lisa reminded her, the memory will never go away and her eye will continue to be the topic of conversation for a long time, especially since Heather refuses to share what happened.
When Whitney Rose made her appearance, she and Heather exchanged a warm hug, just like they always do. But Heather admitted in an interview that their relationship seemed “tainted.” She really hoped they can somehow mend their friendship and get back to the way things used to be. Then why were you so mean to Whitney when you went to her house Heather? Sometimes the Beauty Lab owner seems to have multiple personalities, and they contradict each other.
Meanwhile, Angie Katsanevas told Whitney and Lisa that she was definitely planning to have a word with Jen, since she’s heard that Jen has been spreading the story that Angie was the one responsible for Heather’s black eye. (See? Lisa was right. This subject is never going away.) Sweet little mild-mannered Angie K. punched twice-her-size Heather in the eye? As Whitney said, “That’s ludicrous.”
Either Jen is a pathological liar or she’s trying to divert attention away from herself, cause everybody knows it was Jen who gave Heather the shiner. As Angie said, “[Jen’s] been the violent one, she’s been the aggressive one. We’ve all seen it.” Angie even suggested that Heather and Jen were having a sexual relationship, doing “Barbie scissor kicks” with each other and that’s how the shiner happened. Lisa and I both thank you for that visual, Angie.
And right as Angie finished her graphic tale, Jen and Coach Shah made their entrance. Great editing, Bravo. Coach and Jen were immediately pulled aside by Chris Harrington and Angie Harrington for a heartfelt and tearful apology for the fake ShahXposed Instagram account that Chris so childishly created online. Coach very graciously accepted Chris’s mea culpa (I don’t think I would have) and agreed to move on. Everybody hug!
Choirs And Confrontations
Next, Heather’s community choir gave a performance of “Amazing Grace” in the venue’s courtyard. They wore black robes that looked more like graduation gowns than choir robes. And the “singing!” Oy vey! Lisa asked, “Am I on key? I have no idea . . . I know a lot of other people aren’t.” Listening on the sidelines, Meredith Marks’s deadpan expression reflects the pain of everyone watching at home.
In her production interview, Jen and her stupid little black hat tortured viewers with a rendition of “Shah-mazing Grace.” My ears are still bleeding.
Next Heather made a rambling speech about being a bad mormon who still hopes to be a good friend to everyone, as she unveiled the cover of her upcoming book. Hmmm, for someone who claims to be such a “good friend” to everyone, she sure gave her cousin Whitney a beatdown in her own backyard in last week’s episode.
Even though she thought it was a “great cover,” Lisa wondered, “What’s gonna go inside? . . . It’s like me having a Vida Tequila party with no tequila. It’s crazy!” Angie K. highlighted the obvious with, “Um, nothing like being invited to a book party with no books for sale.”
While Whitney was talking with Jen about how things between the two of them went sideways in San Diego, Angie K. decided to take the opportunity to talk to Jen about the rumors she’d heard. No, Angie! Don’t do it! This will not go well. Danna Bui-Negrete courageously foolishly volunteered to go with Angie to confront her. Sensing a disturbance in the force, Meredith told her husband Seth, “Let me go see what’s going on over here,” as she excused herself to join the others.
Angie K. Shows Her True Colors When She Questions Jen’s Mental Health
Whitney and Jen were still going around in circles about what took place in San Diego and the status of their friendship, when Angie K. butted into their conversation and bluntly told them to “wrap it up,” because she wanted to start her own fight with Jen. Heather made a good choice when she told a friend, “Go eavesdrop on that convo. I do not want to be a part of that,” as she headed off to hide in the ladies’ room.
When Angie K. told Jen about the rumors saying it was Angie who was responsible for Heather’s black eye, Jen immediately denied it, “That is a lie. I never said that . . . That is not true.”
Feeling outnumbered, Jen called Coach over for backup, so Angie directed her indignation at him. “Coach, [Jen] gets abusive and bully-like to people like me who have had her back.” Next she questioned Jen’s claims that she had been “pushed to the brink of suicide” and wanted to know if it was “all fake.” Oh, no she didn’t! That’s not cool, Angie. I’m in total agreement with Jen on this. You don’t ever question someone’s mental health or whether they tried to take their own life. That is “beyond f***ed up.”
As security escorted Jen out of the party, Angie continued to look for support from the other women. Heather wanted to know what Angie’s objective was for confronting Jen, since everybody knows there’s no winning with Jen.
Jen calmly told Coach, “Baby, let’s go.” No screaming? No broken glass? This is not the Jen we’ve all come to expect.
Jen Finally Admits Her Guilt
Four days before her trial, Jen sat on the front steps of her house and talked with her mother Charlene. She reflected, “The next time I come home, I’ll either be guilty or innocent.” Her mom assured her she’ll be innocent, but Jen looked pensive.
Her mom reminded her that in the Hawaiian and Tongan cultures that Jen is descended from, “you’re always surrounded by your ancestors.” She told Jen, “When you walk into that courtroom, before you walk in . . . you call your grandma and your grandpa and your dad and everybody, and they’ll be right there with you.” Jen’s mom was so sweet and supportive of her daughter. She truly believed she was innocent, as she waved goodbye to Jen and Coach on their way to the airport.
RELATED: Jen Shah Reportedly Celebrates Sentencing With Extravagant Dinner Party For 20 Guests
Three days before Jen‘s trial, Heather and Meredith were in New York City to support Jen in court. Meredith shared that there’s really not much they can do for Jen at this point, other than just physically be present.
In a flashback filmed the day before, Jen begged Heather to keep an eye on her family for her should “the worst thing happen” and she’s found guilty. Jen confessed to Heather that she was really scared, as anyone would be facing years in prison and being separated from their family.
Heather and Meredith met with Jen and Coach in their hotel room. Coach seemed at peace with whatever the outcome would be. He talked about the difficult conversations they’d had with both their sons, Sharrieff Shah, Jr. and Omar Shah, and said, “We’re gonna be fine. We want a certain outcome, but regardless, God is with us. I know that we’ll be fine.”
Two days before the trial, Meredith, Heather and Seth Marks enjoyed an al fresco lunch together in NYC. Seth expressed how much he wanted to support his friend Coach during this process. Coach is not only a business man, but he’s an attorney, so he was reading all the legal documents and witness statements. Coach was having a tough time, and Seth really wanted to be there for him as a friend.
Seth addressed the elephant in the room, “Have either of you ever asked Jen if she’s guilty of any of these charges?” Heather and Meredith exchanged wide-eyed looks. Heather answered, “When your friend looks you in the eyes and says, ‘I’m innocent of this,’ you say, ‘Then I will support you in whatever path you’re gonna take.'”
Seth asked Heather if she would still be a ride-or-die friend if Jen is, “God forbid,” found guilty. Meredith chimed in, “If, in fact, Jen is proclaiming her innocence when she’s really guilty and not taking accountability to the victims of what she did, that’s a really big problem for me.” [Spoiler alert: Meredith is about to have a really big problem with Jen.] Heather had her arms crossed defensively and looked pissed.
Meredith also pretty smartly added that while the trial is pending, she didn’t really want to know any of the details of what happened, as that would put her at risk of being questioned by the investigators. And she had “no interest” in that.
Later back at the hotel, the three women were having some snacks while Jen told them about her day. She found out that her friend and assistant Stuart Smith had testified against her and called him a “piece of sh**.” Jen said she wouldn’t be in trouble at all if it weren’t for Stuart. So she expected him to take a fall for her? Stuart has a family, too, Jen.
These words appeared on the screen, “On July 11, 2022, Jen Shah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She has been sentenced to 6.5 years in prison.”
Making Peace With Jen’s Fate
A couple of days later, Heather and Lisa met for lunch back in SLC. Lisa said when she heard about the guilty plea, “I was angry. I was sad. Confused. I’m like, wow, this is who she is. This is a bad, awful thing she’s done.”
Heather admitted to being “overwhelmed with grief” about the whole situation. Both women were sad that Jen was going away “for a decade.” This was before Jen was sentenced to 6 1/2 years. She has a 16-year-old, and Lisa talked about all the family milestones Jen would miss while she’s in prison.
Heather had finally realized that her ride-or-die insisted on her innocence until she realized she couldn’t “get away with it,” and only then did her story change. Neither woman had believed that Jen was capable of her crimes or that she would ever plead guilty. They were both totally in shock.
But Heather dropped a big bombshell, when she theorized that Coach could have been involved in Jen’s scam. When he realized that she wasn’t going to get away with it, he told her, “I’ll take care of the boys, and I’ll see you in 15 years.” That sound you just heard was my head exploding.
Heather has seen the light regarding Jen Shah. And it’s a lot.
TELL US – WERE YOU SHOCKED WHEN ANGIE K. ACCUSED JEN OF FAKING HER SUICIDE ATTEMPT? WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT JEN WAS ONLY SENTENCED TO 6 1/2 YEARS, WHEN SHE COULD HAVE GOTTEN SO MUCH MORE?
[Photo Credit: Chris Haston/Bravo via Getty Images]
