In the ongoing drama of The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 19, Gretchen Rossi finds herself at the center of controversy as Tamra Judge once again sparks tension by bringing former castmate Jo De La Rosa as her surprise guest to not one, but two recent events.
The repeated invitations raised questions among both cast members and viewers, particularly given the complicated history involving Jo’s ex-fiancé, Slade Smiley, who is currently involved with Gretchen.
At Jennifer Pedranti’s beach day in Episode 9, Tamra arrived with Jo as her plus-one—a move that mirrored her earlier decision to invite Jo to Heather Dubrow’s birthday party. This choice didn’t go unnoticed, especially by Gina Kirschenheiter, who bluntly commented when asked about Tamra’s intentions: “To piss off Gretchen!” Tamra herself half-joked, “At this point, I figured it worked at Heather’s party, so why not?”
Although Tamra quickly tried to soften the blow by saying she was “just f–king with” Gina and Emily Simpson, she then insisted, “We are good friends, and I do talk to her. I just talked to her yesterday.” She later added, “No, I really didn’t bring Jo to get under Gretchen’s skin … If that happened, that’s a bonus.” However, these claims did little to convince Gretchen Rossi, who remained highly skeptical of Tamra’s explanation.
Gretchen on Bravo’s After Show pointed out the unlikely nature of their newfound friendship: “I’m sorry, but, like, they have not been friends for so many years. Now, all of a sudden, they’re buddies and hanging out, and then she’s bringing her to all these events.” While Gretchen said she personally did not have an issue with Jo, she made it clear that “It’s Tamra bringing Jo into the picture … You’re trying to start something.”
The tension between the women is rooted in a long history of drama, but Gretchen recalled a moment of peace that makes Tamra’s recent behavior all the more perplexing. At BravoCon, Jo approached Gretchen to apologize: “You know what? I’m sorry for all the stuff in the last 15-plus years. She kept going out in the press and, like, talking about Slade and I. And I just kept saying, ‘Stop talking about us. Like, stop.’ And so, she apologized. We had a good little, like, moment, and that was, like, the end of it.”
Given that backdrop, Gretchen’s confusion about Jo’s cold reaction at Heather’s party is understandable: “So, when I saw her, I thought she was gonna be cool.” Instead, Jo’s response only fueled suspicion about Tamra’s true motives.
Even as the two women—Tamra and Gretchen—attempted a temporary reconciliation during Jenn’s beach day, the question of Tamra’s “intent” lingered. Gretchen confronted Tamra in a one-on-one, clearly wanting answers about why Jo was being pulled back into the spotlight.
From a professional standpoint, Tamra Judge’s repeated decision to bring Jo De La Rosa back into social situations where she knows it will rile up Gretchen Rossi appears less about genuine friendship and more about stirring conflict. Her own offhand comments, such as “If that happened, that’s a bonus,” betray a willingness to use personal connections as pawns in ongoing rivalries.