Tamra Judge is switching gears. The Real Housewives of Orange County star, who once defended Stacey Rusch’s rocky introduction on The Real Housewives of Potomac, now says she’s noticing the same red flags the Potomac ladies have been pointing out all season.
Judge, who knows a thing or two about being accused of “story-shifting” herself, originally felt Stacey was being unfairly targeted, especially by Gizelle Bryant and Ashley Darby. They questioned Stacey’s relationship with TJ Jones, doubted details about her divorce, and made it clear they didn’t trust her version of events.
But now, Tamra says she’s starting to understand exactly why Stacey rubbed the RHOP cast the wrong way.
On her podcast Two T’s in a Pod, Tamra told co-host Dolores Catania that she’s finally seeing what the Potomac women have been frustrated with.
“The inconsistencies in Stacey’s stories is,” Tamra began, trailing off before making her point. “Like, I can understand why the girls are annoyed with her. Because her story changes all the time.”
@twotsinapod Do you think Stacey’s way of communicating is what keeps her in hot water with the #RHOP women? #TwoTsInAPod #RealHousewives #TamraJudge #DoloresCatania ? original sound – Two Ts In A Pod
It’s a major shift from the stance she held earlier in the season, when she felt Stacey was being held to a harsher standard than everyone else.
But now, Tamra thinks the problem is bigger than a misunderstanding.
Tamra explained that speaking with Stacey often feels like a verbal maze.
“Stacey never ever answers a question with an answer,” she said. “It’s almost always with a question.”
To Tamra, the behavior comes across as deliberately evasive. She even joked about Stacey’s background on QVC, saying, “I mean, it’s almost like politician training 101. Is this QVC training?”
Dolores didn’t disagree.
“Right,” she replied, before adding her own frustration: “Stacey… There is really a much easier way of life. Just be upfront.”
Earlier this season, Tamra had been vocal about feeling the RHOP ladies were being overly harsh on Stacey without giving her a fair chance. But after watching more of Stacey’s interactions — and hearing more of her explanations — Tamra says she now understands why the cast questioned her stories.
And if Tamra Judge is saying you’re dodging questions… that’s saying something.