Cynthia Bailey and Vicki Gunvalson may be two of the longest-running stars in the Real Housewives universe, but their first encounter apparently did not go quite as Bailey expected.
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star recalled an awkward interaction with the “Real Housewives of Orange County” OG while discussing “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th” with Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea.”
According to Bailey, she approached Gunvalson during filming for a party in Atlanta and quickly realized something was off.
“I go up to Vicki [and] she literally has no idea who I am,” Bailey said. “She might’ve been a little afraid of me, actually.”
There was, however, a pretty hilarious explanation for the confusion.
Cynthia Bailey Says Vicki Gunvalson Didn’t Recognize Her
Bailey wasn’t exactly looking like herself when she approached Gunvalson.
The longtime RHOA star was dressed as 50 Cent, the male alter ego she debuted while celebrating her 50th birthday during a Halloween party featured on Season 10 of the Atlanta franchise.
Still, Bailey figured Gunvalson would recognize that she was one of the Housewives participating in the event.
“I assumed Vicki would know I was someone from the cast,” Bailey explained.
That assumption quickly proved wrong.
“[Gunvalson is] looking at me like I’m crazy, so finally I’m like, ‘Vicki, it’s Cynthia,’” Bailey recalled. “She’s like, ‘Cynthia?’ I’m like, ‘Bailey … from the Atlanta Housewives.’”
Only then did Gunvalson realize who had been standing in front of her.
“[Gunvalson is] like, ‘Oh, my God! I didn’t know who you were!’”
Considering Bailey’s costume, Gunvalson may have had a reasonable excuse. But the mix-up becomes even funnier considering the two women weren’t exactly strangers.
Vicki Gunvalson Has Had Another Housewives Mix-Up
Bailey’s story also wasn’t Gunvalson’s only case of mistaken Housewives identity during “Roaring 20th.”
During the second episode of the series, Gunvalson mistakenly identified former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Crystal Kung Minkoff as Sutton Stracke.
That mix-up came despite Minkoff having previously appeared on Gunvalson’s podcast.
“I did Vicki’s podcast [before that], but sometimes we get mixed up,” Minkoff told Page Six.
The confusion is perhaps understandable given just how large the Housewives universe has become over the past two decades. “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th” brings together women from different cities and eras of the franchise for a cross-country road trip celebrating the 20th anniversary of “The Real Housewives.”
For Gunvalson, the milestone carries particular significance. She was part of the original RHOC cast when the series premiered in 2006, launching what would eventually become an expansive reality television franchise.
Bailey joined RHOA in Season 3 and remained a full-time cast member through Season 13. She has since made appearances within the larger Bravo universe, including a return to Atlanta as a friend of the cast.
Twenty years into the Housewives phenomenon, there are plenty of familiar faces to keep track of. Bailey’s 50 Cent transformation, apparently, was enough to throw even the original Housewife for a loop.
