“The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Gina Kirschenheiter is speaking out after several of her castmates questioned her recent spending habits.
During season 20, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge and Jennifer Pedranti expressed concerns about Kirschenheiter’s spending as her financial situation improved.
The real estate agent addressed their comments during the October 22 episode, which featured the cast’s trip to Japan. She later told Bravo Insider that she found their concerns insulting, particularly after years of criticism about her finances.
“So now that I’m finding financial success, the fact that they’re questioning how I spend my resources, or if I’m spending my money the correct way is insulting,” Kirschenheiter said. “It really is. I am bothered by that.”
Gina Kirschenheiter Questions Why Her RHOC Castmates Are Concerned About Her Money
Kirschenheiter told Bravo Insider that she struggled to understand why her castmates believed she needed financial advice.
“There’s nothing about me or my personality that has ever, I think, showed anyone that they should be concerned about the decisions that I’ve made,” she explained.
“I’ve walked through a lot of really gnarly, really bad things on this show by myself, and I’ve always made sound, good decisions to get myself to move forward, to get myself to level up, to get myself to elevate, to find personal growth in so many different areas.”
During “The Real Housewives of Orange County After Show,” Kirschenheiter called the concerns “ridiculous” and pointed to the financial decisions she has made throughout her time on the series.
“For the past decade, I’ve taken hits from my friends who judged me for the size of my home — all because I have chosen to live within my means,” she said. “Why now am I not just looked at like I’m doing the same thing?”
Kirschenheiter explained that she previously prioritized providing a home for her three children and building her savings rather than spending money on expensive purchases.
Now that she has reached a more comfortable financial position, she believes she should be able to enjoy it without criticism.
Jennifer Pedranti’s Comments About Gina’s Lifestyle Spark Another Disagreement
Another issue arose during the October 22 episode when Pedranti expressed concern that Kirschenheiter’s financial success could change her personality.
Pedranti said she hoped Kirschenheiter would maintain her “endearing” ability to understand what it feels like to struggle financially.
She later clarified that she found Kirschenheiter’s financial independence “inspiring,” but the explanation did not change how Kirschenheiter felt about the remarks.
“The insinuation that I’m changing really is bothersome to me because I think that as women, we need to be able to allow ourselves to change and evolve and let that be OK and not an indication that we’re no longer grounded as humans,” Kirschenheiter told Bravo Insider.
“I’m a very grounded person; I’m just doing it in better clothes. And I deserve that because I’ve worked really hard for it. It’s the truth.”
The RHOC star also defended her decision to occasionally purchase expensive items as a reward for her professional success.
“You work hard, you get a promotion at work, whatever it is, you want to spoil yourself a little bit,” she explained.
“You know what you have in your bank account and what you don’t. I know my kids come first.”
She added that her financial priorities have not changed simply because she can now afford more expensive things.
On the “After Show,” Kirschenheiter made her position clear.
“I can’t apologize for the fact that I’m doing well,” she said. “I’m not gonna apologize for the fact that I bust my ass, and every once in a while, I want a pair of Prada shoes.”
Gina Kirschenheiter Explains Why Some RHOC Co-Stars Try to ‘Parent’ Her
Despite disagreeing with her castmates, Kirschenheiter acknowledged that their concerns might come from a good place.
She told Bravo Insider that the age differences between her and some of the other women could explain why they sometimes feel the need to offer advice.
“As much as I try to be a peer to everybody, [with] some of these women, I’m simply not,” she said.
“Some of these women are just numerically older than me. I have to accept that sometimes I think that some of the women kind of want to parent me, you know what I mean?”
Kirschenheiter said she is trying to recognize that her castmates may genuinely believe they are looking out for her.
“I’m too East Coast. It’s hard for me to accept that,” she explained. “But I do think it’s coming from not a bad place. I do think these women genuinely do care about me.”
However, she still believes their concerns are unnecessary.
“I’m just insulted that they think they have to care about me,” Kirschenheiter said. “You know, it’s like really head-y. I’m like, ‘You don’t have to worry about me.’ Maybe it is too much of me being too, like, ‘I can take care of myself.'”
New episodes of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” air Thursdays on Bravo.
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‘RHOC’ Star Gina Kirschenheiter Says Castmates’ Concerns About Her Finances Are ‘Ridiculous’