Season 15 of the Real Housewives of Orange County has been a tough one for Braunwyn Windham-Burke. Early in the season, Braunwyn revealed that she struggles with alcohol dependency and that she was newly navigating the waters of sobriety.
Her castmates, including Emily Simpson, have tried to be there for Braunwyn, but as Emily admits, it was difficult when Braunwyn was sending mixed messages.
Sitting down to speak with Andy Cohen during a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live, Emily discusses what it was like to deal with Brauwyn’s sobriety on the show.
Emily says Braunwyn sends ‘mixed messages’ with her sobriety
During a game segment called Vacation All We Ever Wanted To Know, Andy asked Emily, “Okay, Emily. Should the ladies have been more sensitive to Braunwyn’s sobriety? The house was teeming with booze.”
Emily responded that Braunwyn’s sobriety was quite confusing for herself and the other RHOC ladies.
“You know, I agree. I think that’s a difficult situation because I also hear Braunwyn say, ‘Please act normally around me. Just treat me regularly,'” Emily told Andy.
She continues to explain that Braunwyn asks her husband, Sean Burke, to do something interesting.
“And she has, you know, her husband pour her fake drinks so that it looks like she’s drinking. So, I don’t know. I think she gives mixed messages,” Emily said.
Andy follows up by asking, “Do you think she should have stayed in the house with the rest of the women? Or do you understand her decision to stay elsewhere?”
“You know, I think at first [I didn’t] get it, but I think as I’ve learned more, I understand her decision to stay separately. So, I understand why she did that,” Emily responded.
Emily also believes Braunwyn is after ‘social media clout’
Braunwyn has remained vocal in her support for social justice issues both on and off the show.
In a recent RHOC episode, Braunwyn and co-star Kelly Dodd went toe-to-toe about the idea of white privilege.
Braunwyn has also famously posted about her participation in various protests in recent months.
Because of all of this, Andy asked another big question, “Do you agree with Elizabeth and Kelly that Braunwyn uses important social justice events for social media clout?”
Emily quickly agrees with the sentiments of her co-stars, “Absolutely. One hundred percent. I think that woman lives for likes and comments and accolades. So, yes.”
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.