Oh hey! Did y’all know that Brooks Ayers faked cancer on Real Housewives of Orange County? Because we’ve hardly talked about it at all here. Heavy sigh. And it appears we are about to talk about it again. Tonight we are going to hear Vicki Gunvalson try to explain her way out of this. I am probably Vicki’s best advocate through all of this and I am going to try to give her every benefit of the doubt, but based on some snippets of this show I’ve seen where she claims that make Brooks was drinking Visine or something to make himself sick, I’m confessing up front, I am going to have a hard time supporting her in this.
Andy starts with the statement put out on November 10th by City of Hope stating they had never treated Brooks. Okay Vicki is lying. She now says that Brooks called her from City of Hope and said he should be done in about an hour. When she got to the hospital she called him to ask where to go within the building. Wouldn’t you find this out in the initial phone call? Something like, “I’m on the third floor as the nurse to take you back, or wait in the waiting room?” You know how when a guy has been up to no good and give a very detailed accounting of their whereabouts over a period of several hours? Yeah. It’s just like that. “I turned left down the hall and he was sitting in the waiting room.” Um, why is he in a waiting room? I am not even going to type her long convoluted story. It’s clear to me she is lying. It is a much different story than what she said on the reunion, which was I sat in the waiting room for four hours while he had chemo. We can basically turn this off now. She’s in on it up to her eyeballs.
Vicki has come armed with a folder of documents. One is a text or email from Brooks saying that just because he doesn’t trust her with his medical records doesn’t make it right to accuse me of not having cancer. Huh? When would that conversation have happened? She was defending him up until a few weeks ago. 
Before he released the statement admitting he has cancer he sent Vicki and email saying he is releasing a statement the next say and “she will be exonerated. ” After he admitted to forging the documents Vicki said her reaction was that she hates him and she hates what he did to her.
Vicki claims that Brooks still claims he had treatment at City of Hope even after admitting he faked the documents and the medical facility denied ever treating him.
Andy basically asks if Vicki’s desperation to have a man made her vulnerable to be scammed? Vicki gives examples about all the things Brooks did for her. Vicki says Brooks was like a wife to her taking care of all her errands and needs. She needed a wife and he filled that role. Hey, I need a wife too. Preferably one with a dick. But at a certain age Vicki, you have to come to the realization that 94.7% of men are way more trouble than they are beneficial. Buy a vibrator and hire a personal assistant and a maid.
Vicki said that once the woman were confronting her, she and Brooks were fighting every night over her needing an explanation about his cancer treatments.
About Vicki’s statement that she saw Brooks violently ills after his “chemo sessions” she says that she “contacted a couple of people” who said that you can “take eyedrops” and it will make you violently ill. Actually, there have been many murder trials about people putting Visine in someone’s drink leading to their death. I believe that they may have changed the formula recently do to the number of incidents in the early 2000s regarding death by Visine. At any rate, it doesn’t make you vomit or mimic symptoms of chemo illness. It drops your blood pressure exceedingly low and can cause seizures and coma. So this is another weird story by Vicki trying to cover up her cover up. Vicki claims she witnessed him with fevers and chills and night sweats and she seems to want to blame it on him drinking Visine. Again, those are not symptoms of Visine ingestion.
Vicki says that Brooks lost 42 pounds in three months. He certainly did appear thinner on this season. I’m not sure if it was 40 pounds thinner. I will say men can lose weight quite rapidly in three months if they are so motivated. Vicki says she spent tons of time and money on him over the whole cancer issue.
Andy Brings up Vicki’s most recent breakup with Brooks. Vicki says it was in July. Actually it was announced in August, but I suspect it actually happened on their last trip to Florida. That seemed to be their final get together It was a work incentive trip for Vicki and her family members where there. Perhaps her family caught on to his lies? My date for this photo is August 17th but that might just be the date Vicki posted it. Andy brings it up to point out how convenient it was for them to break up right when the cancer drama was about to begin airing. Vicki says she didn’t want to break up at that time. She didn’t know then what she knows know and that Brooks broke up with her. Vicki says that all summer long they fought about him not showing her his medical records. Wait, when did filming end again? Shouldn’t all that be in the can by July/August if they started filming in January? All that was left at that point was the reunion.
Andy asks Vicki if Brooks has cancer. She smiles and laughs (very inappropriate facial expression) and says I don’t believe he does. Why would he falsify documents if her really had cancer? Vicki says she never wants to speak his name again. SHE SAYS HER DAUGHTER IS MOVING BACK HOME! The fuck? Like leaving her husband and moving back home? Moving back with her scary excuse for a husband? What is up there?
Vicki says “I am not part of some scam!” Andy says your cast mates sure think you are. Vicki says they don’t know the full story.
IF YOU NEED MORE OF THE STORY CLICK HERE
Andy asks about Brooks saying she would embellish stories. She said she probably did do that a little bit hoping for some sympathy for her situation. Andy asks for an example. She says, “He threw up for five days instead of three.” She thinks that Brooks came up with the storyline because he was so hated and wanted to have the harpies be nice to him for a season.
Andy says there are a viewers that do not want her back on the show because they believe she was complicit in the cancer sham. Vicki says that hurts her feelings. Her only crime was loving Brooks and believing him.
Vicki apologizes to the other women on the show. Vicki’s apology was weird. She says the conversation she had with Brianna about calling Terry “was never supposed to get back” and “it happened off camera.” Well, you can thank your daughter for bringing that on the show dear. Vicki is doing a poor job of lying again. Vicki is even apologizing to Meghan. She says she has apologized to Brianna. Brianna has forgiven her.
Andy talks about Gretchen showing compassion and for the first time we see a bit of (fake?) emotion from Vicki. She says that is what she wanted all along was for her friends to be compassionate to her during all of this. Her position is she didn’t know that Brooks was faking cancer and she thought her friends could have come from a more compassionate place. I agree with her there. Her situation, even if she was totally complicit with the fake cancer storyline does not excuse their behavior.
Vicki really regrets divorcing Donn and calls him a great man and a great husband. Donn will be at Thanksgiving dinner with the whole family in Naples, Florida. WHAT THE FUCK? What whole family is that? And why is it in Florida where Brooks lives? Vicki really wants Donn back but Donn is not interested in a reconciliation.
Vicki is afraid of Brooks power over her. She is afraid of his anger. She mentions him releasing personal info and then says there is nothing like nude photos of her. Um, that makes me think there are nude photos of her. If I were afraid of an ex releasing personal information on me, I wouldn’t need to say there are no nude photos, because there are no nude photos. So again, that is odd.
Andy says that there is something that just makes him sad about all of this. He thinks it just comes down to wanting to be loved and being lonely. Vicki says that she really is lonely. Her mother died, Brooks was diagnosed with cancer, her daughter is in Oklahoma. Vicki was too embarrassed to break up with Brooks during filming. Vicki talks about not wanting to start over in a real relationship.
Andy asks if she is in denial about the severity of the situation. Vicki says she is over talking about it. It’s been 4 1/2 months since they broke up. Wow that sounds like she is still counting time. That’s sad. Vicki says she is not in denial and then says whether he has it or doesn’t have it is really none of her business anymore. She’s done talking about it at this point.
She says, “I hope he loved me. I gave my life to him for four years.” Andy says do you think he did love you?
Vicki says, “if he has lied to me about all this, then the answer is no. ”
Okay. I’m torn. Vicki is clearly lying about a lot of things. But I am not completely convinced that she was convinced he was lying when this was all going on. I think that perhaps she lied about the City of Hope waiting room story to try to convince people he was really sick after the fact. I think she could have been trying to make shit up to make her seem less stupid for believing him. I’ve sort of switched gears from the beginning of this interview to think she was not covering for Brooks with her lies, she was covering for herself after realizing how stupid she was for believing him. I dunno. What do you think?
I am sucked back in to feeling sorry for Vicki.
Yes, I think also that Vicki is embarrassed by her vulnerability and is merely trying to cover for it.
That said, just kill Orange County now. There are no winners here. That the other women’s detestable behavior will probably be excused because they were “right” (which I say loosely) will make the show that much more unwatchable for me. Most viewers – and certainly the other women – are incapable of the nuanced thinking required to make those distinctions.
Hopefully this is the reason Potomac and Dallas are coming down the pike. Replacements for OC and (please God) New Jersey.
OH RHONJ Is coming back. There are a couple new ladies negotiating their salaries now…
Yes, I’m sure you’re right, but a guy can dream…
Thank you, erickzu. Yes, they should just kill it. These women have few redeeming qualities. Meghan and the rest should be just as ashamed of themselves as Vicki.
I stopped watching this franchise after the first season. I’m not sure why but I didn’t find it entertaining except for the former model (?/real-estate agent?) with the baseball pitcher (?) husband and their family. I liked their storylines. Vicki used to be an irritant to me in that season or two I watched, she always seemed to be yelling back then. Now I feel empathy, and frankly sorry for her. I think Vicki got in over her head defending him and felt the need to keep backing him up. I get that. I wish she would just say that’s what happened, but I get that she feels she can’t with the barracudas surrounding her coming in for the kill. Shannon is just coming off as a bitch though, and I’m not even really listening to most of what she says. The tone and body language says it all.
You’re talking about Jeana Keough. She was my favorite OC Housewife. The show hasn’t been the same for me since she left; Jeana was a good, earthy counterpoint to Vicki’s high-strung hysterics. That yin/yang was the crux of the show, not unlike the Jill/Ramona dynamic was in the NY edition. (Or the NeNe/Kim relationship in Atlanta)
They’ve all been off-kilter to some extent since these women left.
I don’t think she knew initially and I don’t think she was ever in on it. I think she embellished stories so people would be more sympathetic and can’t keep track of those lies now. I am now more interested in Brianna moving back to Orange County. I know little about the military, but I don’t think it would be so easy to get stationed back in that area again, could it?
After the back surgery that Ryan had, it would be unlikely that the army would want him back. I’m betting that he got a military discharge and they are now free to live wherever they want.
They will keep him on Active Duty until his treatment is over though.
I also don’t think that Vicki was in on it. I think she had doubts, but was torn due to seeing him physically ill etc. It’s confusing being in a relationship with a psychopathic scam artist. Up becomes down and down becomes up. I think Vicki exaggerated things, to cover her own embarrassment and also to convince the other ladies Brooks was telling the truth. I also think she has Borderline Personality Disorder. People with BPD can justify any behavior if it’s in the course of getting their emotional needs met. I can’t count the number of housewives who I think have BPD. But anyways, Vicki’s justification that she thought people would bring her a casserole said it all. She had a desire for sympathy and compassion at this point in her life, and if it meant embellishing stories such as Dr. Dubrow and the IV, in her mind her need for support completely justifies that.
I feel sorry for anyone who is as lonely and as insecure as Vicki appears to be.
Tamara, you’re without doubt the funniest writer ever. The advice re having a wife is both hilarious and seriously worth taking! I wish you and Banjo a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
You make some good points Tamara. But what about Club Detox? My position has pretty much been that the other women on the show treated Vicki very badly, whether she deserved it or not. Why did they do that? How did it benefit them? Ew.
Vicki’s story just doesn’t add up. Further, she has yet to give the truth about City of Hope. She stayed while he was getting treatment, she just dropped him off for treatment, and finally, she picked him up after treatment.
Before the show started filming she told Shannon and Briana that she called Terry DuBrow and he sent a colleague to treat Brooks with an IV and that made a world of difference.
During the show, she told Heather that she never said anything to Briana and that she was out of town.
During the show she told Tamara that Briana was a shit stirrer and made up the story.
During the show, Vicki blogged that she told Briana she was thinking about calling Terry but elected not to but never reported back to Briana she hadn’t called Terry.
During the reunion, Vicki said she fabricated the story about getting an IV after chemo because she wanted to incite sympathy for Brooks and could use a casserole. (Before filming she confirmed)
Last night, she went back to the story about never having followed up with Briana to let her know she never called Terry DuBrow after telling her she was just thinking about it..
When you tell the truth, you don’t have to have a good memory. All these continued contradictions and then she wants to apologize to everyone including Meghan, all points to one direction. Vicki wants back on the show.
I know Vicki is a liar so not sure how true this piece of info she gave last night about Donn. She would have never left him and would take him back. What about her love tank?? Vicki gave Donn a lot of money to have Brooks fill her love tank. Wow.
Vicki is a nut, cracked nut. I need a break from her. Help me forget all her lies. I do think Vicki was financially motivated to go with the cancer lie and I do think Brooks can’t admit to it because they would both be charged with fraud.
Bye Felicia.
She got caught up in her man drama. It’s an easily forgivable sin. There’s really no need to draw up a dossier against her for it, we’re all human.
Is it Wonkytonk or WonkyTalk?
It is inhuman to promote a cancer treatment and lie about treatment giving false hope to those who truly suffer by cancer or know those who have lost a battle with cancer.
That is straight talk.
RL101 you must have your shows mixed up. What you are describing was done by that weasel on RHONJ.
On RHOOC, some people promoted a juice bar. And actually, if you are just casual viewer you would not even know it was promoted.
You idiots who somehow think cancer patients were watching RHOOC and suddenly said, “Ya know what? Fuck chemo? I’m sure that green juice the people on a reality show are drinking is a secret cure! I’ll just buy some juice and call it a day! ” are insane.
TT, I thought you may respond…..I’m not confused about what I watched. I think people who watch the show may know people who are suffering from cancer, i.e. Meghan King Edmonds.
It doesn’t matter the motivation, Vicki lies with ease and admittedly broke up her family for a love tank fill.
How do I know when Vicki is lying? Her lips are moving.
Oh please! I don’t feel bad for Vicki at all. Actually, the more she talks the more I question her intelligence. Has anyone paid attention to her behavior over the years? She is a constant liar and hypocrite. She also likes to play the innocent poor me card. IMHO, the only thing that Vicki is sorry for is that she lost control over the situation and it blew up in her face.
Ding ding ding! On the plus side, no one has called her Ms Piggy in a couple of years. She fixed that.
Exactly. Funny on the demure drab dress. No saggy boobs hanging out tonight. Donn would be a fool to take her back. Why anyone would do business with her is beyond me. Hope she is fired but doubt it.
I hate those shoes sge has on so much.
I don’t know what to think about Vicki.
But Brooks? Anyone who fakes something like this is not worth a comment.
I am beyond ready for this to be over.
“Hey, I need a wife too. Preferably one with a dick.”
Now, that really made me laugh out loud! I wouldn’t mind having one myself, shoot, I’ll take a couple even 😉 I can admit it, I do feel sorry for Vicki. Whatever she is lying about, she knows she looks like a loser fool, in front of God and everybody. Maybe she has been punished enough for that very needy and empty love tank that led her down the primrose path to pure humiliation. I’m pulling for her.
I think Vickie was definatly duped on the love part. Maybe not the cancer part. Shes participated in alot of shitty behaviour, due to her obsessive feelings for Brooks, so I cant say Im surprised, if she went along with things because she wanted it to work, and she wanted to hang on so so badly. She was hopelessly addicted to this relationship. He tapped into something really dark within Vickie, the worst of who she is, and she was forever changed by him. Its very sad for Vickie. He was so not worth it, I dont believe he ever loved her at all. He needed money and thats it. Thats what it was about, and Vickie sold her soul to the devil for him.
Oh please, Vicki has been lying all these years. Remarrying Donn while screwing Brooks is just one point. She is disgusting.
That was bad, pretty selfish and diabolical really. Brooks was Vickies undoing and also her karma. He was the gift that kept giving .
Janet, Brianna also said that Donn had had a long term affair. So it wasn’t just something that Vicki said.
Remember the line in a song, “The things we do for love.” Love isn’t a controlled feeling and for someone who is as needy as Vicki, it can become a compulsion. I don’t even think she really wants Don back; she just wants a man back in her life. The thought of starting a new relationship with another is overwhelming by the time you are close to 50.
I think this interview or special was a way to do some damage control on behalf of Vicki so the viewers would be more willing to accept her back into the fold, once again next season. It doesn’t appear that Andy intends to get rid of her. I also noticed at the end of the short interview, Vicki said, “Love you” to Andy.
I think the cancer was a storyline. Maybe the producers brought it to the table or Brooks himself concocted the storyline. No one will ever know, save Andy, Vicky, and Brooks. Vicki is hard to read and she is quite adept at evoking sympathy during interviews and during the reunion. On the show, not so much. She comes off as a shrill, shrieking know it all on many episodes and gives a lot of women a really hard time on many of the episodes.
At this point, it is a moot point as to whether she knew or didn’t know. I think Andy just wanted to give Vicki some TV time to share her ‘regret’, ‘sadness’, and apologize to the other ‘ladies’ and I use that term loosely.
But Donn was just as bad. He remarried Vicki knowing that he was still screwing his mistress of 20 years. Maybe, just maybe the two of them deserved each other.
Do we really know that Donn had a 20year affair or any affair? I dont think hes ever said that, only Vickie has run her mouth. Vickie had alot of incentive to portray that about Donn, as she was feeling the heat from her affairs. Vickie is a dishonest person, maybe thats why she turned a blind eye to what kind of man Brooks is.
I didnt know that Breanna said Donn had a long term affair. I m confused because she seems to have more respect for him than her mom. If thats true Vickie is very weird and so is Donn. Theyre not the royal family. If that would have been me , the marriage would be over. I would feel unloved. And why is Vickie saying Donn was a great husband and is a great man, if he had a girlfriend the whole time? I dont get it. And where is this girlfriend now? Maybe Vickie should just swear off men altogether.
I absolutely and steadfastly believe Vicky is as guilty as sin. She is as complicit as Brooks in this whole cancer charade. Vicky knowingly made up false stories and perpetuated them in an effort to defraud unsuspecting victims suffering from cancer by giving them hope in a bogus juice (using Brooks as an example).
My feeling is during the infancy of their scam the lies were told to benefit their involvement in the detox business, monetarily motivated. Then they were busted. More lies were concocted to cover the first lies and their stories spiraled out of control. Everytime she opens that deformed piehole of hers another ugly lie spews forth. Shut up, Vicky. Sit down ass clown. You are sickening. Positively repugnant as a woman.
Brooks and Vicky royally fucked up playing with the sorrow of others. Sympathy? Kiss my ass. Vicky continues to play on the empathy of the viewers. She is as much of a snake skin oil saleman as Brooks and somewhat of a sociopath. She is more concerned about garnering sympathy than what she has done to unsuspecting sick people.
My hope is Vicky feels negative ramifications from her idiotic decisions for a long time to come and thinks about her involvement in hurting others everytime she places her head on a pillow to sleep.
I don’t have one scintilla of sympathy for Vicky. I do have enormous sorrow for those dealing with cancer she duped prior to her being found out and I pity anyone who put their trust in those two fuckers. My heart is with them.
You must have been watching a different show. She never said any “juice” cured anything. She has done nothing to “unsuspecting sick people”.
Actually, I don’t think you’ve seen the show at all. It seems more like you’ve read a bunch of comments by Meghan-stans and embellished even further from there. It’s difficult to really tell, though, from such abysmal syntax.
I watched the show. And while she never claimed it would cure cancer, the fact is they were still hawking a product, targeted to cancer patients, in which they had an ownership stake. That is enough; trying to profit from faking cancer is disgusting and Vicki should have apologized instead of deferring blame and playing the poor me card.
Eric, well written and explained.
You wrote what I thought but I could never say it as well as you.
Ericzku-if, for one second, you don’t believe Vicky and Brooks were targeting people dealing with cancer, you have your head up your ass. They may not have clearly stated the detox product would be a cure but they certainly implied it. I also suspect production played a part in derailing their well laid plan, and if they did, my hat is off to them. It doesn’t take more than ordinary common sense to realize that a person who is diagnosed with cancer may grasp at straws for a cure, especially when everything else is failing.
We watch the same show and see things differently based on our life experiences so stop with your assumptions. I stand by my opinion that Vicky is a skeeve. Personally I find each woman on that franchise to be repulsive in their own way and I am enough of an independent thinker to not be influenced by the fans of another housewife.
If the way I structure my sentencing bothers you, skip over my comment when you see my name. That is a simple solution.
Actually, she has said that, but perhaps she misspoke as Brooks has accused her of in recent interviews. Vicki’s picture and video endorsement is still on the Club Detox site and she endorses the juices and or provides recipes from Club Detox on a daily basis on her twitter account. It is public record that she is an investor in Club Detox. She isn’t posting/endorsing for the company for free. Brooks himself has stated that he is/has taken the ‘holistic’ approach to ‘cure’ his cancer via juicing. Frankly, juicing is bullshit, but draws in a large group of celebrities and the American public is highly influenced by celebrities and their endorsements.
Dracla I can totally see your point of view here. You’re outraged by the lack of morality. You don’t have to be a Meghan stan to feel that way. I don’t believe Meghan cares one whit about moral concerns of any kind. Her only thing was about exposing Brooks and/or Vicki. Because she’s cruel.
Most of us here felt sympathy for Vicki. We felt that the way she was treated was unfair. Now our sympathy has been revoked. I personally don’t think that having a desire for people to feel sorry for her is enough to justify Vicki’s behavior and lies.
@Dracla Dunning:
Umm, isn’t the whole point of commenting so that others will read it? When one must read a sentence 4 or 5 times over to try to make sense of it…just saying.
As for the other, I don’t blame or hate Vicki for having an interest in a product. Most Housewives do. It’s why they are on the show. This “Club Detox” thing was barely mentioned on the show anyway. 1 or 2 short scenes over the course of a season.
I’ll quote TT herself because she said it better than I could. From her November 11 post titled “It’s Time For More About Brooks Ayers Faking Cancer!”:
“…here is the deleted Facebook tweet that idiots think she is saying that juicing cures cancer. What she says is that it is important to stay healthy and build up a good immune system and not make your body a good host for cancer. Something doctors have been saying for years. Do I think Vicki knew Brooks did not have cancer? Of course she did. But did she say juice cures cancer? No. She did not.“
@calipatti:
😉 <3
Ericzku-I see that although you think my comments have abysmal syntax, you are strangely attracted to them enough to contine to comment. There are hundreds of other entries. Ignore mine. If it bothers you to skip over my few comments that much, see a shrink because your issues are greater than my abysmal syntax.
You say you read what I write several times. Good. Maybe Vicky being a lowlife cunt will finally sink into your thick skull. By the way, based on your comments and what you have to say, a Rhodes Scholar you are not. Read that a few times, asswipe.
Your comments about Vicky throughout this ordeal have been sympathetic. That is fine but also pathetic that at your age you are not able to spot a degenerate who has lower herself to taking advantage of seriously ill people. What is next for her? Hawking donar parts from a mannequin? I feel your problem is not so much with reading my entries but that I am attacking a disqusting, despicable woman and that is more of an outrage for you than what she has done. Shameful.
What struck me is, even if Vickie never said the club detox juice is a cure for cancer, the storyline of a facked cancer looks shady. By saying Brooks has cancer, and is getting healthier by juicing, it implies that it fights cancer. And then for Brooks to not actually have it, and if Vickie promoted the lie, makes her look almost as bad as him.it makes her look like someone who would do anything for a buck. Not a good look for Vickie. Without the club detox angle and promoting it, it wouldnt be as much of a disgrace I dont think. As a buisness woman it makes her look unethical.
I totally agree with you Dracla. You are obviously very intelligent which comes across in your comments…always. I also find you to be an articulate commenter, Ericzku, just a little confused why you’re going after Dracla. I like you both so I hope this is no big thing! ❤️❤️
If you’re telling the truth you don’t need a detailed good story.
Or a good memory.
Yes to this Xanadude. Vicki’s been “stretching” the truth past the point of decency.
The biggest lie Vicki told…the ones to herself.
1. Brooks loved/loves/respects her.
2. Don was not a loving partner, so she had to move on.
3. Brooks had cancer.
My guess is that deep down, Vicki knew he didn’t have cancer. Things wrre not adding up, but she wanted to believe he loved her enough to be honest with her and she didn’t want to risk ending their relationship for fear of dying alone like her mother did.
I pity her. OC needs a complete recast. To believe any of these women can even tolerate each other at this point is ridiculous.
Remember Brianna said Vicki left Donn because Brooks had cancer a few years ago. So now we’re suppose to believe she is duped a second time? Two things Vicki wants in life: Brooks to be accepted and money. Guess their little scam covered those bases.
You forgot sympathy and casseroles! But I agree Spunky.
Yeah, I’m not seeing a way to salvage this cast without dumping everyone except one person to rebuild around, and that one person not being Vicki.
If they chose one to keep it would be either Shannon or Heather. Andy is a fan of both I suspect. Both actually have money, husbands and youbger children.
I would just like to see what the result would be if a completely new group were used for an existing franchise.
I had to watch this twice and then read TT’s take. I have no words at all. I went back and forth. I decided it was bullshit, and then felt bad for that because how are we to know? I was basing my not believing it on his past scams and bullshit, i wanted to know where his port was, but then remembered that there are pills, a friend had those for one drug study. I felt bad for not thinking it was true, but I just felt like he was full of shit and she was just so blinded by love and all that she supported him. His shady business was always int he back of my mind, but who the hell lies about cancer? The other ladies did treat her badly, but they knew in their guts he was shitty. WE only see a fraction of what is shot and what is shown and then there is what happens when the cameras are not there. there had to be other shit going on that we the viewers knew nothing about. For her to say she wants to cry because of Gretchen and what she has to say makes me want to slap her. She may be good at business but her constant need to be adored is what got her into this mess in the first place. She needed her love tank filled, she carried Don’s balls in his pocket and berated him all the time, she demanded to be the center of attention from her mother as well. At this point i think she is a pathetic cow!
I agree, I think she was covering for her own stupidity. Many times she has shown to be incapable of owning fault, any apology seems to have a “but” attached. In my opinion anyway… I do feel awkwardly sorry for her, mostly because her lies are just becoming so uncomfortable to watch. On another note, did I hear at the reunion Brooks used to live with Tamra and Eddie? Why do I feel like she never REALLY answered the questions? Mostly sort of shuffled around her already given answers.?. Also, losing her mom must be really hard… BUT… If she wanted support from friends/cast mates why alienate them? Or at least some of them? I feel we are all way to emotionally invested in this, really can we just move on now? TT, hope you are feeling better.
Yes, losing your mom is really hard but she was 83! How long did Vickie expect her to live? I may be jaded but I’ve spent the last four years of my life caring for elderly parents (89 and 92) and it’s a terrible way to live. Watching once vibrant people become shells of their former selves is heartbreaking. They ask me every single day if they can have a pill and end it. Do you know what that does to a person?
Vickie got off lucky in that she didn’t have to watch her mom suffer. Her mom went peacefully in her sleep with her dog by her side
Completely agree with what you are saying. I was appalled when Vicki was talking to her son and said she thought her mother would be sick before she died.
@KTina Being a caretaker to parents is one of the hardest jobs out there. It sounds as though you need to get some help taking care of your ailing family because your attitude towards death sounds very selfish.
Yes, Vicki didn’t watch her Mom suffer but that doesn’t matter because she is gone. It doesn’t matter how old she was. I watched my Mom suffer and she’s dead. It’s been 3 yrs & it still feels like yesterday. Vicki did not “get off lucky.”
When your parents are gone you will understand.
I can unfortunately relate to Vicki’s situation (not the part about her boyfriend faking cancer). I was in a really crappy relationship and I was young and dumb. That being said, my friends hated him and I refused to see what they saw. I was super insecure and I always felt like I needed a man to validate me. I chose him over my friends and when I finally saw him for the narcissistic sociopath he was, I had already given up so much of my life for him and I couldn’t believe that I let this happen. I can now say that although I regret some of the choices I made, it has without a doubt made me a better person. It made me realize how little I thought of myself that I would allow someone to treat me like he did. I just see a lot of that in Vicki and I feel for her. I mean she gave up her relationship with Don for Brooks, her issues with family & friends over him, nobody wants to think they could have been so blind to something that was so obvious.
Same here, Keight34. Never had a scenario that involved faking cancer, but have been duped by a shitty partner, left with my tail between my legs. I’m sure there are many posters on this site have gone down the wrong road with a man that didn’t deserve their loyalty or devotion. Sadly, most people don’t realize it until much is lost, friends, family relationships, and loss of all self-respect.
They key words are “young and dumb”. I was in your situation as well. Narcissistic sociopaths are charmers. They only show those tendencies with you or your children. People on the outside think they’re wonderful and kind.
I dont blame Donn one bit, for not wanting to reconcile. That bridge was burned up, and I hope hes happy now. I do feel bad for Vickie, but she was very cruel and ruthless about getting what she wanted all these years, to everyone, especially Donn. Once a divorce and all of that destruction ensues, not much chance for reconciliation, its oretty rare. Its terribly sad when we make a disastrous decision, with life long consequences. I think Vickie can come back from this. Its not too late.
I was the same way. Liar liar liar, then that last sentence turned it around. Well…maybe she didn’t know? I got a spark of doubt in my head.
Bottom line, girl knows how to con.
Being fearful about growing old without a man can make certain women see only what they want to see. So, some compassion is warranted, even if it makes me feel uncomfortable. But really? Lying, after you know he’s made a fool of you? That’s the unforgivable sin here. That, and her coven of friends.
Oh, and WTF was all that crap about Visine? I was laughing so hard that I choked on a perfectly good cocktail!
I don’t know when Vicki knew Brooks was lying or how much she is lying.
I think she did toss aside Donn for Brooks. She fell for his Hallmark isms while married to Donn. Donn was acting like many long married people do and did not hold up well next to Brooks’ phoney baloney. This made Vicki check out mentally from Donn, so he couldn’t win if he had made the effort to fill her tank.
Vicki is another notch on Brooks belt of women he conned. I think she had some idea what he was, but thought she was woman enough, smart enough, and rich enough to keep him.
No fool like an old fool. Another ism.
I think you nailed what happened to a tee. She must have thought she brought so much to the table, that it would mitigate what he was. But what she brought to the table, was what made her a good mark to him, not a love match. What you said about long term marriage is so true. It doesnt have the flash of an affair, or a new lover. But its real, its a life ,with a deeper more profound beauty. Its also not easily replaced.as Vickie has witnessed. Shed probably love to hear Donn griping about something or other around the house.
You nailed it. Being someone who has been married for 26 years, together for 30, I know all too well what happens in a long term marriage. It’s not all butterflies every time he walks into the room, not by a long shot. The relationship changes. Some people go from relationship to relationship to get that feeling back, that newness and excitement. It makes you feel young again.
Tamara’s right….all she needs is a vibrator, a maid and a personal assistant.
Thats so true ,about that exciting feeling of something new, that drives alot of people to either cheat, or walk out of a relationship to feel it again and again. I think alot of people these days are even avoiding relationships altogether, so they never get to anything past sexting, hook ups, online dating and online flirting on facebook. Its empty though and isnt love. I dont think Vickie was in love with Brooks. She got caught up in a affair high with a fake person. She got played, she doesnt even know the real Brooks. Donn was probably who she really loved. She just didnt know it, until he was gone for good.
I feel sorry for Vicky, but I don’t think she is capable of differentiating truth from fiction when she wants something or someone. I am guessing she will be back next season.
Girls Code 101: Relentlessly attacking the man your friend loves leads to defensive behavior.
Talking to other people behind her back, never leads to her seeing the light. Ridiculing and
humiliating your friend, never builds her up and gives her confidence. Vicki is a very lonely and
needy person, I can only imagine how much she wanted ignore the fact that she had been played.
The others were shitty friends. State your case and then offer some support. let her
know she can make a mistake and you are not going to be cackling with glee over her exposure.
I don’t think she knew. I think she loved him and saw some warning signs but ignored them because she didn’t want to see. I disagree with you about the ladies though T. Brooks was lying about having CANCER. He continued to lie when he was caught. I would have done a lot more than call doctors or demand to see medical records if I found out someone I knew was lying to me about something like that. Just saying…
This whole story is exhausting and I admit I was sucked in, confused and ultimately wrong in my assumptions.
But even now, I couldn’t begin to tell you what Vicki knew or when she knew it.
I DO know this much: I no longer care one way or the other at this point.
But what the hell do I know?? I’m brining my turkey. LOL.
Mmmmm, brining turkey.
OMG Maisey! Thank God you confessed to BRINING here, where TeeCee might not notice.
NO BRINING! Think about the GRAVY!
Screw TeeCee and brine away if you want. Yes, brining destroys the gravy, but a brine can add deliviousness, especially an apple cider brine.
As for the gravy, do Make Ahead Gravy, check AllRecipes. Today I made TWO QUARTS of Make Ahead Gravy, using roasted turkey wings, backs and drumsticks.
Maisey, you’re effing hilarious. Brine the hell outta that turkey, if you like it!
Oh Maisey, you never fail to make me laugh. “Brine shaming” was one of my faves and now I add “shaming” to so many words. My kids think I’m hilarious and I haven’t told them I stole it from a TT commenter! Shhhh, don’t tell. Lol.
Thanks Meredo! You can “appropriate ” my silliness any time!
Thanks Toddy! At this point my turkey is not just brined…..I think it is actually drunk.
MTP— thanks for the gravy tips.
Happy Turkey Day to all of you?
I hope that lying liar of a grifter didn’t film/tape Vicki in her own home. Tamara asked Vicki at the reunion if Brooks was holding something over her. Vicki was busy working and visiting her children. Really makes me wonder what he was up to all day (with access to Vicki’s home and personal belongings). She didn’t seam as scared during the interview with Andy as she did during the reunion. Maybe she settled ($$$) with Brooks? Weird that she said Brooks had her personal info. She actually brought up her social security number.
NO!!! No feelings allowed here! Sorry the show lost even the tiniest bit of reality grasp after the truth has sort of, not really, maybe come out and they profited, NO!!!
Maybe Vickie wants Donn back so she can get “her” money back…
Vicki has a huge problem owning any of her mistakes and Brooks is the biggest mistake of all. The more she was told he was a loser the more she backed him. Vicki is one of those very sad women who will cling on to a man regardless of how badly he treats her just to have a man in her life. Filming wrapped in May apparently and she admits to doubting his cancer then but yet it was Brooks who ended the relationship in July/August? That shows right there that Vicki would have put up with anything. I do think she knew very early on and was happy to run with it. Vicki likes nothing better than sympathy and it was the perfect opportunity for her to force people to be nice to her and Brooks. She claims she gave her life to this guy but didn’t even go to his first chemo – there is no way Vicki would have missed that unless she was in on it even then. The lie about the IV was after that same first session. She knew then. And the reason she didn’t get any compassion from her castmates was because they knew too. I don’t blame them one bit and I’m glad they didn’t all play along.
Isn’t making someone’s symptoms worse for attention an ACTUAL disease? Munchousens by Proxy or something like that? Shouldn’t someone be addressing THAT instead of calling her a cow? That means the woman need therapy!
Of course she needs therapy but people like her don’t ever think it’s them that has the problem. She’s a narcissist with a really low self-esteem. She claims she had the perfect childhood, but I don’t buy that. Someone was keeping her humble when she was a child
ITA about Vicki making up parts of the story because she felt so dumb for believing Brooks. I just don’t buy that Vicki would be stupid enough to think she would get away with lying about cancer. I really believe that she was fooled in the beginning and we all know Vicki doesn’t like to look like a fool.
Well, I can always find the bright side in any situation.
With this show over, I no longer have to watch Katie Holmes ” take beauty into her own hands.”
Maisey, that was funny, I am also tired of seeing that commercial, silver lining 🙂
If someone I loved and trusted told me he had cancer, I’d believe him.
Me too. But I would also go to not only his first chemo but every chemo session after too. I wouldn’t just pick him up. I wouldn’t spend my time on the telephone making up IV stories when he was supposedly violently ill in the next room. I wouldn’t accept it if he told me to mind my own business when I had moved him in to my home to look after him during his illness. And I especially wouldn’t accept his “quiet mouthed” and secretive behavior when he had already pulled two cancer scare stunts with me before.
Vicki is most concerned about her lost of face. I don’t know if she was complicit, but I do know Vicki wants it to be all about her. It’s gone from feel sorry for me, the love of my life is dying from cancer to feel sorry for me the man I loved duped me and made a fool of me and broke my heart. She still wants to keep her position as the OG of the OC. She will never really admit that she was at fault.
Sounds spot on to me.
Sorry, no sympathy here for Vicky because the more she discussed Cancer Gate the lies multiply. I’ll tell you what is more alarming than the lies, Briana moving back in with her psycho husband. Dude has proven time and time again that YOU SHOULD BE AFRAID, VERY AFRAID. One of his bat shit tyraids was when he attacked Lydia’s mom because she allegedly stained Vicky’s couch. Not only was i appalled but also scared for Lydia’s mom well being. Yeah, Ryan is a millionth of a tick away from imploding.
After the first 5 minutes of watching this interview, I kept thinking I can’t wait to read your blog! I can’t believe how many times her stories have changed during the interview, let alone the beginning of the season.. For example, she talked about working in the waiting room at City of Hope, to walking around the hospital to kill time.. Or how about when she said, she had no idea Brooks was going to release a statement about the falsified medical documents, but in one of the e-mails/texts that Brook sent Vicki stated that he was going to exonerate her.. I could be a little off with the second one, but I remember thinking WTH Andy just read aloud a text you received from him… How did you have no idea this was going to happen???
I have absolutely NO pity for Vicki… There is no way she didn’t know what was going on. I bet she is kicking herself for not saying something to Heather when she sat her down and asked her if she was being duped.. THERE WAS YOUR CHANCE TO REDEEM YOURSELF VICKI!!! You could of garnered the sympathy of EVERY viewer, if you said look this is what Brooks has told me. I agree things don’t add up, and this is a strain in our relationship right now, blah, blah.. but she didn’t. She got up and left.
And as more time goes on, I think RHOC needs to end. I don’t think I could watch another season with these women.. I used to like Shannon, but I don’t want to see more of her family life, and give her a platform to shame David, or the mistress.. What Shannon fails to realize in all of this is that the mistress has children too… She needs to have some compassion. Heather has no story line besides her house.. Tamra is just ridiculous, though I will say people need to ease up on whole religious stuff… Half of the people who say oooh she’s supposed to be Christian why is she acting like this, act that way themselves. But anyway, I’m over RHOC!!!!
From the time Vicki started this show until last night’s performance it has always and forever been about Vickie. She tries to portray a confident, secure and successful businesswoman but comes off as an insecure, needy narcissist who expects total loyalty. She, meanwhile, exhibits scorched earth behavior to anyone who doesn’t jump on the bandwagon to make Vicki the center of the universe. She has treated her children as their main goal in life is to make their mother happy. Brianna’s illness was all about how scared Vickie was, no comforting of the patient facing a possible serious diagnosis. In one unfortunate episode we see her nagging her mother to tell Vicki that she loves her. She was demeaning and belittling to Donn in every interaction we saw on camera. And I do not believe he cheated on her, that was just another BS line she threw out there to justify her hooking up with Brooks while she was still married. She tore down any and all people who were new to the show because she was threatened. She was complicit with Tamara in trying to bring Gretchen down while her fiancé was dying. She judged, was critical and mean to everyone. No one was safe from the wrath of Vicki. And while “the love of her life” was “suffering” from cancer, it was still all about her. She wanted hugs from her friends, she needed casseroles and understanding. Never a word of what Brooks needed to get through the supposed health scare. The only thing that was scary for Vickie is that the dude might die and she would be alone again. I’m done with Vicki and hope that Bravo cans her. If past behavior is anything, Andy will up her salary, film the redemption tour and soon they will be right back to the OG of the OC making life miserable for everyone. I’ll tap out if that happens.
Nailed it Tokrsa.
Anyone who forget who Vicky actually is – you sure reminded them. You nailed it.
WOW TOSKRA…..WELL SAID!!!!
Sorry…Toksra
Again….sorry TOKRSA! Third time is embarrassing. LOL
damnnnn… ??
The dude had pancreatis end of story?
It just dawned on me—-t
It just dawned on me there were 2 things missing from Vicki’s interview last night.
Her boobs.
It was great not to see them.
While Vicki’s friends we’re telling Vicki Brooks was scamming her, she was yelling and screaming at them that he was the love of her life and the most wonderful man in the world. Tamra was the only friend that hated Brooks. Shannon, Heather, and Lizzie seemed to like him or were neutral. Meghan didn’t hate Brooks at first; she hated Vicki.
At first all the women were concerned for Brooks. Heather even told Vicki she was worried Brooks was getting scammed by the resveretrol treatments.Also when Vicki betrayed a confidence, she would state I didn’t think the person I told would tell any one. Shannon and Vicki’s friendship was doomed because they both want it to be the center of the drama. Even though the cancer lies were exposed, what Meghan did was unforgivable. Would she have done it if Vicki was nice to her?
Vicki talked about Brooks FIRST 2 chemo treatments as if they took place in Calf., but I remember something was said about him having chemo in Mississippi before Calf. Does anybody remember that?
Yes she did say he was having treatments in Mississippi. You can’t believe anything she says.
And she is selling life insurance…
Yes she did say she went to Mississippi to be with him for chemo…way back at the start of this charade.
Ahha charade you are…
There s a paradox show called the real hot wives. In the second season they had a Vicki character who was so desperate for love and attention. When I watched it I thought it was weird as Vicki isn’t really that desperate. But this season shows how desperate for attention Vicki is. I do feel bad for Vicki but only because of her desperation not because she was scammed at some point in the relationship about cancer.
Didn’t even stain the couch, just had her feet on it. I was appalled by his attack of Lydia’s mom. It really showed who he is on a deep level.
I’ve thought for a LONG TIME before this season that Vicki is someone who simply won’t acknowledge accountability for her lying, embellishing, denying, obnoxious bullshit. And the thing about it, she sees the very same episodes and reunions we do yet STILL changes her details about the very same stories just like she did during the season, during the reunion, and on WWHL! I mean, you’d think she’d at least have the sense to expand on the existing lie/story she already told rather than making up a brand new one about the very same thing. SMH. Perhaps she had to come clean on WWHL though….who knows with that whackadoodle.
IMO, her over the top neediness as a 50 year old woman is just SAD. Remember how kookoo she acted in Costa Rica at the zipline, in the bus, and paddling down the river? I just don’t understand how an educated woman close to her age could remotely put up with her as a friend. Remember her talking about all the telephone conversations she had with her daughter while screaming crying lying in the floor?? COME ON! The neediness and obnoxious thirst for attention is what I believe to have been her driving force with this ridiculous predicament she’s gotten herself into.
Thanks Angel. I was sure I’d heard that, just couldn’t remember who said it. Andy should have asked about that. I guess it doesn’t matter to him, because this is probably damage control. Vicki and “The Coven” will all return. Business as usual. Ugh!
Maybe Briana is heir apparent to the franchise. Vicki and the other monsters as FOHs.
She is a very bright and successful woman. So how can she be so dumb to ignore the piles of red flags her friends and her daughter Brianna warned her about?! She even admits to “embellishing” the truth. I think she was backed into a corner (by the women> they truly pointed this all out to her) and she continued to made excuses for him because she is an addict. She even rolled her own daughter under The Brooks Bus!! She so desperately wants to be loved she is willing to do anything and everything for his love. Sad thing, is even with all the real revelation of the fake cancer diagnosis, if he called and asked her back, she would be back with him. And didn’t Donn remarry?? I remember an episode where she alluded that the kids have a new Step Mom in their life. I hope the women on the show, Andy too, are not buying her BS. And that she truly gets some help. Karma is a Bitch!
I never stopped feeling bad for Vicki. Her mother died and all anyone could talk about was Brooks. Grief can lead folks to make some really bad decisions including embellishing stories to get folks to simply lay off. I remember her begging Shannon to stop talking about Brooks, telling her she just couldn’t handle it, and Shannon just kept right on pushing. I wish just once I had heard someone acknowledge the grieving process Vicki was in the midst of, and simply give her time to breath. But no one did. Not even Brianna. I lost my mom three years ago. I cannot imagine how stressful the constant accusations and lack of sympathy had to be.