Elizabeth Vargas spoke out about a claim made against Shannon Beador on The Real Housewives of Orange County during a podcast appearance on Monday.
After Gina Kirschenheiter, 40, alleged that someone, who turned out to be Elizabeth’s brother, had seen Shannon, 60, at the grocery store with a shopping cart full of alcohol after her DUI arrest last September, Elizabeth, 49, addressed the report, as well as how it impacted her friendship with Shannon.
“My brother had mentioned something about a grocery shopping cart full of alcohol because she was seen at the grocery store next to my house,” Elizabeth explained on the September 22 episode of the Behind the Velvet Rope With David Yontef podcast, via Monsters & Critics.
However, according to Elizabeth, her brother’s statements to Gina were taken out of context. Although she does believe that Shannon had been to the store to purchase the booze, she clarified that what was being purchased wasn’t for Shannon, but for a large group.
“It was for everybody at this party. She wasn’t drinking it,” Elizabeth revealed.
At the time that her brother made the allegation, Elizabeth didn’t think much of it. Then, after she attempted to invite Shannon to appear on her podcast and received a blunt response, along with a refusal, she knew something was wrong.
“She’s like, ‘At this time, that would be a negative. I’ve bettered myself. I’m getting help,’ and I’m like, ‘Huh?” Elizabeth recalled.
But it wasn’t until Elizabeth saw the episode in which her brother and his claim were discussed that she realized exactly what Shannon was upset about.
“I watch the first episode of this season, and my brother’s on there talking smack… about Shannon,” she shared. “She thinks I’m spreading the stuff where she’s still an alcoholic.”
Needless to say, Elizabeth’s relationship with Shannon became strained by her brother’s statements to Gina.
“I think she’s sensitive to the fact that she got the DUI and I was part of this alcohol grocery cart thing,” Elizabeth admitted.
The Real Housewives of Orange County season 18 airs on Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo.
