1

Credit: Instagram

Season 19 of The Real Housewives of Orange County is off to a strong start. Emily Simpson is back, and has been open about her son’s ongoing health issues. However, fans have also noticed that she’s been critical of Gretchen Rossi‘s appearance despite not wanting the same treatment in the past. Now, she’s responded to the backlash.

Regarding Emily’s treatment of Gretchen, she has poked fun at her wardrobe as well as made seemingly backhanded compliments about her hair and her overall appearance. Emily has even made jokes about Gretchen in interviews. 

Recently, the Bravo Snark Side account posted a direct message between Emily and a fan where the fan called her out for being hypocritical. The account captioned the post, “We all need a vocabulary lesson according to Emily, clearly it was a compliment to Gretchen. We’re all just unencumbered by the thought process because we aren’t lawyers. (Thanks to one of my followers for sending me this DM with Emily)”

The DM shows the person reaching out to Emily. They began by saying, “I highly doubt you will see this or respond, but seeing how in seasons past you felt bullied by Heather D for your physical stature and looks, why would you say mean and hurtful things about Gretchen?”

The message continued, “Again, we as an audience only see snip-its, have you had run-ins with her that made her “ugly/mockable”? I’m just asking a question, not attacking you or Gina, just seemed like you two were just plain and simple being mean.”

Emily not only saw the direct message but also responded. She wrote, “It was a compliment.” In a separate message, she said, “People need a vocabulary lesson.”

Included with the screenshot is a clip from a recent episode where Emily and Gina Kirschenheiter can be seen discussing Gretchen’s appearance. In essence, they’re saying she looks the same as she always has, but the way they went about it was extremely insensitive, with Emily saying, “She dips herself in formaldehyde every night.” They also state that she looks like an Instagram filter from 2003, which could also be taken to mean that Gretchen’s appearance is outdated. 

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Thursday nights.