Shannon Beador has recently addressed the remarks made by Emily Simpson regarding her Spanx on the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County. The finale, which aired Thursday night, featured Emily, 49, in a conversation with Tamra Judge, 58, Gretchen Rossi, 47, and Jennifer Pedranti, 48. During this exchange, Emily jokingly suggested that if a man ever tried to touch Shannon, 61, she would pop out of her Spanx “like a can of biscuits.”

Credit: Trae Patton/Bravo

In response to the episode, Shannon candidly expressed how the comments affected her, touching upon the challenges she has faced with her weight fluctuations. “No one’s body is perfect,” said Heather Dubrow, 56, on the October 30 episode of the RHOC: After Show. Shannon echoed this sentiment, remarking, “To tease, like, ‘Oh, she squeezed her body in,’ I don’t remember exactly what was said. I do remember it hurt my feelings.”

Shannon’s hurt was compounded by recalling a previous incident where Emily herself was upset. Last year, Emily had taken offense when Heather Dubrow suggested she bring her own jeans to a charity fashion show. Shannon’s mention of this incident highlights how body image issues and insensitivity can affect anyone, regardless of past experiences. The ongoing discussions among the housewives underscore the complex dynamics of friendship and body positivity within the group.

“No one’s body is perfect,” Heather Dubrow, 56, began on the October 30 episode of the RHOC: After Show.

“But to tease, like, ‘Oh, she squeezed her body in,’ I don’t remember exactly what was said. I do remember it hurt my feelings … It hurt my feelings, especially when Emily had such an issue last year,” Shannon replied, signaling Emily’s own hurt feelings over Heather requesting she bring her own jeans to a charity fashion show.

According to Shannon, she’s struggled with her weight in recent years and has been open about wearing Spanx.

“It’s been frustrating that when I was finally at my perfect weight, all of a sudden, I started gaining it again. And I’m like, getting blood tests, I’m trying to figure it out why, cuz I’m eating clean. But it hurt my feelings. I openly say, I’m wearing a corset, duct taping my stomach, years ago. [I’m] never gonna go back to the duct tape, but I wear the Spanx. I do that. It’s like, self-deprecating and I admit it,” she explained. 

Meanwhile, in her own After Show segment, Emily denied that the comments she made about Spanx were in direct reference to Shannon.

“I was not talking about Shanon specifically. I have a problem with Spanx. I don’t like Spanx. I’ve always said Spanx reminds me of a can of biscuits. Everything pops out,” she insisted. “It was not body-shaming … It wasn’t mean.”

“I was not body-shaming Shannon. I think she’s beautiful. I wasn’t, and if it looks that way, it wasn’t my intent. I was talking about Spanx in general, on anyone,” she continued. 

As for Jenn and Gretchen, they said that, looking back, they wished they’d handled things differently.

“I was laughing. Emily’s funny. And then whenever I saw Shannon’s reaction, I felt like sh*t, like ‘I owe my friend an apology.’ I should not have been laughing at that,” Jenn admitted.

“The way Emily says things, it can be funny the way she says it. But when you go back and you repeat what you said, you’re like, ‘That didn’t sound funny.’ I think looking back, I wish I had said, like, something,” Gretchen replied.

“We should’ve said something,” Jenn agreed.

The Real Housewives of Orange County season 19 reunion begins next Thursday, November 6, at 8/7c on Bravo.