The drama is heating up in Orange County, and former Real Housewives of Orange County star Kelly Dodd is not holding back! In a scathing Instagram post on July 13, 2025, Kelly unleashed her unfiltered thoughts on the Season 18 premiere, branding the show “disgusting” and “obnoxious” while taking aim at cast members Emily Simpson, Gina Kirschenheiter, and Tamra Judge. She also stirred the pot by addressing the ongoing feud involving newcomer Katie Ginella and veteran Heather Dubrow, claiming “no kids like Heather” and spilling tea on Emily’s legal threats.
The season kicked off with Emily Simpson at the center of a heated conflict. She revealed she hired a lawyer to address claims made by Katie Ginella’s daughter, who babysat Emily’s children last season. The young babysitter alleged that Emily’s kids spoke negatively about Heather Dubrow, a claim that resurfaced in the premiere when Katie stood by her daughter’s story. Emily, however, denied the accusations and suggested she was ready to take legal action to protect her family’s reputation.
Kelly Dodd wasn’t buying it. “I don’t think [Katie is] lying about what her kid said about Heather. I think that is true,” she declared. “Kids don’t like Heather. No kids like going over to Heather’s house. All my friends know Heather, and that’s a fact.” Kelly went further, slamming Emily’s legal threats: “For Emily to say she lawyered up … I think she needs to go back to law school because you can’t sue for the truth. Those kids did say that about Heather, and we all know it. You can’t sue for defamation. She’s a lawyer, she should know that.”
But Kelly didn’t stop there. She called out Emily for discussing her son’s disordered eating on camera, a sensitive topic introduced in the premiere where Emily shared that her son rarely feels hungry due to a form of eating disorder. “It’s disgusting,” Kelly fumed. “Why would you put your kid’s psychological disorder on national television? It’s just so obnoxious, I can’t watch it.”
Kelly also took issue with how the cast treated newcomer Katie Ginella, accusing Emily and others of unfairly targeting her. “Emily yelling at Katie like she’s her boss … Why are they all ganging up on Katie?” Kelly questioned, pointing to the repetitive narrative of painting Katie as a liar over the babysitter drama. “It’s the same old thing,” she sighed, clearly frustrated by the lack of fresh storylines.
Gina Kirschenheiter didn’t escape Kelly’s wrath either. The former housewife labeled Gina “so boring” and took jabs at her personal life, calling her boyfriend, Travis Mullen, “a dud” and their home “nothing to look at.” Kelly’s harsh critique painted Gina’s storyline as lackluster, suggesting she’s failing to bring the spark needed to keep viewers engaged.
Kelly, alongside her husband Rick Leventhal, also threw shade at Tamra Judge. The couple called out Tamra for briefly claiming she was on the autism spectrum before seemingly retracting the statement. They also dismissed her references to past “trauma,” questioning the authenticity of her emotional narrative. Kelly and Rick’s commentary added fuel to the fire, hinting at deeper tensions with Tamra’s on-screen persona.
The Season 18 premiere of Real Housewives of Orange County set the stage for explosive drama, with old rivalries reigniting and new faces stirring the pot. Katie’s arrival has clearly ruffled feathers, particularly with Emily and Heather, while Gina and Tamra face their own scrutiny. Kelly Dodd’s fiery recap only amplifies the chaos, proving that even as an alum, she’s still a master at stirring the RHOC pot.