Gina Kirschenheiter is all for Shannon Beador’s approach to drinking alcohol following Shannon’s DUI last year.
“First of all, I adore Shannon,” Gina, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, July 30, while promoting season 18 of The Real Housewives of Orange County. “And I never thought that was going to be the case”
The RHOC star noted that Shannon, 60, is a “completely different person” since fans saw her in season 17, much of which is a result of the aftermath of her DUI.
Shannon made headlines in September 2023 when she was arrested for a hit-and-run and a DUI in Newport Beach, California. She was later sentenced to probation, had to pay a fine and complete community service as well as a nine-month alcohol program.
Gina Kirschenheiter , Shannon Beador Paul Archuleta/Getty Images ; Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
When the cameras picked up for season 18 of RHOC, Shannon revealed that she is still drinking — but in moderation.
“It’s not my decision. It is her decision. This is her life,” Gina told Us of Shannon’s drinking choices. “Everybody’s relationship with alcohol is their own.”
She explained that Shannon is trying to navigate her social life with her health. “People don’t just do what happened to her and then boom, change overnight,” Gina pointed out. “She’s at the moment where she’s willing to look at her relationship with alcohol and redefine it and try to manage it. And she has every right to do that.”
Gina continued, “If she wants to give it a space to see if she can be a responsible social drinker, and she’s not getting in a car or anything like that, she has every right to do that, and I’m going to support her.”
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The reality star confessed that she is still “concerned” for Shannon, revealing that this season fans will see her “check” on Shannon’s drinking.
“Overall, it’s like if that’s how she wants to approach this, but she’s doing the work behind it, so be it,” Gina said. “When she gets to the end of that, she might decide, ‘You know what? I tested the waters and I can’t handle it, so I’m going to kick it.’ Or I think that she was using alcohol the wrong way, and now she’s trying to use it the right way, and maybe she can.”
Last month, Shannon exclusively told Us that she is very aware that she isn’t done reshaping her life after the DUI incident.
Gina Kirschenheiter Casey Durkin/Bravo
“I’ve done a lot and I still have more to do,” she said in July, referring to her alcohol journey. “I work with my therapist, and I have a psychiatrist from the program that I went to for 30 days. And I feel as though I’m growing. I’m headed down a healthier path, and I’m trying to create any type of positive thing that I can out of a horrible situation.”
Shannon noted that she chose therapy over rehab because she realized drinking had become a “coping mechanism.” She recalled at the time of her DUI that she was struggling to handle several things, including her youngest child, Stella, going off to college.
Over the past year, Shannon has had time to reflect on what transpired and has channeled her energy into more positive things.
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“I made a horrible choice very late in my life, and I considered myself a better example than that. So I’ve got to make changes, and it has forced me to look at my life,” she admitted. “And as I look at it right now, I have a lot of work to do.”
She added: “It’s probably lifelong, but I feel good about myself and I don’t want to be in a relationship, which is crazy. Because that’s me. If I’m not in a relationship, that’s my purpose, and I have zero desire to — I want to have a relationship with myself.”
Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Shannon Storms Beador Nicole Weingart/Bravo
While Shannon has moved forward, her former BFF Tamra Judge made it clear this season that she isn’t OK with her decision to keep drinking. Gina, however, told Us that’s a very human reaction.
“I actually was supportive of Tamra taking a step back [from their friendship] because I think that Tamra was the closest to Shannon when Shannon was inappropriately using alcohol,” she explained. “So I get it. … Tamara was like, ‘I just want you not to drink, and if you can’t not drink, then I need to remove myself from this.’ And I think that that’s valid.”
Gina, however, argued that Tamra’s constant attacks on Shannon when she’s drinking in season 18 did get old.
“I think the issue was then she wasn’t just removing herself,” she told Us. “She was still putting a lot of input on Shannon’s decisions, and if you’re out, you got to be out. That’s the problem.”
Fans will continue to see Shannon’s ups and downs with alcohol — and her friendship with Tamra — as the season continues.
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Bravo Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. New episodes are available to stream on Peacock the next day.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
