Vicki Gunvalson describes signing onto The Real Housewives "a deal with devil" — and not a very profitable one at that ... at least initially.
The reality star — one of the original cast members on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Orange County — recalls the early days of being on the show, which premiered in 2006, as part of Vice TV's docuseries Dark Side of Reality TV that aired on Tuesday, October 28.
"I definitely feel like it's a deal with the devil," said Vicki, 62.
She recalls being paid "nothing, zero" for her first season, as no one — the network nor audiences — knew what The Real Housewives was or would become.
"Season 2 I believe I got paid $5,000 for the whole season," Vicki added. "Not much money, I didn't even have an attorney look over my contract. I had no idea what I was doing."
But as the franchise grew, spawning other editions in New York City, Atlanta, Beverly Hills and New Jersey, just to name a few, so did Vicki's paycheck.
By the time she reached RHOC's season 13 in 2018, her salary was over $1 million.
"My final full-time season, [the pay] was significant. Seven figures. I never really thought I would make the number I was making," Vicki admitted.
But the fame and fortune came at a price. Viewers saw her marriage to husband Donn Gunvalson crumble on screen. She filed for divorce in 2010 and it was finalized in 2014.
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VICE TV
"People ask me if I regret doing the show and when I look at my relationships I'd say yes," she explained. "With Donn, 100% the show had an impact on our relationship. Being on TV 100% had a role in our divorce because it puts a lot of pressure on a marriage. I think we would've survived if I wasn't on the show. So that I regret."
Another dark moment was when Vicki learned that her mother Joanne Steinmetz, had died during season 10. Cameras rolled as she found out the news from her daughter Briana Culberson on the phone and crumpled to the floor in a pile of grief.
"I was really upset that production knew for an hour, and they didn't tell me. They were out of line, and I think they should have taken me aside and said, 'Your mom has passed. Talk to your daughter off-camera,'" she told Vice TV. "If I was a producer, that's what I would've done."
"Let me scream and cry on my own and be mad," she added. "It was very, very traumatic. I will never forgive Bravo for that."
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Despite her qualms, Vicki continues to appear on RHOC, serving as a "friend" in season 14 and a guest in season 17 and the currently airing season 18.
At last year's BravoCon in Las Vegas, a celebration of all things Bravo, she was honored with The Wifetime Achievement Award by Andy Cohen.
The Real Housewives episode of The Dark Side of Reality TV airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on Vice. Real Housewives alums Cynthia Bailey and Aviva Drescher also participated in the series.
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Thursdays on Bravo and the next day on Peacock.
