Tamra Judge is “shaking” following her friend and Real Housewives of Orange County costar Shannon Beador’s recent hit-and-run accident and DUI arrest.
“Every cast member is sending me text messages. I don’t even know if it’s true,” Judge, 56, said on the Monday, September 18, episode of her and Teddi Mellencamp’s “Two Ts In A Pod” podcast, the same day news of Beador’s arrest broke.
Judge noted that she spoke to Beador, 59, on Sunday, September 17, for a Tres Amigas conference call with Vicki Gunvalson on Sunday, September 17, one day before the accident. Judge noted Beador “didn’t say a word,” explaining: “She was extremely quiet. I talked to her after it, there was no word of it, and all I’m seeing is what’s in the press. I’m shook.”
The Newport Beach PD confirmed to Us Weekly on Monday that Beador was arrested on Saturday, September 16, after clipping her car into a residential home while intoxicated. After reportedly parking her vehicle in the middle of the street, she got out and began walking her dog in an attempt to appear like she was walking him the whole time.
The police department told Us that Beador’s car was seized as a part of the investigation and that she was cited and released.
According to Judge, the only info Beador has told her is that she was going through “a rough couple [of] days.” She also was unsure of the reason why Beador had her dog, Archie, with her at the time.
“This is life-changing,” Judge stated. “This is gonna change her life.” She also showed her support for Beador via X on Monday, sharing a photo of the two of them and Gunvalson, 61, hugging.
Judge and Mellencamp expressed their relief that no one was harmed in the accident. “Do not drink and drive. Do not,” Judge told listeners. “I don’t care if it’s a few drinks. This could have gone really bad.”
Beador had been going through a “roller-coaster” of emotions in recent months, according to Judge, from her kids going to college to her split from ex-boyfriend John Janssen earlier this year.
Days before her arrest, however, Beador denied costar Gina Kirschenheiter’s accusations that she had a drinking problem. “Let’s look at other people on the show this season who’ve been drinking a lot,” she exclusively told Us in a joint interview with Gunvalson, adding that Kirschenheiter’s claims were “inaccurate.”
On Monday, Beador’s attorney, Michael Fell, told Us in a statement that his client was “extremely apologetic and remorseful” for the accident. He continued: “We will be awaiting the official information on this case as it becomes available, and Shannon is prepared to accept full responsibility for her actions.”
Jeff Lewis, for his part, claimed on Monday’s episode of Sirius XM’s “Jeff Lewis Live” that his close friend was “entering counseling this week.” He added: “I don’t think Shannon is an alcoholic. I think as her close friend, I think she’s going through a lot of personal struggles right now, and I think that she probably has been leaning on alcohol, but I don’t believe she’s an alcoholic.”
