Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 3 Reunion Recap Part 2: Heather’s Shame Spirals And Housewives’ Regrets

At the top of the show, host Andy Cohen welcomed us back to Part 2 of the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City reunion. All of the cast, including the “Friends” are still seated on the couches, just as we left them. Have they been sitting there since last week just waiting for us?

Heather’s “Shame Spiral” Over Her Blackout Continues

Andy jumped right into the deep end by addressing Angie Katsanevas and her suggestion that Heather Gay got her black eye by doing “Barbie scissor kicks” with Jen Shah. (Seriously? I thought we’d already put this subject to rest). Andy wanted to know where in the world she ever got that idea. Of course the women all started talking at once. Heather asked Angie, “You’ve been friends with [Jen] for 20 years, and you thought we’d had a sex act?”

Heather went on, “To add insult to injury, now I had a ‘sexcapade’ with Jen, which I’m covering up with my blackout. So this is just getting better . . . It wasn’t a sex injury, and if it was I don’t remember it. But I’ve never been attracted to Jen like that.”

Andy questioned why if Heather woke up with a black eye and scratches, she wouldn’t want to know who did it.

Heather responded tearfully, “I kind of felt that because I’d been drinking, whatever happened to me, I deserved it. I just felt embarrassed and ashamed.” That’s really sad. It’s that “Mormon guilt” at work again.

Andy told her, “That’s terrible.” Then he added, “Well, Heather, I’m glad you’re safe, depite all of the confusion. And I hope you give yourself a break, because it’s certainly not worth the ‘shame spiral’ you’re putting yourself through.” Amen, Andy. Nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes.

Andy excused the “Friends Of” (Angie K., Angie Harrington and Danna (Banana) Bui Negrete) to return to their dressing rooms. As the show went to commercial, the women on Heather’s couch came to give her a hug, as she was still in tears. Her frenemies on the other couch (Whitney Rose, Lisa Barlow, Angie K. and Danna) took the opportunity to take a selfie together, totally ignoring their friend’s pain.

RELATED: Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City Is Reportedly Casting Three New Housewives For Season 4

Andy Treats the Subject of Whitney’s Childhood Abuse With A Lot More Sensitivity Than Heather Did

After the break, Andy broached the subject of Whitney’s childhood abuse issues that came to light this season. Whitney claimed the repressed memories that started coming back over the past couple of years were causing her some health problems. So, she did some “memory recall work.” She said, “I never imagined that there would be questions about it, or that I’d get hate for it.”

Andy asked who had questioned her, whether is was viewers or family? It was Heather! We all saw her meltdown when Whitney tried to bring it up. I think Heather mentioned something about not wanting to take the attention away from Jen, as Jen was facing jail at the time.

Whitney said it was “cast members” and then viewers. She obviously didn’t want to piss off Heather again, but it was definitely Heather.

Andy then looked directly at Heather, as he asked, “Given where your relationship has gone this season, did you feel like you were able to support [Whitney] in the way that you would’ve had you two been in a better place?” See? Even Andy knew Whit was talking about Heather.

Heather admitted that they never discussed the subject when they weren’t on camera, so no, she didn’t support her cousin.

Whitney came prepared, though. “After the dinner in Arizona, when [Heather] told me that my healing journey was childish, foolish, sloppy, and I made the trip about myself . . . ” Whitney stated.

Insert clip of Heather pointing her finger at Whitney and telling her, “You arranged this trip. You wanted to celebrate Jen, not to work through all of your personal issues . . . you made it all about you.” Nice compassion for your cousin, Heather. Wow.

Whitney continued, “Why would I come back to you and try to have a conversation about that?”

The Beauty Lab owner backtracked at this point saying, “I did not realize that that was what we were talking about, and I am horrified that you think I would ever dismiss your feelings like that.” Well, be horrified, Heather. That’s what the rest of us thought, too.

Andy told Whitney how sorry he was that she had to go through all of that. But did anybody hear an apology from Heather? Crickets.

The Notorious “Friendship Break”

Andy then launched into a conversation about the “cousins, ex-Mormons and good-time girls” who experienced “Bad Weather” this season, as Heather and Whitney “went from bright and sunny, to dark and stormy.”

While soaking in a hot tub with Angie K., Jen and Lisa Barlow, the Wild Rose entrepreneur said, “If Heather can’t validate my feelings and hear me, then I probably have to take a friendship break.” That alleged “friendship break” turned out to be the “deal-breaker” for Heather, who took it as a lack of loyalty on Whitney’s part.

Andy then read a comment from a viewer, who said, “Heather, you say you’re a loyal friend, because you kept forgiving and defending Jen, despite her constant lies and scamming innocent victims. Didn’t Whitney deserve at least the same patience and grace you gave Jen for far worse?” Good one, viewer from Mead, Washington! My thoughts exactly.

Heather responded that she has always held Jen to a lower standard than Whitney. Andy played a montage of Jen talking smack about her friend Heather when they were all (minus Heather) in the hot tub together. Jen actually said, “Heather is my friend 60% of the time. The point I’m at in my life, with everything I’m going through, I don’t need friends like that.” Wow. That one had to sting a little, as Heather always considered Jen her “ride or die.”

How Do the Women Feel After Supporting Jen All This Time?

Andy finally addressed the subject of Jen Shah and her court case, when he said, “After claiming innocence for over a year, Jen plead guilty.” Cue all the clips of Jen repeatedly insisting she was not guilty of the charges brought against her.

Heather expressed the opinion that everything seems “larger than life” when they’re filming.” [Jen] was arrested on camera, this happened while we were filming and it was hard for her to realize that these charges were not just part of the show.” So Jen just “forgot” that she scammed all those elderly people out of their life savings then, Heather?

Andy pointed out that in Season 2, Meredith didn’t seem at all surprised that Jen was arrested and charged with fraud. But then in Season 3, Meredith “did a 180, and blindly stood by her.” She even accompanied Heather to NYC to support Jen in court, when Jen shocked everyone and plead guilty.

Meredith took the high road and said, “Guilty, innocent, in between, she is still a human being. I will always root for the underdog. Always.”

RELATED: Jen Shah To Enter Mental Health Treatment Program After Prison Release

Andy then reminded her that she had said that if Jen plead guilty, Meredith would “have a really hard time with it.”

Meredith used the excuse that Jen hadn’t (at time of filming) been sentenced yet, so she hadn’t been able to come to terms with any of it yet.

Whitney then asked Meredith, “How did you go from Season 2, hiring a private investigator, saying all these things, that she stole from your store . . . to you supporting her? I never understood [how] that happened.”

“The truth of the matter is,” Meredith began, “months before San Diego, months before any of you had this information, I was informed by a very reliable source that Jen had made an attempt on her life. And with what I went through [her nephew’s past drug addiction and suicide attempt], I wasn’t playing with that.”

Another viewer comment read, “Jen was actively committing fraud while showing her life on TV. Do any of you think she truly believed she was innocent?”

Heather admitted, “I thought she believed she was.” Whitney added, “I don’t know why you would sign up to be a housewife if you were running a telemarketing scheme.”

Meredith dropped the bomb that blew everyone’s minds, when she announced, “The sealed indictment was on the day you announced our show at BravoCon. Jen didn’t know about it yet, but it had been a grand jury investigation. And they were trying to get more information on more people.”

Andy next asked if Jen had expressed any remorse for the victims of her scam. They all agreed that no, she hadn’t. Lisa said, “I was quoted in an article, and she wrote me and said, ‘Tell me who my victims are, bitch!'” A screenshot of Jen’s text to Lisa was then shown onscreen that read, “If you know of any victims in my legal case, please let me and my attorneys know!!!!! There have been ZERO victims so literally PLEASE send them to us. Because you know more that we do.” Wow. Deflection or delusion? You decide.

Andy asked Heather if Jen goes to jail, would she go to visit her? Heather said it would depend on where she goes, but she would certainly write to her and check in on Coach and Omar.

The Housewives Share Their Biggest Regrets Of The Season

Finally Andy asked the Housewives what their biggest regret of the season was.

Heather: “My biggest regret is not going to bed immediately when we came home from the club, the Marilyn Monroe night. [I wish I had] just gone to bed and stopped drinking and stopped playing around.”

Whitney: “I wish I would have waited until I was sober to have the conversation surrounding the rumors [about Lisa’s business]. But I was kind of hoping that you [Heather] would say that one of your regrets is not mending our friendship.”

Meredith: “I think my biggest regret is not being more clear and careful with my words.”

Lisa: “For me, I just learned a lot this season, so I don’t wanna call it a regret, but I wish I had more boundaries with Jen, and I’m grateful for so much more.”

The champagne arrived and Andy toasted the ladies, thanking them for delivering a “really enjoyable season.” And as Lisa and Meredith both celebrated birthdays the week of the reunion, Andy wished they would “find a path toward reconciliation” with each other, as a cake was brought out for them to share.

fI you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

TELL US – WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THIS SEASON? DID YOU MISS JEN SHAH AT THE REUNION? WOULD YOU BE HAPPY NEVER TALKING ABOUT HEATHER GAY’S STUPID BLACK EYE EVER AGAIN?

[Photo by: Chris Haston/Bravo via Getty Images]

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