Real Housewives of Orange County: Dinner, drinks, drama!
According to reports, housewife Jenn Pedranti‘s boyfriend Ryan Boyajian is no stranger to the world of gambling.
ESPN.com reported on May 8 that Boyajian was the contact to whom Los Angeles Dodger Shohei Otani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara wired funds to cover losses on bets placed with Boyajian’s associate Matthew Bowyer.
The Washington Post ran a story on May 9 about Boyajian and Bowyer’s trips as high rollers in Las Vegas in the context of the broader Ohtani story.
On “The Real Housewives of Orange County” on Thursday, Ryan seemed to bet on his ability to resist housewife Tamra Judge, who demanded he apologize to her and husband Eddie Judge for things allegedly said.
And Tamra called his bluff — and then declared that he was linked somehow to a federal criminal investigation.
“You’re so perfect, Ryan,” Tamra told him during the argument at a dinner party hosted by housewife Katie Ginella. “How’s the FBI going?”
“FBI, what?” Jenn said, looking confused and turning from Tamra to Ryan and back.
“Who knows?” Ryan replied.
According to ESPN.com, Ryan’s attorney told the sports website that Boyajian had been cooperating with the federal investigation, adding that Boyajian was “not a bookie or sub-bookie.”
Other sources told ESPN.com that Boyajian had received immunity for his cooperation. In August, Bowyer pleaded guilty to three charges including the operation of an illegal gambling organization and money laundering.
“Oh, you don’t know anything about the FBI?” Tamra continued.
“Stop. Stop. It’s not worth it,” Eddie told his spouse. Earlier, he’d asked host Matt Ginella not to make her any more drinks; things were not working as he’d hoped.
“FBI?” Jenn asked again.
In her own confessional, Tamra stated she had known about an FBI investigation involving Ryan for six months.
After Tamra stormed out of Katie’s house in search of a driver to take her home, Ryan let viewers know how he really felt about her.
“Her marriage is a sham,” he said despite all evidence seen on the show indicates Tamra and Eddie get along well. “When other people are doing well and real love is being shown, she can’t handle it.”
Tamra, who always wants the last word, got it.
“I don’t think anyone in this group is prepared to see who the real Ryan is,” she said in her confessional.
Elsewhere in this week’s episode:
— Katie clearly knew it was risky to invite Tamra and Eddie and Jenn and Ryan to the same dinner party. It’s impossible not to imagine the producers gave her a nudge to bring them together for drinks – Malibu rum and Diet Coke for Ryan and Jenn, martinis for Tamra, and sparkling water for Eddie.
“What’s going to happen? Are they going to punch each other?” Katie asked the camera after Ryan asked Eddie for a hug and Eddie refused. “Please don’t break any of our wine glasses they’re like $80 each,” she added.
— Shannon was barely seen except for a depressed-looking snuggle with Archie the dog. She did pull off a perfectly Shannon-esque screwup, butt-dialing Tamra as she talked tearfully to someone else about how distraught she was over the lawsuit filing.
— Gina Kirschenheiter was also a minor player this week, though we did see how perfectly comfortable she is now with her ex-husband and his fiance, who said she was thinking of taking Kirschenheiter as her married name.
“Take the name! All 14 letters,” she told her. “Goes with everything, so you’ll be fine.”