'Real Housewives of Orange County' Star Tamra Judge Denies Faking Baptism for Reality TV; Regrets Calling Former Co-Star 'Jesus Jugs'
Two weeks after being accused of faking her Christian conversion to secure her spot on the hit reality TV show "Real Housewives of Orange County," star Tamra Judge has hit back at her critics insisting that her conversion is genuine and that it has completely changed her life.
"What's so funny is there's so many fake stories that go out there in the press," Judge, who accepted Christ as her savior roughly one month ago, told The Christian Post in a recent phone interview. "I think in the past six months I've felt like a new person, but it's just one of those things where I wanted to make it right with the Lord and I knew the journey I was on. I'm not saying like, I'm perfect and I'm not saying I'm at church every single Sunday. I try to go every Sunday, I'm joining a Bible study … as you know, your mindset changes [after being baptized]."
Judge's emotional baptism will air on the hit Bravo TV show that's in its 10th season in coming months as part of the season finale. Her life-changing decision to be born again came during what she said was a very difficult time in her life, after a woman at her Cut Fitness gym invited her to go to church.
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"I was never baptized as a kid, and I was never brought up in church and I haven't raised my kids in the church, it was something that was very foreign to me," she shared. "When I was going through everything I was going through, I was at work one day and this woman came up to me at my studio — she goes 'would you like to go to church with me?' and I said 'yes.'"
She continued: "So I took my kids to church and [my husband] Eddie went with me and my life just kind of changed, it was very powerful. And I think that with religion and accepting the Lord into your life and your heart, it's a personal journey."
The "RHOC" follows the drama-filled lives of six Orange County women, whose pampered lifestyles and endless bickering captivates viewers [2.7 million during its peak last season] every year.
During season nine, the 44-year-old mother of four, who's just days away from celebrating her second wedding anniversary to her husband, Eddie, was cast by viewers as the show's villain due to her frequent clashes with fellow castmates. In one dramatic scene, an enraged Judge threatened to cut all ties with every one of her co-stars, who accused her of gossiping and backstabbing during an intense confrontation in Bali. The Bravo TV star says she's confident that all is set to change this season.
"I think that you will see me think twice about a lot of things that I do and kind of saying 'what would God do?'" said Judge. "Majority of what you see on the show is all of us reconnecting. ... I have a new granddaughter. I would say that's probably on of my main storylines is becoming a grandmother. … [Also] my gym; I'm still in real estate."
During season eight, Judge, made famous the term "Jesus Jugs" after screaming it at her former co-star, Alexis Bellino, a devout Christian and married mom of three, during a heated exchange. The born-again Christian said that she now understands why the term was so offensive and that she has since apologized to Bellino.
"Oh definitely," Judge said in response to whether she regrets hurling the insult. "I think for me, I just didn't know what a Christian was. When you think of someone being a Christian you think they don't do anything wrong. They're not sinners, they don't get boob jobs, whatever … and she was the epitome of Orange County in my mind, and I think I just didn't know. It was pure ignorance."
"RHOC" season 10 premiered June 8 on the Bravo TV network. Judge returns this season along with veteran housewife and fellow Christian, Vicki Gunvalson, as well as Heather Dubrow, Shannon Beador and newcomer Meghan King Edmonds.
