Gina Kirschenheiter reevaluates Heather Dubrow friendship as ‘RHOC’ feud airs, says support is ‘not reciprocated’

Gina Kirschenheiter is reevaluating her friendship with Heather Dubrow as “The Real Housewives of Orange County” Season 18 continues to air. 

In an exclusive interview with Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea,” Kirschenheiter explains that watching her feud with Dubrow, 55, play back has made her realize that not much progress has been made in their dynamic since filming wrapped. 

“Honestly, it is starting to upset me in real time now because I’m like, ‘Wow, I couldn’t have had her back more,’” the Bravolebrity, 40, says of her “paparazzi-gate” drama with Dubrow while promoting her back-to-school partnership with Clorox.

Gina Kirschenheiter tells Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” that her friendship with Heather Dubrow may be in flux. Page Six The reality star says that watching their feud play back on “The Real Housewives of Orange County” Season 18 has made her reevaluate their current relationship. Nicole Weingart/Bravo

In Season 17, the former soap actress was accused of calling the paparazzi on herself and husband Dr. Terry Dubrow at Disneyland in response to internet speculation that the couple was experiencing marital strife in the fall of 2022 due to alleged infidelity. 

While the Dubrows brushed off the cheating explanation, Heather has vehemently denied that she would ever stage a photo op. 

This season, newbie Katie Ginella claimed to have proof that Heather did indeed work with a shutterbug to snap pics during her theme park date with Terry. 

Dubrow, pictured here with Kirschenheiter at BravoCon 2023, has made it clear that she feels her pal didn’t do enough to quell the drama of “paparazzi-gate.” Bravo via Getty Images Conflict abounded after series newbie Katie Ginella (far left) claimed to have proof that Dubrow called the paparazzi on herself in 2022. Sami Drasin/Bravo

Kirschenheiter has insisted that she urged Ginella not to bring up the ordeal on camera, but the latter did so anyhow. 

Once Kirschenheiter caught wind that the “receipt” was worked into production, she alerted Heather — who didn’t express appreciation for the heads-up but instead lambasted Kirschenheiter for seemingly not doing enough to keep it from coming out. 

“I was communicating directly to Katie that I thought this was all not valid, the stuff she was bringing up against Heather,” the real estate agent tells “Virtual Reali-Tea.” 

Kirschenheiter, seen here at Page Six’s New York City studio in July, has said she urged Ginella not to bring up the ordeal on camera. Brian Zak/Page Six Ginella did not listen, so Kirschenheiter gave Dubrow a heads-up that the situation had been rehashed during filming. Eugene Gologursky/Bravo via Getty Images

“And you see Katie already admit that at the very beginning I told her not to do this … Honestly, I’m hurt by both of them.” 

Kirschenheiter notes that she is “the only one” among the “RHOC” ladies who has repeatedly affirmed Heather’s claim that she never procured a moment with the paps. 

“I did not do this to Heather. Katie did this to Heather. In fact, I tried to stop Katie from doing this,” she reiterates.

Kirschenheiter tells “Virtual Reali-Tea” that she feels “hurt” by both Dubrow and Ginella. Page Six The real estate agent points out that she is the only “RHOC” cast member who has consistently supported Dubrow’s assertion that she did not work with a shutterbug. Clifton Prescod/Bravo

“Honestly, since last year, I’m the only one who believes her — who consistently believes her and yet I’m still the one who did something wrong.”

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Currently, Kirschenheiter says her communication with Heather is “great” — but feels like it may be one-sided. 

Kirschenheiter says her current communication with Dubrow is “great” — but feels it might be one-sided. Instagram/ginakirschenheiter The women, seen here with several of their fellow “RHOC” stars in 2022, have been close for years. Scott Gries/Bravo via Getty Images

“Part of what I think I’m realizing myself is that any time I sense that she is going to be upset about something — whether it’s something I’ve done or somebody else — I’m concerned about her feelings, I’m picking up the phone and calling her,” she says, explaining that such a level of concern is “not reciprocated.”

Kirschenheiter points out that she is seldom the recipient of a call or text from Heather when she is hit with “things … that are upsetting” to her. 

“Watching between last week and this week’s episode and seeing how it’s all played out, I am upset about it.” 

Kirschenheiter joined “RHOC” in 2018. Sami Drasin/Bravo Dubrow is an established vet on the Bravo hit. Instagram/@heatherdubrow

Kirschenheiter isn’t sure if she wants to clear things up now — or wait until the “Orange County” reunion tapes. 

“It’s a tricky mess, man. Get the Clorox wipes out, I guess!” she jokes, acknowledging her penchant for the brand’s disinfecting wipes and the product’s ability to eradicate mess. 

“It’s tough. It’s interesting too because we have [the] reunion coming up. We still have to have all these conversations, so it’s like, ‘Do I have these conversations now? Do we have them there?’” 

Kirschenheiter spoke with “Virtual Reali-Tea” while promoting her back-to-school partnership with Clorox. NBCUniversal The blond beauty jokes that she needs the brand’s disinfecting wipes to clean up her messy friendship with Dubrow. Page Six

Kirschenheiter tells “Virtual Reali-Tea” that she is hoping for a resolution because she “genuinely cares” about Heather. 

“I like to have these constructive conversations, so hopefully we can have that,” she says. “But Heather’s very sensitive, so I feel like I operate around that sensitivity a lot. At a certain point, it just gets to be too much.”

“The Real Housewives of Orange County” airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.