Shannon and David Beador have experienced their share of ups and downs since joining the cast of Real Housewives of Orange County in 2014, but few moments have been as explosive as Monday night’s episode, which featured a surprise appearance by David’s hostile mother, Donna.
During Season 10 of Orange County, Shannon revealed that David had an affair. Since then, they’ve been working to rebuild their relationship and—strangely for a reality tv couple—their efforts seem to be paying off. This is good news for everyone except for Donna who, for reasons that aren’t entirely clear, hates Shannon more than as much or more than she loves having Jonathan Tayor Thomas’ Home Improvement era haircut.
Donna made her RHOC debut during a concert performed by LOC (which confusingly stands for “Ladies of Rock”), a band made up of the Beador’s three adorable daughters. David and Shannon didn’t know she was coming and it doesn’t seem like Bravo knew either (something I suspect because she was never mic’d), but Donna certainly knew that cameras would be rolling and used the opportunity to bash Shannon to every cast member in sight, even telling Tamra that Shannon “pushed” David into having an affair.
Tamra—whose newfound Christianity has effectively stifled her temper, but not her uncontrollable out-spewing of gossip—tells my sweet Shannon what David’s mom said, causing her to lose her goddamn mind and shout at everything in sight, especially David.
David, who barely has a relationship with his mother (he doesn’t even hug her goodbye when excusing himself for dinner), sits quietly and takes it, every now and then assuring the surrounding blood-thirsty chupacabras (Kelly Dodd and Tamra) that Shannon never pushed him to do anything and that, if anything, it’s his wife who’s tried to heal his wounded relationship with his mom. Good boy.
We’ve yet to discover the true source of the family feud (according to Shannon, Donna thinks she took David away from her), but it sounds like her mother-in-law—allegedly spurred by alcohol consumption—has been verbally abusing Shannon for years. Not to mention, defaming her to anyone who would listen:
Chin up, Shan. When life gives you a lemon-faced mother in law, Bravo will —at the very least—make her look completely vile on national television.