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‘Real Housewives of Orange County’ Star Tamra Judge Slams Gay Rumors Surrounding Husband Eddie:‘It’s Just So Stupid’

She’s fighting back. Real Housewives of Orange County star Tamra Judge spoke out against gay rumors surrounding her husband, Eddie Judge, in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly on Monday, September 18.

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The 50-year-old reality star became upset after a controversial episode of RHOC that aired September 11 and featured former housewife Gretchen Rossi and pal Ricky Santana (a former friend of Tamra’s) at Vicki Gunvalson’s birthday party. During the outing, Santana claimed he saw Eddie kissing a man years back, fueling rumors that Eddie is gay.

“We’ve been dealing with this since last year,” Tamra, who married her 44-year-old husband in June 2013, explained to Us. “[EDDIE] is like, ‘You know what? If they would have said I beat you, I’d probably sue her. But if she’s going to go and tell people that I’m gay and that’s the worst she’s got on me, I don’t really care.’”

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“As a wife, I want to protect. Like,‘Why are you saying all that? We’re happy. We know who we are. I know who he is.’He’s, like, the most secure person in the world. That’s the thing: If Eddie was gay, he’d be like, ‘I’m gay.’ That’s just it. It’s not the 1920s … it’s not illegal. You’re not going to be stoned and beaten and you can get married. It’s just so stupid.”

Eddie and Tamra Judge
Eddie and Tamra Judge arrive at the 2013 NBC Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, California. Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

The Bravo personality added that identifying as gay shouldn’t be perceived in a negative way. “It’s almost like an insult, the fact that they’re using it to humiliate him. In this day and age, you don’t do that. It’s a form of homophobia. ‘I’m going to say you’re gay to humiliate you.’ If Vicki came to me and said, ‘As your friend, I just want to let you know that I’m really concerned and I heard this rumor.’ Then I’d be like, ‘Oh, whatever. People talk all the time.’”

As for her friendship with Gunvalson, Tamra made it clear that she’s not looking to extend an olive branch to her former friend anytime soon. “If she was the type of person to say, ‘Listen, I screwed up. This is what happened. I was having a hard time. I was insecure,’ whatever. I get it, people make mistakes. She is carrying this out too far. That scene was so staged. She had no business inviting Ricky to her party, or even Gretchen. They’re not friends. To do it, she had an agenda. She had them do her dirty work, and to me, that’s just nasty. Why do that?”

Tamra, who publically defended her husband online via a series of social media posts following the episode’s airing, told Us why she felt the need to address the rumors. “I think for me, I was just upset in the way that it went down and the people that she had there and how it was so fake, like, ‘Oh, so let me get this straight.’ It was so staged and that is what pissed me off. You’re on a reality show, keep it real.”

Meanwhile, Tamra told Us the couple does have an advocate in their corner: Watch What Happens Live Host Andy Cohen.

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“Andy Cohen said it great the other night. Like, ‘If I have to hear one more Housewife accuse a husband of being gay, I’m going to barf in my mouth.’ Can you find anything else? It’s, like, you can’t find anything else so you’re going to go for that one. We’re on TV; they’re good looking; they dress well, so they’re gay.’”

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Bravo Mondays at 9 p.m. ET

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