Heavy/NBCUniversal Monica Garcia and Andy Cohen.
Monica Garcia made some bold claims during “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” reunion, and one of them was about how she got on the show.
On the first part of the season 4 reunion on January 9, 2024, Garcia claimed she had no idea Jen Shah was a cast member on the Bravo reality show when she first started working for her. She then shared her version of an alleged email she sent to casting to get herself hired.
Garcia joined the cast of RHOSLC for season 4 alongside Heather Gay, Lisa Barlow, Whitney Rose, Meredith Marks, Angie Katsanevas, and “friend” Mary Cosby.
Here’s what you need to know:
Monica Garcia Claimed She Told Casting the Original RHOSLC Cast ‘Sucked’
When asked about how she got cast on the show, Garcia claimed she answered a casting call with a blunt email. “I emailed the email for casting,” she told host Andy Cohen during the reunion episode. “I said my name is Monica Fowler. And said your show sucks and your ratings are [expletive] and it’s going to get canceled.”
Cohen and the rest of the cast appeared shocked by Garcia’s claim. “Did it suck and the ratings sucked?” a bewildered Cohen asked.
“That’s what I said,” Garcia maintained.
But a chyron popped up to show what Garcia actually did write to Bravo production when she applied for the show. “Reaching out in regards to your casting call,” her actual email read. “You guys need a feisty excommunicated Latina on the show immediately!! I’m your girl! -Monica F.”
“Monica’s actual email to casting,” came a caption at the bottom of the screen. But while the email pop-up was meant to portray Garcia as a liar, some fans defended her.
“Honestly this could have been on of many emails sent … productions knows how to shade someone it could be true or false we will never know,” one fan wrote on Instagram.
“That email means nothing,” another agreed. “That’s ONE email and it’s an obvious follow-up email. Show her other emails before acting like that’s fact.”
There’s no doubt that Garcia did help increase the show’s ratings. The “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” season 4 finale was the most-watched episode of the Bravo reality series since its season 1 debut on Nov. 11, 2020, per Variety. The finale, which focused on Garcia’s shocking past as Reality Von Tease, scored more than 2 million viewers.
Monica Garcia Was Accused of Having an Agenda to Join RHOSLC
BravoTHE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF SALT LAKE CITY — Season:4 — Pictured: (l-r) Monica Garcia, Meredith Marks, Heather Gay, Lisa Barlow, Whitney Rose, Angie Katsanevas —
Garcia never really fit in with the RHOSLC friend group. She came in as the ex-assistant of former series star Jen Shah, who is serving prison time for a telemarketing scheme that defrauded elderly clients. On the RHSLOC season 4 premiere, the first season without Shah, Garcia dropped a bombshell when she revealed she was a government witness in Shah’s federal trial and testified against her.
But in the season 4 finale, titled “Mysteries, Revealed?,” Gay uncovered Garcia’s biggest secret of all. Gay alleged that the RHOSLC newbie was the mastermind of the troll Instagram account Reality Von Tease that had tormented Shah and the rest of the cast for years. Garcia admitted to partial involvement with Reality Von Tease.
During the reunion, Garcia confused the group by stating that her role as Shah’s assistant was more like a “friend” than an employee. She also admitted that she didn’t even get paid for the help. “So you were taking time away from your kids for a job that didn’t pay?” Cohen asked. “Were you being her assistant to get on the show?”
Gay alleged that Garcia “had an agenda” during her time as Shah’s assistant. She then played an audio recording of Garcia saying, “Kim Kardashian was a [expletive] assistant and look at that [expletive] now. I can fully admit that the whole reason why I was an assistant and putting up with that [expletive] was as a stepping stone, as a learning experience.”
Garcia responded by claiming, “I didn’t think I would ever end up on the show, honestly. But why wouldn’t I try to get on the show?”
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