Lisa Barlow is one of the standout stars of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and at Bravo Fan Fest Miami, she explained why her co-stars keep coming for her.
“It’s exhausting and I really thought coming into the season after season [four] and everything that happened in Bermuda, I thought that we were going to be a little bit more bonded,” Barlow told Deadline referring to the cast trip from last season. “Then, it just started off with a bang, as it always does. I feel like friendships constantly organically shift on Salt Lake, but them coming for me drives me insane because they’re literally just scouring the internet [and] going to season one comments about me. I feel like I’m a great friend to them, and if someone can point out when they’ve been great friends to me, I’d appreciate it.”
DEADLINE: On this new season, you brought in a new housewife into the group, Bronwyn Newport, who you were friends with prior to the show. Now that cameras are in front of you, why are you clashing?
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BARLOW: It has nothing to do with the show. I think it’s a choice for Bronwyn to have a consummate issue with me. And if you see, I’m never having an issue with her, I defend her vehemently. I feel like I’ve been a great friend to her. There’s situations you guys don’t even get to see. I know I show up for her. I’ve been a great friend to her. It was perplexing to me that she had so many issues with me. It felt like she watched the show and was like, “Oh, if I come for Lisa, I’ll get more air time.” That’s how it felt.
DEADLINE: Before the cast trip, you had Justin Rose dumping your tequila brand (Vida Tequila) down the drain. During the cast trip, you then had Todd, Bronwyn’s husband, saying negative things about Vida in a hot mic moment. What do you make about them coming for your business like that?
BARLOW: I feel like there’s jealousy there and the fact that we own everything. We don’t work for anybody else. John and I created this together. Our brand, Vida, started before we were even married. I think for some of the people, instead of being like, “They own an amazing, award-winning, highly-regarded tequila in our space,” they would rather tear it down and I think it reflects on who they are.
DEADLINE: This season, your friendship with Heather Gay is better, but now, your friendship with Whitney Rose has deteriorated after she shaded you on a podcast. Why do you think that is?
BARLOW: Whitney said a lot of disgusting, nasty things about me on that podcast. I was never upset about the villain comment. I did message her directly in real time when that podcast came out, and I said, “Don’t use me for storyline. I’m not your storyline.” I think she was really upset that she was caught in a lie last year from Meredith’s jewelry event where she said I didn’t hug her, I didn’t check in on her when her friend passed away. I felt like it was a very one-sided friendship. I was shocked, especially because we left [the Season 4 reunion] in a great place.
DEADLINE: Lastly, what do you think about the husbands getting in the mix of the drama?
BARLOW: John doesn’t really like to be in the mix. He looks at [RHOSLC] as my friend group [and] my relationships. [The audience] didn’t see it all [of his altercation with Justin Rose]. Justin stepped to me, John put his hand up and [that’s when] Justin said, “Get your fucking hand off me.” That’s when the real drama happened. I feel like he and Whitney came with a plan to accuse me of doing something I would never do.