Katie Ginellaâs husband, Matt Ginella, detailed a â911â text and phone call he got from Slade Smiley during a podcast appearance last week.
As he looked back on the fallout involving Katieâs claims about what Gretchen Rossi, 46, had or hadnât told her about the moments that followed her ânaked wastedâ ordeal with Tamra Judge, 57, Matt recalled the moment he was contacted by Slade, 51, amid the Real Housewives of Orange County castâs girlsâ trip to New Orleans.
âI get a 911 text from Slade. It gives me chills saying this right now. I was like, âWhat has happened to my wife?ââ Matt shared on the August 29 episode of Donât Let It Stu.
Although he was initially worried that something had happened to his spouse, Matt learned after calling his co-star that Sladeâs concern was in regard to a dinner date he and Katie, 41, had with Slade, Gretchen, Jennifer Pedranti, 48, and Ryan Boyajian, 49, months prior.
âThese are his exact words: âKatie might have just sealed her own fate âŠÂ She told Kiki Monique what we told you guys the night of Maestroâs, and now itâs getting back out to the group. This is really bad. You need to call Katie, and you essentially need to have her hold the line and say it wasnât said,ââ Matt shared.
According to Matt, Slade informed him that he was on the other line with executive producer Alex Baskin, claiming he was âpissedâ about the suggestion that Gretchen had allegedly said she was roofied and hospitalized.
â[Slade] was in like, full backpedal, and Iâm like, again, this guy started [RHOC]. I donât know what his connections ⊠I donât know what his relationships are with top production or whatever. I donât know if heâs on with Alex Baskin. I just know that I know Alex Baskin is important. Heâs powerful, and apparently, heâs pissed,â Matt continued.
But after calling Katie and asking her if sheâd spoken to Kiki, Katie denied it.
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Matt also recounted what had gone down at Maestroâs during their group dinner, alleging that Slade was there only to make sure that he and Katie would join him in being âanti-Tamra.â
âThis story was told to us. We didnât ask for it. Weâre sitting there going, âWow, thatâs crazy. Thatâs some crazy sh*t,ââ he revealed.
As for why Jenn has denied Katieâs claims about what Gretchen said that night about the ânaked wastedâ incident, Matt accused her and Ryan of âcovering and pretendingâ on Gretchen and Sladeâs behalf because they âhate Tamra so much.â
Matt then described how the story evolved as it was passed on.
âA credible journalist gets told this story by Katie, apparently. Kiki said multiple times that itâs off the record, and I love hearing that now, sheâs saying that she had an off-the-record conversation with Dave Quinn, who I guess took it to Tamra,â he stated. âThe panic button was hit, and Slade was like, âOh sh*t, that whole little embellishment I was doing for whatever reasonâŠââ
Moving on to the other women, Matt pointed out that Jenn and Katie âwere real friends.â
âThis was a true friendship. Katie rode for Jenn, supported Jenn, believed Jenn, backed Jenn to the other women. She did everything that I think she thought Jenn would do for her, and Jenn didnât,â he said.
As for Emily Simpson, 49, Matt poked fun at her legal career.
âFor this mall cop of a lawyer to hire a lie detector when she knows itâs not admissible in court, the whole scene turns on a dime. Itâs all a light, happy, âOh, thatâs not true.â âOkay, thatâs fine.â But here comes Katie. Goes last. Misses all of them. âNo one believes you.â âYouâre a horrible person,ââ he recalled.Â
âThis has been a nonstop, relentless projection and assault and bullying of grown women to a grown woman. [Shannon Beador]âs storyline? Katie. Jennâs storyline? Katie. Gretchenâs storyline? Katie. [Gina Kirschenheiter] and Emilyâs storyline? Katie,â he concluded.
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The Real Housewives of Orange County season 19 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
