It’s been 20 years since The Real Housewives of Orange County premiered on Bravo, introducing viewers to Jeana Keough, Vicki Gunvalson, Lauri Waring Peterson, Jo De La Rosa and Kimberly Bryant — a group of women who weren’t afraid to showcase their lives in front of a curious camera crew.
For some of the wives, that meant opening up their children to the trials and tribulations of reality TV life — creating a somewhat uncommon childhood for some.
“In those early seasons, we did care about each other as more than just cast mates. We were friends, and our parents knew each other,” Lauri’s daughter Ashley Zarlin exclusively shared with Us earlier this month. “That was when I think it was the good times.”
Jeana’s daughter, Kara Keough, remembered the perks of being part of a new show that was never expected to last 20 seasons. For starters, drama was never the top priority in the early days.
“I do think that was one of the blessings of the early seasons,” she explained. “I think we were kind of able to keep some stuff in our lives a little bit more private. Social media wasn’t as big either.”
As The Real Housewives of Orange County celebrates its milestone 20th season — airing on Bravo Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET — Us decided to chat with Ashley, Kara and her brother Shane Keough and take a trip down memory lane.
What came next were special memories, personal reflections and some tea that was never meant to be kept behind the gates.
Us: What was your reaction when your moms first told you, “Kids, I’m doing a reality show. We’re filming, and you’re going to be part of it.”
Shane Keough: You said more than she did.
Kara Keough: It didn’t go like that because initially we filmed what we thought was a sizzle reel, and we thought we were just helping out a friend who had a creative idea. Then he took that sizzle reel that I honestly thought it would not go anywhere. … I thought it was nothing, but it blew up, and it was a thing, and we were on TV. We didn’t think it was anything, and then it was everything.
Ashley Zarlin: I was actually working for Vicki at that time when we got the call that it was going to happen. They want to start filming because that’s when The OC and Laguna Beach had really ramped up.
Us: What was it like growing up in high school and college and your peers knowing you were on TV?
Kara: I like to stay delulu, so I just assumed everybody liked it and watched it. And if people didn’t, I’d be like, “OK that’s cool.” I just assumed everybody wanted to know.
Ashley: There was nothing to compare it to either. We just lived out where we lived. No one had any idea what it was going to be. People, I don’t think, were used to having cameras in their restaurants or their gyms.
Shane: It was so different for me because I was leaving California to go play baseball every summer. I wasn’t getting it from school and friends, but it was strangers at a minor league game in Modesto, California. You’re not expecting to be a celebrity of a small town. I said something nasty about my mom one time, and they wouldn’t want me to come back again. They took what the show said very seriously, and I learned that lesson hard.
Us: Your moms had some memorable scenes on the show. Kara and Shane, we have to ask about Tamra Judge tossing wine at your mom.
Kara: I remember it vividly because I was taking care of my now-husband [Kyle Bosworth]. He just had knee surgery, and that’s the only reason I wasn’t at the party. He had gotten hurt playing in the NFL and was getting surgery. … My mom calls me crying and was like, “Tamra, threw wine in my eye. It really hurts. I’m really embarrassed. I just was trying to be fair to Simon [Barney].” She called me crying and it was a gift from God that I was not there because I would have been arrested for assault. Because, like, don’t mess with my mama. Tamra and I have since discussed and grown, but I was really mad at her for a long time. I was madder at her than my mom was at her.
Shane: Our mom also knows that she probably was sticking her nose into things and trying to help, and she learned that lesson too.
Us: Ashley, fans won’t forget your mom’s love story and wedding to George Peterson.
Ashley: I feel like it was such a special moment, especially that we were able to share that with Bravo because I think it was one of the first Bravo weddings. My mom has gone through so much. I think that everyone was really rooting for her. They’re still the happiest couple that I know. I was very privileged to be her maid of honor, and I just love that it really showcased our special relationship. I feel like Bravo also did a good job of showing my mom and I butting heads a lot when it just really wasn’t like that all the time. She’s my best friend. She was the matron of honor in my wedding. That just shows you that you don’t know everything that’s going on outside of cameras. People talk about my speech that I made, and I’m really glad that that’s one of the cherished moments that I have from the whole entire experience.
Us: Even though you may not be on the show anymore, you still may find yourself making headlines. Kara, you bravely shared the loss of your baby McCoy in 2020. Why did you share that even though you weren’t on TV anymore?
Kara: For me, writing was an outlet for a lot of my pain throughout my grief journey with McCoy’s passing, and then three weeks later, our father [Matt Keough] passing, I was in it. I was in a rough, rough place, and sharing with people felt like an exhale for me. Sharing with people that felt invested in my life ended up being one of the greatest gifts of my deep grief. I had people who could truly say, “I understand.”’
Us: Ashley, you lost your brother Josh too soon in April 2024. I know we have footage of him from early seasons. Is there anything you want to share about that part of your life?
Ashley: That’s all hard and still fresh, actually. Shane and Kara also have known my brother since he was younger too, so it was always a constant battle that he was going through. Unfortunately, addiction is a huge mental health stigma, especially in the United States, that people don’t get help for. I do feel like the majority of people tried to comfort my family and were really good to us. My mom was his lifeline. She did everything she could to help him and save his life, but ultimately, like I said, it was a mental health problem, and I wouldn’t wish that upon anybody. My memories keep flashing back to even before the show, like, before addiction took over, when we were a happy family. I always talk about, “I wish we could go back to the ‘90s when everything was just different times.”
Kara: Josh was one of the funniest kids I’ve ever met. His sense of humor and his comedic timing — he could make a teacher laugh who didn’t want to laugh because he was doing something he shouldn’t be doing in class. But he would make that teacher laugh, even though they didn’t want to laugh.
Ashley: He was brilliant, and unfortunately [addiction] took his life. But I do have good memories, and I keep all of our kids’ photos together. My mom and I go through them, so that’s been nice — to visit that memory. But other than that, it’s been hard, and I still struggle with it. It’s a daily thing that we go through. I do hope that someday there’s more help for addiction and mental health.
Us: Is it safe to say there is a sisterhood with The Real Housewives of OC kids?
Kara: I know the way I feel about the other kids. I feel protective of all of us. We went through this unique teenage childhood experience, and so I feel very protective and very proud of our little crew. We did a hard thing that could have gone a couple of ways, and we came out of it.
Us: Have you guys ever been approached to do more reality TV, and is it something you would be interested in
Kara: For me, it would all depend on a format. Like, what is it?
Ashley: I’ve been approached a few times. I do real estate now, but we’ll see. It’s not off the table, but like you guys said, it would just have to be the right fit and make sense for where I’m at in my life now.
Us: If your moms came to you and said, “I think I want to rejoin the cast, be a full time member again.” What would be your reaction?
Kara: At this point in my life with my mom? I would give her anything that she wants. If that would make her happy, I would agree to it because I’ll do anything for her. [Jeana is currently battling throat cancer and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help with expenses.]
Ashley: I know that’s not even on the cards for my mom. They asked her a few times to come back, especially for this last season, and she was just like, “No.” But she was also super focused on my wedding, so she just wasn’t really interested. It’s just not what it used to be. I think it would ultimately have to change a lot for her to be interested.
Us: Do you guys watch the show today?
Shane: I don’t.
Kara: I might, now that Vicki’s back. I might.
Ashley: I haven’t watched it since season five, I think, but not for any reason. I just don’t really watch reality TV. I run into all the women because I live in Newport Beach still. I run into Shannon [Beador], Vicki, Tamra, I see them all.
Us: What does your reality look like today?
Ashley: I’m living in Orange County still. I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon, but I just got married. My husband’s name is Adam [Huebner]. No kids yet, but that is hopefully in the future soon. I’m working part-time as a real estate agent, kind of part-time full-time influencer. I kind of have the best job in the world. I’m close to my family, so we’re always traveling together. You guys know my parents adopted [Josh’s daughter] KK, so she’s, like, 18 now, which is crazy. She’s a little light in our family,
Kara: Shane and I live in Florida. We are kind of obsessed with it here. My husband is in real estate and followed Jeana’s footsteps after the NFL, and I help him with those businesses when I’m not helping get the kids where they need to be and I’m trying to finish writing a book about our experience in the wake of McCoy’s birth and death.
Shane: If you would have told my 18-year-old self that I’d be living in Jacksonville, Florida, with two kids at almost 40, I would have told you you were crazy.
