In the long and iconic history of The Real Housewives of Orange County, which was the very first Real Housewives show, the may have been a turning point that began Vicki Gunvalson's downfall. While the show has stood the test of time, recent seasons haven't been quite as well-received as previous ones. However, the show continues to hold the attention of franchise fans everywhere. One particular moment in the show had an especially big impact.
Audiences were introduced to Vicki Gunvalson's boyfriend Brooks Ayers in The Real Housewives of Orange County season 7. Vicki seemed to be in love, and at the start, even her best friend and fellow housewife Tamra Judge approved of him and enjoyed his company. Fans were very glad that Vicki was happy after her marriage with Donn Gunvalson broke down, but it wasn't long before cracks in her new romance started to show.
Season 10 signaled the end of everything for the couple. When Tamra's psychic told Tamra, Heather Dubrow, and Meghan O'Toole King that he didn't believe Brooks was sick with cancer, the rumors began, and Brooks' credibility began to be questioned among the rest of the housewives. Meghan was dealing with her husband's ex-wife's cancer diagnosis during the same season, so she was perhaps the most cynical about Brooks. Meghan constantly tried to get to the bottom of things, and began to see many holes in Brooks' story, such as his treatment methods. When asked about this, Vicki was defensive, assuring the women that they had no reason to be suspicious. Many fans believe this was a pivotal moment where Vicki began to lose her shine as a housewife on RHOC.
After an entire season of Vicki tirelessly standing up for Brooks, and telling the women to stop assuming the worst about him, Brooks eventually revealed that he had forged medical records relating to his diagnosis. This confirmed many viewers' and RHOC cast members' suspicions. It also tarnished how the rest of the cast saw Vicki, and created a visible divide between them. Among other moments, in season 11, at Shannon Storms Beador's Seventies-themed party, Shannon's then-husband David Beador confronted Vicki for being complicit in Brooks' cancer scam.
Vicki's final seasons on The Real Housewives of Orange County were definitely tainted with moments that reflected poorly on her as a cast member. When season 13 concluded, Vicki was demoted to a "friend of" role, before leaving the show completely from season 15 onwards. Many feel that the iconic 'Cancer-Gate' situation, and all of its after-effects, were one of the early signs that Vicki had gotten too big for her britches. In her very last reunion in season 14, she made a dramatic exit, calling RHOC "my show," and storming off the set.