Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley gear up for showdown with former RHOC castmates eight years being AXED from show

Former Real Housewives Of Orange County star Gretchen Rossi is ready to have her and her partner Slade Smiley’s lives turned upside down as they get ready for a showdown with their former castmates after an eight-year hiatus from the show.

The couple revealed in exclusive DailyMail.com video footage that it had taken them four months of talks with the network to convince Rossi to come back on the show and see if they were ready to face ‘a lot of lies, toxicity and falsehoods.’

In an exclusive red carpet interview at the Keep Memory Alive annual Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas on February 22, the 46-year-old reality star didn’t call out any of her fellow castmates by name but teased that ‘screen wars’ are likely to begin once cameras begin to roll.

Rossi originally joined the Orange County, California, cast in season four with her eye-raising relationship with then-fiancé Jeff Beitzel, who was 24 years her senior and was battling cancer. 

He would tragically pass away after the filming wrapped up for that season.

A year later, she would find love again with RHOC original cast member Slade Smiley, who was previously engaged to Jo De La Rosa. In a dramatic twist, she took matters into her own hands and proposed to Smiley in a jaw-dropping moment. 

Not long after, she unexpectedly departed from the show after her longstanding feud with Tamra Judge hit its peak, when the 57-year-old reality star came after Rossi’s new relationship and accused her of having a ‘sugar daddy’. But she made various guest appearances in Season 12.

Though they never officially tied the knot, Rossi and Smiley recently marked 16 years together. The longtime couple also share a five-year-old daughter, Skylar Gray.

But now, Rossi and Smiley are returning as the ‘friends’ of newbie housewives Katie Ginella and Jennifer Pedranti, which means they won’t be full-time cast members, for season 19.  

The couple revealed on the red carpet that it took four months of talks to get her back on the reality hit after 12 years away. 

And from their insinuations, it appears the couple didn’t give executive producer Andy Cohen or Bravo an immediate yes.

Actor and podcast host Smiley reflected on their joint decision process in reapproaching the show and the ‘complicated rabbit hole’ they fell into.

Rossi said: ‘It took me what, almost two and a half months to finally say yes?’ 

Smiley corrected her by saying: ‘The negotiation was almost four months. So there’s just a lot that actually goes into it.’

One major factor the couple contended with was their five-year-old daughter Skylar Gray, who will appear in the series.

Rossi admitted: ‘We now have a daughter coming back into it, That is a huge concern for us.

‘And so we really had to have a lot of talks about that. Everything had to align properly if it worked in our life, it worked with our schedule, it worked for our family. 

‘If it worked financially, all the things had to line up for there to be a yes.’

Smiley took a sly swipe at other screen talent and producers stating that the edited final takes that show their comeback will feature the most extreme moments between the cast – many who have had fallings out with each other. 

Rossi also said: ‘When you are on reality TV, and in particular Housewives, unfortunately, there’s a lot of lies and a lot of toxicity and a lot of falsehoods that are put out about you.

‘So that’s not always great.’

Smiley, 51, admitted the best way to get through the potential mixed press coming their way is to ‘live your truth’ to ‘prepare for what is coming’.

With Rossi nodding, Smiley teased that they understand producers and editors will likely focus on the most extreme and dramatic cast dramas in the series.

He added: ‘And you also have to realize, just technically speaking, it’s an ensemble cast. So every person gets an average of eight minutes a week when you’re watching that show.

‘So you have to realize you are probably going to get some of the most salacious or maybe conflicting eight minutes. 

‘There is a lot that happened before, and maybe a lot that happened after that, you as a viewer may not see.

‘So the story moves very, very quickly, and judgments are made and people think they understand what has actually happened, but there’s a lot more that goes into it.’

Both stars stated they could not discuss storylines or plots of RHOOC, which is in the midst of filming. But Rossi was overheard saying to event guests ‘It will be fun, messy and interesting’.

Rossi, who runs the successful brand Gretchen Christine which has several offshoots into fashion and cosmetics, admitted the show had many upsides. 

‘The first time around it is such an interesting world to be thrown into and there are so many opportunities that come from it.

The couple were attending the Las Vegas Keep Memory Alive annual Power of Love gala at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which honored TV late-night host legend Jimmy Kimmel. 

The gala’s goal is to fundraise for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health to find, fund and facilitate brain disorders and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, multiple system atrophy and multiple sclerosis.

Father-of-three, one with Rossi, Smiley explained the importance of supporting the unique event.

‘I have had a child that has dealt with brain issues, but even beyond that, the core basis of memories and experiences in one’s life, to me, is the most valuable of any asset there is.

‘And if you lose access to those memories, lose the inability to remember the experiences you’re having while you’re on this earth, it’s incredibly impactful.

‘The fact that every 65 seconds there is another diagnosis taking place where another person is losing access to those memories or losing anybody to remember the experiences they’re having with their loved ones. That’s devastating. 

‘So the fact that the Cleveland Clinic and Lou Ruvo and his team are working towards finding a cure, there couldn’t be a more important subject.’

Rossi and Smiler joined guests like Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, reality TV royalty Lisa Vanderpump, her husband Ken Todd, Julie Chen Moonves and Maria Shriver, founder of The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Prevention and Research Center at Cleveland Clinic and chief visionary and strategic advisor of the Women’s Comprehensive Health and Research Center.

At the event, the Keep Memory Alive co-founders Camille and Larry Ruvo reflected on three decades of groundbreaking achievements.

Larry highlighted the center’s evolution from its initial focus on Alzheimer’s to addressing a range of neurodegenerative diseases, earning recognition as one of just 52 Parkinson’s Centers of Excellence worldwide and its designation as a National Multiple Sclerosis Society Center for Comprehensive MS Care.

He also spoke about pioneering initiatives like the The WAM Prevention and Research Center, and the Angie Ruvo Caregiving Chair, which has helped facilitate more than 150,000 visits to the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s no-cost community and caregiver educational, therapeutic and support programming. 

He closed with a powerful statement, saying: ‘We are changing the world, not just Nevada.’