Lisa Barlow, one of the cast members of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, has opened up about her strained friendship with former castmate Jen Shah. Barlow, a co-owner of Vida Tequila, revealed that she feels betrayed by Shah and describes their relationship as toxic.
The tension between Barlow and Shah stretches back to previous seasons of the show. From petty disagreements to criminal investigations, their interactions have been anything but smooth. The most shocking incident occurred when law enforcement officers stormed the cast's van in search of Shah, who had escaped the scene after being tipped off. Barlow found herself frantically calling her lawyers as she and the other women were left behind.
Reflecting on her experiences with Shah, Barlow confesses, 'She would never be my friend. She never stuck up for me, always terrorizing me. It got to a point where it was so toxic that unless you've experienced her, you can't understand what it's like.'
One particularly significant event that strained their relationship was when Heather Gay accused Shah of giving her a black eye, which had caused unresolved tension at the end of a previous season. Initially, Barlow couldn't understand why Gay had kept the incident a secret. But as she observed Shah's treatment towards the rest of the group, Barlow realized the fear and exhaustion Gay must have been feeling.
Barlow admits, 'I think it was hard for Heather... I was super hard on her at the season 3 reunion. But until you've been in a position where you're not even afraid of someone, but rather exhausted by someone, you can't fathom it.'
Despite their tumultuous past, Barlow and Gay are now on good terms as they approach filming for the fifth season. With Shah no longer in the group, Barlow believes the remaining women can bond over the shared experiences they had with her.
Barlow explains, 'She gave me a black eye proverbially... putting out a list of things like, 'Guess which one of my castmates said this' — and they were all lies. It was stuff she made up.' Barlow further emphasizes, 'And in a way, she gave every single one of us a black eye with her actions.'
In response to Barlow's remarks, Shah's representative issued a statement saying that she has no comment for her former castmates and wishes them luck in finding individual storylines for the upcoming season.
Although season 4 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City still had connections to Shah through her former assistant, Monica Garcia, Barlow feels that Garcia's exit brings some closure to the situation. Garcia testified against Shah in court and was involved in an Instagram page called Reality Von Tease, which aimed to take down Shah but also spread gossip about the other cast members.
As the women from the show take time to 'cool down' after a challenging reunion, Barlow believes that Garcia's departure will help them move on. She expresses her desire to leave behind the drama surrounding the Feds, Homeland Security, and the police, and looks forward to a season focused on growth and freedom from past troubles.
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