Real Housewives of Orange County viewers aren’t the only ones cringing at Shane Simpson while watching season 14. Emily Simpson didn’t hold back while discussing their marriage exclusively with Us Weekly.
“Shane and I are really good [now],” Emily, 43, told Us before admitting that it’s “not easy to watch” their relationship onscreen. “It’s real, it’s authentic and it sucks. A lot of times I just want to cover my eyes. When we started filming, we were just not in the best place in our marriage.”
Emily added that her husband is a “villain” on the Bravo series.
“Everybody likes a good villain. He was trending on Twitter!” she quipped to Us.
Emily and Shane, who share daughter Annabelle, 6, and 4-year-old twin boys Luke and Keller, tied the knot in 2009. The aspiring lawyer also has two children from his previous marriage. The twosome hit a bump in their relationship when Shane opted to live in a hotel while he studied for the California bar exam.
“Obviously, I know exactly what it takes to pass a bar exam,” Emily, a practicing attorney, told Us. “I’ve been through it. I did it. … He’s never said, ‘I resent you because you passed and I didn’t,’ but I’m sure there’s a level there, where it’s like, ‘His wife passed the bar exam and he’s had to take it multiple times.’”
Us confirmed last month that Shane didn’t pass the exam. While he took it again in July, the couple are still waiting for his results.
“He got out the insults the day we filmed the finale party,” Emily told Us of Shane’s first attempt. “He ended up not passing, which was a tough blow, especially because of everything we’ve gone through. He took it again in July, and we don’t get the results until November. With my luck, it will be the day of the reunion.”
Emily added that Shane still wasn’t confident after the second attempt.
“He called me and he was upset. He kind of freaked out. I just feel like Shane’s not a good test-taker,” she told Us. “I don’t think I’m as smart as he is, I’m just a good test-taker.”
For more from Emily — including if she would choose the show over Shane — watch the video above!
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs on Bravo Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
