Gina Kirschenheiter Gets Emotional Discussing Shannon Beador’s DUI Arrest for the First Time

Despite their long history of throwing shade at each other, Gina Kirschenheiter is taking the high road when it comes to addressing Shannon Beador's recent DUI arrest and alleged hit-and-run.

In a new episode of her podcast Orange Country, the Real Housewives of Orange County star opened up about Beador's arrest and why she's refusing to "kick someone when they're down."

"[I've been] thinking a lot about this and Shannon," the reality star, who was similarly arrested for a DUI in 2019, told co-host Shane McAnally. "I'm not going to kick someone when they're down. I've been down. I know where she's at right now. It's not a good place to be."

"It's the worst mistake you could make," Kirschenheiter added. "I'm a wholehearted believer in that having had made this mistake myself. I'm glad everybody's OK. It sucks. It's hard. I feel bad."

Kirschenheiter and Beador have been known to have a somewhat volatile relationship on RHOC.

During a recent episode (which aired weeks before Beador's arrest), Beador said to fellow castmate Jennifer Pedranti that Kirschenheiter's children "would've gone to Child Protective Services" if it wasn't for her intervention.  

Beador further claimed that she gave Kirschenheiter contact information for a friend who prevented her kids from being taken away.

"I made a bad decision four and a half years ago and I've taken full responsibility for that decision and I've done everything within my power to course correct that bad decision to the point where it's almost been two years where I even had a drink," Kirschenheiter explained on the podcast. "I don't identify as an alcoholic but I recognize the fact that alcohol was a problem for me and getting in my way."

"I felt that Shannon did initially help me in the moment four and half years ago," she added. "But ever since then, she's been using that help that she gave to me as a weapon and I wanted her to stop weaponizing that. For me now, to have this happen to her and to immediately hit her over the head and weaponize it would be extremely hypocritical, I would not do that."

Kirschenheiter, who got emotional a couple times during the episode, said that while she was initially "angry" about hearing about Beador's arrest, she "settled into appropriate sympathy for the situation and for her."

"[Shannon's] struggling," she later added. "Her putting all that on me, the last couple years, I truly see now that that was a product of her struggle, her hurt. It is hard when you're struggling to watch someone else come out of their struggle... All of this stuff that is happening between her and I, I believe is a symptom of a woman who is struggling."

Despite their ongoing beef, Kirschenheiter confirmed that she's rooting for Beador, who "should have the opportunity to right this wrong."

"I know that I will support her," she noted. "I will be there to help her however I can to try and help her get back up."

The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 17 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.