Why Does ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ Heather Gay Have a Black Eye? Updates
Why did Heather Gay have a black eye? That’s the question every Real Housewives of Salt Lake City viewer was asking before the season 3 two-part reunion episode. Heather and her costars got grilled by none other than Andy Cohen during the season finisher, though she didn’t reveal who was responsible until the season 4 finale in January 2024.
In the show’s mid-season trailer for season 3, released in November 2022, the Bravo star removed her sunglasses and showed costar Meredith Marks a huge bruise around her left eye. For weeks prior, fans had been speculating about what could have gone wrong. Viewers got some insight during the 12th episode of season 3, which aired on December 21, 2022.
“I didn’t say I don’t remember how it happened,” Heather said during her RHOSLC confessional. “I just said I’m not talking about it. It’s first rule about fight club.”
During the episode, the other ladies speculated that someone might have punched her.
“I don’t wanna get anyone in trouble,” Heather added during a conversation with costar Jen Shah. “I think we all know what happened. I just think we don’t wanna talk about it.”
How Did Heather Gay Get a Black Eye?
When it was time to come clean during the reunion on January 25, Heather said she “blacked out” and truly “didn’t know” how it happened. Costar Lisa Barlow then pushed in an attempt to get a bit more of the story.
“I feel like they needed you to say the truth because it impacted people that were on production that were up late with us,” Lisa said. “Then it makes them look like they did it to you.”
Heather acknowledged there was “no way to hide” the black eye, continuing, “I went to my thing which is just humor, and just make it go away, and it didn’t go away … But I certainly do not want to implicate anyone here, anyone on production. It’s my own guilt and shame about blacking out and not being able to explain it.”
The mysterious black eye has been the focal point for fans. Following season 3 episode 11, RHOSLC viewers took to social media and shared their disappointment about the unresolved issue that is Heather’s black eye.
“Me on my deathbed still waiting to find out who gave Heather Gay this damn black eye #RHOSLC,” one Twitter user wrote, alongside a photo of Rose from the Titanic claiming, “It’s been 84 years … “
Another person revealed that they “thought the Barbie trailer would complete” them, however, added, “But then I remembered that I still don’t know how Heather Gay got a black eye.”
A third Twitter user called Bravo “unhinged” for thinking that “we’re supposed to look at Heather Gay with that ginormous black eye and not know what happened ???”
One Reddit user has a completely different black eye theory, claiming that “nobody punched Heather Gay” amid various theories that she was hit.
“If someone had punched Heather … their hand or wrist must have been injured (every action has an equal and opposite reaction). However, as I observed the girls, it doesn’t seem like either of their hands are injured,” the now-viral post read. “I personally believe she either did this to herself to either deflect from the drama or, as some users pointed out, maybe the eye is a stye from a Beauty Lab procedure, colored with purple makeup to look like a black eye.”
The mention of Beauty Lab is referring to Heather’s company. Some social media theorists have speculated that the black eye is also from a procedure goes wrong.
“Heather Gay’s bruising/black eye most likely came from bad botched Botox injection,” one Twitter user claimed. “She can’t say she got it from Beauty Lab bc that would hurt her own business.”
Did Jen Shah Give Heather Gay a Black Eye?
Heather’s RHOSLC costar had “no comment” for Bravo patriarch Andy after he claimed she was the reason for her bruised eye during a February 2023 episode of Watch What Happens Live, in which he and Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent mulled over how the Bad Mormon author got injured.
Jen’s rep told Life & Style in an exclusive statement that the Bravo personality “chooses to focus this time with her family” instead of the allegations made by Andy. “I personally know that she has not spoken to Andy Cohen since before the reunion where he called her directly to beg her to attend the RHOSLC [season] 3 reunion,” her rep continued. “That, coupled with the fact that we passed on the [one-on-one interview] six times seems to be where his aggressions lie.”
It was previously reported that Jen and Andy were slated for a sit-down interview before she is to report to prison on February 17, 2023. The mom of two was sentenced to serve 6.5 years in January after pleading guilty to fraud charges in connection with a nationwide telemarketing scheme.
However, in a lengthy Instagram statement posted that same month, the Bravolebrity revealed she passed on the interview because of the network and Andy’s “unwillingness to remove contractual provisions that would allow the network to legally make misrepresentations of me and my story,” noting that “the specific 1 on 1 interview was not part of my RHOSLC reality TV contract.”
She continued, “I promised myself and my loving family that I would not allow this portion of my life to be sensationalized or inaccurately conveyed … too many people have been hurt by my actions and my inability to control my own narrative. I would rather remain silent and wait until I am able to accurately share my story.”
It wasn’t until the season 4 finale when Heather revealed Jen gave her the black eye. While confronting Monica Garcia about her involvement with Reality Von Tease, an Instagram troll account, Heather compared her behavior to Jen.
“We are friends, and we have been through this bulls–t before with Jen,” Heather said about her costars, noting that they “shut down feelings of doubt” with Jen in the past. “I went on a book tour and defended her and took s–t for the fact that she gave me a black eye.”
She continued, “I had to ride hard for [Jen] and I had to lie for her. We’re not going to do it again with you.”
Despite finally confirming that Jen gave her the injury, Heather did not reveal exactly how it happened.
Did Meredith Marks Know How Heather Gay Got a Black Eye?
While appearing on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in December 2022, Meredith did speak about Heather’s black eye.
“Well I have been appointed as Miss Gay’s counsel,” the Bravo star, 51, joked. “I cannot comment. It’s privileged.”
Meredith teased that fans may find out what really happened to Heather’s eye during season 4 on September 6.
When Us Weekly asked the reality star if fans will find out what happened during black eye gate and if the jewelry designer knows the truth, she replied, “Maybe.” Though she didn’t want to spoil too much of the season, she claimed her answer was for “both” questions.
Did Fans Think Whitney Rose Gave Heather Gay a Black Eye?
Heather and Whitney Rose‘s relationship has had its ups and downs throughout the season. However, the Wild Rose Beauty founder, 36, has denied giving Heather the black eye.
“Did you do this yes or no,” a fan account asked on Twitter in August 2022, ahead of the season 3 premiere, referring to the now-infamous black eye. Whitney replied, “NO! Of course not.”
Meredith, for her part, also addressed the Heather and Whitney feud on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, revealing that she thinks the Bad Mormon author “definitely leaves a lot when confronted.” Meredith continued, “She wants to make it light and fun and is not great at addressing the issue.”
