Lisa Barlow believes her former “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” castmate Monica Garcia secretly recored their conversations prior to filming Season 4 of the Bravo hit.
“She called me [and was] super nice,” Barlow, 49, exclusively tells Pvnew’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast while promoting her partnership with Clorox.
“But the first thing I asked her was, ‘Are you recording this conversation?’ My gut was just, like, ‘She’s recording you,’” the reality star continues. “And I’m sure she did record the conversation.”
Barlow notes that she was “very careful” with what she shared during her initial chat with Garcia, 40, which took place amid the 2023 Sundance Film Festival before cameras went up.
Without naming anyone specific, the Vida Tequila founder recalls Garcia “bashing a few people” on the “RHOSLC” cast, though she didn’t succumb to any smack-talking.
“I was like, ‘You know what? This is a great opportunity for you and your girls. This could change your life, this could change your future for you and your girls,” she says, recounting her words of encouragement to the divorced mother of four who made it no secret that her financial standing was several shakes below her fellow snowflake holders.
Barlow says she was “happy to support” Garcia in the early stages of her “Housewives” career, but grew weary of the one-and-done Bravolebrity as production progressed.
The entrepreneur observed a series of “red flags” that prevented her from forming a meaningful friendship with Garcia — including the latter’s tumultuous relationship with her mother, Linda, and her sordid dealings with “RHOSLC” OG-turned-convict Jen Shah.
According to Barlow’s assessment — bolstered by incriminating evidence that was highlighted during the Season 4 reunion — Garcia would drive by Shah’s residence before infiltrating her notorious “Shah Squad,” a group of now-disgruntled employees who launched the “Reality Von Tease” Instagram troll account that targeted the fraudster and her “Salt Lake City” co-stars.
“Like if you’re capable of doing those things when you’re given a gift of being a ‘Housewife’ — and so many people want to be one, it’s like being part of an NBA team,” Barlow says.
“If you’re capable of doing those things, where is the trust? If I have to ask you, ‘Are you recording this conversation?’ — then I can’t be real with you, I can’t be vulnerable,” she continues. “I can’t be open.”
While producers have suggested Garcia could return to “RHOSLC” after a “cooling off” period, Barlow asserts that the series is good — if not better — without her.
“Honestly, after dealing with all of this stuff, why would I welcome that?” says Barlow, acknowledging that “RHOSLC” Seasons 2 and 3 were mired by Shah’s legal drama and eventual sentencing.
“After dealing with everything we dealt with like feds, NYPD, Homeland Security, convicts, no … There’s going to be more than enough drama in Season 5. Nobody’s going to remember RVT.”
A rep for Garcia didn’t immediately respond to Pvnew’s request for comment.
