Gina Kirschenheiter Explains 'Genuine' Love for Heather Dubrow and Being Even More Outspoken During Season 17 of 'RHOC'

Season 17 of The Real Housewives of Orange County is Gina Kirschenheiter's best yet!

The Bravo star has given audiences a front-row seat into the ups and downs of her life over the past five years since joining the reality series. However, the show's latest installment sees Kirschenheiter standing up for herself, making her opinions known and cementing her place in the iconic cast more than ever before.

The New York native chats exclusively with OK! about how shocked she was by the hiccups in her "genuine" friendship with Heather Dubrow, how she's found her footing in such an outspoken group of women, and her brand new podcast with Grammy award-winning Country songwriter Shane McAnally, entitled "Orange Country."

"Heather genuinely cares about me," Kirschenheiter says of the actress — whom she goes head-to-head with a few times over the current Season. "No matter what the gossip or the tabloids say, I know my friendship with her. I have a lot of respect for her."

"If you really know her, you know that," the blonde beauty adds of Dubrow. "At the end of the day, I could call Heather any time of day or night and if I was in a bad spot, Heather would be there. To me, that's the measure of a good friend."

When Kirschenheiter and bestie, Emily Simpson — whom she calls "really freaking funny" — joined the franchise, the duo were met with some resistance from the OGs. However, now the future real estate broker is not afraid to say exactly what she thinks and feels.

"I remember the first all-cast event that I attended," she recalls of her first time filming. "It was a dinner, and Vicki [Gunvalson] was there. I very quickly pissed off Vicki, and I didn't even know I did!"

"I'm just going to say what I feel and voice my opinion as if I was at any other table with a group of women," Kirschenheiter says honestly of her start on the show. "I didn't understand the hierarchy and the dynamics. I've always kind of approached it [the show] and tried to have a voice, but I think the longer you're on it, the more respect you get within the group, which allows you to have even more of a voice."

Now, Kirschenheiter is using her voice for her new podcast, as she and McAnally have open and honest conversations about life — and maybe sometimes The Real Housewives!

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