Garcia had a plan laid out for her to get into reality TV and they all included Jen Shah.
In the first installment of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season 4 reunion on Tuesday, the 40-year-old single mother described herself as Jen Shah’s assistant and compared herself to Kim Kardashian who was also Paris Hilton’s assistant before being thrust into reality TV.
When asked about Monica and Shah’s friendship, the former opened up saying that initially, the two were close before they turned into employer-employee and then to mortal enemies. Garcia recalled bending her life backward such as buying groceries for the businesswomen or making sure she was on time to “her freaking meetings for whatever.”
The reality star recalled during the reunion, “Now looking back and knowing everything, I’m like, ‘Okay, I get it.’ I almost felt like I was more just a friend, the things I would do for her,” adding, “Honestly, she was my friend. She needed help. It didn’t start like that. We were friends first and I was like, ‘I can help you until you need somebody.'”
This brought Heather Gay to confront her about her other motives and allegedly having a “Kim K started out as an assistant and look where it got her, and I’ll start out as an assistant and see where it gets me?” moment, which Monica gracefully denied. Gay then proceeded to play a recording of what resembled Garcia’s voice after stating, “I would like you to hear something, Monica, that you said. Just for a little bit of clarity.”
The recording played, “F—ing Kim Kardashian was a f—ing assistant and look at that bitch now,” adding, “I can fully admit that the whole reason why I was an assistant and putting up with that s— was as a stepping stone and as a learning experience.” Monica did not deny Heather’s allegations and admitted that she wanted her way into the RHOSLC cast. The Bad Mormon: A Memoir author doubled down on her claims and speculated that Monica was never a “friend helping [Jen]” but had an “agenda.”
To this, Monica further denied such claims saying, “When I met her, I didn’t even know she was on the show. Honestly, when I applied to get on the show, I applied just like everybody else sitting here.” She then recalled her message to the casting director, saying, “I said, ‘My name is Monica Fowler and your show sucks and your ratings are shit and it’s going to get canceled cause you don’t have the right cast,'” before adding, “That’s what I said. I’m being honest.”
The message read, “Reaching out in regards to your casting call!” adding, “‘Would love more information on what needs to be done or how to move forward. You guys need a feisty ex-communicated Latina on the show immediately! I’m your girl!’ — Monica F.”
Catch the RHOSLC on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.