Who is Tamra Judge and her husband, Eddie Judge? How rich are they?

Tamra Judge is one of the most memorable cast members of the Bravo TV-produced reality TV show, “The Real Housewives of Orange County” — “RHOC” for over 10 seasons. She debuted in season three which aired in 2008, and departed after season 14, which premiered in August 2019. Although she took a break from the show for a while, fans never forgot her and her husband, Edward “Eddie” Judge.

After they started missing their life in front of cameras, the couple returned in the show’s 17th season, which premiered on 7 June 2023. Tamra’s on-screen personality revolves around drama, including her season five divorce from Simon Barney, a brief reconciliation with her estranged daughter, Sidney Barney in 2017, and conflict with former friends Heather Dubrow and Shannon Beador.

While discord is what most fans at home tune in to see, Tamra has influenced the show positively by expressing love for her husband, Eddie, whom she married in 2013, about two years after they fell in love, and her best friend and a member of the show’s Tres Amigas trio, cast member Vicki Gunvalson. Here’s who Tamra and Eddie are, how they met, and where their money comes from.

Real estate and reality TV are their income source

Tamra has demonstrated her business acumen and inspired many as an estate agent. She made some money from short sales of properties in the early seasons, then moved on to selling and renting her houses. However, that was unintentional; Tamra moved around to find her dream home and so resided in six lavish homes in the last decade, selling nearly all of them at a profit.

She also started at least two health and fitness businesses with her husband, contributing to their wealth. Her husband worked in a law firm before he quit to dedicate time to the fitness business after marriage. Finally, they started relying on the salary from Bravo TV for “RHOC” in 2023.

Her romance marked the early seasons

Tamra Sue Waddle born on 2 September 1967, was married to Darren Vieth long before she made her show debut, between 1985 and 1990; they had one son, Ryan Vieth, in 1987. Marrying Simon Barney on 23 May 1998 and finalizing her divorce in October 2011 prevented her from attracting attention from having several romantic partners, typical for some reality TV shows. However, there were many problems to make up for it.

Tamra dabbled in real estate short sales, and established a make-up line with her plastic surgeon, Dr. Ambe, while Simon sold luxury cars. Regardless, they had financial problems throughout the early seasons. Additionally, Tamra is honest and tends to say whatever is bothering her. Her opinion didn’t always make her the most beloved cast member, and her husband didn’t always appreciate her confidence. For example, Tamra said that she was the ‘hottest housewife in Orange County, pint-sized and highly prized, and wasn’t getting older, but bolder.’

She had three children with Simon: daughters Sidney, born in 2000; Sophia in 2005, and son Spencer in 2001. Unfortunately, while she tried her best to conform to Simon’s demands, Tamra never lived up to his expectations for her, and fans saw him always criticize how she dressed and acted, particularly in seasons four and five. After she realized that she had no independence, Tamra chose to break things off a year or two before she divorced him in 2011. Viewers of the fifth season remember when she told him that he was ‘a nasty, vile person’ before calling it quits inside a limousine on their way to a party.

Tamra Judge’s Ex-Husband Was Diagnosed With Cancer Before She Left ‘RHOC’ — How Is He Now? https://t.co/qZyTO7SNC9

— Distractify (@Distractify) June 8, 2023

She later reconnected with her daughter

Simon criticized her parenting style, and seemingly did his best to distance her from the three children following their divorce. Some of their children lost touch with her, particularly after she married Eddie. However, things started changing when Tamra was diagnosed with melanoma in 2017, prompting her to reconnect with her family, particularly her daughter Sidney. Unfortunately, after the initial spark of joy and mutual time, they stopped interacting as much.

Then, in an unexpected turn of events, Simon was diagnosed with stage-3 throat cancer in February 2020, and was already undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. He was optimistic and said that he would fight it with whatever he had. Tamra had a change of heart regarding her ex-husband, noting, ‘It’s kind of like a new beginning for me and my family. It’s really brought everyone closer together. Any ill feelings between Simon and I just vanished.’ Simon also stated that Tamra got along with his fiancé, and was a great mother to their children.

Eddie and Tamra married in 2013

Around 2011, Tamra started a relationship with Eddie Judge, a Mexican-born businessman who worked in a law firm. She told InsideWeddings.com that their connection was instant, and that they recognized each other as soulmates from the moment their eyes locked. That was crucial since she was still going through the aftermath of her divorce during the show’s sixth season. Eddie proposed on a romantic vacation to Bora Bora in March 2012 – they were collecting shells on the beach, and he hid a ring in one of them. About a year and a half later, on 15 June 2013, the couple married at Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California. The “RHOC” production company Bravo TV didn’t miss a chance to record the whole thing, and broadcast it in a television special, “Tamra’s OC Wedding,” which aired the same year. Tamra and Eddie celebrated their 10th anniversary shortly after she returned for season 17, with a romantic getaway to the Turks and Caicos Islands, a tropical archipelago near the Bahamas.

She said that they are best friends who do almost everything together, including cooking, working out, dirt biking, and resting, and that he doesn’t bug her at all, contrasting her previous relationships. She also stated that not having children together was a blessing, as kids could be one extra thing to argue about, and that she loves that Eddie is not an overbearing stepfather.

She was fired during season 14

Fans were shocked when Vicki Gunvalson parted ways with Bravo TV before the 15th season. She was a member of the show’s well-known trio of friends, Tres Amigas, alongside Tamra and Shannon Beador, who wanted to show that it’s possible to have fun after you turn 50. Vicki was previously demoted from full-time cast member to friend, a role that meant that she would be paid less and get less time on air. Shortly afterwards, Tamra announced via Instagram that her story had also ended after nearly 12 years. With Tamra’s exit, the last member, Shannon, was at a crossroads about her next step; she stayed and is the show’s longest-running cast member.

It was only in 2022, as rumors circulated that Tamra would return, that she explained that she was fired. According to her, the producers didn’t want to pay her what she asked, and she had other problems in life and business endeavors to pursue. Tamra admitted to crying for three days straight, and avoiding sleep and meals. She remarked that if she ever returned, it would be Eddie’s decision, and that he would join her.

Tamra returned for season 17

After nearly four years away from the show, Tamra returned for the beginning of the 17th season, announcing that she would ‘come back a little aggressive because people are afraid of the truth, and she is a truth-teller.’ She also revealed that she’d brought a friend, a yoga studio owner Jennifer Pedranti, and that the fans could see Tres Amigas reunite. One of the first activities as a trio was to shun Heather Dubrow, pointing out her bad traits online and calling her out for not inviting Tamra and Shannon to a party in February 2023.

Tamra also expressed her disappointment with her former best friend; for instance, in one of the first episodes, she yells at Shannon for getting nearly black-out drunk during a boat ride. They also clashed about Shannon’s alleged ghosting; Tamra accused her of not being there as a friend after her exit, especially when Simon got his cancer diagnosis. She also accused Shannon of using drink as a coping mechanism, and finding new reasons to slurp alcohol, such as her relationships with her ex-husband David and ex-boyfriend John.

Bravo TV didn’t invite Vicki as a cast member, not even a friend, the role that the producers offered in the past; instead, she only filmed a short scene with Tamra and Shannon. Vicki revealed feeling jealous that Bravo TV didn’t give her a chance, and cried because she thought that she was as deserving as Tamra, but then said that they were in a great place.

Tamra worked in real estate for two decades

Tamra was a realtor from the day that she appeared in the show. She initially specialized in short sales, buying homes from homeowners who were behind on mortgages or had to sell their property urgently; the house’s value must be lower than the owner’s remaining mortgage or loans for the deal to work. That was often a better choice than foreclosures, where banks took ownership, then underpriced homes to sell them quickly. Besides helping them by taking over their mortgage payments, Tamra pocketed the difference between the total owed and the house’s value, called a deficiency.

Her business expanded after she split with Simon. She moved out of the family home and into a separate apartment, which she either sold or canceled the lease on when she became engaged to Eddie. She moved with him into a house in the Ladera Ranch’s Covenant Hills neighborhood of California. However, she said the design was too manly and dark, and that Eddie had lived there with his former partner, so she wanted a new beginning. They lived there until December 2017, when they purchased their first home together nearby, for $1.58 million.

They rented Eddie’s old home, but he told her that he felt something wrong with the new 4000sqft or 371m2 house, admitting that he only agreed because she insisted on the purchase. In a strange turn of events, their dog got cancer, and their guinea pig died the same day that Tamra broke her foot. Eddie then began experiencing heart complications, and eventually had to have surgery, so they concluded that the house brought them bad luck. She used her experience as a realtor and put the house up for sale for $1.78 million, and eventually sold it for $1.75 million, profiting nearly $300,000 for a few months of ownership.

They found a dream home but sold it

Tamra and Eddie then settled on a 4,600 sqft or 427m2 six-bedroom house in Coto de Caza, California. That was a great choice; Vicki lived nearby, and Tamra used her expertise to negotiate the price from $2,1 million to $1.78 million. Two years later, Tamra’s friend and colleague told them that someone had fallen in love with the home and wanted to buy it. After initially declining, the buyer returned with an even better offer, so the couple’s financial advisor told them to go for it.

Simultaneously, the tenants in their Covenant Hills home informed them that they were moving. Thus, the couple saw this as a sign, sold the home for about $2 million, and invested a hefty sum from profits into renovating their former rental property, Eddie’s old home, into their dream house. They said that they would add a pool and a pool house, indicating that they won’t sell it.

The couple had a fitness business

Fans realize that Tamra and Eddie need a high income to afford their homes. She reported that she was paid $7,000 for the third season of “RHOC,” her first, and had made $50,000 for the fourth season. Some reports noted that she was paid $350,000 per season between seasons nine and 14, while others put it at $600,000. ShowbizCheat Sheet stated that she received $900,000 per season during that period, alongside Shannon, therefore, the producers evidently had to choose to keep one, and Tamra made their choice easier when she allegedly requested even more money after season 14.

Additionally, fans know that Tamra and Eddie co-own a fitness business called CUT Fitness Studio, which they started in 2013. CUT stands for Cardio Unique Training and focuses on individual exercise, custom nutrition, and Spartan Race training. They revealed that they closed the gym in the Rancho Santa Margarita location in August 2022 – she called it 100% a loss, announced that they were selling their equipment, and cited post-COVID-19 difficulties as the reason. However, she didn’t clarify whether that was their only gym, meaning that the business failed.

They founded a CBD company, too

Tamra and Eddie also started the company Vena Wellness, based on CBD (Cannabidiol), the ingredient in the cannabis plant, usually with no THC, thus the products aren’t addictive, and don’t produce the typical high feeling. Tamra sells tinctures of cannabis oil, cooling creams, and gel capsules, which are beneficial for pets and humans. She chose the name because Eddie’s heart condition is tied to his vena cava, the body’s largest vein made of two parts, the superior and inferior. This vein takes the blood from lower body parts to the heart’s right atrium.

On top of that, she’s promoted products such as BondiBoost, an Australian-made haircare serum, and Plus White, a teeth-whitening solution, on her social media. Since she returned as a cast member, we can assume that Tamra is making up to $900,000 again. She may ask for more from Bravo TV for the next season, and will charge more for sponsored social media posts due to her rejuvenated popularity.

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Eddie is becoming a reality TV star

Tamra revealed during BravoCon 2022 that Eddie will be closely involved with her life during season 17, meaning that he will fill the family budget while seeing her frequently. She was happy since he would no longer be ‘gone at six a.m. and return at eight p.m.,’ as in the past. Fans may remember that Eddie debuted in season six, so he can ask for a decent salary from Bravo TV.

Eddie studied business administration in college, and was a managing partner at the Judge Law Firm in Irvine, California, for his adoptive father, James Judge. He quit that position in February 2013 to start CUT Fitness with Tamra, and became a nutrition, strength, conditioning and cycling coach at the gym. Eddie may no longer be a personal trainer due to his heart problems; he reportedly had atrial fibrillation several times, and had an implant to fix problems with pumping blood. However, he noted that he’d had no heart issues since April 2020. Regardless, he will focus on their CBD business, and developing his charisma in the reality TV show this season.