Season one Housewife Noella Bergener is really bringing the drama in her first season. Honestly, I’m finding her presence and arc very sad and borderline dark. I just can’t imagine sharing some of these deeply personal moments with a nationwide fan base. If you aren’t watching Real Housewives of Orange County, you may not even know who Noella is.
Briefly, Noella comes to RHOC via former Housewife Braunwyn Windham-Burke. Noella has been on the show for about 15 seconds, and is already going through an awful blind-side divorce. Her husband not only left her during the show’s filming, but served her divorce papers from Puerto Rico. This guy is an “ambulance chasing” attorney who no doubt understood that by filing for divorce from his wife out of the country, he would be able to avoid certain jurisdictional expectations.
Because James Bergener filed for divorce outside of California, it seems he has been allowed to cut Noella off from all of their joint finances. At least that’s Emily Simpson’s take. Never mind that he left his wife of less than two years with their young son to care for. Reports seem to indicate this man hasn’t even visited his child since filing.
Of course, the billboard famous lawyer has an image to uphold in all of this. Currently, his Instagram grid houses a mere three posts total. Each post is a video detailing how he is not a villain in this situation. Throughout, James tries to seem sullen and pensive. Personally, I found it creepy and weird. I’m not kidding when I say the people in my house asked me to put in headphones to listen to “that murder whisper voice.” First, James says, “My divorce from Noella was granted December 8th here in Puerto Rico. It is something I wish I never had to do. I have always been supportive of Noella.” Then he begins his passive aggressive take down.
James claims to be “so happy” that Noella is on the show. He says that when he and his soon to be ex-wife were home buying, finding a property to meet the RHOC standards was a must. Then he says, “as filming got closer and closer, she changed.” He claims that Noella is the one who filed for separation. He adds “I love Noella, but I am not sure who she is anymore.”
RELATED: Noella Bergener Served Legal Papers For $300,000 Debt
James awkwardly describes his conservative puritan upbringing and contrasts this with Noella’s “sex drugs and rock and roll” lifestyle. As if it’s her fault he has weak resolve, or whatever. He followed this piety brag by saying he is now living a “healthy lifestyle” for himself and his son. James didn’t mention the fact that he hasn’t even seen his child, but I’m sure it just slipped his mind…
After taking several minutes to insinuate that the wife he intelligently chose to marry was a weak soul who was thirsty for fame, James decided it was time to remind everyone that “the purpose of this video is not to speak ill of Noella…especially on a public forum.” Ummmm….??? What am I missing?
James also gave details on his child with Noella. He shared a heart-string tugging story of the day he met his baby. He says “my love for my son has never waned, or waxed, or left. I have not abandoned him.” James claims to have paid over $150k towards the care of his son before he uses that classic cop out; “I am not a perfect man.”
RELATED: Noella Bergener Says Her Ex Hasn’t Visited Their Son And Hasn’t Given Them Any Money Since He Filed For Divorce
Noella wasted almost no time in responding to James’ off-putting pleas for sympathy. She reposted one of his videos with a caption that started with, “Today my ex called me for the first time in 5 months. He asked for my help with his PR. I said of course.” Why though!?
“I told him to stop holding up support,” Noella’s caption continued. “…get his son a gift for Xmas & that I was going to use my settlement to buy a home for our family and I’d publicly thank him.” Noella claims that “hours” after her promise of kindness James posted these insulting videos to his page. She said, “Hours later he posted this. I don’t know why this is happening. I was very protective of him during filming and focused solely on my journey.”
Noella announced that every receipt she has shown within the divorce is real. She ended her caption with a sullen, “Happy Holidays to single moms”.
RELATED: Tamra Judge Says Noella Bergener Showed Her A Photo Of Her Husband’s Penis And A Video Of Them Having Sex
TELL US – DO YOU THINK JAMES IS TRYING TO PLAY THE VICTIM TO PROTECT HIMSELF? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR NOELLA?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]