‘Real Housewives of Orange County’ star calls out castmates for mocking Asians

Katie Ginella, 41, the first Asian American and Korean adoptee to join “The Real Housewives of Orange County” full time, called out co-stars Jennifer Pedranti, 48, and Gretchen Rossi, 46, for a social media video she described as racially insensitive and offensive.

“There’s a very inappropriate video going around where two girls are pretending to fight, squinting their eyes and making Asian faces to Asian sounds,” Ginella said on the Aug. 6 “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast. “It’s very hurtful and inappropriate. It’s 2025 and I think we should read the room.”

The clip, which has since been deleted but reshared elsewhere, show Pedranti and Rossi in workout attire at a gym mimicking martial arts, squinting their eyes and using exaggerated “Asian” voices over a soundtrack resembling Asian speech. “I’m back on Housewives,” Rossi says at the start of the video, referencing her return after leaving the franchise in 2013. Pedranti follows with, “And we’re ready to defend ourselves.” The two then punch and kick a boxing bag while mouthing along to the audio before high-fiving and walking away.

Ginella said the video resurfaced painful memories from her childhood and made her feel singled out as the only Asian American in the cast. She confirmed her previously friendly relationships with Pedranti and Rossi have since ended. While Rossi said the video was not directed at Ginella and removed it once concerns were raised, Pedranti has not issued a public response.