Reactions from RHOC’s Alexis Bellino and John Janssen to Fan “Hate”: Alexis Calls for More Empathy, John Reveals Video Controversy, and Shannon’s Lack of Sympathy

Alexis Bellino and John Janssen recently opened up about the overwhelming wave of “hate” they’ve faced during their public appearance earlier this week, amid their involvement in The Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC).

Just weeks after confirming their engagement following nine months of dating, Alexis, 47, and John, 62, shared their frustration about being stuck in a “no-win” situation. Alexis expressed her disappointment over not receiving more empathy from fans during RHOC season 18, while John suggested that his ex-girlfriend, Shannon Beador, 60, doesn’t deserve the sympathy she’s been getting.

“What’s so difficult is that we’re in this vortex where all of the hate is based on things that aren’t true,” John shared with Us Weekly on October 10. “And me having no voice has been very difficult … Then, Lex feels the responsibility to try and help me, and she gets criticized for that. It’s a tough, no-win deal.”

Alexis agreed, adding, “[We’re] in a no-win situation. But it’s OK because now it’s done … We can close that door and open the door to the wedding.”

As they approach their one-year anniversary, Alexis and John are focusing on their upcoming wedding. However, they continue to face backlash stemming from Alexis’s comments about the potential release of pre-DUI videos involving Shannon, as well as John’s $75,000 lawsuit against her.

“I am the one that has the videos, and nothing has ever come out of my mouth that I was ever going to show them to anybody,” John clarified. “That was never a possibility.”

Alexis reflected on the situation, admitting that she regrets bringing up the videos—well, sort of.

“I thought I [spoke about the videos] off-camera. Like, you film for 12 hours and I was with my good girlfriends,” Alexis explained. “You think you do something and then it’s like, ‘Oh shoot, the cameras were rolling. I didn’t even remember that.’ I told friends about them off-camera, I thought. And so, it is what it is, but I don’t really have any regrets ’cause the truth is the truth, and we have truth on our side.”

When asked if she had empathy for Shannon amid their ongoing feud, Alexis flipped the question, wondering if anyone had ever shown empathy toward her.

“What about me?” she asked. “I had to be on a show after just losing my mom. I wasn’t eating, wasn’t sleeping, was barely getting out of bed, yet I still put on my big girl panties to go film with his ex-girlfriend, which was just as hard. I’m tired of hearing about it. I have sympathy for her, but at the same time, I had to do a really fricking hard job, and I got beat down the entire season.”

In addition, John weighed in, saying Shannon has been “masterful at eliciting sympathy that she doesn’t deserve.”

“I know I’ll take heat for that, but it’s the truth,” he stated.

As tensions continue to rise between the trio, The Real Housewives of Orange County season 18 remains a must-watch as it airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo.