Whoopi Goldberg criticizes Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Jen Shah amidst her ongoing legal woes as well as Meredith Marks for supporting her.
Whoopi Goldberg condemned The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah and co-star Meredith Marks during an episode of The View. Jen took a plea deal after being charged with fraud via a telemarketing scheme and has faced a lot of backlash from viewers as a result. Despite this, the reality TV star has been receiving quite a bit of support from her co-stars such as Heather Gay. Now Meredith is joining in on the support and is facing some criticism as a result.
The legal drama surrounding Jen has created some unforgettable moments on RHOSLC, most notably federal agents storming the cast’s sprinter bus before a trip to Vale. Jen was initially arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing as outlined by the United States Department of Justice. The charges alleged that Jen and her co-conspirators defrauded hundreds of victims since 2012, specifically targeting the elderly. Jen maintained her innocence throughout RHOLSC season 2 but shocked viewers and co-stars alike when she took a plea deal in July. Jen now faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and is expected to face sentencing in November 2022. RHOSLC fans have denounced Jen in light of her guilty plea, but co-star Meredith continues to stand by her.
During an interview with Page Six, Meredith spoke on the state of her relationship with Jen, saying, “Jen and I are still speaking, and I think more than anything she needs support from the people around her.” Meredith’s interview was brought up during an episode of The View. Upon hearing Meredith’s decision to support Jen, Whoopi responded, “Maybe the old folks that she defrauded might also need some support around them as well,” throwing some serious shade at Meredith for standing by Jen. The Academy Award winner went on to add, “When it comes to older people, I’m not as forgiving. I’m just not because that’s low-hanging fruit.” Many of Whoopi’s sentiments have been shared by RHOSLC fans, but her View co-hosts had some different thoughts.
Whoopi’s View Co-Hosts Side With RHOSLC’s Meredith
Former prosecutor Sunny Hostin shared a more positive outlook on the situation, saying, “I was always appreciative when you had someone take a plea.” She explained further, adding, “They know they did something wrong. They’ve admitted to it. There’s accountability there.” Co-host Sara Haines continued to empathize with Meredith for supporting Jen, saying, “What I was always taught by my family and my church was in the darkest moments, you show up for people,” seeming to support Meredith’s decision to stand by her friend. While Jen’s situation is quite difficult, Meredith’s decision to support her has left some fans scratching their heads.
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Meredith and Jen haven’t always had the best relationship. In fact, they’ve spent the last two seasons of RHOSLC feuding, with allegations that Jen incited cyber-bullying of Meredith’s son, Brooks Marks, taking center stage last season. Meredith has made it very clear on the show and off that anyone who messes with her family will reap the consequences. While Jen did apologize to Meredith for any pain she may have caused the Marks family, it’s quite surprising to see Meredith be so vocal in her support of Jen. This new alliance between the two comes on the heels of Meredith closing the door on former best friend Lisa Barlow. Lisa’s relationship with Jen has also been strained after last season’s explosive RHOSLC reunion. It looks like Meredith and Jen might be bonding over their shared enemy, and it just may spell trouble during RHOSLC season 3.
