‘The Real Housewives Of Orange County’: Peggy (And Diko!) Sulahian Give Their Most Revealing Interview Yet — On Marriage, Cancer, And ‘Sex And The City’

It took Peggy Sulahian no time at all to make her mark on The Real Housewives of Orange County this season, but it does take some time to truly get to know her. Some of the other women have tried to, and others, simply have not. But she’s got a fascinating story, and one that you don’t get to see in its entirety on the Bravo show.

We sat down with Peggy (and her husband, scene-stealer Diko!) to discuss last night’s episode, and got a lot of clarity from them both about David Beador’s nosy behavior when it comes to Peggy’s (very serious) health scare. The two also discuss their jokes, their marriage, and after her recent realization of what a “push present” is, if he’s made it up to her after all these years and 3 children. Plus, Peggy explains why she wants RHOC to feel like Sex and the City — and which character she so obviously identifies with most. The two are warm and friendly, and as you’ll see here, not afraid to keep it real.

First of all, I thought Diko handled himself so well during his discussion with David on the boat. It was actually very clarifying for me as a viewer, that he put it in perfect terms and made me understand exactly what you’re going through, and that it was very serious and personal. When you watched it, what was your reaction to all of that?

Peggy: I was very angry. It was upsetting, I was angry, disgusted by [David’s] actions.

Do you feel like you hold it against Shannon too, or do you separate the two of them?

Peggy: No, there’s no separation. First and foremost, who doesn’t communicate with their husband, especially if it’s gossip that you turn it into. So I believe that how Shannon approached it is she couldn’t get answers, so she put her husband to it. He thinks it was incognito, but it was just so blunt, it was kind of disrespectful, considering it was the first time we had met him. And, “Hi David how are you, what’s your social security number,” and then ask me that. It was odd, very odd.

I would feel so—

Peggy: Violated. I felt violated. That’s where the disrespect came from, from my standpoint.

Yeah. I totally see where you were coming from in sharing what you wanted to share and feeling like it was enough information that you were putting out there. But, you know, you’re dealing with nosy-ass people. It’s never enough for them. So I feel like the only positive is that what Diko said was enough information for me as a viewer to want to say, Oh I totally get it, let me take a step back and let them handle their shit as a family. Do you feel that that’s at least a positive that came out of it?

Peggy: It was enough that he said it, and it was hurtful for me because it was something that he and I had not discussed, because it happened so quickly. [The cancer] had to be removed ASAP. The minute they found out, they were like “We have to remove it ASAP.” And we found out in the end of October. I was still confused because we had our show in Vegas. Then in November it was like going to the doctors and my dad was in the hospital at the same time — he didn’t even know about it because he passed away December 5th. So I had to bury him to get into surgery, they said in December we have to get it out. And I’m like, “Wait a minute, my dad just passed, let me breathe, let the kids breathe.” So Christmas, and then New Years, even though it was terrible, and then I went into the surgery. So much had gone on in such a short period of time that [Diko] was unable to express, I was unable to express, I wasn’t able to mourn my dad and then I had to be taken to surgery. With all these things going on, I felt bad for him that, who are you [David], considering it’s the first time, you don’t know what we’ve gone through as a family, I felt very violated. It’s none of your business. It wasn’t out of a concerned place, it was more of a gossip interrogation standpoint.

Diko, I believe we see you talk to Shannon about it in next week’s episode.

Diko: I didn’t know that she wasn’t aware of it. So as a gentleman, I wanted to put my best foot forward and apologize if I misunderstood him. Maybe that was his personality, like my first impression the way he kind of came off with those questions to me, it was odd for me to ever meet a man for the first time, at my age, and, “Hi, how are you? So does your wife have cancer?” And as I’m trying to respect him and explain it to him on the boat — and I’m so glad Doug was there, because later I had conversations with Doug that you’ll see. Because, you know, I had a couple of drinks. I wasn’t like hearing things right, like, did this really happen? But Doug, Michael, all the men I had a conversation with, and they were like, “No, that’s his personality. That’s how he is. He just comes in and shoots you right between the eyes. That’s his personality. Maybe he doesn’t mean bad by it, but that’s just how he talks.” But I didn’t know that at the time. We’ve never even really discussed it as husband and wife because everything happened so fast with her, you know, all the steps that led to the double mastectomy. So many things happened so fast, and honestly, her and I talked about it, and we were trying to figure out what happened first?

Peggy: We actually had to write it down. I had two, three MRIs. I had two biopsies. I had a savi scout put in, I kept fainting at the savi scout.

Diko: In like 60 days, so many things happened that it’s very difficult for us together to try to —

Just piece it together.

Diko: Right. Just piece it together. It’s so difficult.

Peggy: So that’s why where I come from, I was in denial. I was still mourning my dad’s death. I started filming six weeks after surgery, and the doctor was like, “I can’t believe you’re up.”

And you don’t even know these people really yet.

Peggy: No. And I was very nice.

Diko: You still are nice, baby.

Peggy: It’s going to change, honey. [laughs] So what happened was I don’t know them, they keep asking me, and at that time I’m thinking, okay, my dad died, I’m still on that, who cares about me at this point, and then there’s no support system because nobody even knew about it. Because my dad was dying so he didn’t even know. Nobody knew anything. I was at the funeral, and I have cancer and nobody knows. So I’m crying for him but I’m miserable, I’m not even thinking about myself. When they’re asking me I’m like, do I have it? I’m not sure. I’m in denial. What happened? Do I have it because I was with expanders and I was in pain all the time, constant pain, but nobody ever saw that. It was like a facade. Because I don’t want sympathy. I just want people to know what the situation is because there’s everyone in a household that is going through it, so to get educated.

Diko: I think that under normal circumstances with somebody else who would not be in this situation, they would probably have a lot more time to decide, okay, what’s the next step. What are our options? Do we do this, do we do that. But with her, there was so much going on at the same time that honestly, we didn’t even have the time to consider all the things. The decisions were made quick. The doctors were great, and they [said], “Okay, this is what we should do next.” So she would go to appointments not really knowing actually what was going on or what the appointment was for, with all the things that was happening at the same time.

Peggy: I didn’t go to the hospital one day because I had to go to the doctor. I cancelled so many times because of my dad dying. And then one day I was like, “I gotta go today.” So she told me, “Your BRCA is negative.” Okay thank you, and then “No, no. We gotta talk. We found cancer.” So I’m like, “We have to go to the hospital.” It didn’t hit me, and like, that’s all I could think about, and I’m like, “Wait, cancer? It’s still not registering.” It’s still not registering because I’ve seen it, so I’m like numb to it. So I want to block it out because that’s my number one fear. I think I’m still in denial.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZxei5QhGY7/?hl=en&taken-by=peggysulahian

How is your health now?

Peggy: You can not compare. Even the makeup artist is like, “Your color has changed. Your tone has changed, your speech has changed.” Because I was on medication, and I was up in six weeks and I was in pain all the time with these expanders, and it would hurt because it was metal. Every time he would put fluid in there, I was miserable. I’d go home, I’d be in bed, and then we’d have to film. I never said no. It’s my job, I love it, I’m going to do it. But I’ll be honest with you, that helped me get through it. I think I would’ve been in depression, even the doctors said it, “People like you that go through this have a depression, go through divorce, lose their job.” Thank god I have the support there, and it’s been amazing. Without a support system, it would be really bad.

It’s fun to watch your marriage because it’s clear that it’s solid and there’s this caring for each other underneath all the joking and everything that goes on. It just fits. How has the show challenged your marriage, has it changed it at all, what’s been that experience for you?

Peggy: It’s the same. It’s the same because we are who we are. We joke around, we do those things anyways, so when the cameras around, there’s no difference. With the kids or with him, he is who he is and I am who I am, so there’s a respect thing there. If that respect thing, that bond is not there, then the glass is broken from the beginning. So you would probably see that on the show, and it would probably get worse. I still kick his ass.

Diko: Yeah, right.

Peggy: [joking] He beats me up on Fridays.

Diko: Fridays are spank days. Nobody got that joke.

Peggy: Even with the Armenians,  I’m like, “What do you mean you’ve never heard of that?” Diko’s brother-in-law said it, that your brother-in-law beats up your sister-in-law.

Diko: It was a joke he told you like years and years ago.

Peggy: But that’s a joke we do. You know what though? I felt bad though for Shannon when we went to Quiet Woman. They were pouring out their hearts to me, and I was there, I wanted to tell them because I wanted the support system, but they turned it around, everyone had their problems, their issues.

Diko: Everything is the same. Because I don’t think we have an agenda to be on the show, she doesn’t have an agenda. Where I think, my opinion is that a lot of people have issues because maybe the husband is not all for it, and then they have ulterior motives to do different things they want to do possibly with it. And they butt heads. I don’t know. With my financial situation, I don’t give a shit, you know. So she’s having fun and it was a great distraction with all the stuff that was going on and it gave her purpose, and that’s what makes me happy. That’s why I enjoy her being on the show, because she’s busy with it, you know, kids went off to college, we only have one son left at home, and it gives her a purpose. It’s ridiculous drama sometimes, or most of the time, but at least it gives her a purpose. Because she was literally in bed and depressed after we did the double mastectomy and the funeral, she was just literally in bed. When she found out about the show, and honestly, I saw her eyes light up. I just saw the happiness inside that. So I’m behind her 100% and she can do what she wants.

Peggy: He wants to take my spot.

Diko: Oh, stop it. Don’t be a hater.

In last night’s episode, you learn about a push present, but I would say he’s probably made it up to you over the years, right?

Peggy: Yeah, honey. I’ve gotten more things than those women have. I’ve gotten ten push presents.

Diko: Ten or a thousand?

Peggy: Ten, I want a thousand.

Has there been a scene that you’ve watched so far that has given you a different perspective or made you think differently about this whole process? 

Peggy: Well, I do pick up little things, and I don’t talk. That’s my thing, don’t underestimate me. I see and I hear and I notice everything, it’s just that you think I don’t notice it. And I react to that. That’s how my personality is. I’ve always been like that, it’s not because of the show. But it’s really ugly, grown women acting like children. There’s no conversation, like the one incident with Shannon. Really, you’re 50-what years old? Isn’t it embarrassing going like this [squeezing her leg] to Kelly, and it’s like, how old are you? Do something else, at least. I thought you were are USC graduate.

Diko: What stood out to you?

Peggy: That one. They’re poking, and I’m like, I see it, and it made me uncomfortable. So when I say something I’m still thinking about it to Shannon, and then she’s aggressive, like “Oh, Peggy said she’s thinking about it.” Why don’t you say what you did and I’m not being rude and insulting you in any way? I can easily insult you, you’re putting yourself in that situation, but it’s embarrassing for you, I’m not embarrassing you. It’s the disrespect. Or like, Shannon doing this and Kelly doing that [makes a face]. Like, what the heck is that face?

Diko: So the signals they give each other.

Peggy: The signals, the poking. Or when, Kelly is funny, we’re at the Farmhouse and Kelly is looking for help. She’s looking at Shannon and she’s looking at Tamara, they think I don’t understand. You’re just looking? Just an owl face? Just an owl neck? What the heck is that? And then all the sudden no one is saving her and she’s like [face] to Meghan, and Meghan doesn’t jump in. Everybody’s scared to jump in, they better not have. And when Meghan did, I did what I had to do because I’d had enough. Seriously.

In last night’s episode you got an apology from Tamara. Did you expect that and were you glad to get it?

Peggy: I appreciate that I did get it. I feel like it was a concern, it was a place of concern. I feel like she felt bad for me, but why didn’t she do it then? Who’s she embarrassed of? If you’re going to stick up for me, stick up for me then. That’s just how I am. I was put in a situation with a pack of wolves.

Do you think you’ve been conscious of it, if other women are getting ganged up on? You try to come to their rescue?

Peggy: Of course. I mean, I’m the one to mediate it, I’m the one to say, even if Shannon is not in a good mood, and I’m not good with Shannon, I’ll bring Shannon down. I’m that type. And I think that because doing that, they take advantage of it and they’re just going to put me in the corner just to get their two seconds of fame, which I’m like, “What are you doing?” It’s more embarrassing what you’re doing with your reputation.

Diko: They want camera time.

Peggy: They want camera time. They’re a different person. They are a different person, especially in Iceland. It was like, “I’m talking to you, what are you doing, what happened to you?” There’s cameras, they are completely different.

We’re just about halfway through the season now, how do you feel? Do you feel like you’re loving it, you want to do more, or do you feel like it’s stressful?

Peggy: It has been stressful, oh yeah.

But it sounds like it’s been a good stressful for you.

Diko: She loves it. I love it. You’ve got drama with them instead of me.

Peggy: You’ve got yourself in drama too honey, with David.

Diko: Nothing I can’t handle.

Peggy: Yeah, I’m more experienced to know what’s going on. To know their personalities. Oh yeah. I handle it differently.

When you first got there, you couldn’t really understand why people couldn’t just make up and move on with their lives. 

Peggy: I from the beginning said, let’s make a Sex and the City. What is this yelling and stuff? I mean, Sex and the City is not a show anymore, so let’s make it again. I know who I’m going to be, which of the girls.

Which one?

Peggy: I don’t want to say.

Samantha?

Peggy: Yes.

Diko: Why, did she do something wrong?

Peggy: She’s the best.

You’re a total Samantha.

Diko: I don’t get it. Oh, because she slept around?

Yeah, but she also just knew what she wanted. She was very much a boss lady, and she was in charge of her life.

Peggy: She knew who she was.

The Real Housewives of Orange County airs Mondays at 9pm on Bravo. 

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