With so many women featured throughout the Real Housewives franchise, it's natural that while some become fan favorites, others fall to the end of the popularity totem pole. Since Bravo debuted The Real Housewives of Orange County in 2006, their empire has expanded to 11 series across the United States, including their first international series, the upcoming The Real Housewives of Dubai. In addition, the Real Housewives craze has made its way to Europe, Canada, and other parts of the world, with international versions available in countries like France, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
While fans like to root for housewives that are kind and mature with their co-stars, part of what makes the Real Housewives franchise so good is the entertainment villains add to their respective shows. Marlo Hampton, who is now a full-time housewife, for example, was known for starting trouble and crossing the metaphorical line long before she became a main cast member on The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Ramona Singer from The Real Housewives of New York City may be in hot water with Bravo fans after the past few seasons, but her demeaning off-the-cuff remarks add serious flavor to the show due to her lack of self-awareness.
That being said, some housewives who have appeared on the Real Housewives franchise are considered villains for the wrong reasons. Whether these women resort to physical violence or manipulate storylines and co-stars with harsh words, some choices have had fans questioning Bravo's casting process. Below are some of the most notorious Real Housewives villains and how they set themselves apart from their castmates.
Brandi Glanville
While Brandi Glanville is bearable as a friend to The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills ladies, her time as a main cast member was marred by several emotional and physical outbursts. Heavily featured throughout seasons 3 to 5, Brandi's impulsive decisions were less than warmly received, especially since her co-stars made their boundaries loud and clear. From slapping Lisa Vanderpump in the face during season 5 to throwing a glass of wine on Eileen Davidson, Brandi being unable to keep her hands to herself does nothing to help her Real Housewives legacy. When this behavior is coupled with insensitive remarks - such as hurling racist commentary towards Joyce Giraud during RHOBH season 4 - it becomes clear why Brandi is one of the most controversial housewives to appear in the franchise.
Kenya Moore
Kenya Moore, who has been a part of RHOA since season 5, is primarily known for two things: her chaotic relationships and being an instigator. From engaging in a house-building competition with Shereé Whitfield during RHOA season 10 to picking on Kim Fields throughout season 8, Kenya is the master of pushing people's buttons. In fact, Kenya has argued with most of the housewives she's worked with, including NeNe Leakes, Drew Sidora, and Kandi Burruss. While fans recognize Kenya's traumatic family background and feel sympathy towards the 51-year-old attempting to connect with her mother, it doesn't excuse her method of attacking the other housewives. Infamous RHOA moments that emphasize Kenya's manipulation techniques include her throw-down with Porsha Williams during the RHOA season 6 reunion and her flirtatious moments with Phaedra Parks' ex-husband, Apollo Nida.
Phaedra Parks
Speaking of Phaedra, this attorney held a peach on RHOA for six years before getting fired following the season 9 reunion. As someone who pulled strings without directly engaging in conflict, Phaedra's approach to drama quickly caught up with her once a lie about Kandi and Porsha spun out of control. Kandi and Porsha were at odds throughout RHOA season 9 after Porsha was told that Kandi and her husband, Todd Tucker, wanted to engage in inappropriate sexual activity with her. The arguments between them had been brewing and stewing up until the first-ever four-part reunion, where it was revealed that Phaedra originally talked to Porsha. Not only did the star invoke the Fifth Amendment by refusing to explain her motivation and thought process, but this moment made Bravo fans look back and recognize other moments of Phaedra being dishonest, such as discussing her due date with the ladies during RHOA season 3.
Danielle Staub
Danielle Staub was only a main cast member on The Real Housewives of New Jersey for the first two seasons, but her subsequent appearances as a friend have made her someone that fans love to hate. Although some viewers have had empathy for Danielle at times - like when Teresa Giudice infamously called her a "prostitution w****" during RHONJ season 1 - Danielle is far from an angel. Danielle is one of the most physically aggressive housewives across the Real Housewives franchise, with the 59-year-old pulling Margaret Josephs' hair from behind during RHONJ season 10 hitting major headlines upon airing. In addition, Danielle's abrasive and unabashed language causes the star to treat others poorly, such as how she talked to her bridesmaids during her RHONJ season 9 wedding. Danielle will verbally or physically fight with anyone she feels is a threat, including Ashlee Malleo, the daughter of Jacquline Laurita. While this behavior solidified Danielle's position as a reality television star, it also cemented her as a villain.
Kelly Dodd
Kelly Dodd was initially welcomed with open arms when she was introduced during RHOC season 11, but her reputation quickly began to suffer from her unabashed opinions and over-the-top exclamations. While making comments on surroundings and observations is not a bad thing, Kelly frequently crossed the line by insulting her castmates, such as making fun of Shannon Beador's weight before publicly accusing her husband David of infidelity. Other examples include insulting Tamra's relationship with her daughter during an argument, calling Vicki a "pig" during RHOC season 14, and accusing Braunwyn Windham-Burke of faking her alcoholism in season 15. Not to mention, Kelly committed even more transgressions off-camera, such as spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and spewing racist rhetoric. After all the controversy Kelly stirred up on the show and online, Bravo giving her the ax after RHOC season 15 was not only inevitable but celebrated by many.
Siggy Flicker
Siggy Flicker was a short-lived housewife who appeared on RHONJ seasons 7 and 8. Siggy was introduced as a professional love guru who matched couples for a living, yet the Israeli-American had problems with her co-stars from day one. Self-described as sensitive and emotional, Siggy became known for taking little moments and blowing them out of proportion, which in turn caused arguments to evolve into full-blown feuds. Memorable moments from this housewife include, publicly berating Melissa Gorga over a cake fight, accusing Margaret of anti-semitism after making an off-hand comment, and later treating Margaret badly at her own birthday party. Like other memorable Real Housewives villains, viewers were not exactly unhappy to see the 54-year-old go after being reportedly fired.