In the Real Housewives franchises, fights are a regular occurrence amongst the cast members, and while some squabbles can get very intense, petty issues often come up that are more amusing than alarming. Being on display for the world to see is understandably stressful, and housewives may feel pressure to create drama in order to stay relevant. Many times, producers will divulge information to cast members to create a stir. These types of actions can make Real Housewives cast members react. Then, chaos can ensue.
When housewives meet for the first time in a franchise, they’ll sometimes butt heads due to their differing personalities. Jen Armstrong from The Real Housewives of Orange County was confused when fellow housewife Noella Bergener kept giving her an attitude, even though they had no history. When she asked Noella about it, Noella explained that it was because Jen had tagged her in an Instagram picture, despite the two having met only twice, in a very casual way. To top it off, it was a picture of Jen alone, promoting her business. Noella told Jen that she was very “thirsty” and didn’t even think the picture was flattering. Fans thought her reaction was very over-the-top, but they chalked it up to her being stressed about her divorce.
Sometimes, a friendly competition can cause housewives to start petty fights with each other. Kenya Moore started a long-standing beef with Marlo Hampton in The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 9. Kenya, who is the proud founder of Kenya Moore Haircare, may have felt irked when Marlo later came out with a wig line. Kenya crashed her frenemy’s wig line launch by coming by with a marching band and promoting her own hair care products. Fans thought it was the shadiest and pettiest moment ever, but it was one of the most entertaining episodes of RHOA history. Still, there are many other petty fights in The Real Housewives franchises that fans can't help but laugh at.
“I Was Driving Carpool!”
Mary Cosby and Whitney Rose from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City had a tight friendship until Whitney failed to do Mary’s bidding. Mary tried FaceTiming Whitney to invite her to an Italian-themed cooking class with the other housewives, but Whitney didn’t answer the call. In retaliation, Mary, who had chosen “Italian Street Wear” as the dress code for the class, told Whitney to dress in a silly store-bought Halloween costume. Whitney didn’t take the bait and came dressed in an elegant outfit. Mary spent the entire party taking digs at Whitney, and when she finally confronted her, Mary said that she was upset she didn’t answer her FaceTime. Whitney explained that she driving her kids and their friends, but Mary just wouldn’t accept it. In a moment of exasperation, Whitney yelled, “I WAS DRIVING CARPOOL!”
The Sprinkle Cookies
Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga have had a tumultuous relationship over the years, which started way before The Real Housewives of New Jersey. The two sisters-in-law weren’t on speaking terms for years, but eventually took baby steps to bring their families back together. However, when Melissa brought over sprinkle cookies from a supermarket for Christmas, Teresa became extremely offended. She thought that Melissa didn’t make enough of an effort, as she didn't go to a high-end bakery, and promptly threw the cookies in the garbage. The sprinkle cookie incident triggered a beef between the two housewives. Finally, Melissa brought Teresa a box of the sprinkle cookies as a peace offering, to which Teresa joked, “Just what I wanted!”
“Thank you! That’s All I Wanted!”
The women of The Real Housewives of New Jersey seem to take their desserts seriously. When the ladies were on a trip to Boca Raton, Siggy Flicker brought out a beautiful three-tiered cake for Melissa’s birthday. Melissa and Teresa ended up playfully throwing pieces of cake at each other until it became an all-out cake war. Siggy from RHONJ was mortified that her friends would be so immature in a restaurant, and trash a cake that she paid $1,000 for. Siggy got even more incensed when she expected an apology from them the next day, but never got one.
Following the incident, Siggy threw a party at her house and silenced everyone, asking guests if they would find it rude if someone threw a beautiful three-tiered cake across the room. She asked everyone to raise their hands if they agreed, as Melissa looked on, embarrassed. As almost everyone raised their hands, Siggy yelled, “Thank you!” She then proceeded to lay on the floor with her arms spread out and screamed, “Melissa, that’s all I wanted! THAT’S ALL I WANTED.”
Luann Vs. The Fish Room
Dorinda Medley’s Berkshires house is the scene of many drama-filled moments for The Real Housewives of New York City ladies. The housewives, particularly Ramona Singer, can be divas about snagging the best rooms while on vacation. One of Blue Stone Manor’s rooms had underwater décor, with huge fish mounted on the bright teal walls. During a girls’ stay at Dorinda’s house, Luann got assigned the fish room, which she was not happy about. The other ladies refused to trade rooms, and when Tinsley Mortimer was asked to stay in the fish room, she argued, “Why do I always get the short end of the stick?” Again, Luann fumed about being stuck in the fish room after her last stay there, and she left the dinner table in a huff. Rather than waking up to a swordfish staring at her, Luann booked a hotel room for the night.
Harry Hamlin’s Bolognese Sauce
Usually when someone gives a gift, one “Thank you” is enough for the giver. However, on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Rinna didn’t think Garcelle Beauvais showed enough appreciation for her husband Harry Hamlin’s Bolognese sauce. When Lisa hosted a lunch for the housewives, Harry made his infamous pasta dish. After Garcelle raved about the Bolognese sauce, Lisa and Harry stopped by her house and gifted her a jar, which Garcelle personally thanked them for. However, Lisa later accused Garcelle of not additionally texting Harry a “Thank you” for the sauce. Fans were confused as to why Garcelle had to thank Harry over text when she had thanked him personally.
Harry later revealed on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that after learning about Lisa and Garcelle’s spat, he texted Garcelle, “I never expected a thank you. I just wanted you to enjoy the sauce.” Perhaps the housewives can learn a thing or two about letting go of petty issues related to their husbands!