Lisa Rinna isn’t the first from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills to blame bad behavior on grief, and her latest antics are reminiscent of Lisa Vanderpump’s final season. Vanderpump was a franchise staple for over a decade before her political maneuvering got torn to pieces. Rinna similarly has maintained a power position on RHOBH, with a knack for stirring the pot but avoiding the flames. For both icons, however, nothing lasts forever.
In RHOBH season 9, Vanderpump introduced a conflict surrounding Dorit Kemsley’s dog adoption gone wrong. Vanderpump attempted to shame Dorit slyly through Teddi Mellencamp, Kyle Richards, and her Vanderpump Dogs staff. Meanwhile, she claimed there was no bad blood between her and Dorit. As the rumors that Dorit’s former dog ended up at a shelter swirled through the cast and later on Radar Online, it became apparent that Vanderpump wanted the story out there even if she denied it. While Vanderpump was usually more subtle in her efforts to drive a plot, she was overwhelmed at the time with the loss of her brother. As Rinna noted, rather unempathetically, Vanderpump was slipping.
Rinna is less of a master manipulator and more of a master mouthpiece. Last week her loose lips got her in big trouble once again. Rinna decided to chime in on Diana Jenkin’s Instagram scandal and lashed out at Garcelle Beauvais and The Real Housewives of Dubai cast. Rinna doesn’t try to be subtle when she wants to call out her peers or get to the bottom of an issue. Garcelle might be used to swerving Rinna’s less than classy behavior, but the RHODUBAI cast came back swinging at the problematic microaggressions from Rinna. Much like Vanderpump during puppy-gate, Rinna was finally backed into a corner for trying the same old tricks. Rinna’s unfiltered commentary landed her in racist territory, and now she’s backpedaling.
In a vague apology, after a few days of additional messy media posts, Rinna blamed grief over her mother Lois for her outburst. The lack of specificity and accountability made the apology lackluster, to say the least. It makes sense that a less stable mental space amplified Rinna’s tendency to do and say whatever she wants. However, there are no excuses for blatantly disrespecting one’s peers. While Vanderpump never owned her lousy behavior in RHOBH season 9 nor blamed her grief, the behavior coinciding with the trauma was obvious to the cast.
Ultimately, both women bear the burden of their actions regardless of what is happening in their personal lives. However, the mismanagement of their platforms in the context of grief is a reminder to be self-aware and prioritize healing when dealing with trauma. Too often, celebrities and regular folks alike lash out and cause more problems in their lives when things go wrong. RHOBH is a high-stakes, highly competitive, and often toxic environment. Anyone looking to be in a healthy place might skip filming for a season to avoid their worst behavior.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.