There are plenty of iconic moments throughout The Real Housewives of New York City, but the Scary Island episode from season 3 had the most memorable scenes and quotes. In its 13-season history, cast members have come and gone, and the drama and tension have run wild. However, Scary Island has still remained one of the most iconic episodes in the whole series.
When the cast of RHONY season 3 headed to the U.S. Virgin Islands, nothing could have prepared them, or viewers, for what was to come. After plenty of bubbling tension between Bethenny Frankel and Kelly Bensimon, the trip finally brought things to a head during dinner. A few drinks and some awkward exchanges later, it was every woman for herself.
While many fans attribute most of the night's iconic points to Kelly's unhinged nature, people often forget what was being said around her during the meltdown. She played a major part in what unfolded, but the reactions from the other women, like Sonja Morgan, were just as memorable. There are plenty of quotes to this dinner that has not only gone down in RHONY history but in The Real Housewives franchise as well.
6. “Oh my God, Al Sharpton!” - Kelly
When Bethenny was doing her best to try and get Kelly to explain what she was feeling, she assured Kelly she wanted to hear the truth, quoting “you can't handle the truth!” from A Few Good Men. Kelly laughed and thought Bethenny was quoting American civil rights activist Al Sharpton. She even told Bethenny to put her hair up to further resemble Al.
5. “What about when you attacked my friend Gwyneth?” - Kelly
In the middle of Kelly trying to hold up her end of the argument with Bethenny, she felt it was the perfect time to name-drop, questioning why Bethenny would attack her famous friend. Unfortunately, Bethenny didn't understand who Kelly was referring to, and when she clarified that she was referring to Gwyneth Paltrow, Kelly was already on to the next thing. Bethenny was left looking dazed and confused.
4. “The four of us are actually sane, and she's crazy, and now we're picking on her.” - Sonja
Sonja spent most of the night trying to stand up for Kelly. At one time during the dinner, everyone at the table even got up and left, leaving Sonja to deal with the situation. In an attempt to get the RHONY ladies to settle once they all returned, Sonja, who has a new spin-off with Luann de Lesseps, tried to vouch for Kelly but offhandedly insulted her in the process by calling her crazy.
3. “That's not an illness.” - Bethenny
Bethenny let Kelly know everyone thought there was something wrong with her. Kelly responded by blaming it on the fact that she didn't like Bethenny. In her classic matter-of-fact way, Bethenny took this chance to remind Kelly that disliking someone wasn't something a person gets diagnosed with.
2. “You told people tonight that she's channeling the devil, and that Bethenny was going to kill you in your sleep with a butter knife.” - Sonja
When the other RHONY women disappeared to collect themselves after witnessing an unhinged Kelly, Sonja tried to reason with and remind her how out of line she was. When she put it all in one sentence, it truly summarized how ridiculous the situation had become. Kelly's certainty that Bethenny was out to kill her was one of the highlights.
1. “GO TO SLEEP!” - Bethenny
The pinnacle of Scary Island was Bethenny's breaking point. After plenty of back and forth, sideways glances, and general confusion, Bethenny wasn't able to take it anymore. The three words she chose to hurl at Kelly finally put it all to an end. Kelly's taken aback response solidified this as the most iconic line of the evening.
The Scary Island episode of The Real Housewives of New York City was filled with chaos. The quotes throughout the episode have stood the test of time, with Kelly and Bethenny at the center of it and the other women contributing to the iconic chaos as well. Few RHONY moments have been able to match its hilarity.