Kyle Richards: This Is Reality

Have you seen The Real Housewives? Any city... The Real Housewives follows a group of women's lives and how they navigate through their friendships. We are followed by cameras that capture what we say and do. We are expected to be honest and say how we feel about any given situation. The Real Housewives is NOT Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. It is not Sex and the City. It is not scripted. It's our reality.

I have been on this show many years now. We just finished Season 9 to be exact. There have been many tears and a lot of laughter over these nine years. Some seasons were so stressful it seems I cried the whole way through (hence the internet's nickname for me "Kryle" ...ironically that makes me laugh). I have made mistakes, made good choices, made bad choices, learned a lot, and grown as a person. 

This season has left me so frustrated at times. Frustrated that people don't always seem to see the obvious. No, it's not editing. It's people who are good at "the game." Bad people can be good at it, and good people can be bad at it. People who have spent their entire life treating life as a game and "winning" at it have had lots of practice.

When I was told to go to Vanderpump Dogs way back at the beginning of the season, I knew right away what was going on. I was brought there to unknowingly be a part of making Dorit look bad for entertainment purposes I suppose. Trust me, I know you think she didn't need much help. I read the comments, see the perception of her from people that have never met her. But that's part of reality television. You get to decide who you like, love, or hate, even though we have never met in person. We "signed up for it."

When I was a child on Little House on the Prairie I worked with many amazing people. I was often so confused how so many people would tell me how they disliked Mrs. Olsen or Nellie Olsen because they were "mean," when I knew they were SO nice. And the people the audience loved were the ones that actually were not that nice (NO, not Michael Landon. He was amazing). Oddly enough reality TV can be like that too.

Dorit made a mistake. She should have turned the dog back into Vanderpump Dogs. There is no disputing that. I will not go around and around about that again. Maybe it was the $5,000 return policy that made Dorit think finding a good home for Lucy on her own was a better choice. I don't know. I only mention that because Ken referenced it in his "birthday tweet." I do know that a dog not working out in someone's home does not make them an "animal hater." And I am an animal lover.

Now let's get back to what The Real Housewives is about and Ken's "birthday tweet." Ken is angry because the cast "bullied" Lisa when she was going through a hard time. Forget the fact that being honest isn't bullying, and the fact that someone has to actually show up to have any interaction, AND the fact that I resisted using any adjective in that realm when Ken got up in my face. 

However, I DO understand that was a difficult time for Lisa. I had many conversations with her over this time. 

I also understand that she signed up for two reality shows during that time, and one of them she had already shot. With that being said, if you're going through a hard time, then you would think you would be coming from a different place, not scheming about how to make your friend look bad. Your close friend. The problem is it was not new behavior due to her having a hard time. It was a pattern that you would think would stop because she WAS going through a hard time. This pattern was something many of us had seen for so long it was hard to ignore.

That combined with the fact that we ALL "signed up" to be honest about what is going on in the group. If we aren't being honest, then we get called out for not being honest. If we are honest and you don't like what someone is saying, you're being "mean."

It's ironic to me that Ken said in his birthday tweet that we are all talking about Lisa and what she did because we didn't want to talk about what's "really" going on in our lives.

Let's talk about THAT... we talk about what is going on in our GROUP. Amongst the women in the cast. We talked about something that happened ON CAMERA. Something that couldn't be ignored because it changed the dynamic of the group.

Our children and husbands are not signed up or paid to be a part of this show. (Sorry, Ken. Only the women get to hold diamonds). Over these nine years we never discussed Ken's and Lisa's lawsuits (one came up briefly last year, and I actually defended Ken and shot it down) we also never got into Lisa's family, where she comes from or her background.

It seems Ken bringing up all of this stuff is to distract what started all of this in the first place. But bringing up things that are not relevant to what is going on in the group is a cheap shot. Especially when bringing up what someone's child has gone through. Once again, they did NOT sign up for this.

Where Ken is right is regarding comments Camille made about Lisa on camera that were mean and humiliating. Did we laugh? Yes. Nervous laugh. Like when you laugh in church or when someone trips and you know you shouldn't laugh but you can't help it. I am sorry for that. I honestly could not believe my ears and then was even more shocked when I saw the complete 180 Camille made when interacting with Lisa. HOWEVER, I never said "keep going, Camille, it's true ..." I don't even want to repeat what she claims was said or what she said that night, because to keep putting that out there is mean and keeps fueling the fire. I will say that if I had said the things Camille CLAIMS I said on camera, it would have been used. TRUST ME. We don't get away with anything around here.

Have we shared things off camera? Of course. Every one of us have said things off camera. But saying something on camera that has nothing to do with what's going on in the group and is just a mean, reckless comment that would humiliate someone is a low blow.

Camille came into the reunion guns blazing. I honestly do not know why she was so angry. We of course are going to address the stuff she said and did. That's what the reunion is about. When she constantly contradicts herself I find myself thinking "doesn't she know there are cameras? This is going to be played back!" Camille, in an attempt to distract from her actions, pretends she thinks we just were mad she said nice things about Lisa. That way she can get a little support from trolls. By calling us Mean Girls. She uses Twitter as a gauge to see what the audience thinks and throws out things she thinks people will support her about. Like I said, some people work hard at the game of life. Especially when they have been doing it so long.

The way Camille treated everyone was mind blowing. Denise looked utterly shocked and hurt. And I don't know what I did to Camille to warrant that behavior. The only thing I have said about Camille up until now is that she plays both sides of the fence and is a people pleaser. Both things she admits to herself. 

So yeah, this is not Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. This is reality. With all the bumps and bruises that come along with it.

Now, excuse me while I prepare for what backlash is coming my way for being honest. 

Until then...check mate!

Kyle