Dorit Kemsley tells Erika Jayne at The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion that Kyle Richards sent her a lengthy text to try and silence her: "It was so manipulative, it was so calculated."
One of the more controversial moments of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills came when Dorit Kemsley read out a private text she'd received from Kyle Richards. RHOBH alum Teddi Mellencamp thinks it was a move out of desperation for the reality star.
"This is the part that really bothers me about all of this," she said on the latest episode of her Two T's in a Podcast with Tamra Judge. "I think that was Dorit's final Hail Mary of like, 'You guys have to keep me on the show because here I am spilling something that you never should have spilled.'"
Dorit Kemsley Exposes Kyle Richards Text Trying to 'Silence' Her, Calling RHOBH 'Toxic'
View StoryIt happened right at the top, even before the women had assembled for their fight -- ahem, conversation -- refereed -- ahem, moderated -- by Andy Cohen. While getting ready, Dorit unloaded about the text to Erika Jayne.
"I haven't heard from her in a couple of months," she told Erika in her trailer before the show. "Then she sends me a text yesterday, basically trying to silence me. It was so manipulative, it was so calculated."
The text, which Dorit read from, acknowledged that things were "weird" between her and Kyle, but that Kyle hoped Dorit wouldn't bring up their issues on the reunion.
Speaking of manipulative and calculated, Teddi thinks the fact that Dorit shared a text sent to her privately while the show wasn't filming is proof that she's "a friend to no one" on that cast.
"At what point is that drawing the line?" she asked. "It is one thing to say, 'Listen, Kyle sent me a text yesterday where she said she didn't want to argue with me.' But to go there and show a private message I really think is crossing the line."
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View StoryTeddi, though, doesn't agree with Dorit's read of the message or Kyle's perceived intent behind it. Her take is, "This is saying, 'Listen, we have a lot of other s--t to talk about. Why do you need to drag our friendship through the mud right now?'"
The former reality star was also critical of Dorit in other areas, too, saying she has no storyilne on the show other than PTSD, which "she's been talking about for three years now." Further, Teddi doesn't think she has a good relationship with anyone on the cast.
"All we've seen so far this season of Dorit is Dorit mocking what Kyle is going through," claimed Teddi, who said the show is at its best when there are true friendships and it's the "highs and lows" of those relationships that are being explored.
She feels that sharing Kyle's text message is a blatant betrayal of that relationship, and especially considering something Dorit had said before. "I have the text messages that she has sent to our mutual friends saying, 'I really hope Kyle knows that I will put her above the show any day. If she ever needs anything, I am there to support her. I love her. I care about her.'"
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View StoryBut Teddi doesn't think Dorit is putting Kyle "above the show" at all. In fact, she now things Dorit "solely cares about being on that TV show; that is her entire identity. I feel disgusted that she would do that to a friend."
As for Kyle's shared message, it detailed the emotional turmoil she's experiencing amid the ongoing struggles in her marriage to Mauricio Umansky, while expression compassion for Dorit's struggles and love for her co-star.
"I don't want to lose someone else in my life over a TV show," Kyle wrote to Dorit. "They don't even know we are going through a hard time so I don't see the need to bring it up there."
Just as Dorit had expressed in the text message Teddi shared, Kyle said that she'd not been strong enough to reach out, but did so because "relationships and you are more important to me than RHOBH."
Bethenny Frankel Calls Out Dorit Kemsley and Bravo Over Kyle Richards' Text Being Exposed
View StoryShe said she didn't feel like "bringing it" for the sake of the reunion and television "at our expense -- especially when we have enough battles to handle as it is." Her hope was they could sit down and talk after the taping.
Teddi wasn't the only one critical of Dorit sharing this private message from Kyle. Bethenny Frankel but Dorit and Bravo on blast for putting it out there, calling it a "violation."
She said she couldn't imagine how that would feel to have a friend expose something so "private, personal, emotional, heartfelt, guttural," and sent while not filming.
"When you’re working, you’re working, and that’s vile enough. But when you’re not working, and you’re off the clock, are they also going to own your thoughts?" she asked, calling out the network for airing it. "That’s a private text. That’s insane! And Kyle is their favorite — imagine how they treat their least favorites, whoa!"
You can check out all the details of how it all went down in the first part of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion below, and follow along each Wednesday on Bravo for the final two parts.