The wild story might actually be a prank ... something which clearly ticked off Andy Cohen and Jeff Lewis on WWHL immediately following the episode.
Some of The Real Housewives of New York may have just tried to pull a prank not only on costars, but viewers at home -- and it's not going over well with fans or Bravo's own Andy Cohen.
On Tuesday's new hour, Erin Lichy told costars Jessel Tank and Brynn Whitfield that Rebecca Minkoff -- a fashion designer and Scientologist who was added in a "friend" role this season -- was pregnant. That, however, wasn't the big gossip -- as Lichy also claimed the child's father may not be Minkoff's husband, Gavin.
Claiming it was gossip she heard from a "mutual friend," Lichy said Minkoff had "one night, like a crazy night" with another man and got pregnant. The source also claimed Minkoff wasn't sure who "who the dad it."
RHONY Erin Lichy and Husband Get Into Fight Over Taking Mushrooms On Season Premiere
View StoryThe "pigeons" then went to work, as the women started telling others about the rumors.
Brynn filled in both Sai De Silva and Racquel Chevremont, telling them, "I heard she's a freak in the sheets ... They have fun with other people and stuff. Regardless of the consequences." She wondered whether Rebecca participates in orgies, before saying she was having "another man's baby."
Sai then told the rumors to Ubah Hassan and Jenna Lyons, before Jenna warned Rebecca that people were talking.
"Erin, you f---ing told her?" Minkoff then shouted at Lichy, as the women all reacted in shocked. Rebecca ran off, Erin chased after her, before the two shared a hug, knowing glance and laugh, before Erin said, "That was good!"
The episode ended with a "To be continued" slate, but the cliffhanger makes it seem like Erin and Rebecca were possibly pranking the rest of the women ... and, in turn, viewers at home, who remained in the dark as well.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
While we'll have to wait until next week for the real story, Andy Cohen and Jeff Lewis reacted to the possibility of a prank on Watch What Happens Live, immediately after the episode aired.
"I'm not a fan of a prank, I'm gonna be honest," he said, before asking Sai -- who was also a guest -- whether she had "any sense when the story was being told to you, it did not seem true?"
"No, my mouth was on the floor. I was completely in shock," she told Cohen, before Lewis shared his take.
"I think it's a bad move. I think it's self-producing," he said. "I think that you lose trust in your audience. I think it's a bad move. I don't like pranks."
7 Real Housewives Who Didn't Show Up to Their Reunion
View StoryFans online seemed to agree, with many in WWHL's comments on Instagram applauding Jeff's POV.
"Self producing!!!!" exclaimed one viewer, before another added, "RHONY has lost its flair!! Not sure what I’m watching this season, hoping not to give up yet but struggling to get through this episode!!"
"Pregnancy should never be used as a joke or prank.... however love that some of these ladies got played... as Ubah called them Pigeons...😂😂😂" wrote someone else.
"So we are not going to address how badly everyone behaved? Laughing and joking about such a private issue??" added another.
One popular comment, meanwhile, also pointed out: "What’s really bad is they had to use this prank a lot in the promos for the season."
RHONY airs Tuesdays on Bravo.