I see all that and Don Juan still grates.
I seem to remember him from Season 3, or whenever Kandi's first season was, and he did not seem as animated or involved. If I am thinking of the same person, I actually liked him back then. Progress to more recent seasons and he could not let a scene go by without disrespecting Todd. Friend or not, Employee or not - he just annoys me. There have been several other side characters that have not annoyed me but for some reason he does.
He probably has a Real Housewives contract and good for him if he does. As Kandi said, she is all about making money (or something like that). That definitely would explain the change in Don Juan's character and why she defends it.