Kim Richards: No Escape from Witch Mountain

[Lisin]

Poor Kim, even sober she's still so broken. I cringe every time they show the intro shot with her trying to smile.

[KarenClassic]

I think she should finish up the season doing all her individual interviews "speaking Spanish."

[Lisin]

YES! Her "Spanish" was amazing.

[thewhiteowl]

Poor Kim, even sober she's still so broken. I cringe every time they show the intro shot with her trying to smile.

I don't think she is sober but broken? Yes.

[SPLAIN]

Her Spanish talk had me laughing. And no, I was not offended at all. She talks better Spanish than people I know who should speak it well.

[chenoa333]

I would not be sad at all if Kim left this group. She's boring, her life is boring and her voice is annoying. I do however,wish her luck with her addiction problems

[suomi]

My nephew and his new wife followed the advice of their church (which shall remain nameless) during the first couple years of marriage and learned responsibility in increments. They started with some daily/weekly/monthly money goals and got a houseplant. Just one, and it didn't die. Then they got more plants that didn't die, and even thrived. Then they got a dog and training it properly was their responsibility, no trainers or doggie schools. Training that dog turned out so well that they got a second one, who is also well-trained. After all that they decided they were ready to be parents. Long story short, I've looked at our Kim with her wild/undisciplined dog and wished that someone was giving her similar advice, because that poor dog who doesn't know from limits reveals what goes on in her mind. I think she's got the goods but is too scattered to set goals and see things through to completion. Even the smallest successes build strength and character and, hopefully, create the desire to work at bigger successes. And I realize that strength doesn't come from never falling but rather from getting up each time we fall and she keeps getting up, so there's that. I dunno, she just seems lost. I want to like her but I feel sorta jangly myself when she's on my screen too long/too often.

[thewhiteowl]

Reality Tea is reporting that Kim is in the hospital although no one is saying why. Perhaps she hit her head, falling off the wagon.

[cooksdelight]

And she posts a photo from the hospital bed...

http://www.celebeat.com/articles/13537/20140829/kim-richards-hospitalized-rhobh-tweets-photo-from-hospital-doesnt-reveal-why-shes-receiving-care.htm

[Persnickety1]

I'm a skeptical, suspicious bitch.

 

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Kim checks herself in electively just to have a few days of pretty much free access to heavy-hitting drugs.

 

That actually went through my mind when she randomly had that nose job ("There's 6 weeks of prescription narcotics for her!") and I read on a couple of sites where this (above referenced hospitalization) is for an elective boob job ("There's another 4 to 6 weeks prescription narcotics for her!").

 

Sounds all sorts of harsh but, working in the medical field, I've seen addicts go so far as to inflict injuries on themselves in their quest to get hooked up with the opiates.  

 

Hopefully I'm wrong but these seemingly random elective procedures at her age just shoot up a red flag for me.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Persnickety1

[cooksdelight]

I hate to be cynical, but I don't think you're too far off. Kim's boobs looked fine to me, but then again I'm a person who will sprain an ankle or strain my back and get by with aspirin.

[thewhiteowl]

 

Sounds all sorts of harsh but, working in the medical field, I've seen addict even deliberately injure themselves in their quest to get hooked up with the opiates.

 

Yes they do, that occurred to me when Kinglsey supposedly bumped her new nose. More Dope! 

 

[msblossom]

Kim has ample natural boobs. Pam, I think, complimented them and asked her at Kyle's white party where she got them and she told her they were her own. Maybe she had them lifted, because they weren't small.

[cooksdelight]

Especially if it's a new boob coming out party. Been there, seen that, don't want to ever see it again.

[thewhiteowl]

I feel like it's a good bet that it's an elective surgery but I hope it's not boobs. Because she really needs to get her shit together rather than focus on her physical appearance, she is just distracting herself from her addiction problems and pretending the outside is the problem. Classic addict behavior. Bonus points for scoring drugs.

[vrocotamy]

Am I the only one who adores Kim and might stop watching if she were fired from/quit the show? Although she's far from perfect (in terms of conduct), she seems like she would be a lovely, awkwardly funny, down-to-earth person to spend time with. Plus, her talking heads provide comic relief from the turgid stories of shifting alliances. I also think she's more of a saint to put up with Kyle than Kyle is to put up with her. IMO, her mother controlled her - in order to exploit her income for their lifestyle (houses, cars, Kyle's private school tuition) - by telling her she was unstable, etc., from early on. Her co-dependence was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Kim is too kindhearted to realize it.

Edited September 22, 2014 by vrocotamy

[charming]

Am I the only one who adores Kim and might stop watching if she were fired from/quit the show?

 

Yes.

Just kidding.

Not really.

 

I think Kim's a spoiled child woman. She seems incapable of accepting responsibility for her choices in life. I don't find her quirky, spunky, interesting or charming. I don't believe she's 100% sober.

 

I've never liked the way she emotionally manipulates her children. The way she behaved when her youngest went off to college was disgusting. A teenage girl should not have to feel responsible for their Mother's happiness and stability.

 

She always wants to portray herself as Mother of the Year who sacrificed EVERYTHING for her children. Yet, she seems to have been an alcoholic/drug addict for much of their lives. So, really?

[vrocotamy]

Yes.

Just kidding.

Not really.

 

I think Kim's a spoiled child woman. She seems incapable of accepting responsibility for her choices in life. I don't find her quirky, spunky, interesting or charming. I don't believe she's 100% sober.

 

I've never liked the way she emotionally manipulates her children. The way she behaved when her youngest went off to college was disgusting. A teenage girl should not have to feel responsible for their Mother's happiness and stability.

 

She always wants to portray herself as Mother of the Year who sacrificed EVERYTHING for her children. Yet, she seems to have been an alcoholic/drug addict for much of their lives. So, really?

 

My view is admittedly skewed since I haven't yet seen Season 2 or the last part of 4. I'm not sure I'd call Kim "spoiled." Child-woman, yes. Extremely and probably permanently emotionally stunted, yes. I think Kim is eager to promote the narrative that she "sacrificed everything for her children" in order to explain away the end of her acting career in the '80s, which I don't think she's ever gotten over. Although it's not an excuse, I feel sympathy for Kim because I think she was probably treated similarly to how she treats her kids, if not worse. Remember that line in Season 1 where she said she models her behavior towards her kids after that of her own mother (who was also "all about her children")? At the end of the day, I find Kim - in her pettiness, imperfections, and immaturity - more likeable and easy to relate to than the other women on the show. I don't think any of the characters on RHOBH can pretend to superior character (even Yolanda!), so I don't tend to like or dislike them exclusively based on evaluations of their character.

[zoeysmom]

Am I the only one who adores Kim and might stop watching if she were fired from/quit the show? Although she's far from perfect (in terms of conduct), she seems like she would be a lovely, awkwardly funny, down-to-earth person to spend time with. Plus, her talking heads provide comic relief from the turgid stories of shifting alliances. I also think she's more of a saint to put up with Kyle than Kyle is to put up with her. IMO, her mother controlled her - in order to exploit her income for their lifestyle (houses, cars, Kyle's private school tuition) - by telling her she was unstable, etc., from early on. Her co-dependence was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Kim is too kindhearted to realize it.

I liked Kim until she developed this curious allegiance towards Brandi.  I am not a fan of the way Kim handles her vicious dog-so I can honestly say I would not be visiting her at her home.

 

Being friends with someone who has known the Richards family all her life, I don't think there is any real evidence of Kim's sainthood.  Just for the record-Kyle didn't go to private schools she started working at 5 years old and her schooling was on the set.  She worked through out her childhood and adult life both as an actress and a realtor.

 

Kim has a tough stubborn side to her.  He co-dependence is probably founded in having a stage mother.  After last season I have a hard time warming up to Kim- I thought her antics regarding the Lisa/Brandi/Kyle and Mauricio were unnecessary.   It is rare you see her ever defend her sister and although Brandi seems to think she knows what is best in the sisters' relationship.  A lifetime of bailing Kim out of one bad situation after another has left me skeptical about Kim's success with sobriety.  I do think her family worries constantly about her and they have helped her out over the years repeatedly.  Quite honestly, I don't think a younger working sister should be all that beholding to her older sister because their mother pushed a show business career on the girls.

 

As I write this I am watching Season 2 and a non-sober Kim, lamenting that when you charter a boat they are suppose to wait for you.  Kim and her man kept the other eight people waiting for an hour before they made their way to the dock-only to see the ship had sailed.  Kim's man friend response when Kyle confronted him about waiting, waiting and waiting was, "we don't care."  Forget they are on vacation-Kim as a professional actress knows better than to show up late.

 

So I hope this season sees a Kim who is a little more lucid and no quite so feisty. 

[Bronzedog]

I was best friends with an alcoholic for 15 years and our friendship ended dramatically in 2001. I cannot tell you how exhausting it is to put up with the demands We had no contact for a few years and then BAM she was back. Years after the friendship ended, she'd be banging on my front door, regardless of time, for some random attention seeking thing. There were the hospital emergencies, endless drama and constant neediness. It never stopped. There was never any gratitude for anything just constant selfishness. When she died of cirrhosis earlier this year, my first thought was that I would no longer have to take the phone off the hook or get up for work at 5am after being awakened in the middle of the night by the banging on my front door. My hats off to Kyle. She's been putting up with Kim for her entire life, and, unfortunately, she will probably be readjusting her life to Kim's selfish demands until Kim's death.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Bronzedog

[KFC]

Curious allegiance to Brandi? I thought they were just friends outside of the show. I don't know what's so strange about two of the castmates spending time outside of the show, not even those two loons.

[motorcitymom65]

My view is admittedly skewed since I haven't yet seen Season 2 or the last part of 4. I'm not sure I'd call Kim "spoiled." Child-woman, yes. Extremely and probably permanently emotionally stunted, yes. I think Kim is eager to promote the narrative that she "sacrificed everything for her children" in order to explain away the end of her acting career in the '80s, which I don't think she's ever gotten over. Although it's not an excuse, I feel sympathy for Kim because I think she was probably treated similarly to how she treats her kids, if not worse. Remember that line in Season 1 where she said she models her behavior towards her kids after that of her own mother (who was also "all about her children")? At the end of the day, I find Kim - in her pettiness, imperfections, and immaturity - more likeable and easy to relate to than the other women on the show. I don't think any of the characters on RHOBH can pretend to superior character (even Yolanda!), so I don't tend to like or dislike them exclusively based on evaluations of their character.

I agree with a lot of this. For me, Kim is a total dichotomy. There are things about her that I love. I do think she is funny and quirky. Then there are the things I hate. She does seem selfish and unable to take ownership of her behavior.

I would strongly recommend watching S2. This was THE season as far as I am concerned when trying to evaluate Kim. Of course there was Game Night, but to me that wasn't the biggest reveal regarding Kim's character. It was the trip to Hawaii. In those two or three episodes I finally got what Kyle (and the rest of the folks who love Kim) had been dealing with for years. Prior to that I didn't ever completely understand the dynamic between Kyle and Kim and the way that it sometimes appeared as if Kyle was all over Kim's ass for anything and everything. I never understood how on the one hand Kyle could mock Kim so openly, but then desperately want her around. She wanted her to come to all the events, and wanted her to move closer to Kyle and Mauricio. After Hawaii I completely got it and my sympathy absolutely lies with Kyle.

[Avaleigh]

Game Night, Hawaii, Kyle's White Party, and the party at SUR. There are bunch of other things to point to no doubt about that, but if I were to pick the episodes that showed the absolute worst sides of Kim it would be ones that included the four above events. I'm not even sure which was worse because they were all awful.

 

Brandi comes off so well during Kyle's White Party in season 2 it's insane. Like, there's no way in hell that this Brandi that we've all come to know would have been so calm and collected while drunk/high Kim was going off on her. I'd forgotten just how well Brandi handled herself that night and I'd really forgotten just how much everyone else was enabling Kim and her crazy behavior. I couldn't believe the way that Kim actually tried to get her daughter involved in her fight with Brandi. The whole scene was completely nuts and IMO they should have been trying to get Kim to check into rehab the next day. My jaw was on the floor during the dancing and kissing with Ken.

 

In the limo on the way to SUR--I remember that scene well but it's still shocking how blatant it all is and how Kim was so zapped that she didn't realize the implications of going through the drug paraphernalia while the cameras are on. Locking herself in a bathroom at a party where booze is flowing heavily? Ugh, she is such a selfish, childish troll of a woman.

 

Then we have Kim babbling about how she thinks she's pregnant (?!), she wants people to be happy for her (she says this as she's crying), she doesn't want to lose her kids, etc. The whole thing is just a mess and Kyle just has to sit there and act like any of it makes sense...in front of fucking cameras. I realize these people have a choice as far as the filming aspect of it but moments like that have to be tough even if a person is somewhat to blame for being in the situation in the first place. 

 

Oh--The phone conversation while they're all in the airport waiting for Kim? *facepalm* Saying that she'll be there in a minute? Missing the six o'clock flight as well? Letting the world know that she's been driving on an expired license. When they get to Hawaii, they're late because they didn't hear the alarm and because Ken can't find the bottoms to Kim's bathing suit? These idiots can't even come up with decent excuses it's beyond insulting. Oh, and let's not forget the "amazing" lunch they had overlooking the pool where they both seem lit and out of it while they mock their hosts Kyle and Mauricio.

 

Can you tell I just watched the final episodes of season 2. Yay for laundry marathons.

[CatMomma]

 

I agree with a lot of this. For me, Kim is a total dichotomy. There are things about her that I love. I do think she is funny and quirky. Then there are the things I hate. She does seem selfish and unable to take ownership of her behavior.

 

I think Kim can be fun as long as she isn't being challenged. It's hard to know what could set her off, so everyone has to walk on eggshells around her.   I don't really like Kyle, but I completely sympathize with her when it comes to Kim. I was one of the few who was on her side in season 1 when it came to Kim.  She may not have handled the Limo incident well, but I could understand her frustration.

[thewhiteowl]

I don't sympathize with Kyle because she is still doing the same things with Kim and expecting a different result. Never going to happen. Until Kyle changes her own behavior towards Kim, Kim has no incentive to stop what she's doing.  I'm not saying it's easy because it's very, very hard but she doesn't get my sympathy until she tries something new, like stop enabling the addict.

[PhilMarlowe2]

Brandi comes off so well during Kyle's White Party in season 2 it's insane. Like, there's no way in hell that this Brandi that we've all come to know would have been so calm and collected while drunk/high Kim was going off on her. I'd forgotten just how well Brandi handled herself that night and I'd really forgotten just how much everyone else was enabling Kim and her crazy behavior.

 

Every time I revisit Season 2, I am shocked anew by how different Brandi was back then and totally reminded of why I originally liked her so much. The difference between how she handles herself then and now is huge. Even in Game Night, the way she kept her calm for so long before blowing up - "Color me a slut" - it was just so perfect. Fame has not been good for her.

 

Re: Kim, I would also add the Season 3 finale as one of the highlights of Kim's huge capacity for self-centered behavior: "But Brandi hurt me, Kyle! Remember when she said I did crystal meth over a season ago, and I actually instigated the whole fight while I was high, let's not give a shit about Brandi outing Adrienne's surrogacy - it's all about me and what I went through with Brandi!" That was some insufferable shit right there.

[CatMomma]

Every time I revisit Season 2, I am shocked anew by how different Brandi was back then and totally reminded of why I originally liked her so much. The difference between how she handles herself then and now is huge. Even in Game Night, the way she kept her calm for so long before blowing up - "Color me a slut" - it was just so perfect. Fame has not been good for her.

 

Re: Kim, I would also add the Season 3 finale as one of the highlights of Kim's huge capacity for self-centered behavior: "But Brandi hurt me, Kyle! Remember when she said I did crystal meth over a season ago, and I actually instigated the whole fight while I was high, let's not give a shit about Brandi outing Adrienne's surrogacy - it's all about me and what I went through with Brandi!" That was some insufferable shit right there.

 

I forgot all about that!  Every time anyone tried to air their grievances with Brandi, Kim made it about herself, with absolutely no recognition of her own faults.  It was infuriating to watch.

 

I loved Brandi her first season.  She took a lot of abuse and seemed to handle it reasonably well.  Either she was a really good actress, or her popularity made her insufferable.

Edited November 12, 2014 by CatMomma

[zoeysmom]

I don't sympathize with Kyle because she is still doing the same things with Kim and expecting a different result. Never going to happen. Until Kyle changes her own behavior towards Kim, Kim has no incentive to stop what she's doing.  I'm not saying it's easy because it's very, very hard but she doesn't get my sympathy until she tries something new, like stop enabling the addict.

Here is the latest on repeating behavior with Kim http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/51566/20141110/the-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills-lisa-vanderpump-leaves-reality-show-to-focus-on-her-business.htm

 

In Paris it was pills and a shit stained pillow and Kyle and Mauricio distanced themselves from her-with Brandi chirping in about how Kyle doesn't support her sister.

 

In Puerto Rico there were the blind items that had Kim wandering topless through the hotel hallways disoriented.

 

I think Kim's travel companions are getting tired of travelling with her-except Brandi who then points out what Kyle did wrong with her sister.

[CatMomma]

I don't sympathize with Kyle because she is still doing the same things with Kim and expecting a different result. Never going to happen. Until Kyle changes her own behavior towards Kim, Kim has no incentive to stop what she's doing.  I'm not saying it's easy because it's very, very hard but she doesn't get my sympathy until she tries something new, like stop enabling the addict.

 

I think that Kim is very good at manipulating people and playing the victim.  The fact that Kyle and Kim didn't really speak between seasons 2 and 3 says that Kyle was trying to back away. Kim also has children. Having dealt with an addict in the family, there is a always a fear that alienating the addict could cause the children to suffer.  I just think that Kyle has fallen into this routine and doesn't know how to stop.

 

Honestly, I don't think either of them have worked that hard to break the cycle, because they are both selfish. I just understand how draining an addict can be and how hard it is to break ties. Especially when it comes to family.

 

Sweet baby Jesus, I cannot stand Kyle. Yet, here I am defending her.  I find both of the Richards sisters obnoxious and exhausting.

[thewhiteowl]

I agree, Kim is likely very good at manipulating people and especially Kyle. Addicts usually are and she's had years of practice with Kyle, Kim knows all her buttons and like most addicts will do or say whatever she needs to, in order to get the outcome she wants.  If she's anything like the addict in my family she will shamelessly use her children, parents siblings and any other enabler she can find. 

[Avaleigh]

The fact that Kyle and Kim didn't really speak between seasons 2 and 3 says that Kyle was trying to back away. Kim also has children. Having dealt with an addict in the family, there is a always a fear that alienating the addict could cause the children to suffer.  I just think that Kyle has fallen into this routine and doesn't know how to stop.

 

 

I agree with all of your post CatMomma only I like Kyle. I agree that a lot of Kyle's inability to go all full on tough love with Kim is because of the kids and other family issues. I'm sure their mother factors into it hugely too. I actually think that Kim and Kyle can both use their mother to manipulate the other.

 

I also think that Kyle feels that she's in a damned if she does damned if she doesn't situation when it comes to Kim. When Kyle tries to pull back she's accused of not being supportive enough and when she does her best to help her sister and sometimes save her from embarrassment it can come across as enabling. 

 

I loved Brandi her first season.  She took a lot of abuse and seemed to handle it reasonably well.  Either she was a really good actress, or her popularity made her insufferable.

 

 

A little from column A and a lot from column B IMO.

 

I think Brandi didn't know what people were looking for and that's why she was initially more reserved than she might normally have been. She was testing the waters, looking at what flies in HW land and what doesn't. She got a lot of sympathy and positive feedback after Game Night with people appreciating that she was the only one to acknowledge Kim's altered state that evening among other things. Once Brandi started getting positive feedback it seemed to me that she decided she was going to be the mouthpiece truth cannon WhateverTF and really tried to bring this aspect to her performance at the reunion. (They're all performing at the end of the day IMO, she's no better or worse in this sense.) After being well received at the reunion for going after Taylor and getting bumped up to full time HW I think Brandi felt like that had to be a part of what she brings to the table and I think it's basically been that way for her ever since. She sees where a HW is vulnerable and she strikes if she sees it to being to her advantage. That's how it seems to me anyway.

 

IDK I refuse to believe that a person can practically overnight become as horrible as Brandi is. I also think there's the added element of Brandi being willing to do just about anything to maintain her place on the show because it's basically the biggest thing to happen to her apart from anything to do with Eddie.

 

It's actually scary to think about how many of the women across the housewives franchise would be utterly gutted shells without being on their respective show. Kim and Brandi fall into this group for sure but there are definitely others. Jill Z still hasn't recovered and probably never will. Sonja would probably just show up for filming anyway. Taylor's desperation on Couples Therapy told me all I needed to know of how much she wishes she could be back on television. Gretchen and Sheree? (snerk) Vicki and Ramona could just about deal with their respective shows being cancelled with them being on for the entire run but if they were fired and their shows were allowed to carry on without them? I just imagine endless scenes of rage, denial, and tears. Melissa and Teresa? Unless they were getting their own shows, again, I'm imagining rivers of tears. On paper and if we take her personality out of the equation Joanna Krupa has a very charmed life. She's pretty, she makes her own money, she's married to a handsome man and yet...all she seems to want to do is land a place on another HW show. 

 

I don't think Bethenny was a shell without the show but the fact that she's coming back even with all that she's accomplished--what is it about the lure of cameras and attention? It's kind of depressing.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Avaleigh

[jinjer]

I think Brandi needs the paycheck, so she'll do what she needs to stay on the show.  Brandi has the added element of being a party girl which really rubs a lot of viewers the wrong way.  Her drunken antics off screen get conflated with her behavior on the show for a perfect shit storm of hate.  I hope the boards don't devolve the way the other boards into a one-dimensional board focused solely on Brandi. 

 

Brandi is willing to play nice I think until you cross her, then she plays street dirty - something these other women aren't used to.  They do all sorts of nice, behind-the-back manipulations, where Brandi goes right for the jugular.

 

Brandi is new to the Kim/Kyle relationship.  Lisa has seen Kim manipulate for years, so she is more savvy to Kim's manipulations. Brandi only sees a Kim struggling to maintain her sobriety and a Kyle who is exasperated and at the end of her rope who is always mentioning on tv that Kim might not be sober.   What Brandi said wasn't new or earth shattering, she just said it out loud on tv.  Brandi said what a lot of viewers have posted about Kyle - there are mixed feelings of resentment and love, is there childhood resentment that Kim was the star, that Big Kathy gave Kim the attention etc, Kyle has cleaned up her messes for years, taken care of her kids, Kim doesn't acknowledge it.  Lots of deep stuff there. 

[quinn]

They were wrong, so very wrong, and it makes me feel wrong, but drugged and drunk Kim and Ken in Hawaii were hilarious to me.  Yeah Kyle and Mauricio deserve medals for dealing with Kim, but to me they know it and they know how to milk it.  Kyle and Mauricio were trying to hold Kim accountable for her lies and other misdeeds, but they came off to me as Elmer Fudd trying to catch the wascally wabbit.  I know they weren't right but Ken cutting off ranting Kyle by saying "I don't care," still cracks me up, and then Kim and Ken walking away and Ken complaining about Kyle's voice or something like that, and Kim replying, "try growing up with it," LMAO.

Edited November 13, 2014 by quinn

[motorcitymom65]

 

I also think that Kyle feels that she's in a damned if she does damned if she doesn't situation when it comes to Kim. When Kyle tries to pull back she's accused of not being supportive enough and when she does her best to help her sister and sometimes save her from embarrassment it can come across as enabling. 

 

 

This, this, and more of this all day long.

 

Kyle was hated by many after the big Limo reveal in S1. For me, that was the most honest and raw moment ever on any of these HW shows. The pain between Kyle and Kim was palpable. After that she was hated by others when she tried to defend Kim. It has always seemed to me that she simply cannot win when it comes to her relationship with her sister, which is complex. 

[zoeysmom]

I agree with all of your post CatMomma only I like Kyle. I agree that a lot of Kyle's inability to go all full on tough love with Kim is because of the kids and other family issues. I'm sure their mother factors into it hugely too. I actually think that Kim and Kyle can both use their mother to manipulate the other.

 

I also think that Kyle feels that she's in a damned if she does damned if she doesn't situation when it comes to Kim. When Kyle tries to pull back she's accused of not being supportive enough and when she does her best to help her sister and sometimes save her from embarrassment it can come across as enabling. 

 

 

A little from column A and a lot from column B IMO.

 

I think Brandi didn't know what people were looking for and that's why she was initially more reserved than she might normally have been. She was testing the waters, looking at what flies in HW land and what doesn't. She got a lot of sympathy and positive feedback after Game Night with people appreciating that she was the only one to acknowledge Kim's altered state that evening among other things. Once Brandi started getting positive feedback it seemed to me that she decided she was going to be the mouthpiece truth cannon WhateverTF and really tried to bring this aspect to her performance at the reunion. (They're all performing at the end of the day IMO, she's no better or worse in this sense.) After being well received at the reunion for going after Taylor and getting bumped up to full time HW I think Brandi felt like that had to be a part of what she brings to the table and I think it's basically been that way for her ever since. She sees where a HW is vulnerable and she strikes if she sees it to being to her advantage. That's how it seems to me anyway.

 

IDK I refuse to believe that a person can practically overnight become as horrible as Brandi is. I also think there's the added element of Brandi being willing to do just about anything to maintain her place on the show because it's basically the biggest thing to happen to her apart from anything to do with Eddie.

 

It's actually scary to think about how many of the women across the housewives franchise would be utterly gutted shells without being on their respective show. Kim and Brandi fall into this group for sure but there are definitely others. Jill Z still hasn't recovered and probably never will. Sonja would probably just show up for filming anyway. Taylor's desperation on Couples Therapy told me all I needed to know of how much she wishes she could be back on television. Gretchen and Sheree? (snerk) Vicki and Ramona could just about deal with their respective shows being cancelled with them being on for the entire run but if they were fired and their shows were allowed to carry on without them? I just imagine endless scenes of rage, denial, and tears. Melissa and Teresa? Unless they were getting their own shows, again, I'm imagining rivers of tears. On paper and if we take her personality out of the equation Joanna Krupa has a very charmed life. She's pretty, she makes her own money, she's married to a handsome man and yet...all she seems to want to do is land a place on another HW show. 

 

I don't think Bethenny was a shell without the show but the fact that she's coming back even with all that she's accomplished--what is it about the lure of cameras and attention? It's kind of depressing.

Kyle lives in the shadow of her mother Big Kathy, who surprisingly asked Kyle to care for Kim.   Then again little Kathy was never one for work.   I watched the Season 3 and the big fight at Mauricio's opening-once again Kim totally self-absorbed picks that moment to tell Adrienne and Paul.  Kim who really didn't give Adrienne the time of day in Ojai because she was so busy soaking up apology number five from Brandi.

 

Brandi never belonged on the show that was a smoke and mirrors trick by Lisa Vanderpump to get her on as "Cedric's friend", so Lisa would be the center of attention..  Lisa knew damn well she had a waitress in her employ that had had an affair with Eddie, as did Brandi.  Brandi never belonged because she has always been a lying, trashy human being.  Her whole storyline about being sued by Adrienne was a huge lie and she got to just brush it aside.  If Lisa and she reunite as friends-after the way Lisa treated Adrienne-I call foul.

 

This year Brandi's target will be Kyle just because Kyle takes her abuse.  I hope some day Kyle calls Brandi out for her nonsense.

This, this, and more of this all day long.

 

Kyle was hated by many after the big Limo reveal in S1. For me, that was the most honest and raw moment ever on any of these HW shows. The pain between Kyle and Kim was palpable. After that she was hated by others when she tried to defend Kim. It has always seemed to me that she simply cannot win when it comes to her relationship with her sister, which is complex. 

I understood Kyle's frustration with Kim in the limo scene.  She had been a no-show pain all season.  To arrive late and plastered and then be so obnoxious was the final straw.  Once again after Kim flunked out of rehab after the first season,  it was Kyle who took Kim's children to Aspen for the holidays.

 

I think people should have withheld the umbrage until they viewed Season 2.  Even Season 3 which continues re-airing tomorrow Kim is a huge pain in the ass.  Her sobriety seems to mean she doesn't have to consider any else's feelings.

[jinjer]

Kim's a huge pain in the ass, but Kyle doesn't help her cause by sniffing her cups or exchanging glances with Lisa or wondering aloud if Kim is sober, i.e., drawing attention to it in the viewer's eyes.  I think that is what drew a lot of criticism.  But living with and loving an addict who has had children is so freaking complicated.  Kyle would have done best never to have brought Kim on the show. 

 

Kim was very entertaining in Hawaii and crawling around on the bathroom floor looking for her pills or meth or whatever, doing her stallion imitation or even wearing that satin bowed shirt.  But living with her and loving her kids and seeing the pain she brings to them must be hell.

 

Adrienne and Brandi have made up so get ready for heads to start exploding in all their righteousness.  These BH women, who are soooo classy compared to trashy Brandi, seem to like her well enough when she is doing their bidding or when she is on their "team."  FWIW, I think she and Lisa have called a truce also.  Not that Lisa ever really lets anyone back in.  She may have overplayed the victim hand last season, but she is rather shrewd for the most part.

Edited November 13, 2014 by jinjer

[Midnight Cheese]

I've had a couple of serious addicts in my family, some of whom are no longer alive, and not one of them has ever been as mean and selfish in that daily, 'What about me?' way that Kim has had about her beginning in season 2 until now.  Folks have lied, have created tremendous stress and heartache, but in terms of the minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day interactions, none of them had that kind of mean to the bone thing that Kim has.  I don't remember a family get-together where people were stressed going in about having to deal with the addict, in terms of worrying about passive-aggressive attitude.  I just think at heart Kim is a bitch.  Being able to indulge softened her in season 1, it seems.  'Sweet, kind-hearted' Kim seems to me to be smoke and mirrors.

 

zoeysmom, I didn't know about the rehab flunkout after season 1 or Kyle taking Kim's kids to Aspen.  I know you know someone who grew up with Kim, Kyle and Kathy.  I'm totally eager to know anything your friend shares about the dynamics.  When Kathy (who seems foul as hell to me) was shilling her dresses, using Kimberly Jr. (<-- snerk) and her prom as her in last season, Kathy seemed very impatient and short with Kyle.  Kathy tried to be an actress but was nowhere near as successful as either Kim or Kyle, right? 

Edited November 13, 2014 by Midnight Cheese

[motorcitymom65]

I've had a couple of serious addicts in my family, some of whom are no longer alive, and not one of them has ever been as mean and selfish in that daily, 'What about me?' way that Kim has had about her beginning in season 2 until now.  Folks have lied, have created tremendous stress and heartache, but in terms of the minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day interactions, none of them had that kind of mean to the bone thing that Kim has.  I don't remember a family get-together where people were stressed going in about having to deal with the addict, in terms of worrying about passive-aggressive attitude.  I just think at heart Kim is a bitch.  Being able to indulge softened her in season 1, it seems.  'Sweet, kind-hearted' Kim seems to me to be smoke and mirrors.

 

 

I think this is a good point. When my dad got sober after a life-time of being a drunk, we were all thrilled because we thought he would be this entirely different person. Turned out that it didn't matter much if he was sober or drunk. He just wasn't a very nice person. I think this is one of the reasons that Kyle gets so frustrated with Kim. If it was just about the disease it might be different, although still extremely frustrating. 

 

I think these three girls grew up in a very fucked up environment. Honestly, it is less shocking to me that Kim turned out the way she did, and more shocking that for the most part Kyle seemed to come out of it all fairly unscathed. I think that the fact that Kyle was able to move on and cobble together what looks to be a very nice little life is part of the dynamic between Kyle and Kim. Kyle doesn't understand why Kim just cannot seem to get her shit together and Kim doesn't understand how Kyle could. 

[zoeysmom]

I've had a couple of serious addicts in my family, some of whom are no longer alive, and not one of them has ever been as mean and selfish in that daily, 'What about me?' way that Kim has had about her beginning in season 2 until now.  Folks have lied, have created tremendous stress and heartache, but in terms of the minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day interactions, none of them had that kind of mean to the bone thing that Kim has.  I don't remember a family get-together where people were stressed going in about having to deal with the addict, in terms of worrying about passive-aggressive attitude.  I just think at heart Kim is a bitch.  Being able to indulge softened her in season 1, it seems.  'Sweet, kind-hearted' Kim seems to me to be smoke and mirrors.

 

zoeysmom, I didn't know about the rehab flunkout after season 1 or Kyle taking Kim's kids to Aspen.  I know you know someone who grew up with Kim, Kyle and Kathy.  I'm totally eager to know anything your friend shares about the dynamics.  When Kathy (who seems foul as hell to me) was shilling her dresses, using Kimberly Jr. (<-- snerk) and her prom as her in last season, Kathy seemed very impatient and short with Kyle.  Kathy tried to be an actress but was nowhere near as successful as either Kim or Kyle, right? 

Kim went to Betty Ford for a week shortly after Season 1, in early December, she left against medical advice.  It was very odd that Kim would not speak to Kyle and then all of sudden there was Kyle and  little Porsha in a stroller and Kim's daughters after Christmas in Aspen.  Originally Big Kathy was trying to get Little Kathy into acting-Kim who was an infant was there and Kim was hired for an advertisement.  Or so the family lore goes.  Little Kathy's career went nowhere. 

 

I think Kathy Hilton is just naturally brusk. Kyle has done well for herself and managed to get one daughter through college. I noticed Kathy  in the pictures at the hospital after Kyle's daughter was bitten by Kim's dog.  The sisters may not always seem to get along but I have never heard of any Dina Manzo like intentional freezing each other out of one another's lives.  When Kim is drinking she goes into seclusion but she's not playing with a full deck. There was some unhappiness when Maurico opened his own agency but the sisters seem to hang together.  Kim I think bounces back and forth between her sisters both of whom have been incredibly generous to her.

Edited November 13, 2014 by zoeysmom

[Midnight Cheese]

I forgot another golden Kim moment (marathon's on, ladies and gents): setting Adrienne and Brandi against one another at Kyle/Mauricio's party for his new agency.  Kim is such a bitch.  While I don't like Kyle and Mauricio and agree with jinjer upthread about how Kyle can sort of instigate in pass-agg ways (sniffing her drink etc.) but Kim is obviously just entitled to destroy events whenever she likes, through lateness, through crackheadedness, through bomb-throwing.  She's just a bunch of nasty-assed behavior in beef-jerky wrapping. 

[ryebread]

I liked Kim until she developed this curious allegiance towards Brandi. 

 

Curious allegiance to Brandi? I thought they were just friends outside of the show. I don't know what's so strange about two of the castmates spending time outside of the show, not even those two loons.

 

I don't think it's strange about 2 cast mates spending time together outside the show. Except not too long ago, they were calling each other slut pig and meth head.  Curious.  But to be honest, all the relationships are curious to me.

[Bronzedog]

Addicts frequently seek each other out. Maybe that's the attraction between Kim and Brandi. I don't know that Brandi has addiction issues, but, it wouldn't surprise me.

[jinjer]

I think Kim's addiction issues coupled with childhood star treatment = total asshole behavior.

[zoeysmom]

Curious allegiance to Brandi? I thought they were just friends outside of the show. I don't know what's so strange about two of the castmates spending time outside of the show, not even those two loons.

Brandi will stab Kyle in a heartbeat and Kim, because it is her new BFF, will once again toss her relationship with her sister in the crapper.  Maybe Kim should ask Lisa what happens when you pair up with Brandi.

[KFC]

I don't always care for Brandi either, but I find the level of hatred she gets to be a bit disproportionate to what we actually see on screen.

 

She's a foul-mouthed, loose cannon, but I don't really view the deterioration of her friendship with Lisa to be the workings of a sinister backstabber. I think they both have been entertaining at times, and both have been pains in the ass, just for different reasons. If anything, Brandi's a pretty easy read. Don't tell her anything too personal, because she's got a loose mouth. Doesn't make her a great person, no, but I also don't view her as particularly skilled at HW machinations, not if you can see her moves coming from a mile away.

 

Getting back to Kim, I only bring this up because Kim's shown she can do just as many predictable rollercoaster loops as Brandi, so in my book if Brandi turns on her, it will be a case of Kim getting a taste of her own medicine. 

[FozzyBear]

They were wrong, so very wrong, and it makes me feel wrong, but drugged and drunk Kim and Ken in Hawaii were hilarious to me. Yeah Kyle and Mauricio deserve medals for dealing with Kim, but to me they know it and they know how to milk it. Kyle and Mauricio were trying to hold Kim accountable for her lies and other misdeeds, but they came off to me as Elmer Fudd trying to catch the wascally wabbit. I know they weren't right but Ken cutting off ranting Kyle by saying "I don't care," still cracks me up, and then Kim and Ken walking away and Ken complaining about Kyle's voice or something like that, and Kim replying, "try growing up with it," LMAO.

On the bus to hell with you. Ken cracked me up, plus I can't stand Kyle. I think she's a bully. And I think she has a lot invested in Kim remaining an addict. Kyle herself obviously wasn't ready to reexamine her relationship with Kim. It drove me up the wall the way she spent S2 dragging Kim, who was obviously losing the battle with sobriety, all over town to events she didn't want to go to. It was a bad idea. She wasn't ready and said as much several times, but Kyle had to be the one to call the shots. It was such undermining behavior. Stop trying to control Kim's recovery, you harpy.

[KFC]

I just saw a S3 rerun this morning, and speaking of Kyle, there was a moment in Vegas when the women were are all arguing at dinner (pick an argument, pick a dinner, they're all the same after a while), Kyle said something to the effect of "I don't speak for anybody else." This of course, as she was getting into it with Lisa and Brandi about Adrienne and surrogacy gate. I believe it was newbie Yolanda who piped in and said (paraphrasing here) "why are you getting involved?" and Kyle just sorta cowered and shrugged, "I... I don't know." Similar to her inability to admit that she was sending Faye Resnick after Camille in S1 and after Brandi in S3, I think she and Lisa are very similar in that they don't like to be caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

 

Apologies if I'm getting the specifics incorrect, but the underpinning of that moment in Vegas was pretty funny and sort of encapsulates how I view Kyle and Kim's relationship: Kyle gets involved, then backs off, gets involved then backs off. I actually don't think she's intentionally trying to prolong Kim's addictions, however. I think it's more a case of her inability to fully commit to something when the fallout might be her looking like the bad guy. So then it becomes easier for her to half-ass her involvement with "helping" Kim by cleaning up the messes made instead of stopping Kim from making the messes in the first place. I feel like Kyle has probably played defense a lot of her life, especially under the domineering hand of Big Kathy, so it's almost as if she doesn't know how to be proactive, but rather reactive when it comes to Kim's addiction issues and inability to come clean about them.

Edited November 14, 2014 by KFC

[FozzyBear]

I just saw a S3 rerun this morning, and speaking of Kyle, there was a moment in Vegas when the women were are all arguing at dinner (pick an argument, pick a dinner, they're all the same after a while), Kyle said something to the effect of "I don't speak for anybody else." This of course, as she was getting into it with Lisa and Brandi about Adrienne and surrogacy gate. I believe it was newbie Yolanda who piped in and said (paraphrasing here) "why are you getting involved?" and Kyle just sorta cowered and shrugged, "I... I don't know." Similar to her inability to admit that she was sending Faye Resnick after Camille in S1 and after Brandi in S3, I think she and Lisa are very similar in that they don't like to be caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

Apologies if I'm getting the specifics incorrect, but the underpinning of that moment in Vegas was pretty funny and sort of encapsulates how I view Kyle and Kim's relationship: Kyle gets involved, then backs off, gets involved then backs off. I actually don't think she's intentionally trying to prolong Kim's addictions, however. I think it's more a case of her inability to fully commit to something when the fallout might be her looking like the bad guy. So then it becomes easier for her to half-ass her involvement with "helping" Kim by cleaning up the messes made instead of stopping Kim from making the messes in the first place. I feel like Kyle has probably played defense a lot of her life, especially under the domineering hand of Big Kathy, so it's almost as if she doesn't know how to be proactive, but rather reactive when it comes to Kim's addiction issues and inability to come clean about them.

In my better moments I can feel for Kyle and I agree with you that she is as much a victim of Big Kathy's manipulations as Kim is. I always think of the story that Kyle tells about her mother on her death bed telling Kyle to take care of Kim because Kim can't take care of herself. I think Kyle thinks of it as a sad/touching story about how close her family is. I thought of it as a "what a manipulative bitch" story. I mean really? Pitting your kids against each other on your deathbed? Gross. I'm always surprised that Kyle isn't more self aware about herself and her family. Of course she never struck me as being very smart.

[Midnight Cheese]

Paris episodes are on now -- Kim is slurring and lying about 'spending all day' with Lisa and Ken.  Lisa shouldn't have pushed but I just don't have any sympathy for Kim.  She was cracked out of her damned mind, whether the crack was 'officially prescribed medication' or not.   And Kim is so frigging fast to say to Lisa, 'don't touch my sister!  I just want to talk to my sister!'  It's just...old.  It's already old.  Someone wrote in the preview thread that Kim is up to 'wacky hijinks' this season - I just find her so suspect that I can't imagine how hard it is for her family but also her coworkers to deal with her b.s. 

[thewhiteowl]

"Officially prescribed Meds" that's a common excuse for addicts who keep using and say they are clean.