“Orphans and widows, makes you feel sick” — this got uncomfortable, fast.
As Kathy Hilton joked near the end of the hour, Erika Jayne got some good practice for any trial that may await her thanks to her “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” costars, who grilled her relentlessly on how much she did or didn’t know about her estranged husband Tom Girardi’s legal woes.
While Jayne got a laugh out of Hilton’s comment, she definitely didn’t enjoy being the center of attention throughout the rest of the episode, however.
The hour picked up with the entire cast, sans Erika, discussing the bombshell Los Angeles Times article about her and Tom. The piece laid out everything Tom has been accused of, including stealing from cancer patients, a burn victim and the families of plane crash victims. The article also said that $25 million from the firm went into EJ Global LLC, “the company set up for Jayne’s performing career,” which set off red flags for some of the women — especially Sutton Stracke.
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“I am not sure how much I want to be around my friend during this time. And I’m not being a fair-weathered friend, I’m protecting myself,” Sutton told her costars. “I don’t want my name in an article that’s associated with this. Any of it. This sounds terrible.”
“How does that affect you? What if she’s innocent?” asked Lisa Rinna, before Sutton said she’d “eat crow” if that wound up being the case. “Right now,” added Stracke, “I am way more important than Erika Girardi is to me.”
When Garcelle Beauvais asked whether Sutton believed she’s been “told the truth,” Stracke said she didn’t. “I think she has lied to us,” she said, before questioning Erika’s story about how Tom was injured in a car crash three years ago. As the L.A. Times painted the picture of a 10-year Ponzi scheme, she wasn’t buying that his issues started just a few years prior.
Sutton also believed Erika and Tom’s lawyers were in communication coming up with a “story” to explain everything. “Is that a coincidence that Erika and Tom’s attorney have the same story?” she asked in a confessional. “I’m just saying 2+2 = 4 and I’m not even good at math.”
Kyle Richards felt the car crash situation was “a little weird,” while Crystal Kung Minkoff also believed there were “discrepancies” coming from Erika. Dorit Kemsley also worried their support of Erika would be “misinterpreted as support for some of the atrocious things that have been done.”
Rinna, however, believed Erika was being honest with them — though, as Kyle noted, if Erika did know what was going on, it’s not like she would ever tell them that.
In a confessional, Rinna addressed what many viewers have been thinking the past couple weeks. “I’m gonna get so much s— because I didn’t have my friend [Denise Richards’] back but I’m supporting my friend Erika,” she rightly guessed, “and yes, I don’t give a s— whether you like me or not. If I thought Erika was full of s—, I’d say the same thing to her. I don’t know what is going on there, I need to find out, I need to let it play out and see what’s gonna happen.”
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After Sutton called Erika’s mistress claims a “distraction” tactic, the women agreed they all needed to ask their costar straight up what she did and didn’t know — and decided a Christmas dinner at Kyle’s house was the perfect place to spring their questions upon her. As Kyle noted, “We deserve to know the truth.”
While it remains unclear if they got it, the women certainly grilled Erika on pretty much everything once she showed up at the party.
As the ladies noted she must be “blindsided by everything that comes out,” Erika warned there was “more coming” and she was “far from done.” That’s when Sutton interjected, “Are you truly blindsided or do you have some sort of … it seems like you could get information before it hits the press.”
“I don’t have access to lawsuits before they hit press,” she cooly replied.
“I think it was when the L.A. Times article came up after you left. It seems like, she must know this. We all read it and the timeline was confusing for me,” Sutton continued — before Crystal noted that a lot of his legal issues started long before his car accident.
“I don’t know,” Erika responded. “I know what I’ve seen in the past 3.5, almost 4 years.”
When Sutton shot back, “Well, the burn victim thing was 10 years ago,” Erika replied, “Yes, but that is just recently being litigated now. And I’m not answering anyone’s questions.”
Dorit then revealed that all the women met up without Erika, which caught Jayne off guard. “So it’s like a committee,” she asked, “Do we support Erika or not?” She was also shocked to learn few of the women — Sutton, Dorit and Kyle — had spoken with lawyers about Erika’s situation.
“We’re nervous, some people are nervous,” explained Garcelle, while Sutton added she just wanted to “make sure I’m also protecting myself.” Erika shot back, “Darling, how are you involved in any of this? You guys, are you really that afraid of me?”
Stracke didn’t back down though, bringing up the “$20 million elephant in the room” and asking about the $20 million that went to Erika’s LLC. Erika was stone faced and didn’t answer, before Kyle interjected and asked, “The obvious question is, did you know any of this?”
Erika reiterated that no, she did not. When Kyle wondered out loud whether Erika knew where the money was coming from or if it was a loan, Erika shut down the line of questioning by responding, “That’s another question as well, that we will uncover.”
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Sutton then said that, as someone who has “several LLCs” herself, Erika should have noticed a $20 million influx to her accounts, Jayne said she was “kept away from the books.” Sutton said being in a similar situation would make her “insane,” before Erika said “it did” for her.
“You read these headlines and it’s hard to digest. Orphans and widows, makes you feel sick,” Dorit continued, before Erika said even she was surprised by some of the things revealed in the Times article — including the fact “we had $50-$80 million cast that’s gone.” As for where the money went, Erika said that’s a question only Tom can answer.
While Dorit said they all believe she’s innocent, she then started to stick her foot in her mouth by adding, “I think it’s a matter of what you knew and being complicit.” Yeah, Erika didn’t like hearing those words — saying they were “not cool” and “not nice to repeat” when “you know it’s not true.” With that, Dorit started to back down, which only ticked off Sutton, as Kemsley was her ally when they all met up the previous night.
“Have you had any discussions with attorneys about the story? How to navigate through it?” Sutton then asked, to which Erika said “No.” Dorit said the question made her “uncomfortable.”
Garcelle then got in on the action saying that her sister, who had a kidney transplant, got ripped off by a lawyer once too. “If what Tom did is absolutely true, then f— Tom,” she said, “because I know what it feels like to waiting for compensation for something they went through.”
“What’s being alleged in the lawsuit is terrible and he will have to pay a price or that, if in fact that’s what happened,” Erika calmly replied. “I think what has happened to Tom here is he is not mentally capable and he is in full control of his firm and I think it got away from him. I think we’re dealing with a man who is diminished capacity in control and not doing the right thing. If he stole the money, I’d like to know where it is. That’s the truth.”
When Garcelle noted that the victims “are the most important thing” and Erika will “always be okay,” Jayne agreed. “The victims need to be taken care of. That’s where everyone’s coming from.”
“I’m not worried about me, I’m last in all of this and those people are owed their money,” she continued. “But we need to see what this man did.”
She then addressed the entire group, letting them know she appreciated their support but would also understand if they needed to give her friendship the backseat for a while.
“I do not expect anyone to hold my hand. I have a long road ahead of me, those who want to be my friend, thank you,” she told them all, “and those who it’s too much for, you feel more comfortable away from me, I certainly understand and respect that too.”
With that, Erika decided to leave the dinner. In the last moments of the episode, she added in a confessional, “You can smell the cowards a mile away. I don’t know if the rats are leaving the ship or I’m leaving the rats.”
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” airs Wednesdays on Bravo.
Erika Jayne Says She Doesn't 'Give a F—' If Her RHOBH Co-Stars Believe Her Side of Legal Drama
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