While things are never exactly quiet in the Real Housewives universe, the ladies sometimes have their off years — but 2024 was not one of them.
The year started off with a bang (and receipts, proof, timeline, etc.) when Heather Gay unmasked Reality Von Tease on season 4 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, leaving fans wondering where exactly any of these franchises could go from here.
The answer was everywhere, basically: to Rails Steakhouse for some casual dropping of the c-word (The Real Housewives of New Jersey), to Mexico for a gondola ride from hell (The Real Housewives of Miami) and to Spain for a highly unusual memorial service (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills).
The Real Housewives of Atlanta didn’t even air this year, but in the meantime, the women of Orange County and the rest truly delivered. Go the distance with Us and keep reading for a breakdown of the most iconic Housewives moments of 2024:
Heather Gay Unmasks Reality Von Tease
It may seem like a lifetime ago, but the great unmasking of Reality Von Tease actually happened this year — on January 2, to be exact, kicking off a full 12 months of Housewives glory. Very rarely do shocking reveals live up to the hype of months of teasers, but this one actually did, partly because Bravo has never seen a scandal quite like it.
To recap: Heather (with help from her trusty hairdresser) discovered that season 4 newbie Monica Garcia was one of the people behind Instagram gossip account Reality Von Tease, which had been tormenting the other RHOSLC women behind the scenes. Heather didn’t just drop the news with no buildup, though — she first clued the other women in on the plan beachside in Bermuda, giving Us a windblown tableau worthy of a Renaissance painting. By the time she uttered the immortal line, “Receipts! Proof! Timeline! Screenshots! F—ing everything!,” it was clear that this episode would go down in Housewives history as one of the best. (Just ask U.S. Congressman Robert Garcia, who quoted the speech during a House Oversight Committee hearing.) — Eliza Thompson
Jennifer Pedranti Stands Up to Tamra Judge
As soon as Jennifer joined The Real Housewives of Orange County in 2023, she realized Tamra isn’t always the best coworker and friend. After a few too many digs and an accusation that Tamra did a background check on her fiancé, Ryan Boyajian, Jennifer had enough during the season 18 cast trip to London.
“I’m so f—ing done with your low-level bulls—,” she said without stuttering a word. “You need to f—ing grow up and leave my f—ing family alone. … I want no part of your f—ing bulls—.”
At that moment, Jennifer found her voice and proved she was not one to be messed with. — Mike Vulpo
Paterson Dolores Enters the Chat — Again
The RHONJ season 14 finale was one for the history books, especially when it came to Dolores Catania’s alter ego. Paterson Dolores came swinging for costar Margaret Josephs in a rare blowup between the two Bravo stars, and the c-word was flying.
The August episode put an end to what was an interesting season (Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga refused to film with one another), and within the first 10 minutes of the episode, Dolores called Margaret a “f—ing lying c—.”
The insult came after Margaret claimed that she invited Dolores to her house for a “reunion review” before they filmed the season 13 reunion last year — because past drama never dies in Jersey. This was something Dolores called “an outright lie” before getting continuously heated.
“It’s a serious thing to me that you’re telling me you said something you f—ing didn’t,” Dolores screamed. “I knew nothing about that f—ing s—.”
Dolores eventually apologized for the “lying c—” comment, but it’s still living rent-free in our heads. — Shelby Stivale
‘RHOP’ Picks Up Cameras for Mia Thornton’s Shocking Split
During season 8 of The Real Housewives of Potomac, cameras picked back up three months after filming initially wrapped to document Mia and Gordon Thornton’s explosive split.
“If I were to be leaving my marriage because of financial reasons, I would’ve left seven or eight years ago,” Mia shared in a confessional interview. “He was spending an excessive amount of money … and just not home, coming in at the middle of the night.”
The pair ultimately argued about a variety of issues, including Gordon alleging Mia had an affair, which she denied. She has since moved on with a radio DJ named Inc. — M.V.
Crystal Kung Minkoff Did the Thing
Crystal’s too-brief tenure on RHOBH included a few fights with her costars, but no one got her more heated than Annemarie Wiley during season 13. Crystal (who announced her departure from the show earlier this year) said Annemarie was “such a bitch” to her face in a moment that had the other women too stunned to speak.
The backstory? Well, detailing Sutton Stracke’s esophagus drama is too much to rehash, but the short of it is that Annemarie (a medical professional) was confused about her costar’s health issue. (Sutton previously claimed that her “esophagus disorder” hinders her from eating certain types of foods.)
Annemarie went back and forth with Crystal before the “bitch” comment put an end to the conversation. “I’ve actually never seen Crystal like that, I didn’t know she had that in her,” Kyle Richards stated.
Annemarie, meanwhile, confirmed her exit from RHOBH in March after just one season. — S.S.
The Global Dominance of Phaedra Parks
Phaedra wasn’t even on a Housewives show this year, but she still managed to dominate the cultural conversation, including among people who don’t know their Below Deck Sailing Yacht from their Below Deck Down Under. She kicked off the year by taking control of The Traitors season 2, proving to all doubters that Housewives know more about scheming and betrayal than the so-called “gamers” of Big Brother and the like. Then she continued her run on Married to Medicine, adding some juice to one of Bravo’s more underrated shows. And finally, she competed on Dancing With the Stars season 33, throwing shade at previous Housewives who didn’t make it very far and clapping back at guest judge Gene Simmons when he rated her poorly on Hair Metal Night. The best, however, is yet to come: This year also brought the news that she’s returning to The Real Housewives of Atlanta for season 16 alongside BFF Porsha Williams. — E.T.
Erika Jayne Pays Tribute to Merce in the Purse
As the RHOBH cast enjoyed a trip to Spain, Sutton’s focus was on honoring the late famed dancer Merce Cunningham. During a group dinner, Sutton revealed that she was carrying the ashes of her close friend in her purse. After hearing a little too much about Merce, an inebriated Erika decided to speak her truth and deliver a now iconic line.
“Can I say something? I know you love Merce, but Merce was in a Ziploc bag,” Erika said. “Merce is in the purse!” — M.V.
Larsa Pippen Reveals Guerdy Abraira’s Cancer Diagnosis Without Permission
During season 6 of RHOM, Guerdy struggled to understand why Larsa would share her breast cancer diagnosis with the group without permission — just hours after Guerdy told her about it.
“Secrets matter, Larsa,” Guerdy said during the reunion. “I just saw you as completely a different person. I’m like, this person is not my friend. It’s malicious. Like, who’s the fakest? I have f—ing cancer! Like, are you serious?!”
Larsa ultimately apologized and explained, “My reason for telling the women was because I wanted to rally around you and show you love.” — M.V.
Erin Lichy’s Heartfelt Abortion Conversation
The second season of the rebooted Real Housewives of New York City has been a mixed bag — too many pranks, not enough real drama — but the show still shines in moments when the cast opens up about the tougher aspects of their lives. Erin hasn’t always been the most forthcoming Housewife, but the episode where she shared her abortion story felt like the realest moment yet for the new RHONY women. After deciding to tell her story to Glamour, Erin first opened up to costar Jenna Lyons, who offered her support and solidarity by revealing her own abortion story to Erin.
But the biggest challenge came when she told her father, Eli Yitzhari, who died right as season 15 was premiering. Erin was afraid of how he would react, but he offered her nothing but unconditional love. The scene was made all the more poignant by the fact that it was filmed just months before Eli’s death. The episode ended with a montage paying tribute to Eli and a confessional interview from Erin sharing all the reasons she loved him, proving yet again that Housewives can still deliver raw, human moments between the prank wars and dinner squabbles. — E.T.
Dorit Kemsley Keeps Putting Andy Cohen to Sleep
Andy has yawned on more than one occasion during RHOBH reunions, but his most recent faux pas sent Dorit over the edge. During the season 13 reunion, which aired in March, Dorit was discussing her relationship with now-estranged husband PK Kemsley when Andy emitted a yawn.
The television host tried to hold it back and cover his mouth with his cards, but Dorit still noticed. (It’s important to note this was the third time this has happened during a RHOBH reunion.)
“Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare,” she said. Andy responded, “I’m sorry, I didn’t — OK.” — S.S.
Mary Cosby Supports Robert Jr.
Mary has had an odd trajectory on RHOSLC, starting as a kooky full-timer before briefly leaving and then returning as a checked-out “friend of.” In her latest return, however, she clearly decided to bring it, both in lighthearted scenes with her costars and in extremely vulnerable moments with her family. Season 5 saw her open up like never before when she confronted her son, Robert Jr., about his increasingly concerning behavior.
In an unbelievably candid on camera conversation, Robert Jr. admitted that he’d been struggling with substance abuse since trying Xanax and told his mom that he’d considered suicide. Mary responded without judgment, telling her son that she loved him and would do anything she could to help him get sober. The unusually heavy scene earned widespread praise from fans, many of whom commended Mary for the way she handled Robert Jr.’s confession and the support she’s offered him since. (She recently confirmed that he’s doing well after a stay in rehab.) — E.T.
‘RHONJ’ Gives Rails Steakhouse Free Promo
Rails Steakhouse has been an unofficial RHONJ cast member since the show’s inception in 2009, but season 14 offered the New Jersey restaurant even more screen time than usual — especially when the Bravo stars were throwing glasses at each other in a private room.
The group of women gathered for what Dolores called the “last supper,” but it ended up becoming a forum to air grievances (loudly, we might add). Teresa called sister-in-law Melissa “a whore” multiple times, Danielle Cabral and Jennifer Aydin nearly got physical again and Rachel Fuda issued the line of the century with, “Keep my husband’s name out of your fat f—ing hot dog lip mouth.”
It was all very quintessentially Jersey, if you ask Us.
When it came time for a RHONJ season 14 reunion they — spoiler alert — didn’t have one. The women were seated in two private rooms at Rails as they rewatched the finale and reacted in real-time. (As you might imagine, the future of this Bravo franchise is still up in the air.) — S.S.
RHOM’s Gondola Ride From Hell
While visiting Mexico City, the RHOM cast thought they were going to enjoy a casual gondola ride together. What came next was two jam-packed episodes of complete chaos.
One moment, Julia Lemigova was smooching so many of the ladies that she was labeled a “kissing bandit.” The next minute, she was crying over hanging toy dolls.
Meanwhile, Lisa Hochstein was accusing Kiki Barth of assault after a juice box was thrown at her. If that wasn’t enough drama, Guerdy needed an IV after throwing up at the end of the gondola ride. As Alexia Nepola said, maybe the boat should have been called “Miami Locas.” — M.V.
Lisa Barlow Goes the Distance
Lisa never fails to deliver, whether she’s chugging extra large fountain sodas or calling one of her many lawyers for legal advice about crimes that have nothing to do with her. In season 5, she refused to back down when Whitney Rose accused her of planting the rumor that her jewelry line, Prism, uses designs from Alibaba (or Alibawbuah, if you’re Meredith Marks). But Lisa didn’t just tell Whitney to cool it. This is a woman who always has a guy, and this time, she had a “cybersecurity team” on speed dial who she claimed could help her get to the bottom of it all.
“Hey Shawn, I need an investigation opened,” Lisa told said guy, Shawn, smack in the middle of Angie Katsanevas’ mafia-themed anniversary party. “I’m being accused of something I did not do. I’m going to send you information, and I want to go the distance on it. The distance.” The previous dominance of “baby gorgeous” is shaking. Physically shaking. — E.T.
‘RHOBH’ and ‘DWTS’ Get a Crossover
By now, Housewives viewers know that Mauricio Umansky was paired with Emma Slater during season 32 of DWTS last year following his separation from Kyle. During the RHOBH season 14 premiere in November, Bravo subtly called out the romance rumors that were swirling between Mauricio and Emma. (Us Weekly has since confirmed that Emma is dating fellow professional dancer Alan Bersten.)
Sutton was first to reveal that Mauricio had switched a photo on the desk in his office from himself and Kyle to a photo with “the woman from Dancing With the Stars.” Sutton was, of course, referring to Emma.
If anyone’s going to stir the pot, it’s Sutton. She also brought up the picture one more time during the episode, this time when walking by Mauricio’s office in the house he used to share with Kyle.
“Does that feel weird, the desk?” Sutton wondered. Kyle responded, “Yeah, it feels weird that my picture was taken down too.” — S.S.
Karen Huger’s Body Cam Footage
The Grande Dame has done her best to avoid talking about her March DUI arrest during season 9 of RHOP, but she couldn’t stop viewers from talking about it — especially after police released footage from the night of her arrest. In the immediately viral December clip, Karen told an officer that she is known as the Grande Dame, noting that Andy Cohen gave her that nickname. (The officer, apparently not a Bravo fan, didn’t seem to know who she was talking about.)
Later in the video, Karen referred to herself as “Thomas Jefferson’s concubine” and admitted she was “hammered.” On December 18, she was found guilty of charges including negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner endangering property, life and person and failure to control vehicle speed on the highway to avoid a collision. She is set to be sentenced on January 29. — E.T.
Emily Simpson Calls Out Alexis Bellino
While Emily and Alexis were initially friendly in season 18 of RHOC, things quickly began to change. One major point of contention was Alexis’ treatment of Shannon Beador as she faced a lawsuit from her ex-boyfriend — and Alexis’ fiancé — John Janssen.
Emily ultimately lost her cool during the reunion show after Alexis referred to her and a costar as “Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum.”
“Don’t you ever f—ing call me dumb. You are an idiot,” Emily shouted at the reunion. “You are the dumbest girl I’ve ever f—ing met.”
Alexis later announced she would not be returning for season 19. — M.V.
‘High Body Count Hair’
It might seem like RHOSLC is overrepresented on this list, but that’s because the women of the Beehive State over-delivered this year. It was hard to imagine how they could top the drama of Reality Von Tease in the season 4 finale, but they did it and then some, thanks in large part to Angie K., who finally came into her own in season 5.
Things really hit the fan at Meredith’s bat mitzvah when Angie told Britani Bateman that she had “high body count hair,” a combination of words that surely rivals “cellar door” for the title of most beautiful phrase in the English language. Bravoholics and civilians alike have been looking at their own hair with suspicion ever since — and wondering whether they too could use Kérastase Thermique. — E.T.
