Kyle Richards, Kim Richards, and Kathy Hilton could have been a dynamic trio on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. These three sisters are each talented and successful in their own right. All three are also funny and quirky, just in varying ways. Yet, these siblings are often at odds, which is hard to watch, as family matters tend to cut deeper, and the pain seems to last longer.
As an aside for our readers though, if you have a toxic branch on your family tree, by all means, cut that off. Not everything is fixable.
That said, these three have had many great moments, and really, we’d love to see these sisters remaining forever hunky-dory on our screens. Truly, this family contains so many powerful players. Peace between them all could spell out epic storylines. Not just on Bravo, but in their own lives as well.
In the matter of getting these sisters to bury their hatchets though, well, that’s complicated, as we’ve seen multiple seasons of a disconnect on RHOBH. So who is wrong, and who is right? That’s a nuanced question, so let’s break down their dramatic aired moments. Perhaps in doing so, we can better determine who is the most at fault in the Kyle vs Kim vs Kathy family feud.
Kyle Richards
Some family matters should remain private. Yet, year after year, Kyle brought up Kim’s addictions. In turn, Kyle’s costars, like Lisa Rinna, have also gone there. In all of these situations, Kim’s asked Kyle for support, but Kyle’s support has not always arrived, as Kyle is over Kim’s antics, which is fair, honestly.
During RHOBH Season 1, Kyle called Kim an “alcoholic,” and told her sister to “get help.” This was the first time Kim’s addictions were made known, and therefore, Kim was ticked.
In Season 5, the two were speaking again, but Kim’s dog bit Kyle’s daughter, Alexia Umansky. Alexia had to have surgery, and while she was recovering in the hospital, Kyle posted a picture, angering Kim. Over on her Bravo blog, Kyle explained “I did not do that to hurt my sister in any way or to “get Instagram followers, like she suggested.”
The two then briefly found peace, but when Kyle produced a show based on their lives, American Woman, Kathy now grew angry, and tensions flared. Then, Kathy joined the cast of RHOBH, and in Season 12, everything went to hell. Basically, Lisa accused Kathy of voicing horrible things off-air, and when backed into a corner, Kyle didn’t defend her sister.
Sounds familiar. Also, Kathy and Kim are a package deal, as Kyle mentioned this season. If one of them is mad, the other follows, leaving Kyle standing alone.
Kim Richards
All that Kim has ever wanted was for Kyle to defend her name. Yet, in Amsterdam, Kim went for the jugular, blaming Lisa’s husband for unknown acts, while also labeling Eileen Davidson a “beast.” After this, Kyle began to cry, and she exited the table. “How can I defend your behavior when you act like this…you are indefensible,” Kyle cried.
To backtrack a bit, in this fight, Kim’s sobriety was questioned, and Kyle failed to come to her sister’s defense. This hurt Kim, who expressed “Kathy would not ever act like this. Kathy would have my back like a real sister.”
Kim left RHOBH following Season 5. Her personal life was a mess during this period, with arrests and rehab often taking place. In an interview with Dr. Phil McGraw, Kim blamed her family for her break from sobriety. Nevertheless, Kyle stayed nearby, walking through Kim’s recovery with her, as did Kathy.
Currently, Kyle is separated from her husband, Mauricio Umansky. When the sisters sat down for an interview last month, Kim revealed to PEOPLE “I don’t know anything about what’s going on with her. She didn’t call me at all really, but I called her every day or at least once a week and just said, ‘I love you. I’m here for you.’ I was hurt because I’ve always been her go-to.”
At this, Kyle responded, “When I’m struggling, I keep to myself a lot. That’s how I kind of operate.” Kathy supported Kyle here, adding “She’s been through a lot this year.”
Kathy Hilton
Despite Kathy’s absence during the early years on RHOBH, Kyle brought her up, mentioning that her American Woman series had hurt Kathy, as Kathy didn’t want their family matters made public following their mother’s passing. On-air, Kyle also mentioned that Mauricio’s real estate career might have caused a divide. “I think it started with my husband leaving their real estate company and opening The Agency,” Kyle explained.
For her part, Kathy said that her decision to remain off-air for so long had to do with her sister’s fight in Season 1. “I kept thinking about my mom, like, ‘What would my mom do?’ And as the oldest sister, I feel, like, a responsibility,” Kathy explained, upset Kyle had made Kim’s addictions a talking point.
Kathy was also upset at Kyle following Season 12, as Kyle failed to defend her throughout Lisa’s claims. When you take a step back and look at all of these varying takes, it’s really hard to pick a side here. That said, we’d love to see Kyle putting her sisters first, alongside a sober Kim, with a sprinkling only of Kathy’s goofy antics, nothing dark.
Luckily, the sisters are now in a good place, vowing to leave their feuding in the past.
TELL US – WHICH SISTER DESERVES THE MOST BLAME IN THIS FAMILY FEUD?