Yesterday we heard that Kim Richards was in danger of being cut from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as a result of her arrest late last week for being drunk, disorderly and abusive. The issue is reportedly that Kim’s arrest might make her uninsurable, not that her addiction doesn’t make for good, conflict-filled television. Enter Dr. Phil, the pseudo-psychologist bottom feeder who capitalizes on D-list scandals. Kim will appear on Dr. Phil in an episode to air next week. People has some of the details and allegedly Kim admits that she shouldn’t be drinking. That’s somewhat of a step forward for her, because she’s been mired in defensiveness and denial on RHOBH. According to sources, she’s still refusing to go to rehab again, though. Here are some segments from People’s recent stories on Kim:
Dr. Phil has snagged Richards for an interview following her arrest Thursday morning at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
“I was angry and frightened and I was scared. I knew what I had done,” Richards told Dr. Phil, according to an early transcript. “The whole night is my fault. None of this would have happened if I didn’t drink.”
“As of now, she is saying no to rehab,” says the friend. “People are trying to get her to go. A lot of people are worried about her.”
Rchards has “calmed down” since the arrest, says the friend. “When it first happened, she was upset and didn’t want to talk about it. Now she does.”
The friend adds: “She is very embarrassed.”
On the night of the arrest, the former child star was “distraught” after watching the RHOBH reunion, which showed her arguing with her sister Kyle Richards, says the friend.
“But a big part of all of this is that she is just stressed out,” says the friend.
Richards’s ex-husband, Monty Brinson, the father of her daughter, Brooke, is battling Stage IV cancer.
“She is under a lot of pressure, especially because of Monty.”
The reasons People lists for Kim drinking are all the things that TMZ reported earlier. This is Kim’s official line, that she drinks because of problems in her life. Kim drinks because she’s an alcoholic. Judging from the clip I saw from the epic fight she had with Lisa Rinna on RHOBH, I would be very surprised if she takes responsibility for her addiction and admits that she needs help again. However, she has owned up to being an alcoholic. In 2013, about a year after her last stint in rehab, Kim admitted to Andy Cohen in an on-air interview that she was an alcoholic.
Radar has a related story which claims that Kim is broke and is supporting her cancer-striken ex husband, whom she’s been caring for at her home. Again, these are all excuses. She should know from what she learned in rehab that she should not be drinking full stop. For all you can say about Dr. Phil, and there’s a lot, he does tell hard truths to people. Kim just doesn’t seem ready to hear it however.
photo credit: WENN.com and Bravo
She’s in such a downward spiral. I’m sure Dr. Phil will be a huge help. *eyeroll*
His empty platitudes and self-satisfaction don’t cut it for you? Me neither, and I will NEVER forgive Oprah for unleashing this vulture.
I’m w/ you both. His shows have turned into nothing more than a platform for constant self-promotion for himself, his plastic wife, and his affiliation with his son’s show, The Doctors.
+100000
I wait for the day (and it’s coming) that Dr. Phil is exposed for the quack that he is. Eventually all of Oprah’s discoveries will be revealed as charlatans out for a buck.
Agree with all. He lost me with that dating service. And yes, JudyK, he only cares about promoting himself and his family.
Don’t forget Oprah unleashed Dr. Oz too. Sigh.
He really is awful. My god he is making the bucks for other people’s pain/shame/crisis/addiction/depair. Let’s put it on tv so the world can rubber neck! It’s like these shows are the modern day equivalent to public stoning. One was obviously worse but maybe the urge is the same.
The hypcracy is strong with that one. His wife writes books and advocates for healthy living, confidence, etc. but she’s had so much plastic surgery, she is unrecognizable and can’t speak right anymore because her duck lips have caused a speech impediment. Phil talks morals and ethics, yet his son, the doctor, married a stripper/Heffner bunny. He’s only good for calling it like it is, but most people already know they have a problem, so hearing again doesn’t do a whole lot of good.
He’s the equivalent of eating a burrito to help your IBS.
He is the result of eating cheese while lactose intolerant: painful stinky hot air.
Lol to both of you
So true. I still get chills and feel anger from an episode years ago where he had on a family who suspected the oldest son was abusing the 7 year-old sister (who didn’t appear). He finally admitted it, was clearly not well, and the reaction of the other brothers and the parents ripped my heart out. That should not have played out on television for the entertainment of millions. I didn’t blame the family, it was clear they were desperate. I will bet they now regret it. They were shamelessly exploited.
I feel for Kim.
@denise
I am stunned, don’t even know what to type. Jesus, that is pariah bottom feeder level. Minors should not be allowed on these reality shows as they are not mature enough to understand the implications of what they are doing. I feel sick to my stomach 🙁
She needs life long rehabilitation, not just a stint in rehab. She always looked anxious and paranoid when she was out with girls, especially when they were drinking, maybe she just felt uncomfortable but I don’t believe she was sober for 3 years.
I think she looks terrified no matter what happens – it could be that she is still drinking behind closed doors and that paranoid/overly anxious expression constantly on her face is because she thinks people will find out.
Fame ho’s are fame ho’s. No news here.
ETA: she does seem to be genuinely ill, so I do feel for her. But I can’t feel that bad when she’s choosing more reality tv over actual help.
Damage control to save her job.
Actually, Bravo should cut her from the show, because keeping her on would make them an enabler. It sad the only type of help she wants is in front of a TV camera.
I hope she gets help very soon before it’s too late.
How is she broke? She’s on a show that promotes wealthy women, she wears expensive clothes, has her hair and makeup done. So where exactly is the broke part coming from? Or is she simply terrible at managing her finances? And didn’t Brooke get married already? I am wondering why she’s having a second wedding so soon?
I doubt she’s actually broke – more like “rich broke”. I believe she gets a very hefty monthly alimony (tens of thousands of dollars) but I could also believe she’s a poor money manager. So perhaps she can’t charter her own jet, but I’m sure her daily expenses are well covered.
Her daughter had a smaller wedding so her dad could take part – I think they were thinking he wouldn’t be around by the time the actual wedding took place.
Thank you!! It’s a clearer picture now.
She’s broke because she spent most of her money on alcohol and drugs. Her Hollywood money was from decades ago and she doesn’t really get residuals (unlike ‘less famous’ Kyle who was on Little House on the Prairie and in Halloween). She married well at least twice (once to the uncle of Brandon Davis aka Firecrotch originator) and had child support until last year.
And I call BS on her financially supporting Monty. He’s heir to millions. If anything, he’s been helping her out. And she doesn’t ‘care for him’ as she leads people to believe. He would stay with her for stretches while he was undergoing treatment. He’s terminal now so he’s stopped and is only with her sometimes based on his own social media. She has offered him support and they are very close so it’s. Certainly stressful and upsetting but it’s not like a 24/7 situation like many caregivers. And yes it’s Brooke’s 2nd ceremony. Those are just so many excuses. She’s an addict who needs to get real help. Dr Phil is not that help.
Interesting insights. Frankly, though, it’s hard to see how she’s burning through nearly a half mil a season on alcohol; it doesn’t cost *that* much to kill yourself via drinking. And let’s face it: stars get handed so much free stuff — clothing, services, etc. — that they don’t have to pay for a lot of everyday expenses. Her financial woes are just another red herring to cover up the fact that she’s an addict, plain and simple.
He also has a current girlfriend, so I doubt Kim is his primary caregiver.
In other words, she’s playing nice to make sure she’s written into his will. Because really, that’s what this sounds like.
She couldn’t even call herself an alcoholic or an addict anymore at the reunion… that when you knew things had done south for her.
Yes the whole ‘my taking an extremely potent and addictive narcotic pill/patch that wasn’t prescribed to me accidentally/on purpose (stories were always changing) but that isn’t a relapse’ was sad to watch. As they say in AA , denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.
Dr. Phil PAYS. Rehab doesn’t. For all the more this woman tried to marry money, she always seems to be broke.
Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz are both quacks. As for Kim, she’d be better off without that witch for a sister.
Ditto, ditto, and ditto.
What a selfish thing to do to a man dying of cancer. To blame your lapse in sobriety on taking care of him, to lay that guilt on him. AND also accuse him of a crime, giving her narcotics that she wasn’t prescribed.
I think she drinks because of what she had to go through when she was an actress in her teen years.
It’s sad to me to see Kim Richards like this. “Escape to Witch Mountain” was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and still is one of my favorite kid’s movies (even though it makes no sense, but so what? It was still entertaining!) Now this once pretty girl, with a promising acting career, is a total mess of a woman. And the mess just keeps going – she never seems to get any real help, with lasting positive results, from anywhere. It’s just really sad. I hope she finds the strength to turn her life around.
Her problems seem to go way beyond alcohol abuse. Both she and Kyle should get off the show. They will never resolve their issues while on air. It will only get worse and affect more members of the family.
Phil is dangerous. I don’t even know how he is called dr. His show is ridiculous. His books, plastic wife’s happenings, sons publishing company and show are talked about every day. Wife just nods her plastic face up and down twenty times every show. Really!!!
I feel very sorry for Kim Richards. She was put under an inordinate amount of pressure as a child and teen to be the Disney girl. She didn’t go to regular school. She didn’t have dates and proms. She worked. She didn’t go to college. She worked. Nothing about her childhood was normal. I also suspect she was sexually assaulted. That has been alluded to, but never confirmed.
Bravo knew when they signed her on that she had problems, but it was great for ratings. I loved it in the reunion when she told the other women she was trying to leave Elaine’s poker night because she knew whatever she took was affecting her in a big way, but they all tried to get her to stay for the cameras.
Her sister is vile. I can’t stand Kyle. All she has ever done in regards to Kim is pretend to be concerned, create drama for her, but all the while played the “good sister” trying to cope with the “troubled sister.” That is not support. Get out of the limelight and be a sister quietly and consistently – not when the tape is rolling and you need an image. Kyle didn’t/doesn’t have an image other than Kim’s sister, so she made herself into the better sister. She does not have Kim’s back.
I beleive Kim probably is broke. She didnt’ make millions and it was a long time ago. She probably went through it. She doesn’t get child support for her kids anymore and she hasn’t worked in years other than Real Housewives. I don’t think she drank it all. I just think she lived beyond her means for a long time and it caught up with her.
I was really disgusted with Elaine Davis and Lisa Rinna this season. Why is Kim’s problem their problem to fix? They needed a story line and latched on to her under the pretense of saving her. They’re vile too. If your life is that boring you have nothing of interest for the public, don’t be on reality TV. You don’t get to make other people’s lives your story line.