When I attended the Real Housewives On Tour event Saturday, the discussion several of us had was not about the “Housewives” we were there to see, nor was it about Russell Armstrong’s suicide. It was Kim Richards.
I was definitely in the minority feeling sorry for her. The others, perhaps because they were younger and had never heard of Kim, were less than sympathetic about her alleged drug/ alcohol problems.
Kim Richards, like Michael Jackson and others have claimed, had no childhood. The number of commercials, movies and television series that she was on between 1964-1985 is simply mind-boggling. Source: IMDB. She worked.
In the process, Kim supported her entire family. As a child, she not no control over the millions she generated for the family: Mother Kathy (Big Kathy) half sister Kathy ( the mother of Paris Hilton) and younger sister Kyle. Indeed, she’s the reason they rose above middle-class mediocrity to meeting and marrying Hiltons.
So, we’ve got this girl who never went to school or had the normal childhood interactions and experiences.
Kyle Richards worked as an actress also, but less often.
As with all child actors, few are able to parlay that into an adult career. Some end tragically, Dana Plato comes to mind. What takes the place of the adulation? Kim got married twice with two children by Davis, one by Brinson, and the youngest by someone she didn’t marry because she couldn’t afford to lose the Davis child support. The youngest is now 16 years old.
Fast forward to today. Kim is a cast member of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, along with her sister Kyle. She hopes to revitalize her acting career, and she may need the money.
I doubt she wanted her issues out for all the world to see, not to mention Kyle snarking about her all the time. Kyle has resentments left over from childhood, when she was the understudy in Big Kathy’s life. She loves rubbing Kim’s nose in it now.
On the upcoming episode, the women meet for a party at Dana Wilkey’s house. Brash newcomer Brandi Glanville calls out Kim’s drug addiction, and Kyle jumps up and screams at Brandi. At least that’s what’s shown on the preview, above.
Poor Kim.
Watch What Happens
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I agree with most of what the bloggers have said, but I
must add one more thing. We’ve lost too many child actors
to drug/alcohol abuse. While in their prime they gave us
great tv, music, movies, etc, not so much now. They are
used for their talents and financial support of families. Now at a time when they need us, we and execs (like Bravo) sit back and watch ourselves be entertained by a
person who clearly has a substance abuse problem played
out on national tv. Shame on all of us. I know many of you
will say, ” turn the channel if you don’t like what you see”, but the problem with that is this. We spend time and
money to advocate for sexual equality, anti-bullying, etc
yet we say or do nothing about execs who continue to profit from high ratings surrounding a person who clearly needs medical/mental health issues. At one point Bravo
producers had to escort Kelly Bensimon home when her
condition escalated into a full blown meltdown. When does this end. Viewers need to send a clear message to Bravo
and anyone else, that we will not tolerate these kinds of shows that have no regard for their castmembers. Bravo
is pushing the limits on this and should be held
accountable. Kelly Bensimon, Russell Armstrong, Kim Richards, etc. They can say what they want, be indirectly
these shows add pressure to someone who is already struggling with his/her issues. Let’s start a campaign to
stop this now. thanks
Cherrypie:
I agree. I hate to see Kim villified on other blogs because she is so fragile. I’m afraid for her. anything happens to her, more blood on Bravo’s hands
SS, you may be onto something. There are pills for alcohol withdrawals too. They make you just as high as say, oxycodone. Someone mentioned the strange phone call to Adrienne when her “electric went out,” She loved the airport and the planes and whatever else weird stuff that came out of Kim’s mouth. Paul was right in suspecting that “Kim was intoxicated on something.” And swallowing pills can be taken inconspicuously and without the smell, not like drinking (and especially on camera). When I was young, I was a big fan of Kim when she was on Nanny and the Professor, and watched everything she did after that. So, I was so excited to hear that she was going to be on RHOBH. But then…..she just seemed so incredibly awkward, I felt embarrassed for her. I was more embarrassed about that than when Kyle “outted” her about her addiction. She’s come out of her shell this season, but I’m afraid drugs have something to do with it. Her kids did leave the nest, and she seems remarkably ok with it. Yup, she’s feeling no pain.
Last season, I felt sorry for Kim. Kyle missed no chances to put her down. This season, I still don’t like Kyle, but I don’t feel sympathy for Kim either. She is one messed-up chick! Since her alcoholism was leaked on national tv, you’d think she would have run to the nearest re hab center for a 90 day minimum stay. Her behavior this season is embarrassing!! I feel sorry for her children having to live through this humiliation. I am anxious to see the continuation of the Game Night episode when Brandi goes up agst. the sisters.
My guess would be prescription pills. On one of the later trips to the bathroom, a waiter tells Kyle that Kim came and got her coffee first. Why would you bring a drink into the bathroom? That’s gross. You’d go get your drink on the way out of the bathroom if you suddenly wanted your coffee. I’d guess that she needed to swallow some pills. Also, lets say she arrived there needed her makeup fixed. Kyle takes her in the bathroom when she first arrives and does her makeup. Kim did nothing to mess up the new makeup (no crying, rubbing her face, etc) so why does Kyle need to go in there 10 more times to do kim’s makeup again?
Also, Kim kept mentioning her anxiety, that she started crying for no reason, etc. Mentioning this to a doctor will get you all kinds of prescriptions. They’re easy to abuse, especially for someone who has had drug/alcohol addiction in the past. And for these same people, pills are “safe” because the doctor prescribed them, so your family isn’t allowed to get pissed at you the same way they would if you were drinking (which is why Kyle couldn’t be mad at kim after testing her drink and not tasting alcohol).
Kim’s life, unraveling before our eyes is hard to watch. I like her and feel for her. Kyle is not my favorite – nowhere close. I believe Kyle is an opportunist like most of the Housewives that will do anything for more camera time even if it means turning her back on her while trying to make herself look like the one who has her life all together. Kim, according to what I have seen and read, paved the way for Kyle a good part of her life. Like some families, the dynamics in this one is likened to an artichoke – peeling off layers to get to the heart of the matter (truth).
I hope Kim gets the help she needs and finds peace. As for Kyle – she’s found her 15 minutes and loving every minute of it. Did Kyle have her lips “pumped up” during the off season?…Appears so. Kyle is too full of herself for my taste.
Y’all made me think of something: watching Kyle “take care” of Kim in the bathroom, doing her makeup, talking to her about going back to the party, not being rude, etc., was complete “enabler/addict” dynamics to me. But it just occurred to me while reading that Kim was at work for two decades supporting her mother/sisters that Kyle has stepped into the shoes of Big Kathy as enabler–and is this what Big Kathy did to keep Kim working on set, or networking to get roles, during the teen years; sets which no doubt were awash in cocaine, etc.? It’s well-documented that during that period in Hollywood the Brat Pack age group was big into drugs like that. Just a thought….
One thing that keeps getting swept under the blog rugs is how confused Kim was on the telephone with Adrienne in one episode, talking jibberish at times, making nonsensical excuses. I don’t know what’s wrong with Kim, but as long as she’s not in treatment or recovery, she’s at risk–huge, at her age.
For the record, I thought she was great (along with James Spader) in Tuff Turf. LOL! A dated movie, but very much appealed to my 13 year old self. I assume that was meant to be her transition to adult roles…that never quite panned out.
her additions notwithstanding, I cannot see her having a career as an actress at this point. If shows such as Love Boat and Fantasy Island were still on the air, she’d get some work. There really isn’t anything for her now, even if she could pull it together.
Something is very wrong with Kim. However frazzled and scatterbrained she was last season, she’s twice as bad now. Bravo doesn’t give a shit. Her sister either doesn’t or has just become completely apathetic to Kim’s behavior over the years.
I think it’s possible that Kyle views all Kim’s troubles as being alcohol related, hence her sniffing the drink last night. I think Kim’s troubles are worse than that.
I don’t think it’s poor Kim at all. I think both Kim and Kyle acted obnoxiously towards Brandy and didn’t include her at all in the games. I don’t think Russell will be the last casualty on this show- Kim is next. She’s an accident waiting to happen and is in deep denial evidently.
I am glad somebody else besides myself identifies Kim as a former child star who was deprived of a childhood and has difficulty copping. While Kyle was being a mean girl at her fancy private school Kim paid for, Kim was supporting her family. Clearly Kyle is jealous of Kim’s success as an actor and the attention she got from their mother.
yes, Kim should not be an object of scorn, she gets enough of that from her family
Like you, I’m an older viewer but I didn’t start as a Kim fan. I did see Witch Mountain but hated it because it wasn’t an animated movie (live action Disney stunk back then), I never saw whatshername and the Professor or anything else that Kim was in. I’m a fan now because I don’t detect any meanness of spirit in Kim. When she attacks, it’s usually after someone else started things. Little sisters and big sisters each have a role that they play in relation to one another and I see that as completely bollocked up between Kim and Kyle. I’d be curious to see them interact with big sister Kathy, bet that relationship is screwed up as well. I believe Kyle still very much resents Kim’s successful early career and wanted just a bit of ‘now *I* get to rub *your* nose in it’ payback and as soon as she got her chance, she went for Kim’s throat. I’ll bet to this day she doesn’t understand why the viewers would be sympathetic to Kim. But she’s learned to tone down her attacks on Kim.. At least whenever there’s a camera around.If Kim has a problem, it won’t get fixed by either attacking her or by ignoring it. Kyle doesn’t seem to me to have the depth of character necessary to set her own ego aside and have the sit-down loving but blunt talk her sister needs.
Very well said.