previously on real housewives of rhode islandThe RHORI Newport trip continued as Rosie and Kelsey attempted to make peace. Jo-Ellen opens up to Alicia about the trauma her mother sent her to behavioral programs. Ashley had to leave quickly after her son ended up in the ER. Speaking, Rullah claimed that she missed the trip as she once again fell so ill that she had to be hospitalised. At the end of the trip, Jo-Ellen is sent video evidence of Brian cheating on Rulla… and the group decides that Alicia should tell her.
What happened on The Real Housewives of Rhode Island Episode 8?
This week on Real Housewives of Rhode Island Season 1 Episode 8, “Splitting Hairs”, Kelsey moves into an apartment (paid for by her ex). Jo-Ellen talks to her mother about her childhood. Alicia is afraid to tell Rula about the video during an extremely uncomfortable dinner. Kelsey pranks Rosie after she realizes they’re doing exactly that No have overcome their issues, and the resulting fight is so bad that RHORI production has to intervene.
Alicia faces her fears
The episode begins with Billy encouraging Alicia to face her fear of highways so he can take their daughter. Alicia says his anxiety can get so bad that her daughter has to calm him from the back seat. Before leaving, Alicia takes some crackers to calm her down.
As she drives off, Alicia tells Billy about the trip. Well, first of all, she accidentally asks Him About it, forgetting that she was the one who left. Alicia is still hurt by Liz’s criticism for calling herself homeless. Doing an impeccable impression of Jo-Ellen, she also tells Billy about the video. And she is tasked with telling Rulla that she is afraid.
At least he faced his fear of driving on the bridge.
Kelsey is moving (and Rosie has thoughts about it)
Kelsey moves into a new apartment, and the background of her confessions changes with it. Bill’s identifier does the same – he is now “Kelsey’s (only) boyfriend”. Kelsey’s mom is upset that the ex is still paying for things. She also wants Kelsey to commit to the bill and pass it on to her grandchildren. But Kelsey wants to stay alone for at least a year. Bill stops by to help set things up, and encourages Kelsey to sell her car so her ex has one less payment (and one less tie for her).
But Rosie questioned the arrangement, even claiming that Kelsey cheated on her ex with Bill. Despite clearly still disliking Kelsey, Rosie agrees to let her cut her hair again…and this time she’ll definitely post. Rich encourages Rosie that the next time someone comes at her, she doesn’t resist (despite us seeing her fight). Giving a little foreshadowing, Rosie admits that she will be nervous next time.
Ashley once again regrets Jared’s commitment to Audrey
Ashley’s son Dawson is recovering after being hospitalized with cold-induced asthma. She sends him out of the room for a bit so she can film a sponsored post. Once again, Ashley laments that Jared doesn’t make better use of his large social media following. She repeatedly emphasizes that one post can earn far more than Audrey. Ashley is feeling better about her place in the group after the trip, but we’ll see how long that lasts.
Jo-Ellen tells her mother about her painful past
While cleaning her grandfather’s house, Jo-Ellen discovers a photo album (which includes a photo of her and Bill Clinton) with her mother and Jane. When Jo-Ellen says she was an angel, her mother laughs, “No!” After some more digging, Jo-Ellen confronts him. She says that her mother should have taught her to be kind, “because I’m not kind anymore.”
Crying, she adds, “I hate this about myself.” She asks her mother what she did so bad that she got sent away three times. His mother lies about hanging out with boys – but Joe argues that this is normal teenage behavior. She was depressed in her teens, not bipolar as her mother claimed, but she doesn’t understand how those places can help.
Her mother starts crying remembering how overwhelmed she was. Jo-Ellen asks cryingly, “Why didn’t you love me?” Her mother says she does, but she has difficulty showing it because of her own mother’s coldness. Jo-Ellen hopes she can break this cycle with her children. Her mother promises to be a better mother and a better grandmother. Jo-Ellen has wanted to hear this for ages. While Jane thanks her mother for making them stronger, Jo-Ellen laughs, “Yeah, you fooled me.”
Rulla and Brian host the dinner from hell
When she and Billy go to dinner, Alicia looks like “I know what you did last week” is written all over her face. But I’m pretty sure dinner would be uncomfortable, even if Alicia had never seen the video. Brian is in rare form, and admits that he played the game with the shots beforehand!
You can tell when he starts raving about Pizza Momma. He also revealed “micro doses” of Ozempic, steroids and Botox. He makes an excuse to go to the bathroom, then says it was a work call. Alicia says he probably had a leg emergency before laughing, so she gives him too much credit. Rulla tries to laugh off her irritation at his over-sharing and excessive drinking.
The worst moment comes when he remembers how they met. He would order drinks for Rula, and secretly ask the bartender to make the drink for him. Umm?! There is also no mention of Alicia’s Spanish teacher. When he orders steak, he also repeatedly describes how the filet mignon reminds him too much of the Achilles tendon. Again, umm?!
After all, Alicia is too scared to reveal the video. I can only imagine that she wanted to get out of the world’s most awkward dinner as quickly as possible! “Brian, they’ll never come again!” Rulla jokes (?) while Alicia and Billy’s faces say it all.
Dolores has found her place on RHORI
Liz felt uncomfortable with the Young Housewives last week, but she fits in perfectly with Dolores. They’re developing a weed gummy targeted at menopause, which is an ingenious idea. It’s also a good fit for Rhode Island, which is the first state to designate people going through menopause as a protected class. As she describes how much menopause hurts, Liz shows us her swollen legs and asks, “Why do they look like dick bags?” She and Dolores bonded over their menopause struggles, with Dolores saying that she and Paul almost broke up over the issue!
Many RHORI viewers have pointed out that she feels unnecessary as a friend, but this storyline gives Dolores a place in the cast. Her friendship with Liz is a joy to see.
Rosie and Kelsey have the biggest RHORI fight ever
Before Kelsey arrives, Rosie lays out the house plans with a measuring tape. Kelsey also makes a joke, setting off a siren and announcing that the “House Police” are there and it looks like 8,000 square feet by 8,000 inches. It’s terrible, I was staggering badly. Rosie emphasizes that her “Very Rich said it would be a bad sign if their dog Clemmie didn’t like Kelsey… and lo and behold, Kelsey comments that Clemmie seems afraid of her.
Kelsey comes in thinking her joke was great, while Rosie, clearly embarrassed, is angry from the start. Rosie becomes even more angry as Kelsey defends her bad joke and tells her to calm down. She insists that she did nothing to Kelsey. Soon, she accuses Kelsey of being jealous because she doesn’t have a house, husband, or career. She calls Kelsey “literally a bullshitter” who accomplished nothing. Besides winning a competition, but Rosie claims Kelsey only won because her sugar daddy bought the title (I don’t know, maybe the judges were really impressed by this). Kelsey’s brain tumor story?). Kelsey insists that her career is on the rise, but Rosie yells, “Sucking up is not a career!”
When Rosie confronts her, Kelsey pushes her away. Rosie grabs Kelsey’s suitcase and pushes her out the door, yelling that she’s done with her and “the clique.” She becomes so aggressive that production has to stop her. But when she starts to walk away, Kelsey foolishly turns around. She insists that she won Miss Rhode Island Fair and Square. Then Rosie yells that Kelsey “fucks with married men” and “is a slam pig!”
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think this is the true “Team Number One” housewives feud. Kelsey’s joke was incredibly harsh, but Rosie overreacted. Kelsey started this fight for a very stupid reason, but Rosie’s attacks turned into slut-shaming, which is not okay. And while Kelsey was wrong to touch Rosie and made a huge mistake by going back, it’s not nice of production to block Rosie.
Looks like we’re going to see more next week, as Kelsey pulls another nasty prank by impersonating “Miss Slam Pig.”
real housewives of rhode island Airs Sundays at 9/8c on Bravo. Episodes can be streamed on Peacock.
TELL US – Rory fans, are you Team Rosie, Team Kelsey, or Team Number One? What did you think of Brian’s behavior at dinner?