Last month, Kim Richards of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was arrested at the Beverly Hills Hotel for being drunk and disorderly. Cops had to drag her out of the bathroom where she was hiding and when she got to the station to be charged she kicked a police officer. In a follow-up appearance on Dr. Phil, Kim denied having a drinking problem but admitted that she did have drinks “a couple of other times” when she claimed to be sober. She cried pitifully and played the victim whenever Dr. Phil called her out. Kim’s three adult children were with her and they looked understandably hardened toward their mother, as if they were over her drama. Dr. Phil tried to get Kim to go to rehab, but she waffled. She kept saying that her daughter, Brooke, was getting married in Mexico and she didn’t want to miss it. (It was Brooke’s second wedding to the same guy, her first was shown on RHOBH.)
Kim eventually went to rehab (her fourth stint that we know of) after changing her mind a few times. She got furlough from rehab to go to her daughter’s wedding this weekend in Cabo, just like she requested, and she had a sober coach with her. Well guess what? At her daughter’s wedding, Kim got drunk, rude and slurry as is her default setting. She spewed a bunch of crap to Brooke and now Brooke isn’t even talking to her. Kim’s sober coach got so fed up she left. Predictably, Kim missed her deadline to return to rehab. Here’s more, thanks to TMZ:
Kim Richards melted down at her daughter’s wedding over the weekend to the point her sober coach quit, her daughter isn’t speaking with her anymore and those present say she was either on drugs or alcohol.
Multiple sources tell TMZ … Kim was clearly under the influence of something, although no one seems to know what. Our sources say whatever Kim took or drank, she did so in private, but when she interacted with people at the wedding she was “a mess.”
We’re told Kim was saying horribly nasty things to her daughter, Brooke, right after the wedding. We’re told Kim was cursing out the groom’s family and was generally belligerent. The bride has vowed she won’t speak with her mom again.
As for the sober coach … we’re told she couldn’t control Kim and left Mexico immediately after the wedding.
Our sources say Kim is still in Cabo and she’s gone radio silent. The rehab facility gave her a pass to attend the wedding but gave her a deadline to return Monday, which she has not done.
Yeah, that was easy to see coming. I know Dr. Phil is a quack but he does call people on their bullsh*t. He said one thing to Kim that stuck with me. “I’ve never yet seen an alcoholic that reports things fully and accurately.”
Years ago, during the first season of RHOBH, I was on Kim’s side in the ongoing battle between Kim and her sister, Kyle. I thought that Kyle was being harsh to Kim when she called her insane and told her that people were sick of her drama. Kim went to rehab back then but it’s rinse and repeat with her. Now that I’ve seen Kim continue to spiral into alcoholism and denial, I get where Kyle was coming from. It must be so hard to deal with an alcoholic sister like that, not to mention a mother who brings all that drama to her daughter’s wedding.
Paris Hilton posted this video of her aunt Kim addressing the bride and groom. This must have been before she hit the sauce heavy.
Those are the tackiest rich people bridesmaid’s dresses I have ever seen.
Ha ha ha yes! Said the same below before I saw your comment 😀
understatement
As someone who recently put down a deposit on a bridesmaid dress, all I can think is “Thank goodness the bride took our requests seriously”. Basically, she picked the colour, we went with our list of wants/needs and it worked out beautifully.
Just because you’ve got money, it doesn’t mean you’ve got good taste! An old friend from high school, who’s parents are stupid, flithy rich, got married, in Cabo, last year and she had horrid bridesmaid dresses.
some brides purposely pick horrible bridesmaid dresses so all eyes are on the beautiful bride.
Hideous.
the v-neck dresses look trashy, like lingerie imo
In that top photo, it looks like they’re in a Stepford wedding! 😳
So much fakery – hair, tan and boobs in particular
Those pink dresses are horrid
An addict is a sick person, their illness might be self-inflicted, but they need to be treated with care nonetheless. I’m going to extend to Kim Richards the same compassion I would reserve for any other person dealing with the grims of addiction, the fight isn’t an easy one. If only Kim Richards would leave the volatile, unhealthy environment of the Real Housewives franchise to focus on her health and rehabilitation, if only she would take some time to herself to unplug and reboot, if only she could go somewhere, anywhere away from gossip and entertainment blogs, I’m sure things would run a little smoother, maybe not all of her problems would be cured, but she would be on the right track.
I agree with you – the real problem here is that Kim still refuses to even admit that she has a problem!
Completely agree.
This is all true but there comes a point where you have to say enough is enough. If you don’t you are just enabling the behavior. Kim is abusive to those around her, she refuses admit she has an issue and blames all her problems and behaviors on others. Yes I know a lot of this is typical addict behavior but I can’t fault her family for saying get sober or we are done.
You can be compassionate, but realistic. I was married to an alcoholic. Making excuses for them, saying “if only they weren’t so stressed at work” and attitudes like that don’t help them. The most compassionate thing you can do is put the responsibility were it belongs – on them. Only Kim can fix Kim. And she has to want to do it. It’s hard, and I feel for her, but people do it. And if she wants a life with her children and one that’s worth living, she better wake up. Or the people who love her will be pushed past the point they can bear, and she will lose them all.
@gnat. Agreed.
It’s not *just* the Housewives- she’s got some damage that runs very deep within.
FFS, the lady had toluene in her tox report. She drinks, she admits she has taken pills & smokes pot (or did her kids say that?), and I am fairly certain that when she was dating that troll of a man, it was because he supplied her with nose candy on the regular (see the footage with nose & behaviors in both of them- at an al fresco lunch {maybe only drinks for drip??} situation). She appears to recklessly consume any mind altering substance she can access, and you don’t do that unless you are constantly trying to escape something terribly painful.
She needs some intensive therapy after detox, then rehab, when she can begin to come to terms with whatever happened to her to f&%k her up so deeply.
As horrible as it sounds, I don’t believe she will ever get better. Something really bad has to happen, and even then it can go either way. Kim does not look like someone who would be at all willing to face the reality, or do any of the other things recovering alcoholics have to face.
And I’m not giving Kyle a free pass on this. It seems like Kim has tried to leave the show behind, but I guarantee Kyle has convinced her to continue, because without Kim, Kyle is kind of a non-entity. I’m sure that they have a tight connection, but that connection isn’t a healthy one. Then again, they weren’t raised to be healthy and wholesome. They were raised to marry well, have children and become rich and famous.
I think I will reserve my compassion for her friends and family especially her children. If you have ever been on the receiving end of a scene like that, it is excruciating. It replays in your mind again and again. This adjits were stupid/naive enough to have it on TV.
My mother abused pills for years because of her cluster migraines, back pain etc. It was a family joke how she was “allergic” to alcohol. Yep, you can really develop an allergy to alcohol when you are zooming on pain meds, but, heh, if it’s a prescription it’s not really a problem. It wasn’t until after she i
died that the shoe dropped on that one.
People like this will blame their problem on everything and everyone else. How do you think her children feel knowing that to have a healthy life they have to distance themselves from the one person they should be able to count on? You feel like a traitor. Compound that with the message that the abuser is a victim of a disease. They are the victims.
I really cannot stand Kim, and have had her number since the first season, but this story is so hard to believe. I am starting to think there are some mental/emotional issues here. I simply cannot believe that Kim chose to drink and do drugs and ruin her daughters wedding! That is so cruel. She needs serious psychiatric care perhaps, not a rehab.
Sadly, this is exactly what addicts do – they do choose to consume the drug of their choice before anything else. (I know we could debate how much the term “choice” can be applied to an addict, but you get the picture.) So, unfortunately, within the realms of alcoholism, Kim’s behaviour is precicely what would have to be expected.
There are certainly mental and/or emotional issues at play here. That can be said of most, of not all, addicts. From personal experience however, I don’t believe anyone chooses to harm themselves and their family.
One of the descriptions both a recovering addict and a psychologist gave is that the addict’s craving becomes their primary relationship. It supersedes family, friends — everything.
It also helps illustrate that other people cannot ‘fix’ the person. Nor can you expect them to respect you.
That is a great metaphor. Thanks, Christin!
Kim is all about Kim. Her world revolves around her. It’s about what she wants, what she feels, what she has to endure. Me me me me. Her family and friends need to get to Al Anon, stop enabling, stop being manipulated, and let her get the help she needs.
I don’t understand the daughter had 2 weddings, the first one was just a warm-up for the second one. Is this a new fade?
Her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so they threw together a quick small wedding so he could walk her down the aisle, still planning on having the big one later as planned where everyone could attend. He has lived longer than his prognosis, and so is still alive but was too ill to attend this wedding.
aww, that’s sad.
Sad. Alcoholism is so insideous. Yes Richards should shoulder a lot of the blame. And she wouldn’t say and act the way she does if there wasn’t a part of her just waiting for her inhibitions to be lowered, but still. Where’s her rock bottom? If making a complete fool of yourself and ruining your daughters wedding isn’t it than what is?
Yes, I didn’t see your post but said basically the same below. If this isn’t a tipping point, things are about to get REAL, in a very dangerous way, for her or someone else.
I can’t stop laughing at that last picture.
She gets real mean on the show, so I can’t even imagine how she is with some drinks in her. Sad for kids — they suffer the most.
Ruining someone’s wedding is not something you can take back. Sure, there can be forgiveness, but if this isn’t a wake-up call for change, I think things might get deadly.*
* I only know this woman from this site, had no idea who she was until some of you guys informed me.
Off topic, but my cousin-my long time best friend-was supposed to be my bridesmaid. Was there at the rehearsal dinner like nothing was wrong. Well guess who didn’t show up all day because she got blackout drunk.
That was in 2011 and she has still never apologized to me or even tried to explain what happened. This is someone who my family did everything for, even going so far as to take her in at times, I was there for her during her abortion, I was her maid of honor, etc., and she couldn’t even show up on my wedding day.
She did ruin our relationship. I’ve never forgiven her.
ANON33 how awful!!! I’m so sorry. This is why I have so much trouble with the “poor alcoholic, they have issues, they have a disease” angle. It’s easy to say that kind of thing if you’ve never lived with one and had to endure all the catastrophes and pain they cause.
By the way, “forgive and forget” is just an expression. I always thought it was something Jesus said, but He didn’t. Forgiveness is great if you can get there, but I don’t blame you for not forgiving that girl. If she had expressed any kind of regret, then maybe… “Forgiveness” might be more about freeing yourself from toxic feelings than giving the drunk person a pass for their heinous behavior.
I don’t think you should ever forget, it’s how humans learn lessons. And I agree with Belle Epoch that forgiveness is freeing yourself from the destructiveness of anger. You can forgive, but that doesn’t mean you have to invite the person back into your circle.
Who is shocked? Hands? Anyone? Yep didn’t think so.
my colors are blush and bashful with a dash of side boob. ceremony will be too! the walls are banked with sprays of flowers, and my two shades of blush and bashful. pink carpets especially laid out for my service, and pink silk bunting, draped over anything that would stand still – like all my bridesmaids breast implants.
Ha! Amazing comment!
Yes! Yes! Yes! I love you. 👏👏👏
It’s like two pigs fightin’ under a blanket.
I had no idea that Kim and Kyle Richards were sisters of Kathy Hilton! Another family with all K names…
Originally, I thought she was somehow related to Keith Richards, with the excessive partying.
Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!!! Good One!
I actually thought she was an ex-wife, no joke!
Crazy story – Before I even knew who Kim was I remember seeing a picture of her thinking “Paris Hilton in 20 years if she keeps up the drugging” There’s an eerie resemblance in some photos.
Kim was a Disney kid. She acted in movies like Escape from Witch Mountain and the sequel. Yeah I remember her. So sad she ended up like this.
I didn’t have a ton of respect for the Real Housewives franchises before, but Lord knows this really makes me dislike them and Andy Cohen. Kim is sick – it might be a sickness of her own doing, but she’s sick nonetheless. She needs to step away from the series, which is all about creating conflict and focus on her recovery. But the show will fight to keep her on because she “brings the drama.” It’s like RJNJ and Theresa – they were more than happy to keep a confessed con artist on for the ratings.
Addicts don’t belong on shows that thrive on supporting and enabling their addictions. What will they do if she does something that actually harms somebody, like DUI? They’ll probably film the aftermath and use it for ratings. Disgusting.
I truly dislike Andy Cohen.
When he was on Wait Wait/NPR they were all taking jabs at him for founding TRHW franchise and ushering in a new low to trash reality tv.
Sam
Completely agree. Such a lack of humanity to allow and encourage someone to continue harming themselves for ratings. Even if they’re an adult they can still not be puting their health as a priority. AC is banking on train wrecks and the exploitation of that.
I was ambivalent about him for a while because I didn’t want to blame him for the actions of other people. But it’s so clear that the whole RH franchise thrives on watching people do really awful/dumb stuff. An addict is simply not going to improve in such an environment. They actually cut cast members if they’re not generating enough “drama” or conflict. (That was why RHNJ cut Kathy – she didn’t fight or bicker enough). I finally gave up watching them because of the clear glee the shows take in watching damaged people harm themselves and not stepping in.
FLORC: You are totally right to call it a lack of humanity.
I understand that people like this need help. I have one in my family too. Still, if they wont take the help you offer there comes a point when you have got to let them go. If you don’t, they will take you down with them.
Exactly. And repeatedly excusing them and making excuses for them doesn’t help them. It just enables their addiction.
Ah, lessons learned the hard way. Like the song says, “I won’t get fooled again.”
Agreed. It can be our theme song, eh?
So true. There comes a point where you get tired of the deceit and the next shoe that drops. As rough as it sounds, you can end up just hoping they don’t harm anyone else in their self-destructive path.
In that second picture of the bridesmaids, the women are barefoot and my eye was drawn to Paris Hilton’s foot. My God! Is that woman an overgrown hobbit? Her feet are HUGE!
In Bling Ring,they talk about her 11 U.S. size Louboutin shoes
I’m laughing Paris’s pose. As a child of an abusive alcoholic, with a little sociopath thrown in for extra fun, my heart goes out to Brooke. I’m also a counselor, so I understand from both sides. This is a horrible situation all around. My heart goes out to all. It’s a helpless feeling loving someone with an addiction. Your hope is dashed every time and eventually you stop hoping because its Too unhealthy. I don’t talk to my father either. It’s a little different because he Physically assaulted me but I’m sure ruining such an important event, emotional assault shouldn’t be permitted either.
I disagree with the ‘alcoholism is a disease’ model of treatment. It teaches people that they have a disease that they are helpless to. Kim chose to get drunk/high at her daughter’s wedding, just like she chose to go to rehab. When she really chooses to quit drinking, she will. I feel terrible for her poor daughter – how would you like to have your wedding blighted like that? A snake would be a better mother than Kim has been.
It is a disease, like any disease, but if you don’t do something to control it or treat it that’s on you, I think.
There is no scientific evidence whatsoever that it is a disease. And several studies have shown that even hardcore street people will stop drinking if offered money to do so. Willingly.
Well, there are genetic indicators but that isn’t proof because some may have them without becoming addicts. At any rate, after using certain substances, over time, the brain does change. Depending on the physical versus psychological addiction, or both, the person may require medical treatment.
The money may act as a placebo just as placebos may work to help conquer other diseases in the complex nature of the mind and body dynamic.
FWIW, there have been studies on brain images where there are changes with a depressed person. Interestingly, the brain can respond to talk therapy as it can with drugs.
Crumpet
Disease. Defined as…A pathological condition of a body part, an organ, or a system resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms.
And…An illness that affects a person, animal, or plant : a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally—usage, synonyms, more.
Alcoholism can have an extreme result on the brain in some people making giving it up worse than death in their minds. With harsh physical withdrawl.
I’ve read those studies you’re citing. They’re such BS and improperly conducd. Some people don’t drink because they have a physical need like an addict. They drink because it takes away their pain. And to Kiddo yes. The money was found to have the same results as a placebo.
And then there’s the poowerful motivator. Have you read the study about the man who laughed his cancer away? He watched 3 stooges continuously and his tumors shrunk. Doesn’t mean that can work again.
@Crumpet-
Please educate yourself:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2805560/
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh313/185-195.htm
There is much more documentation in the ether, should you only choose to type some keys, beyond clicking my links.
Crumpet, I don’t agree with you. i was a manager at a fast-food place and we would constantly have drunk homeless people hanging out there. I find it hard to believe people would rather ruin their lives by drinking to the point that they are homeless rather than quit drinking. Who would prefer to be homeless and drunk vs. being sober and having a stable, normal life? an alcoholic does not respond to alcohol the way you do. That’s why it’s so hard for so many to quit, despite numerous trips to rehab. if it was easy for them to quit, they would have done it when their life first started going downhill. why would kim choose to be a rich drunk making a fool of herself vs. enjoying a sober, rich life?
Crumpet, as the daughter of an alcoholic, I can tell you it is a disease. If you’ve ever seen people get the tremors and physical reactions you would know this. Its unfortunate that there is still this amount of ignorance when it comes to alcoholism.
Thanks for explaining the Kim and Kyle ‘Hilton’ connection. I’ve been knocking my head for years trying to figure how low-rent Kim and Kyle managed to be included in the Beverly Hills Housewives show.
The only time I’ve ever felt sorry for Kim was the time Kyle ‘invited’ Kim to come along on a visit to a ‘vacation’ home, and it turned out to be a house Kim once owned and sold to the ‘family’ because she needed money. Then, after she got back up on her feet and tried to buy the house back, Kyle claimed ownership. She got mad at Kim for being ‘down’ during the visit and just couldn’t wrap her head around why Kim would be depressed at being invited to ‘visit’ a house she once owned.
But other than that one moment, I’ve had no sympathy for Kim at all. I will add, though, that even with all her addictions, I like Kim much more than her Kyle.
Kyle was a driving force for RHOBH being made in the first place, she basically considers it *her* show. The Richards sisters, being former child stars, would have been on the show even without the Hilton connection.
And the house thing… when you ask someone to buy you out, that’s it. They’re under no obligation to let you buy back in. Apparently the real estate deal was all on the up and up, but Kim burned through the money like she’s burned through all of her money (including from her divorces from a couple of extremely wealthy men). Kyle may be odious, but she’s not responsible for her sister’s bad choices.
@Emma,
That’s not what really happened. When their mother died, Kim had a house in the same neighborhood (that their mother gave her). The mother’s house was left to all three daughters. Kathy didn’t want it, so she sold her share to Kyle. Kim didn’t want to sell her share, but she also didn’t pay her share of taxes or insurance. When Kim needed money, she finally sold to Kyle. For years, Kyle maintained the house, and let Kim stay there whenever she wanted. At some point, Kim got some money and tried to buy her way back in, for a very small sum, that Kim decided would be fair. It wasn’t. The house was eventually sold.
Since then, Kim has been saying (for over a decade) that Kyle stole “her” house. She also says that Kyle tricked her and sold it behind her back. In a recent episode, Kyle reminded Kim that her own daughter Brooke was a realtor for the sale. Kyle even challenged Kim (on camera) by telling her she will pull the records on the spot, and they can go over them. Kim declined.
I was on Kim’s side for years regarding the house. I had to give it up, because Kim is obviously in the wrong. There’s a great deal of sentimental value to the house because (it’s claimed that) Kim took care of their mother as she died. I now realize that Kim couldn’t even care for herself or her four children, so she was probably a burden to her mother as she died. Their mother, on her deathbed, made Kyle (the younger sister) swear to always take care of Kim, and to continue to hide Kim’s alcoholism. This is Kyle’s lifelong burden, and set the stage for the unhealthy denial of Kim’s problems.
For the bad rep that Kyle gets from Kim’s fans, she’s had a heavy hand in raising Kim’s four kids, and provided financial assistance for decades.
Nothing hides a secret addiction better than having your life filmed for reality tv where issues are exploited.
yeah, I don’t understand why Kyle gets a bad rap.
My name is Jennifer, I am an alcoholic.
My life did not change until I was ready. I couldn’t do it for anyone but myself.
I caused so much heartache for everyone involved, including my children.
All the Dr. Phil’s in the world could not make me ready to face responsibility.
This disease is a bitch!!!
Powerful statement. I applaud your ownership and taking charge.
Congratulations. Some are never ready.
The thing with Kim is it’s not just alcohol like she’d have you believe. According to the drug report the night she got arrested Kim was not only drunk but on toluene (essentially paint thinner, meaning she’d been ‘huffing’) and TWO other unnamed drugs.
I’d been wondering exactly how this woman had been behaving for the Polo Lounge to call the cops – they have a reputation as the place celebs go to get trashed and have it kept quiet. I hadn’t thought of it before since it’s seen as a drug for homeless people who can’t afford anything else but huffing would do it. Huffers are SCARY even 90lb ones, that stuff literally turns people into rabid animals and causes insta brain damage.
This poor woman is in really deep.
oh no…… : (
Those bridesmaid dresses are very clASSY, why would the bride feel the need for her and their dresses to be so revealing?
They just look cheap – I’d never guess they were rich if I had never heard of them before. And LOL at Paris!
I do like the bride’s short lacy dress though. I wore a short white dress to my wedding and would have loved that one, couldn’t find anything like it though so had to go a bit different.
I really feel for Kim, that she struggles to admit and accept help for her addiction and for her family who has to deal with an absent and maybe “a little crazy when girlfriend is on the sauce” mother. I hope KR gets help sooner rather than later.
I don’t watch any of the “Housewives” shows, but in every photo I’ve seen of Kim so far she looks like she’s either terrified or about to burst into tears. Even when she smiles (a grimace) her eyes look terrified.
what is the purpose of having 50 bridesmaids? it isnt like she is inheriting lichtenstein.
Eek. Paris foot! Wth? Lollll
I think the entire source of kim richards addiction is the trauma of being a child star who grew older and became unemployable. And like many other child stars who grew used to the fame and attention, couldn’t handle being a “normal” person. Shes strikes me as a spoiled brat who never grew up. Blames everyone else, its never her, reminds me very much of lindsay lohan. A real failure as a human being
Kim has all sorts of issues that boil down to her being a child star.
Plus, she was brought up by Big Kathy. Both Kim and Vyle exhibit nasty traits encouraged by Big Kathy. They truly deserve each other.
There’s a saying in the program ‘some of us have to die so that some of us may live’. Unfortunately, addiction of any kind begins with self loathing and low self esteem and a need to escape ones reality. There are many who never ‘get it’ because they are unwilling or unable to delve into their issues. Kim is one of those that just doesn’t seem to ‘get it’. Every-bodies bottom is different and unfortunately some peoples bottom is death. Loved ones must exhibit tough love if they really want to help. Never pull your love away just don’t help enable their behavior. For God’s sake, that show needs to quit exploiting people. If Kyle cares anything at all about Kim, she will see to it Kim does not film another RHOBH. Screw the money. Money is like poison to an addict or alcoholic.