Camille Grammer appeared on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season nine reunion earlier this week and answered questions about her divorce from Kelsey Grammer, which happened eight years ago. Because Andy Cohen was the host and this was a Real Housewives episode, it was more of a cross examination than anything else. Andy pitted Camille and Denise Richards’ divorce decisions against each other. Neither woman had a pre-nup and while Denise walked away with seemingly little from Charlie Sheen, Camille went for her legally allowed 50%, which came out to about $30M. Not only did Camille have to defend her payout, but also why she kept Kelsey’s last name even after she remarried David C. Meyer last year.
During Tuesday night’s episode, Camille, 50, joined the stars of the Bravo reality series — Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Dorit Kemsley, Erika Girardi, Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave and Denise Richards — along with host Andy Cohen to discuss the past season. (As previously reported, Lisa Vanderpump skipped the reunion.)
It’s been more than eight years since Camille and Kelsey’s divorce was finalized in February 2011. In June 2017, Camille, who received $30 million after ending their 13-year marriage, said in a segment on the season 2 finale of Andy Cohen’s Then & Now: “Thank God I didn’t have a prenup. Thank you Kelsey. I guess you loved me at one point.”
She added at the time, “If I get married again, I will absolutely insist on a prenup.” And in October of that year, Camille was awarded 50 percent of Kelsey’s 401K account from the time of their marriage in 1997 to their separation in 2010, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
“I just felt that, you know, working — and I worked hard,” Camille continued. “I just didn’t sit back, buying fancy clothes and shoving bonbons in my face. I mean, I worked hard.”
The shocking statement appeared to take the rest of the women by surprise as Kemsley pivoted to Denise and asked, “Do you like bonbons?”
“I’ve never had one,” Denise said with a laugh.
Let me say up front that I understand these shows are all about the drama, which is exactly why they pursued this line of questioning. I’m also not here to defend Camille specifically, but her divorce decisions. I assume she’s as much of a piece of work as the rest of them. But from purely a legal standpoint, it was her right to ask for 50% and that’s what she got. But I don’t think Camille should have to justify going for her share any more than Denise should have to justify not going for it. The decisions made during a divorce are deeply personal. Maybe some choices are made out of spite but ultimately, it’s up to a court to determine if it is yours to claim. It’s not like Kelsey was going to be destitute with Camille’s settlement, poor guy – having to slum it on his Frasier residuals.
It was a viewer that asked why Camille still used Grammer and Camille answered, “the primary reason is for my kids. That’s it.” Denise chimed in that she, “couldn’t wait to get rid of mine. Sorry.” I know plenty of women who kept the same last name as their kids, even after they remarried. I also would have been okay if she’d said it was her name when she got famous. Demi Moore uses her first husband’s name and she’s been married twice since then, and her kids having the last name Willis. Again – perfectly acceptable business decision. Honestly, I’d forgotten Denise Richards ever went by Denise Sheen.
Photo credit: WENN Photos
MY GAWD…WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO THEIR FACES!!!!!!!!!! It IS…a cautionary tale regarding what CAN happen when you don’t let nature have its way…
And I always think that Kelsey’s latest wife looks more than a bit like Camille…
I saw her at a playground in Malibu a couple years ago and…my god…I’ve seen a lot of LA face, but hers is extra nuts! She looked like the crypt keeper with Mr. Potatohead features stuck on.
If they were married, the assets belong to both of them. The law would’ve worked the same in a reverse gender situation. Time to stop pretending this isn’t exactly what marriage is when you sign up for it.
I agree this is a personal choice to go after the money or not. I wonder if Denise just wanted out and her girls, Charlie was certifiable around then, she left fast.
That being said, I don’t watch these shows because of their need for drama and to put women against each other is annoying & unproductive to the narrative of women. 🤷🏻♀️
IIRC Denise didn’t go for a settlement or alimony as she had her own career/money, but initially got $55k/month in child support. And lots of rumors her adopted daughter is actually Charlie’s and an unknown woman,
its perfectly fine for Denise to walk away from her half of the marital assets but its not like she received nothing– IIRC her child support and/or spousal support payments were astronomical– something like $110k/month (as they should have been given Sheen’s wealth). It was a big deal when he asked that it be reduced b/c of his downfall and subsequent financial issues b/c his addiction/behavioral issues were screwing over his kids. I feel like its a bit disingenuous that its being portrayed (not by this site but rather by Denise/RHOBH) as though Denise got absolutely nothing from Sheen after the divorce.
There’s no question that Denise just wanted out. She was 7 months pregnant when she filed, and Charlie was out to destroy her. Denise accused him of having child porn on his computer, and somehow he used his leverage to make HER look bad. Denise just wanted out. She may have gotten some money, but she didn’t put up a huge fight in this divorce. Not to mention, she ended up having more luck just managing Charlie and keeping their relationship on the smoother side.
Yes and I always got the impression that she was afraid of Charlie. I think I recall she said he threatened to have her killed if she didn’t keep her mouth shut about the evil crap he was up to.
Right, Charlie has threatened to have Denise killed in the past. He was and is a totally unstable and scary guy. It was a way more volatile situation than dealing with Kelsey Grammer.
Also let’s not forget that Denise took custody of Charlie’s twin sons with Brooke Mueller for a time because Charlie and Brooke were both too hideously effed up to care for them. The same Brooke who is in the news this week for being seen with drugs in the Hamptons.
Charlie isn’t in good financial shape any longer. It was reported in People just the other day that he claimed in court filings last year that he shouldn’t have to pay Brooke child support because he can’t find work in the entertainment industry.
I’d read a long time ago, when they were still married, that Kelsey credited Camille with helping him get, and stay, clean, but also worked with his team to get him back in solid financial shape , including being active in negotiations for several of his Frasier congrats. He said she really looked at the deals and got him more money on residuals, back end money, etc.
And she had a hand in making his production company a success. From the late 90’s to the early naughts, the company had a successful show on the air and a few of them are in syndication.
Good for her!
He seems like such a mess of a person, he’s lucky she handled all that for him. They were married a long time, during the height of his success and earning power, so she absolutely should get a big chunk of it.
She did! She brought him back from the literal brink. He was a cocaine-smothered mess back in the day.
Yes. Camille was a huge part of Kelsey’s success – she really did work hard. Kelsey played a refined, put together man on tv, but in real life is as far from it as possible. She helped get him clean, managed him (not as his manager, but day to day, “pick him up out of the gutter”) worked with the productions, etc.
Right, I remember reading this somewhere too. She had a lot to do with his success, sobriety, and continued possibilities in Hollywood. He is also known to be a POS and I don’t doubt that he put her through hell during the last few years of their marriage (and during their separation/divorce when he was trashing her, not seeing his kids, and openly sleeping around).
I don’t know why but Camille has always looked so trashy to me. She could be dressed in very expensive clothes and still look low rent.
Back in the day she had some fresh implants and loved to show them off, so her breast were always out.
I worked for an attorney who went back to her first husband’s name because it became too confusing with her kids, and that was after taking her second husband’s name.
I didn’t watch this show for years but I did this season, and something is just wrong with Camille, she’s mentally unstable and delusional in my opinion. Kelsey grammar supposedly hasn’t spoken to her directly in years and I see why. Of course she had every right to go after half his money, I don’t judge her for that but the way she looks down on people or says they don’t have money is just gross, she got her money through marriage and that doesn’t make her above anyone. She didn’t actually earn that money, lots of women support their husbands through substance abuse and don’t get millions, it’s called marriage. She’s the biggest shit stirrer on the show then plays victim when she gets called out, oh yeah and she defended Brett Kavanaugh, so fuck her.
I don’t love Camille but pre-divorce Kelsey himself said it was due to Camille interceding and working behind the scenes that he wasn’t bankrupt and an addict in the streets. She deserved every penny of her 50%.
Ehhhhh, I don’t know. Camille did say losing her home (which she owned) to the fires is not the same level of loss that Denise experienced (her rental home).
I suppose it is sort of like saying a marital breakup is harder to cope than a breakup with a boyfriend Bc there is less investment?
It appears that Denise comes across as jealous of Camille’s financial security due to the contrast in their settlements.
I don’t see jealousy in Denise at all, she seems very laid back and cool. If she was all about money or showing out like Camille does she would’ve gotten more money from Charlie, in my opinion. The girl wears jeans and a t shirt all the time and she had the funds to buy anything she wants.
I co-sign everything you’ve posted. I watched as well and this season she is nasty and vile. What she did to Dorit whether you like her or not was very cruel and completely inappropriate for a group setting at a restaurant no less. Should have been a private convo if at all. And her pretending to say she was trying to protect her is BS. Nasty piece of work she is.
I have zero issue with getting what you’re legally entitled to. I think keeping the same name as your kids is a perfectly good choice, but it’s pretty sad to still be talking about your divorce, and centering your work life around it, nine years later. Don’t know who the new husband is, but if I were him, I’d be pretty sick of listening to her constantly focusing on it.
I don’t watch this so don’t know, but is she being asked and just responding? But it’s also the only reason she is even on the show, who would know her if she hadn’t been married to him.
I’m not a fan of Camille. She’s a Brett Kav supporter/apologist, prosperity doctrine weirdo. I don’t subscribe to any of that crap.
But being married to that winner of Kelsey G, I bet she earned every penny of that 30 million.
Shoot does saying she’s a weirdo get me banned? If so I’ll delete this shiznit.
Is it true that Lisa Vanderpump is leaving RHOBH? I have not watched this show in years but Lisa Vanderpump was always my favorite at the time I was watching.
Yes it’s true, she told a reporter at Radar I think that she quit. Andy said on the Part 1 of the Reunion that she never contacted him directly. He heard it on Radar which seems to be her go to place when she wants the media to know her side of any story. A lot has changed since you’ve probably watched. She isn’t the innocent victim she lets on to be.
I’m assuming that with getting half came certain not restrictions but terms that perhaps Denise didn’t want to agree to because both men aren’t good or decent men BUT Charlie is a real mess. I’ve heard stories about Kelsey so yes 13yrs with that man, I’d say she did in fact earn it
Denise got full legal custody in exchange for money from Sheen.
As others have said she did a lot to keep Kelsey and his business financially solvent so she had every right to go after half.
Let’s not forget that Camille was married for more than 10 years, thereby deserving 50 percent.
Denise divorced Charlie after only 5 years, therefore she was never legally entitled to half.
Yeah, I can’t fault either of them. Okay, Denise could have gone for more but perhaps she decided she had enough money on her own and the hassle of going for more would not be worth it (sometimes health, sanity, and time are worth more than money!). Camille may not be the nicest person but she was married to Kelsey for quite some time and by all accounts put quite a bit of work into the marriage and into making him as successful as he is. So yes, she deserves the money.
My husband outearns me but if we were to divorce ABSOLUTELY I would feel I deserve 50%. I have definitely sacrificed *some* of my career potential to his career in many little ways over the years. I’m the one who takes the day off when our kid is sick, I’m the one who has dinner on the table every night, I’m the one who has handled most of the weekend childcare during times when he’s needed to put in a few extra hours at the office on Saturday, I’m the one who deals with a lot of low level household repairs and maintenance, etc. etc. etc. I do it willingly (and don’t worry, I do still work and bring in a decent paycheck…just not as big as his and not as big as it could be if I had chosen to be more focused on my career), but there’s no denying that I did it and that it has had value to us as a couple. My husband says himself that many of “his” accomplishments are really “ours” because I freed up time for him to work on them by taking over other household/child rearing responsibilities.
ITA.
And I am a stay at home who brings in zero income.
But I am doing the lion’s share of raising our three kids, including our youngest with profound special needs who is nonverbal and has an intellectual disability.
It’s hard work!!!
And I deserve 50 percent if we were to split bc we are a team. Every penny.
Something that a LOT of people don’t know about is that Camille was actually actively working during her marriage, just behind the scenes. When she says “I worked hard” what she is referring to is building Kelsey’s brand and career behind the scenes after helping him get clean. She negotiated deals and contracts for him, was producing shows. Kelsey has actually said multiple times that in spite of everything that happens, he knows he wouldn’t have had a quarter of his wealth without Camille’s work in building it back up.
I’m not saying Denise wasn’t working and that living with Charlie Sheen wasn’t stressful or difficult, but I also don’t think Camille was saying Denise didn’t work hard. Camille was saying that CAMILLE worked hard and actively contributed to her husbands success and wealth in a hands on/onsite/not exclusively at home taking care of their children type of way. To me, that IS different. Its like if your husband was a dentist and you were his marketing manager and bookkeeper. She contributed to his business in a different way.
So we live in a world that there is someone out there that had a 401k valued at 60 million dollars.
I don’t have an issue with what she was entitled to from Kelsey but she is insufferable as a human. I watch real housewives a tad religiously and this season she was almost as bad as her first one. She’s just a judgemental elitest at her core. Like, Kyle is Rich beyond measure thanks to Mauricio and The Agency but she’s still down to earth. Even Lisa Vanderpump who is a classic narc in that she cannot admit she’s wrong, ever, has generosity and is very philanthropic. Camille is vapid and shameless. She was brutal to Dorit this season (who was awful previously but has turned things around – but even if she hadn’t, Camille crossed a huge line). I love all of their high drama wars but Camille isn’t even fun to watch and her voice drives me insane.
Actually both Kyle and Mauricio both got their real estate license at the same time and she too helped him build up the business in the early days.
As for Denise, I puffy heart her.
I may dislike Camille for various political reasons (re: her statements defending Kavanaugh), but I don’t begrudge anyone for getting money out of a divorce simply because married partners often make consequential decisions that affect their earnings for the rest of their life.
I remember Camille way, way back in the day when she was doing soft core porn movies on “Skinemax” and she was still Camille Donatacci. She has come a long, long way. Kelsey was a hot mess before they got together.
I remember her from MTV Beach House.
If she “worked” for it, that’s fine. Don’t judge others who don’t take the same path. Camille is so passive aggressive.