While I can’t speak for everyone, I don’t watch reality shows because it feels like work to me. (It’s awesome I get to do this for a living, I’m not complaining.) It’s not relaxing for me to watch entertainment news, interviews or specific reality shows because I feel like I have to pay close attention for my job. I know about the bigger rifts and feuds which are happening (which seem about half real to me) due to the coverage they get. One of the more believable plotlines from the past few years, because there are lawsuits and Bravo has absolutely nothing to gain, is that Thomas Ravenel on Southern Charm is a horribly abusive POS. In 2018 he was accused of sexual battery twice, against both a woman he met on a dating app and a nanny for his children. As a result he “quit” the show last year. He has two children with his ex girlfriend, Kathryn Dennis, who is still on the cast. They split around late 2015, after the birth of their second child. In the most recent news, Thomas has been granted the primary legal custodian and given temporary joint custody of their two children, Kensie, 5, and Saint 3, after trying to strip Kathryn of custody because of course he did that. He claims she failed a drug test, (she failed the urine test but passed the hair test supposedly), meanwhile he’s the one with a drug conviction and it’s a mess.
Anyway Kathryn has been drinking, she was visibly drunk on WWHL earlier this year, and on a recent reunion show she admitted that and said she has it under control. Prior to this she was sober for three years after going to rehab:
Kathryn Dennis is opening up about what sobriety means to her now, revealing that while she doesn’t do drugs, she does drink alcohol.
During the Southern Charm reunion on Wednesday night, Dennis admitted that she’s started drinking again nearly three years after going to rehab.
“I don’t smoke weed,” she told host Andy Cohen when he asked about the state of her sobriety. “I don’t do anything illegal like that.”
When Cohen pushed and asked if she drinks, Dennis nodded. Though she did not specify when she started drinking again, she assured the group that she has it under control.
“It’s not like I’m drinking, though, going out and partying by any means,” she added.
Her sobriety came under question as the group discussed her recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. During the show, many fans commented on Dennis’ demeanor and accused her of slurring her words…
“There is so much going on with my legal stuff with Thomas, and having to edit and tailor everything you say 24/7 just to protect yourself is really, really stressful,” she said.
I’ve had a couple of friends confide in me about their drinking because they know I’m sober. I’ve watched both of them drink – they leave a drink half full on the table and forget about it. If they have three drinks it takes them all night and they’re drunk. I’ve never done that! For people who can take it or leave it like that, I don’t see a problem. For people who had it so bad they needed to go to rehab, I do think it’s dangerous to pick up the first drink. While I’m not very active in AA I go when I need a reminder and that’s one of the first things you learn – don’t pick up the first drink. You also hear so many stories of people who drank again after years of sobriety and it’s just awful. If we could moderate we wouldn’t be there in the first place, and believe me I tried to do that for years. I had a spreadsheet of my drinking when I was self aware enough to do it. I look at it still sometimes when I’m tempted, and I have it on my phone.
All that said, I can’t imagine what Kathryn has been going through trying to coparent with an abusive narcissist and I don’t blame her for drinking again, I just think it’s dangerous. I don’t know if she’s telling the truth about not doing other drugs but I don’t think she deserved to lose legal custody to Thomas. Thomas was accused of assault and battery! What kind of judge sees that and then still awards legal custody to that person? (You know the answer to this.) Update: More evidence Thomas is a terrible person.
Here’s Kathryn on WWHL in May. She’s obviously drunk and Cohen relies on that to get his guests to talk.
I think anyone who struggles with alcohol need empathy and structured support. I don’t think that she has that around her, and reality TV is not going to help that. Hope she overcomes this.
I know that Kathryn is a grown woman, mother of two children, and she has to take responsibility for her actions. However Andy Cohen irritates me in this situation too. He watches Southern Charm. He KNOWS Kathryn’s struggle to remain sober, he knows she has lost her children as a result in the past because of it, he knows she went to rehab. Then when she appeared on WWHL he seemed to delight in her being obviously drunk, but the reunion he suddenly is so concerned for her and seems to act confused when the topic of her sobriety come up. That just irriates me. But yes, I know Kathryn does all of this to herself.
As a long-time Southern Charm super fan ( lol don’t judge), I have been seeing their situation play out for years. Unfortunately, both of these individuals have made some poor decisions along the way. However, Kathryn went to rehab a few years ago to get clean for her children. She said it was for a marijuana addiction at the time. We don’t know for sure what her past demons might have been or may be currently. All of this to say Thomas Ravenel is a MONSTER. There is no way in hell he could ever be a remotely fit parent. You mentioned above about his legal dramas with battery/assault. Additionally, he was in federal prison on cocaine charges. He spends a lot of money and time on prostitutes. He’s also shown to be an abusive person in general. These are all facts about him that are easy to research. The only reason he has more custody of his children than Kathryn, is due to his family name and wealth, which in Charleston seems to be the main qualifier for good parenting. No telling who he has paid off behind closed doors.
Andy Cohen revels in watching women self-destruct and tear each other down. He’s become insanely wealthy using that model and I can’t imagine why non-reality show people give him the time of day on WWHL.
Basically what happened was Kathryn failed a drug test. She tested positive for weed. She lost custody and found out she was pregnant with their 3rd kid. She had an abortion and her parents put her on a plane to a rehab center. It sounds like it was mostly for mental health reasons though she claims it was for weed. After she got out Thomas would have her tested weekly for drugs. This isn’t an exaggeration. They talked about how she would be tested sometimes 3-4 times a week.
What I’m getting at is I don’t think she had an alcohol problem but knew if she drank Thomas would try and get the kids away from her. She now no longer has to do the drug tests.
Sorry I’m a big fan of the show!!
I feel like if this show took place anywhere else in the US, the cast would be up-in-arms about Kathryn not being able to drink, for fear of losing custody of her children. The father of his children is a convicted felon for a drug offense and when he was on the show, constantly had a drink in his hand. He was even drunk and fell into a pool while holding their daughter. But he’s still allowed to drink, and to my knowledge, has NEVER had to submit to a drug test during this whole legal battle (the custody, not the sexual assault case). Kathryn has to jump through hoops. I’m not big fan of hers, but dang. Thomas can get away with murder in that town.
It actually is possible to change from being drink-obsessed to take it or leave it.
After drinking heavily at school I did not drink at all for twenty years. Then a decade ago I started with one glass of wine at dinner about 5 nights a week. You definitely need to take days off and keep it minimal to really enjoy it when you do have it. But now when I’m out with colleagues and they pour me a second glass I sometimes drink it, often leave it. It all feels very different from years ago when I couldn’t have imagined being one of the take-it-or-leave-it types.
I am such a reality tv junkie, I’m going to check this show out soon. Also: that dude is complete garbage, jesus.
Ps. Keep up the good sober fight, my friend. It definitely isn’t easy. My ex was sober a year and recently started drinking again, NOT an easy thing to kick by any means. Hard to see.