THE VICTIMIZATION OF ERIKA JAYNE
ANDY: “How’s it going Erika?”
ERIKA: “I’d love it if you didn’t go hard on me.”
ANDY: “We’re going to put you on a skewer, and I’m gonna fire up the barbecue.”
ERIKA: *LOOKING UP FROM HER PHONE* “And, I’m so fucking ready for you.”
ANDY: “OH SHIT.”
As they cut away to Crystal awkwardly smiling at the interaction, the season recap of the ladies talking behind Erika’s back begins to play. The most striking thing that Andy has decided to highlight is just how two-faced everyone has been all season (Garcelle & Sutton aside). During the flashback, and at the mention of $20 million dollars being funneled into Erika’s account, Lisa (blindly) confirms to the viewer that Erika had nothing to do with it, but really, she doesn’t know what to believe. Contrary to what has been said all season, Crystal, Kyle, and Dorit all needed to know more from Erika before their support was given—everything hinged on the basis of Erika’s innocence.
When the dust settles, and the camera pans out to show the cast shuffling in their seats, the carefully edited clip showed Erika playing a role bigger than Broadway this season. Even when the silence is broken and Andy asks who was for or against her, Erika still, so snidely, responds, why don’t you ask them? Erika continued to imitate her season 11 demeanor—a tone that carries the air of a RICH snob, as if she herself is too good for questioning, ramifications, or any inconvenience. The Aristocracy that she exudes is the penultimate reason as to why her fellow castmates are having a hard time believing her stories—LIKE, WE AREN’T TALKING EMBEZZLING MONEY FROM BLOOMINGDALES, BUT LIKE, WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT MONEY—where is your humility?
The victims lost their loved ones and their compensation is to watch Erika talk about how hard her life is from her $9,000 a month ‘studio.’
You had nothing? But, your ‘job’ as a housewife (allegedly) paid you $600,000 a season.
You’re keeping score? Because people don’t believe your stories that have changed episode to episode.
You can only say so much? But, continued to tell people information in pieces. Erika’s own carefully crafted vignettes.
Erika would tell Kyle one part, Garcelle another, and then come together and tell the same story with another detail that was previously missing or redacted. Allegedly, reality isn’t linear.
As Kyle begins to address my exact thought, Erika’s first move is played—instead of addressing Kyle’s statement about not filling everyone in on the details that she could share, she diverted the entire conversation to the hurt she felt by Mauricio and PK.
Erika-Jayne-Fisher: 1. Kyle: 0
You were mocking me, you hurt me—especially after PK was so kind to me—Erika continues to lay on her feelings, further pulling the audience (and Kyle) away from the original question. Why didn’t you tell us everything at once?
Now, Kyle is apologizing and we are nowhere near finding out why Erika never shared the whole story with the group, but only mislead and confused everyone with clouded details and shocking allegations.
Here comes Dorit. “ERIKA, of course we believe you. PK & Moe love you. We received new information, that got jumbled. We weren’t trying to offend you. We were literally retelling your stories that you told to us, back our husbands, and they thought the stories were so outlandish, that we started laughing and realized how much you had been lying to us. I’m really sorry, that’s not actually how I feel. You’re right Erika, you're right. I’m sorry we talked about it.”
Things settle down and Erika speaks:
ERIKA: “I’m here to clear up any question that you may have about any of these things.”
ANDY: “Great, that’s what we are here to—“
ERIKA: “So, you know, whatever it is you need to ask, I’m here.”
….
Just to recap what we have seen so far—Kyle asks Erika to explain herself, Erika begins talking about how Kyle and Dorit hurt her, Kyle and Dorit apologize, Erika asks if anyone has any questions (not answering Kyle’s question), Garcelle comes in with another (equally as important) question—why can’t you understand our point of view?—Erika addresses it.
Kyle adverted.
Erika to Garcelle—you shouldn’t be upset because you know that I am innocent [READ: If you are nervous, you think I am guilty].
WHERE IS LISA RINNA NoW? THIS IS GASLIGHTING. Erika has now made it clear that if you think anything other than her truth (because she is the source) you think she is guilty and have firmly cemented your place on her list of “those against her.”
I feel really bad for Denise Richards at this point. The thought of her sitting at home, watching Lisa sit silently next to Erika as Erika tries to enchant the other women into believing that her word is god and any thought otherwise is a sin against her. The grand Czar of feelings and thought, but Lisa Rinna is the only subscriber.
Denise, confused by Lisa’s lack of outrage as gaslighting truly unfolds on set, turns to Aaron, and, in her midwest accent, says; “isn’t that funny? She plays dumb so well.”
I laugh and am brought back to the reality of the Beverly Hills franchise.
SUTTON: Listen, we didn’t know what was true or what wasn’t, we needed to make sure we weren’t hanging out with a literal disgusting human being that steals money from the less fortunate.
ERIKA: YOU COULD HAVE CAME TO ME.
SUTTON: BITCH, WE DID AND YOU THREW A TEMPER TANTRUM, RAN HOME, AND THREATENED US WHEN WE ASKED.
KATHY: WHY IS THIS A BIG DEAL? OTHER HOUSEWIVES HAVE GONE TO JAIL.
ANDY: PEOPLE DIED. TERESA DIDN’T PAY HER TAXES. PAY ATTENTION, PUHLEASE.
Erika jumps back in to take control of the conversation and carefully adds in that Tom has only “allegedly” defrauded people. Erika’s use of allegedly seems to set Crystal off because moments later, Crystal comes in with the kill and says what I have been screaming at my TV all season. “WHAT ABOUT THE VICTIMS?”
Commercial break, Andy takes back control, and he asks where Erika’s apologies are? Does she feel bad? Are you sorry?
Erika states that she has apologized, Andy says “No, you actually haven’t,” and Erika continues to defend her actions under the false pretense that Tom has only allegedly done what he has actually done, turning the conversation back to how she currently feels—horrible.
For herself.
Once again never addressing the LITERAL plane-crash in the room.
ANDY: PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE PLAYING THE VICTIM.
ERIKA: I AM NOT PLAYING THE VICTIM.
SUTTON: BUT, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE PLAYING ONE
ERIKA (DIRECT QUOTE): “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, MY LIFE IS UPSIDE DOWN, SUTTON, HOW CAN I NOT BE BROKEN? HOW CAN I NOT BE SAD?”
What should she have done? Besides reach around the group and ask for opinions on how she should have handled it.
How should she feel? Once again, looking around to crowd source her feelings.
Erika, diverting the attention away from the fact that her life may have been built on the money of others, explains away her demeanor and lack of talking in one swoop under the umbrella of legalities and law jargon, leaving you feeling bad that she is wrapped up in the case—finally showing the world that Erika Jayne is the only victim in the mess that is Tom Girardi’s life.
But, that’s not enough.
Continuing on, Erika acts oddly surprised by the women’s accusations that her social media presence lands differently under the current microscope—she can’t seem to understand how her life of excessive materialism hits a little different when the money is/was stolen.
Andy, seemingly annoyed with this cat and mouse game that Erika is playing with the women, turns the ‘heat up.’
ANDY: Did you know about the money being embezzled?
ERIKA: I do not work at Girardi and Keese.
ANDY: The answer is no?
ERIKA: There is your answer
Another non-answer.
All the housewives look down, disgraced by the friend they used to have. Even Andy has lost the same can-do-all attitude. As a loyal viewer, there seemed to be a collective sigh felt throughout the room as everyone realized that Erika has been playing a game with them, a game for the viewers. To gain sympathy. To sell her story. Every single one of these women (Erika’s friends) have been a pawn in curating the entire Season 11 storyline to further prove Erika’s innocence, and ultimately ignorance. In this collective “Ah-ha” moment, cast members and viewers realized that we’ll never know the truth.
In this realization, Crystal delivers a punch that resonated a little differently after watching it back.
CRYSTAL: Where is your anger?
In that singular question, Crystal said more than asking about the money, victims, and storylines could ever do. It insinuated that Erika isn’t angry because she knew about all of the lies
ERIKA: What do you want me to do? Did you forget that I said I didn’t know who I was married to for all these years? I am angry, Hear it in my voice.
Falling flat in her delivery, you can tell Erika was thrown off by Crystal, and if I had to make a prediction, Erika will befriend Crystal going forward—Crystal is a wild card, and I don’t think she truly believes Erika. Not letting it go, Crystal states how angry she would be if Rob did what Tom (allegedly) did to Erika.
To defuse the situation, and prove that she is actually angry, Erika riles herself up
You don’t know what I have done (stole money?)
WHAT I WILL DO (continue to lie to your friends?)
You’ll just have to wait and see.
Realizing that the game is getting away from her, Erika must victimize herself to steer clear of answering any question. What has she done? What has she gone through? What is coming next for her?
Andy chimes in and asks the question they teased this reunion with—Did you know about Tom’s Financial issues?
Erika fires back saying that what ever Andy is implying is not true because she had been named as a defendant on lawsuit in a season prior. Defaming Andy, and not answering the question, Erika slings her final Socratic blow to Crystal.
“AM I ANGRY ENOUGH FOR YOU?”
Turning the conversation to how she has been made to feel rather than answering a single question. A back and forth, Erika is the cat, one step ahead, and everyone else are her mice.
In the middle of the Tom Girardi legal woes, we have all become the victims of Erika’s victimization—gaslit, fucked, and left bare with no discernible answer as to what really happened, or the role she played in it. The only thing that rings true at the end of Reunion part 3 is that we are the assholes for questioning the stories we’ve been told because they don’t match up against the facts of the matter (or your own words).
On to part 4, where I am sure we will find out nothing.