Crystal Kung Minkoff addressed getting “more vocal” on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, her drama with Annemarie Wiley and Dorit Kemsley, the upcoming reunion, and her lack of an apology to Erika Jayne.
For the last two seasons, Crystal has been criticized for not speaking her mind. Though some have called her boring, she’s recently shaded several castmates both on camera and on social media.
“I like to tiptoe into things and now I feel much more comfortable in the group, so it makes me more comfortable to sort of speak my mind,” said Crystal while speaking to ET. “It’s all in my head, it’s just now I’m deciding to be more vocal about it … I’ve always been outspoken. It’s actually my comfort level, so what you’re seeing is me being more comfortable.”
She also recalled her first conversation with Annemarie (when, according to Annemarie, Crystal called the cast “shallow, uneducated fake socialites”).
“[Annemarie] had asked me, because she watches the show, and she’s like, ‘Are you guys all friends?’ Like, ‘Do you guys hang out off camera?’” Crystal remembered. “I said, ‘Some people do, some people don’t … And I said, ‘But you know, like, this next month, I’m so busy, because we’re wrapped,’ and I said, ‘You know, I’m from L.A., I’m really social and I have to see all my friends, so I don’t get to see a lot of the girls now…’”
Crystal claimed Annemarie then asked if the fights on the show were real.
“I said, ‘Most of the fights are dumb, they’re stupid,’” she said. “And so, you know, you’ve seen her twist words and sort of manipulate things, and so the socialite thing, I definitely didn’t say. But, you know, if I alluded to some of these conversations being shallow, I stand by that — but I didn’t say that about them, and I don’t think that way about the women.”
“It’s not easy doing the show and I’m always impressed by the work ethic,” Crystal added. “I will say that all the girls text me. So, I think we’re good.”
Crystal addressed her own claim that Annemarie (a nurse anesthetist) misrepresented herself as an anesthesiologist when they first met.
“My sister’s an anesthesiologist, so I was very clear about the job,” Crystal explained. “[Annemarie] said, ‘People don’t know the difference, so it’s a lot easier to say that…’ and I said, ‘OK…’ and just, it was a passing comment and, obviously, I thought it was a little weird, but I thought, I’m never gonna see this girl again.”
Crystal claimed much of her fight with Annemarie at the charity event was unaired.
“She kind of spiraled, yelling at everybody saying that, ‘You guys don’t appreciate nurses!’ and we’re like, this is not a nurse-doctor thing, this is about just integrity and being honest about your position,” she said. “I said to her, ‘I would be so proud if I had your career. You know, you should say it loud and proud as opposed to try to manipulate people [into] thinking you do something different.’ Like, say what you do, because it’s impressive — and anyone should feel proud of that job.”
“I’m not jealous of her life,” she went on. “I’m not sure anyone is right now.”
Despite their issues, Crystal appreciated Annemarie’s medical assistance in Spain during her health scare.
“I really appreciate it, that she helped me, and it’s moments like that that puts things into perspective,” she said. “I don’t know if we’re ever gonna be best friends, but I’m glad she has a day job and that’s what she does.”
Crystal also addressed Dorit’s “child bride” diss.
“I get that the show is designed to, you know– we’re supposed to be shady,” she said. “But I don’t know why she brought my marriage into it … I’ve been with [my husband] Rob for 20 years … I have one of the most successful marriages [on the show], and regardless of how long I’ve been married, like, Rob, and I are great. And so, I think it’s really rude and disrespectful to say something like that, which is very loaded — it’s a loaded comment.”
“I’m usually very quiet, but don’t come after Rob,” she continued. “Rob Minkoff’s the GOAT. Like he is very, very special, and to say that they’re all in school while I’m just getting married? I went to a four-year college with two degrees. I built a massive business, and I have a great marriage. So, there’s really nothing to talk about.”
Crystal didn’t hear from Dorit after the fallout of her diss, but they unpacked it at the reunion.
“I really tried to go in there with a different perspective and different attitude than I did my first two years, because I know better now,” teased Crystal. “I know what to expect, and instead of being on the defense, I had a lot to say. I wanted to make sure I got it in there. And so I walked out of there feeling very good.”
According to Crystal, Dorit was “in the hot seat a lot” along with Kyle – who recently reconciled with sister Kathy Hilton.
“They’ve come a long way,” said Crystal of the sisters, who both filmed at the reunion. “People view their family in a way that I think is just way too judgmental, ’cause if you really think about your own siblings and your own life, you can fight with your brother or sister and not talk to them for a few months. That’s normal, but because they’re under a microscope, it just seems so much bigger and they’re not given the space that normal people — I mean, that’s reality shows in general — but it was really nice to see them so close and supportive of each other, because at the end [of the day], they’re family.”
She also addressed Erika’s disappointment in Crystal, who never apologized for failing to celebrate her recent court victory over the $750,000 earrings – allegedly bought with funds Erika’s ex Tom Girardi embezzled.
“I can apologize to her for our relationship, but [an ‘I’m sorry] is not coming from me when it comes [to] victims and what’s owed to them,” she stated. “And it never will.”
