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"Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills" Marriages And Friendships Struggle

Tallie Johnson |
November 22, 2011 | 1:17 a.m. PST

Staff Reporter

"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" (reality tea.com)
"Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" (reality tea.com)
Taylor’s turbulent relationship with Russell made all the ladies uncomfortable and took center stage on Monday night's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." 

In case you missed last week’s drama, a tea party quickly turned into an intervention for Taylor.

Lisa invited the ladies over for a sweet gathering with tea when Taylor shifted the mood accusing Lisa of not being a good friend. Things escalated when Taylor began to accuse Adrienne, Kyle, and Camille of not saying how they really felt about Lisa — that was she self-absorbed.

Taylor was on an emotional roller-coaster, crying one moment, and then being firm and accusatory the next. Friendship needed to be defined at this party. Lisa said she was not Taylor’s friend, but if Taylor needed her she would be there. In other words, Lisa would be her friend in times of dire desperation.

Eventually Taylor begged Lisa to be her friend and not her enemy. They made the pact official with a pinky-swear. Taylor felt everyone needed to be honest and lay everything out on the table. She basically set herself up for the truth to come out about her.

Camille put an end to Taylor’s ranting, infuriated by Taylor’s desire for everyone to be honest. Finally, the elephant in the room was directly addressed. Taylor is in an abusive marriage.

Or so Taylor said. 

Everyone was confused. One minute Taylor complained about her marriage and cried of abuse, the next minute she flew on a private jet with her husband like they were best friends. She shared this information with the ladies in different conversations and the women were left to form their own opinion of what was true. 

Everyone agreed they had been protecting Taylor by not openly discussing what Taylor has been telling everyone in private. Camille, fresh from a messy divorce from her own husband, Kelsey Grammer, provided the voice of reason. Camille revealed Taylor told her she was hit, and had a broken jaw all at the hands of Russell.

And that is how you have a spectacular tea party.

From tea parties that end in confrontation to over-the-top birthday parties, the "Beverly Hills Housewives" stay at events that provide a beautiful ambience to bicker.

Taylor’s daughter, Kennedy, celebrated her fifth birthday in style. A ranch in Malibu turned into a county fair theme with a mechanical bull, bounce house, and a petting zoo for 250 guests. 

Special guest Ace Young made an appearance to sing an original birthday song for Kennedy. Remember Young? He is from "American Idol." Don’t’ feel bad, Kyle didn’t. His performance, with his drink in his hand, topped of the night when the cake was brought out.

Out of all those guests, Camille didn’t dare show up. Taylor admitted to Kyle she was done with Camille and felt violated when she shared her personal information with the ladies so publically over tea. 

Adrienne, Camille, and Kyle met before the party. They agreed Camille was only being honest and trying to be a good friend. Camille texted Taylor to apologize and never got a response.  No one seems to know how to handle being supportive of a friend in an abusive relationship. Adrienne's advice is to the let the therapist and professionals handle it.

Lisa was too busy planning her daughter Pandora's wedding to attend Kennedy’s party. They looked at ornate invitations with an over-the-top wedding planner, Kevin Lee, who was more excited about looking at invitations than the bride and groom. At one point, Lisa tried to rein him in by stating that his was her day. She wanted a romantic classy affair. No, it’s actually Pandora’s wedding, and she liked the lavish $150-a-piece flowery bright pink box for an invitation. The plans for the bachelorette party will be lavish like the invitations.

Lisa chose Planet Hollywood to host her Pandora’s bachelorette party. It's a competitor of the casino Adrienne owns (The Palms). Adrienne finds out of Lisa’s location choice.  Hurt and frustrated, Adrienne viewed this as an intentional insult.

Sisters Kyle and Kim have some tension brooding. Kim moved in with her boyfriend Ken. When Kim told her sister, Kyle broke down in tears in a previous episode. At the ranch party, Kyle realized she has to let go of being overly involved in Kim’s life.

Even though Russell is the subject of much conversation, he is only briefly on camera. At one point he confronts Taylor about when Kennedy would receive his gift of a horse. He is terse and edgy whenever appearing on camera. When it was time for a family photo, their smiles revealed the cracks in the façade they can no longer hide behind.

As Kyle pointed out, their little Beverly Hills circle is cracking, and with brooding feelings between Camille and Taylor, Adrienne and Lisa, and always Kim and Kyle, this circle of friends is going to break.

Reach writer Tallie Johnson here

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