The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills recap: Kathy apologizes to Kyle for her 'cruel' behavior

The aftermath of Kathy Hilton’s meltdown is far from over on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH). In season 12, episode 20, we find out that there was quite a bit said back at Kyle Richards’ home, but only Lisa Rinna was around to hear it.

“On the final day in Aspen, before we went to the airport, Lisa had told me that the majority of the things that Kathy was saying at my house was about me. And then she didn’t want to say exactly what the things were, because she didn’t want to hurt me. I don’t want to get to a place where I can’t repair with her again. So it’s maybe best I don’t know,” Kyle said in her confessional.

Erika Jayne hosted a pop-up event for her luxury hair extensions company, Pretty Mess Hair. All of the ladies showed up to support, besides Kyle, who was in Georgia filming Halloween Ends, Garcelle Beauvais, who was working on her show The Real and Kathy. Lisa and Dorit Kemsley caught up after last seeing each other at Crystal Kung Minkoff’s birthday party, where Lisa left early due to her uncomfort with Kathy. “I’ve always really cared about Kathy and so, I just don’t ****ing know what to do with it,” Lisa said. Dorit revealed that she spoke to Kathy, and she said that she remembers everything that happened that night in Aspen and isn’t proud of her behavior. According to Dorit, Kathy was apologetic and acknowledged that she was wrong.

Lisa felt like Kathy should be saying those things to her, but instead, Kathy tried to silence her. In her confessional, Lisa read texts that Kathy had sent her. “Please please do not say anything we discussed. Otherwise it will make a huge scene that everyone gets dragged into. No bueano. Please it goes further than you would want to know. Silence is golden. I am staying silent,” Kathy wrote, ending her texts with four heart Emojis.

Lisa and Dorit joined the other women at Erika’s party and continued talking about the Aspen incident. Lisa believes that her ordering the 818 Tequila by Kendall Jenner earlier in the day is what set Kathy off. “Because Kathy is so ****ing jealous of the Kardashians,” Lisa said in her confessional. She continued revealing tidbits from that evening in the interview, including that Kathy said Crystal and Sutton are “pieces of ****” and “should be fired.” Since Dorit had talked to Kathy, Kathy said that she didn’t say anything bad about her. When Dorit asked Lisa for confirmation, she didn’t want to say, but revealed in her confessional that Kathy called Dorit “a stupid, useless idiot.” The gist of Kathy’s meltdown, according to Lisa, was that Kathy didn’t want to be around the other ladies, that they’re idiots and that it’s her show.

Kathy went to Kyle’s house, which was the first time the sisters saw each other since Aspen, although they had exchanged a couple texts. “What I want to say is I’m here to apologize to you. I started ranting and venting my feelings, and I didn’t think they would get back to you,” Kathy said, adding that she was hurt about Kyle commenting on her more than casual outfits in Aspen, including slippers in the airport. “Why am I being put in the situation like I have to apologize right now? Do you know how often you do that to me? No one takes a joke too far more than you,” Kyle replied. Kyle said that it wasn’t the first time that Kathy has screamed at her like that, but it was the first time she’s done it with other people watching, which hurt and embarrassed her. “I’m very sorry, but I’m mostly sorry for…” Kathy started. “What you said back at the house?” Kyle finished her sentence. “Yeah,” Kathy confirmed.

When asked why she said those things, Kathy said she was overtired, angry and stupid, and that wine and altitude were involved. Kyle appreciated the apology, but started tearing up, saying she hasn’t felt support from her sisters in a very, very long time. “When I hear you talk like that and the things you say, I feel like you hate me or something. It makes me feel so bad,” she said. Kathy steered the conversation to how it’s “impossible” to get Kyle on the phone and how she needs to make time for family. But Kyle explained that her sister’s calls are often vents and she never asks about her, so sometimes she avoids Kathy’s calls.

Kathy said that she had talked to all of the women about Aspen, aside from Erika because she never spoke to her and Lisa because she wasn’t able to get ahold of her. That’s when Kyle revealed that Lisa was coming over in a little bit, and Kathy was welcome to stay to talk to her. More on that in a minute.

In a welcomed turn of events, Erika and Sutton Stracke have been getting along lately. On the way home from Aspen, Erika even apologized for how she screams when she gets angry. Sutton invited Erika over for Popeyes and sweet tea, and took the opportunity to further their friendship. “The only thing that I want to ask of you is the lashing out. I just don’t want you to do that to people anymore,” Sutton said. “I agree with you,” Erika replied. “I started out being soft and trying to explain, and I felt like I wasn’t heard, you know? That’s when I start to get angry and push back. And then, we’re off to the races.” Both of the ladies seemed to choose their words very carefully in order to make it a productive conversation. From our point of view, mission accomplished.

Back at Kyle’s house, Kathy stuck around and Lisa joined them. Kathy explained that she apologized to Kyle and acknowledged how Lisa is a sensitive spot right now, having recently lost her mother. “I said things that I shouldn’t have said, and I am so sorry,” Kathy said. Lisa explained that she was really shaken up by the meltdown and thinks Kathy needs to look at what triggered her. Both of the women agreed that Kathy’s behavior was cruel, but Lisa said that if they’re really going to talk about this, she had to take responsibility for what she said about the ladies in the group.

“I don’t want to say that you need help, Kathy, but I think you need some help,” Lisa said. Kathy steered the conversation away from herself, again, and said that Lisa can be very unkind too. She continued by saying that she’s sensitive about some things right now, including that one of her friends is dying of cancer, asking for compassion on her behavior as she cried. “I’m sorry, Kathy, you’re not gonna get away with it with me. You’re not gonna get away with it. You can have your tears. You can do what you’re gonna do, but ya did what ya did. And you’re not going to just gaslight and manipulate me right now. If you want to apologize to me, let’s talk about what you really did and let’s talk about some of the names you called people, and we’ll go there if you want to,” Lisa said. She continued, saying that when she got back to Kyle’s house with Kathy, she locked herself in her room, because Kathy was having “a psychotic break of some kind.”

Kathy shut the conversation down, saying she wasn’t going to have any more discussion with Lisa, and left.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 12 continues Wednesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on Bravo and Peacock in the US.

In the UK, new episodes can be streamed on Hayu and are available to Sky TV and NOW customers one day after they air on Peacock.