The Real Housewives franchise wouldn’t be where it is today without its supporting cast members… AKA, the “friends of.” These ladies have brought everything from juicy storylines to a spoon to stir drama… and in Kathy Hilton’s case, some absolutely ridiculous one-liners that’ll most definitely go down in Housewives history. We’ll often praise the quirkiness of our main cast, but isn’t it about time we give the Housewives' “friends of” some recognition? Diving into this list of the best-of from all time, you’ll truly realize the impact that these individuals had in some of the most memorable Housewives seasons to date!
Want a teaser? How about Faye Resnick implicating Brandi Glanville for her hand in Adrienne Maloof’s divorce. Let's celebrate the women who shaped seasons of Housewives, even if they've never held the "orange" or "apple" of their city.
Dana Wilkey (RHOBH)
Dana Wilkey (AKA, “Pam”) and her $25,000 sunglasses may be one of the most iconic pairs in RHOBH history. The original “it’s XXPEN$IVE to be me” cast member, Dana made a name for herself by hosting the never-to-be-forgotten game night where Kim and Kyle Richards and Brandi Glanville had their first big blowup fight. Dana fed perfectly into the ridiculousness of the Beverly Hills cast, and made for entertaining TV because of her uncomfortably thirsty and fame hungry antics — not to mention, she gave the ladies something to talk about after they realized this “rich” lady had zero furniture in her house.
Kim DePaola (RHONJ)
Kim D. deserves an award for being RHONJ’s resident villain and for leaning into the shade-throwing role better than anyone else in history. Oh wait, she did — the 2014 Real Housewives Awards Best Supporting Agitator. Beyond stirring the pot, Kim’s also to thank for hosting the infamous Posche fashion show. AKA, the birthplace of some of the wildest RHONJ storylines to date. Exhibit A: where Jacqueline Laurita's daughter pulled Teresa’s hair. Exhibit B: where the “who set up stripper-gate” debate featuring Teresa, Joe Gorga, Kim D., and Melissa began. Exhibit C: where Joe fought Penny Drossos’ husband John, in a match that turned into a full-on group brawl. So remind me, why didn’t we ever make Kim D. a full-time Housewife?
Faye Resnick (RHOBH)
No matter if she was a “friend of” or guest, Faye Resnick always brought some morally corrupt spice to a scene. She solidified her spot as one of the best “friends of” ever, thanks to her involvement in the infamous Dinner Party from Hell. Not only did she take on Allison Dubois, but she also let her 1997 Playboy shoot be a topic of convo. Beyond that legendary event, you’ll also remember Faye for stirring up all sorts of drama including rumors about Brandi Glanville being involved in Adrienne Maloof and Paul Nasif’s breakup — oof!
Elyse Slaine (RHONY)
Brought in as one of Ramona Singer’s 50 closest friends, we definitely expected Elyse to be a steadfast sidekick to the Singer Stinger. But no, Elyse did the most “oh shit!” thing someone in NYC can do: stand up to Ramona and side with the other ladies instead of her friend. Elyse definitely deserved better than to be banished after one season — not only did she have a strong voice and fresh opinions, she engaged in conflict, and has a wildly fascinating past in the finance world that we never learned enough about. *Adds “start a petition to bring back Elyse” on to-do list*.
Rosie Pierri (RHONJ)
For all the time the Guidice/Wakile families have spent as the centerpiece of RHONJ, they’ve earned the label “national treasure” — and Rosie, being Teresa's cousin and Kathy’s sister, is part of that. You’ll remember Rosie as a permanent fixture in the eons-long Teresa/Kathy feud, and for topping the list of most-explosive reunion fights to date when she screamed from backstage that she wanted to rip Teresa’s head off. But as spicy and protective as Rosie was, she also warmed hearts with her on-screen friendship with Joe Gorga. Without question, their relationship was authentically silly and light, and brought out a more likable side of Mr. Envy by MG.
Barbara Kavovit (RHONY)
Barbara gets a spot on this list for doing something that only anonymous Twitter bots have had the confidence to do: criticize Luann de Lesseps’ cabaret singing skills. Barb also gets a gold star for being a good sport and taking on the role as Ramona’s target that season — if you recall, Ramona absolutely dragged her style and look, and even took her shopping in an attempt to turn her into a brunette Ramona-coaster lookalike. At the end of the day, Ms. Barb the Builder didn’t get nearly as much screen time as we’re used to our “friends of” having, but with the time she had she most definitely created some entertaining waves.
Eden Sassoon (RHOBH)
We can never, ever forget that Eden Sassoon did two brilliant things with her time on RHOBH. First, she was part of the moment-turned-storyline where Lisa Rinna pulled out her bag of miscellaneous pills. Second, Eden provided Rinna soundbites about Kim Richards’ health, which Rinna ultimately took to Kyle Richards. Not only did those rumors about the state of Kim’s sobriety cause a massive rift between Rinna and Kyle, it also became a season-long storyline that the ladies milked episode after episode. So thanks, Eden, for your contribution!
Kathy Hilton (RHOBH)
Kathy’s one of those “friends of” who doesn’t need an intro. But let’s review her best hits as a refresher anyways: hunky-dory, her childhood dentistry hobby, calling her assistant “the lady”, not knowing how to get to her sister Kyle’s house because she never drives, falling asleep at a yoga session she planned… the list goes on. Kathy really made an impact not just because she’s an iconic figure in pop culture, but because she also brought an ere of levity and absurdity to a season that otherwise was packed with heavy storylines.
Images: Bravo