Lisa Rinna And Lisa Vanderpump's Feud Fully Explained
Lisa Vanderpump was one of the OGs of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and grew quite a fanbase over her nine years on the show. Fans loved the Brit's cheeky humor and the way she adored her tiny pup, Giggy, who is sadly no longer with us. Throughout her seasons on "RHOBH," Vanderpump saw all sorts of drama — from Camille Grammer's "Dinner Party From Hell" to the shocking outing of Taylor Armstrong's abuse at the hands of her late husband Russell Armstrong.
When Lisa Rinna joined the cast in Season 5, many were surprised, as she had previously stated that she would never join "RHOBH." The "Days of Our Lives" actor told E! News in 2013, "Basically that was never gonna happen." She then told fans in a tweet, "For the record, no. I am not going to be a housewife. Keep calm and carry on." However, Rinna apparently couldn't turn down the paycheck and brought even more drama to the show, eventually starting a feud with Vanderpump that caused the latter's dramatic exit.
Dorit Kemsley's Puppygate scandal ended their friendship
"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" Season 9 began with a storyline that began before cameras started rolling. Dorit Kemsley had adopted a dog, which the family named Lucy Lucy Apple Juice, from Lisa Vanderpump's rescue center (via People). However, she ended up giving the dog to a friend, who then gave Lucy away to a shelter. The puppy was microchipped and traced back to Vanderpump's shelter, which the restaurateur and dog rescuer was not happy about.
Despite Vanderpump's on-screen protests, the story came out on the show, and Kemsley's dirty laundry was aired. It was revealed that Teddi Mellencamp and Vanderpump's employees had orchestrated things to out Kemsley's faux pas. However, Lisa Rinna became suspicious of Vanderpump's role in the situation and accused her of being behind the whole Puppygate scandal. "All Lisa Vanderpump wants to do is punish Dorit about the dog. She can't do it so she had those boys do it. She doesn't want to get her hands dirty," Rinna told cameras (via People).
To make matters worse, the story was leaked to Radar during filming, which meant an insider spilled the tea to make Kemsley look heartless. The cast of "RHOBH" naturally thought Vanderpump was the source, though she adamantly denied it. Feeling like the whole cast was against her, Vanderpump abruptly quit mid-season and didn't even come to the reunion. Years later, she still remains on the outs with Rinna.
Lisa Rinna reacts to claims Lisa Vanderpump leaked Puppygate
In Dave Quinn's "Real Housewives" tell-all book, "Not All Diamonds and Rosé," show producer Chris Cullen claimed that Lisa Vanderpump leaked the Puppygate story to Radar, per Page Six. "When Lisa lost the narrative in the show, and she realized that it wasn't going the way she wanted, that's when she leaked the story to the press," Cullen alleged. Lisa Rinna shared the quote on her social media and wrote, "Ooooofffffff." She then shared a picture of her giving the middle finger, with another one saying, "Oh and speaking of dogs...," she added. "Finally caught red handed took 12 years but who's counting," ending her rant with, "Liar, liar, pants on fire."
Vanderpump responded to the allegations by retweeting a fan that wrote, "If the former editor of Radar Online at the time (Alexis Tereszcuk) confirmed LVP didn't leak the story, what more proof do people want? She didn't have to deny or confirm. She didn't have to say anything at all. The fact she tweeted speaks volumes" (via All About The Tea).
Since the Puppygate debacle, Vanderpump has shared that she would only return to "RHOBH" if they "cleaned house," per ET. Well, it looks as if she got her wish. As reported by People, Rinna confirmed that she would not be returning for Season 13. Vanderpump responded to the announcement by tweeting, "Ding dong." With one door closed on Rinna, another one may have just opened for Vanderpump.