Credit: JOHN NACION/Sara De Boer/startraksphoto
Bethenny Frankel is readdressing Erika Jayne and Thomas Girardi‘s ongoing legal scandal.
After previously saying on the September 16 episode of her podcast, Just B With Bethenny Frankel, that “everybody knew” about the recently disbarred attorney‘s shady business dealings, claiming she heard reports from late ex-fiancé Dennis Shields, the Real Housewives of New York City alum is admitting that she doesn’t know much about Erika and Thomas’ lives.
“I don’t quote-unquote know Erika Jayne,” Bethenny explained in a preview clip from the September 28 episode of her show, which was shared by Us Weekly on Monday. “I’ve met her and we’ve done this sort of Instagram thing and she was at my house doing the crossover Housewives episode. I have no idea if she knew [about Tom’s actions]. I know nothing about their marriage, nothing about their life. … We’re not all experts on someone else’s lives.”
“I knew that I knew,” Bethenny continued. “I knew that I told people. This is about, like, some people you know, you know that their husbands are cheating on them … and maybe the spouses don’t know. Or maybe they don’t want to know.”
According to Bethenny, she finds it “alarming” that so many people are “piling on” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star as she attempts to navigate a very tricky legal situation.
She also finds the RHOBH cast member, who she noted has been accused of “not being compassionate enough for the victims,” to be desperate to remain in the spotlight.
“I think she did the show because she likes fame and she wants to stay relevant,” Bethenny alleged. “She needs the money. … She’s on the show, which is not a great idea because they’re investigating the whole thing, but probably [is] something she needs or wants to do for her livelihood.”
As for why Erika hasn’t yet shared any key information in regard to the cases against her and Thomas, Bethenny said she’s likely staying neutral “because she’s not supposed to acknowledge that there are victims because she’s not supposed to say anything about it.”
“If I had a client who’s in the middle of something, I would say, ‘Say nothing.’ … And I double down on what I said before: the higher the lifestyle someone says that they have, the more you’re going to jump on and beat it like a dead horse,” Bethenny explained.
Bethenny went on to say that her “biggest takeaway” from Erika and Thomas’ legal scandal is that people should be “more modest” about their wealth.
“People need some sort of a mea culpa … [and] there’s a way to say it without incriminating yourself,” she stated. “We’re living in a crazy world and people are just out for blood. Absolutely out for blood. … [Erika’s] taking a real hit.”
While Erika fired back at the RHONY star’s previous comments with a statement from her attorney, accusing her of throwing dirt on her name, Bethenny said she doesn’t “feel bad” for what she said.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 11 airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.