Two of the biggest stars in the Real Housewives Universe are in a lot of legal trouble. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Erika Jayne has been implicated in her husband's multi-million-dollar embezzlement allegations since the end of 2020. Then, in March of this year, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Jen Shah was arrested and charged for allegedly being the queen pin of a bicoastal telemarketing scheme. But apparently, Shah has a bit of sarcasm for their seemingly similar problems.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star posted a meme concerning her and Erika Jayne on her Instagram stories (via Page Six) that has since been deleted. In it, the now-iconic mascara-running image of Erika Jayne from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is side-by-side with her line from the latest episode, where she said to her co-stars, “Look at me. Look at my fucking life.” Jen Shah’s image is accompanied below it with, “BRB, hold my drink.” It would seem that Shah thinks her legal problems are much bigger than Erika Jayne’s.
This isn't the first time Jen Shah has joked about her federal charges. Only a few weeks after her arrest, the reality TV star was reposting fan-made “Free Jen” merch on social media. Erika Jayne – who recently went on a Twitter rampage concerning the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills dinner party that the meme addresses – has yet to speak on Shah’s legal problems.
At the moment, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is currently winding down on Season 11. Erika Jayne and co-star Sutton Stracke are feuding over the latter's insinuations that Erika Jayne is lying about what she knows. Jayne has, in fact, been recently sued by the trustee in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, who believes she knew that the more than $25 million of funds pertaining to her businesses were embezzled by husband Tom Girardi. However, she has maintained her innocence in the matter and is currently divorcing Girardi.
Likewise, Jen Shah has pled not guilty in court to the wire fraud and money laundering charges against her. If found guilty at her trial next year, though, she could face decades in prison. The severity of the two legal situations is definitely on different tiers, but not something one would think to make memes about.
But Bravo fans know good and well that The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Jen Shah is one of a kind. She got into a lot of heated arguments with her co-stars in Season 1, which apparently doesn't stop in Season 2. The new season will investigate Mary Cosby's alleged “cult” church, Shah’s arrest and legal battle, as well as how Meredith Marks may or may not have tipped off the feds in Shah’s case.
If nothing else, the current drama proves that this age-old Bravo proverb still endures: it's always a competition where Real Housewives are concerned. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City premieres on September 12 on Bravo.
