The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills introduced two new cast members for Season 11: Kyle Richards’ previously estranged sister, Kathy Hilton, and wife of the creator of The Lion King, Crystal Kung Minkoff. Hilton didn't really get in on the drama, so Bravo crafted her storyline on her perceived idiosyncrasies (like needing to have a fan on while she sleeps). Yet Kung Minkoff found herself at odds a few times with Sutton Stracke and some of the other ladies. However, she shared that one of the hardest parts of her first season has actually been all the social media hate she’s been receiving.
The newcomer in fact had to deactivate her Twitter account earlier this year. While Season 11 of Beverly Hills was airing, she was receiving a lot of racist attacks and death threats from viewers, which she has since brought to light a number of times via her Instagram (via The Sun). The star recently explained that it was a necessary move to protect herself and her kids. She told ET Online:
I didn't really anticipate the severity of it. I joined Twitter when it started and didn't use it, and I just found it another space for people to send threatening messages and stuff. ... It was really hard and I didn't want to see my kids [affected by that]. You know, my kids are so young and, yeah, it's been challenging.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills freshman actually forged new ground as the first Asian American cast member in the show's history. And she made it a point to showcase her Chinese culture in the first season. She shared her lineage, gave her co-stars a traditional Chinese cooking lesson and brought them all together to celebrate the Chinese New Year. But it was her conversation with Sutton Stracke early on about “not seeing color” that got very intense and ended up spilling over online. Nevertheless, Crystal Kung Minkoff sees the bigger picture, and it’s not about social media hate. She said:
I came on the show for representation and I know just how important it is. [When] I deleted it was like, 'Can I continue?' And then I get messages like, 'Please don't leave. You're the only person that looks like me on television.' And so those moments inspire me to keep going and realize that, yeah, how valuable it is to have more AAPI representation on television.
Difficult conversations about race have been erupting across the Real Housewives franchise. Along with Beverly Hills’ Crystal Kung Minkoff and Garcelle Beauvais speaking out, and a controversy on Orange County last season, the RHONY's Eboni K. Williams attempted to share her experiences as a Black woman in her own debut season this year. It didn't go over so well with her co-stars or some fans. Williams even had to take a social media hiatus because she anticipated backlash from commentators.
The Real Housewives of New York reunion was cancelled due to scheduling issues, so fans won't see a resolution for Eboni K. Williams. (Not yet anyway.) However, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is slated for a bombshell 4-part reunion to begin this Wednesday on Bravo – and Crystal Kung Minkoff already said that we will get some answers to our questions. As for the social media haters, she's giving them notice now: “I'm going to keep going.”
