Previously on The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, Kelsey revealed she can’t stand Rosie. Speaking of rivals, Rulla told Jo-Ellen to come to her with solid proof of Brian’s affair. When Brian suddenly left a group outing, Jo-Ellen got a text claiming he went to see the mistress. The other woman posted a photo on social media, and Brian returned without his wedding ring, raising suspicions. Brian and Rulla walked off, but Jo-Ellen still tried to plead with her to see the truth.
What happened on The Real Housewives of Rhode Island Season 1 Episode 6?
This week on Real Housewives of Rhode Island Season 1 Episode 6 “Newport, New Problem,” the Ocean State is rocked by a breakup. The RHORI ladies take a trip to one of Newport’s historic mansions. Sans Rulla, who is M.I.A. after last week. Just when we were starting to tell these women apart, RHORI throws us a curveball by having them wear masks. When they remove their masks, the women also bare their souls, to mixed responses. Kelsey’s feud with Rosie goes full steam ahead, exposing a major divide in the cast.
Kelsey’s down to one boyfriend
Real Housewives of Rhode Island Episode 6 opens with the ladies receiving a shocking text from Kelsey, who finally ended things with her boyfriend. Kelsey says it was her choice, and it was a long time coming. A lot of things built up over the years, like finding out he was involved with more people than she thought. While they were in bed together, she told him the relationship ran its course. He agreed, and the two held each other all night. He didn’t fight it, which told her everything. Liz is proud of Kelsey, though she jokes she’ll have to de-seed her own lemons from now on without the live-in staff.
Later on, Liz helps an emotional Kelsey move out of the mansion. While she’s been friends with the ex since high school, Liz thinks Bill is the better match for Kelsey. She reiterates how brave Kelsey is to leave her life of comfort and blaze her own trail. She gives Kelsey a compass as a gift for her new journey.
Now there’s a lot Kelsey will need to figure out on her own, like a mortgage and principal payment (“the principal of what?”).
It’s the first Real Housewives of Rhode Island cast trip!
This week, Alicia and Liz set up a girls’ trip to a Newport mansion. Alicia gushes that they’re like castles. Before the trip, Rosie feels better about her place with the girls … except for Kelsey. Rosie hopes, now that everyone’s screamed at her, they can move on. She also admits she can be shy, awkward, and weird. And jokes that she doesn’t want to be fake like Jo-Ellen.
Since Alicia doesn’t want to drive, the ladies take chauffeured Rolls Royce to arrive in style. Rulla is a no show. They try to call her on the way, but she doesn’t answer. Liz hasn’t spoken to her since polo.
The gorgeous mansion is owned by a friend of Séve, Liz’s friend for 40 years (“longer than most of these girls have been on the planet”). It has 29 bedrooms and two butlers- Alicia says it’s what Kelsey is used to. Speaking of, Kelsey tries to find a room on the complete opposite side as Rosie.
Hello Dollies
The trip starts with Alicia’s doll tea party. Of course she brought a whole suitcase of dolls with her (and talks to them). Ashley’s into it- she loved American Girl Dolls and still has Barbies of NSYNC and the Jonas Brothers. Everyone dresses extra girly for the occasion. Jo-Ellen gushes over their outfits, but tells Rosie she looks like a stripper. “I should’ve just said you don’t look good,” she adds in a confessional.
Alicia gives a spiel about how girls have had dolls for “billions” of years … is she taking the opening scene of the movie Barbie as a fact? And asks everyone to pick a doll to sit next to them. Alicia reveals her first doll was Snow White, and she’d throw a tantrum if a hair was out of place.
Jo-Ellen isn’t into the dolls, or the fact that Rulla ditched them. Liz says Rulla questions Jo’s motives. She responds, what motives- it’s not like she wants Brian for herself! Jo-Ellen once again insists she feels bad for Rulla, but Liz doesn’t buy it.
The Real Housewives of Rhode Island Masquerade
The dinner theme is a black-tie masquerade. Liz assigns masks – a flamboyant one for Rosie, a jester for Jo-Ellen, and for herself, a wolf, because people think she’s “scary.” But she’s really a sheep in wolf’s clothing.
Ashley’s mask, which covers her entire face, is hilarious. You know the mask Edward Norton wears in Kingdom of Heaven? That’s what it looks like. Kelsey says all the masks remind her of Eyes Wide Shut. Liz set it up for the ladies to remove their facades (a word Alicia can’t pronounce) and reveal a different side.
Jo-Ellen reveals her hard edge is because of trauma, especially due to her mom sending her away to a behavioral program. Alicia remembers when that happened. Jo-Ellen didn’t feel like her behavior warranted that punishment. Because she didn’t stand up for herself as a kid, she’s combative now. And gets triggered when accused of lying.
Earlier in the episode, Jo said she feels like her sister Jen had a completely different experience growing up, because their mom didn’t dub her the “bad kid.”
Liz reveals her own hard exterior comes from experiencing loss at a young age. Her mother (who resembled Dolores) passed when Liz was only 15. She’s scared to let anyone in because she’s too afraid to lose them.
Ashley goes next and, well, it’s … very different. Turns out, since her Bachelor days, Ashley always felt bad that she didn’t have a traumatic backstory. She cries over this more than Jo or Liz did over their traumas. Jo-Ellen can’t believe Ashley cried over having nothing to cry about.
Alicia brings up her father’s abandonment, but angers Liz when she says they were homeless. Alicia stayed with family, she wasn’t homeless! But Alicia maintains it was traumatic.
Rosie versus Kelsey
Kelsey mentions being defensive about her relationship, leading Alicia to ask about the breakup. Kelsey’s still in touch with her ex, who’s paying for a new apartment. Rosie jokes, “Now he really is her sugar daddy. Before, she could pretend he was her boyfriend.”
Like Jo-Ellen, Rosie’s facade is a result of her relationship with her mom. She feels a need to please everyone and finds it difficult to be genuine.
Kelsey responds by saying this is the first genuine thing to come out of Rosie’s mouth. Reader, I gasped. Kelsey insists it’s a compliment. When Rosie reacts poorly, Ashley has her back. But the rest of the ladies back Kelsey. The divide between Rosie, Ashley, and the rest of the cast has never been clearer.
Later on, Kelsey overhears Ashley and Rosie talking about her and walks in to confront them. When asked what Rosie’s lying about, Kelsey brings up the reason she left her job and the size of her future house. Rosie asks why she would lie about an embarrassing medical condition, and Ashley is confused why Kelsey cares so much about square footage. Kelsey thinks Rosie is completely fake. In a confessional, Rosie says Kelsey is jealous she has a house, a career, and a husband … and Kelsey doesn’t.
The episode ends with RHORI’s midseason trailer. Rosie makes accusations about Kelsey, Rulla announces Brian’s arrest, and Liz fights with Alicia. It’s been such a strong season so far, I can’t wait for what’s next.
Real Housewives of Rhode Island airs 9/8c on Bravo. Episodes are available to stream on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF REAL HOUSEWIVES OF RHODE ISLAND EPISODE 6? ARE YOU ON ROSIE’S SIDE OR KELSEY’S?
