Alliances are shifting on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Just as Crystal Kung Minkoff and Sutton Stracke were finally starting to become good friends, the past—specifically, that season 11 conversation about racial stereotypes—has come back to haunt them. And surprisingly enough, it's Garcelle Beauvais who's carrying the torch.
The falling out began on the June 1 episode, which picked back up with Crystal explaining to her co-stars—including Garcelle, Kyle Richards, Dorit Kemsley, Erika Jayne, and Lisa Rinna—that by policing Sutton's reaction to Dorit's home invasion, they're doing the exact same thing they did to Crystal last year: telling her how to feel. Apologies were then made and all seemed well. Kyle even joked that the next time Crystal's upset over something, she shouldn't hold onto it for an entire year.
Enter Garcelle, who has apparently been holding onto something as well. "When you and Sutton had your thing," she said, referencing Crystal's conversation about racial stereotypes, "I felt like no matter what she said—she could've said the sky is blue—you were going to say, 'Are you that girl?' 'cause I just felt like it was a set up."
Garcelle was specifically recalling what Crystal said to Sutton after Sutton insisted there was no need to talk about racial stereotypes because everyone has to deal with them. "Are you one of those people that you don't see color?" Crystal said during the 2021 episode. "Tell me you're not that girl."
Sutton has since apologized, committed to becoming "a better listener to understand the painful realities experienced by people of color," and made up with Crystal.
So, why is Garcelle just now accusing Crystal of setting Sutton up (something she herself has never accused Crystal of)?
Crystal wasn't sure, especially after she asked Garcelle, "Now that you know me, do you still think that?" only for Garcelle to say, "I don't know."
Things only got worse from there. In an attempt to defend herself, Crystal insisted, "There was a lot more said prior to that, that was very dark."
Naturally, everyone wanted to know what she meant by that, but Crystal wouldn't elaborate, leaving them frustrated. "When you say 'I don't want to say what it is,' you allow the person that you just told it to, to fill in the blanks with the worst possible s--t ever," Erika said. "If it's that bad, then don't f--king bring it up at all."
Crystal remained tightlipped for the duration of the episode, even as she was being confronted by Kyle and Garcelle. Sutton was also present, but relatively unbothered. As she put it, "I'm remaining calm because I know that I didn't say anything that I should be ashamed of or anything 'dark.'"
Still, Garcelle wanted to know exactly what was said. "I just feel like what she alluded to made me feel like it was something that would change our dynamic if you had said something crazy," Garcelle told Sutton. "Watch your back with your new friend, that's all I'm saying."
Sutton continued to insist that the group should just forget about it and move forward because that's what she and Crystal have done.
"You two are great, so that's fantastic," Garcelle responded. "But what about everybody else that you leave in the rubble?"
Rest assured, that won't be the last we hear on the topic.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo. You can also stream new episodes next-day on Peacock.
(E!, Bravo and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)