Content warning: This story discusses eating disorders.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' onscreen drama is once again spilling over into the real world.
This time, it's Erika Jayne and Crystal Kung Minkoff dealing with the aftershock from the show. Fans watched Crystal open up about her ongoing struggle with an eating disorder on RHOBH's July 20 episode, and while most of her co-stars were supportive, Erika made several comments, that have since caused an uproar on social media.
Viewers appeared to be most upset with Erika for suggesting Crystal take laxatives and jokingly refusing her a chicken tender; however, that's not what Erika addressed on the latest episode of the RHOBH After Show. Instead, Erika explained the motivation behind asking Crystal why she hadn't sought professional treatment.
"Crystal has told us about it and she's been very open on Instagram [and] social media about her eating disorder," Erika said, "and when I was going through my mental health stuff, I reached out to a psychiatrist to help me...I reached out and got treated. I couldn't understand why Crystal, when I asked her this, she said '‘No.''
The situation was "interesting," Erika added. "If something was occupying that much of my life...If she's struggling this hard with an eating disorder, telling us about it, going on...Honey, you have the means, you're educated, you have the access, why not seek professional help?"
Crystal, it turns out, has sought professional help. "I have had treatment in the past," she said on the RHOBH After Show. "I've talked to people in the past, I currently talk to someone. It's an ongoing thing."
And even though some fans are upset with Erika, Crystal is choosing to give her the benefit of the doubt, explaining, "Even someone like Erika, who's very choice in her manners, her words, and stuff like that, there are some topics that can feel awkward for people, and I think that this was one of them."
That's not to say she condones Erika's comments—especially the laxatives one. "I think it was more triggering that as she's saying these things, that she doesn't know that it could be hurtful," Crystal continued. "Had that been something that I had an issue with, it could've been really bad for me.
Crystal's response echoed what she told E! News of the matter at Kathy Hilton's exclusive RHOBH screening event on July 20.
"There's sort of a wide range of responses when people are uncomfortable," she said. "Some can be extreme and just intentionally hurtful, and some can be more awkward or more flippant. People make jokes if someone gets hurt, that kind of thing. So if I get hurt like that, I tend to kind of shield my heart."
That's essentially what she did on the RHOBH episode. "As you can see," Crystal added, "I kind of step away from the situation because it's not good for my recovery."
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)