Reality television is known for its drama, but sometimes the tension goes beyond the usual arguments and confrontations. Crystal Kung Minkoff recently revealed a deeply unsettling experience during a cast trip on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills that made her consider leaving the show altogether.
During season 11, Sutton Stracke entered Crystal’s hotel room late at night to return a coat that Crystal had left in a shared space. At the time, Crystal was naked, which left her feeling violated. While some co-stars focused more on the word she used to describe the experience, Crystal shared the emotional impact it had on her.
On the Heal 2 Feel podcast, Crystal opened up about what happened. She said it was only her third day filming on the show when she felt compelled to contact her attorneys. She explained, “I called my attorneys because I was like, are they allowed to come in my room in the middle of the night?” She also revealed she asked the producers if she could quit the show. “No one knows this. I’ve never told this story. I asked the producers if I could quit the show.”
What made the situation even more difficult for Crystal was the large camera crew that followed Sutton into the room. “There was a huge camera crew behind her, just all men, like with cameras on them,” she recalled. Crystal tried to express how the incident affected her personally. She said, “I’m not saying you did it intentional. I’m just letting you know my experience because I have my body dysmorphia and my own body issues.”
Crystal has also spoken about the complicated relationships among the cast members. Earlier this year, she suggested that Sutton and Garcelle Beauvais’s relationship was more about alliances than natural friendship. Crystal said, “The show doesn’t allow to have natural friendships. Alliances are part of the experience.” She noted, “Sutton and Garcelle saw each other a lot outside of filming, but I do think that there’s just inherently an alliance that happens.”
Looking back on the events, Crystal hinted at the tension that led to Garcelle’s exit. “To me, I feel like Garcelle really felt betrayed by Sutton.”
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