7 Wild Hot Mic Moments From ‘The Real Housewives’ & ‘Vanderpump Rules’
Reality television and messy drama go hand in hand. It can get even messier when those involved not only forget that there are hidden microphones around the room, but that they have one attached to their body.
Pair this with hot gossip and cameras (sometimes recording around the clock… looking at you, Big Brother), and you have a recipe for disaster… or entertaining reality television. Here are some of the craziest hot mic moments from fan-favorite reality shows The Real Housewives and Vanderpump Rules.
Joe Giudice Insults Wife Teresa Giudice, The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 4
Season 4 finds Joe stepping away from Caroline’s 50th birthday, claiming he has to make a work call. After the start of a casual convo, Joe cuts off the person at the other end saying: “Hold on. Here she comes. My bitch wife. She’s such a c***,” before quickly hanging up. Teresa Giudice confronts him, asking who he was talking to, and why he walked away. He gets defensive, before repeatedly insulting her and pretending that the person on the other end can only speak Spanish. When Teresa asks if he had to pick it up he says “they called me f***ing ten times, when they you call ten times you think it’s an f***ing emergency.”
Barbara Kavovit Insults Luann de Lesseps, The Real Housewives of New York City Season 9
Barbara became the target of a hot mic again later on, this time involving Carole Radziwill. Barbara was under the assumption that the two were having a private conversation, when Carole was, in fact, mic’ed. Upon learning that their private convo wouldn’t stay private, Barbara sued Real Housewives to prevent the episode from airing, but was unsuccessful. The convo in question centered on Barbara’s belief that Luann’s marriage to Tom D’Agostino would end in divorce.
Barbara Kavovit Criticizes Luann (Again), The Real Housewives of New York City Season 11
Although never a main cast member, Barbara is involved with two hot mic moments on this list. When she sits in the audience for “friend” Luann de Lesseps’ Holiday Cabaret Show, she is caught confessing that she doesn’t think Luann has singing chops, saying: “I don’t think she can really ever hold the show by herself. I mean, she, she can’t really sing.”
Luann de Lesseps Reveals a Secret, The Real Housewives of New York City Season 5
When the cast takes a trip to St. Barths, Luann puts her language skills to work when she makes a phone call to her friend, saying that she brought Tomas (a guy who resembled Johnny Depp) back to the house, but she says “I don’t want the girls to know he was here with me.” No matter the effort she put into this cover, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Bravo hiring a sound guy who spoke French foiled her plans to keep Tomas under the radar.
Lisa Barlow Throws a Tantrum, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 2
A Cinco de Mayo dinner gets tense when Lisa storms out after feeling let down by friend Meredith Marks. Although Lisa was away from Meredith in a separate room, this did not cool her temper, and she went on to angrily direct almost every exploitative in the book towards Meredith, insulting not only Meredith, but her husband, family, and house in the process.
Tom Sandoval Shades Ariana Madix, Vanderpump Rules Season 11
One of the newest scandals on this list, this hot mic moment comes to us from the recent season finale of Vanderpump Rules. Who can forget the Tom Sandoval who brought viewers the chaos that is “Scandoval” back in 2023? More recently, Tom has, yet again, been up to no good; in the final seconds of the Season 11 finale, he brings out his scheming side when he says “I love it. It’s good for me,” implying that he is glad that Ariana Madix stormed out of the party, as it would help his own image.
Lenny Hochstein Drops a Bomb About His Marriage, The Real Housewives of Miami Season 5
The most self-aware moment on this list comes from Dr. Lenny Hochstein, who, while making it clear that he’s aware that he’s wearing a mic saying “why do you think I’m whispering?” goes on to drop a bomb regarding his wife, Lisa Hochstein (above). His hints at divorce are insanely bold, and his assumption that whispering around microphones would keep him out of trouble is even bolder. Just remember: Bravo always finds out.
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