Despite what Jessel Taank claimed, the Real Housewives of New York reboot cast definitely has a villain. Though several of the RHONY ladies gave off villain vibes, one has risen to the top of the pack. After the past few episodes, we officially have to crown Erin Lichy as the number-one villain in the group. Let us explain with a look at Erin’s antagonistic actions so far.
The Anniversary Party
Every good Bravo villain is also a huge diva, and after her and husband Abe’s vow renewal, we think it’s safe to say Erin fits that bill.
The other women were scolded for talking during the endless speeches. But can you blame them? As Brynn Whitfield said, it came across as endless bragging about how rich they are and how wonderful their life is.
The party also showed that Erin isn’t the most thoughtful of the bunch. The catering left a lot to be desired, so much so that Sai De Silva dipped out early.
The Tantrum at Brynn’s Holiday Gathering
We can all agree that Brynn was wrong to flirt with Abe. And that she probably shouldn’t have made those comments about Erin’s dad. But, as we’ve seen, Brynn flirts with everyone. And thanks to Erin’s extreme overreaction, when all was said and done, we landed more on Brynn’s side.
Erin outright said she wanted to “ruin” Brynn’s holiday wreath decorating party. The night ended with her dramatically storming out after yelling, “you guys all suck” at her castmates. While many viewers have questioned if she’s really only 35, moments like this show her incredible immaturity and stuck-in-high-school mindset.
Pranking Ubah Hassan
Erin Lichy promised she was going to get back at Ubah Hassan for pushing her in a pool. She did so through a thoughtless and tone-deaf prank. On the cast trip to Anguilla, Erin thought it would be funny to hide Ubah’s phone. That’s already not a great prank to begin with. Even Sai, who shares Erin’s mean girl streak, thought it went too far.
The fact that she did this as payback, after she made a scene at the wreath party to get back at Brynn, shows a pattern. She simply cannot let anything go.
What makes it worse is that Erin didn’t consider why Ubah might be so upset to misplace her phone. The hot sauce entrepreneur was worried about her family being unable to reach her. Instead of showing empathy and apologizing, Erin doubled down. Her inability to ever admit wrongdoing is perhaps her most frustrating villainous trait.
At least she’s promised not to prank Ubah again. But between this and her actions towards Jenna Lyons and Jessel, the girl’s trip really showcased Erin’s worst qualities.
She’s Two-Faced to Jenna
Jenna frequently praises Erin, so maybe there’s more to their dynamic we haven’t seen yet. But for now, Erin keeps acting like Jenna’s friend one minute and then starts talking behind her back the next.
Erin was the one who told the others that Jenna went to Anguilla early because she didn’t want to fly coach. This lead everyone to gang up on the RHONY fan favorite, which was hard to watch. Especially because Jenna was already feeling vulnerable given her health issues. As with the prank on Ubah, Erin showed she acts without considering what others are going through.
She Keeps Coming for Jessel
Erin and Jessel haven’t seen eye to eye since the Hamptons trip. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Erin’s been out of line these past few episodes. But she wasn’t solely at fault for the latest squabble with Jessel, as Sai also did the most.
Once again showing how much they love to talk behind people’s backs, Sai and Erin both made rude comments about the intimacy issues in Jessel’s marriage. Then, they took issue with what the Brit said about her financial background. Frankly, it seemed like they accused her of lying for no other reason than to start drama.
If we’re being generous, maybe Sai’s own difficult upbringing clouded her judgement. But what was Erin’s excuse? Jessel wasn’t wrong to say it appeared to be a projection of Erin’s own privilege onto her.
Her Superiority Complex Is Tiring
It certainly appears that Erin Lichy thinks she’s better than everyone. Or, she’s actually insecure and overcompensating. Either way, her constant bragging, while making digs at everyone else, is exhausting.
Her insults aren’t clever, funny, or quotable. Instead, they’re just plain mean.
That Political Donation
The above examples of Erin’s villainy are arguably good for stirring up reality tv drama. But for some viewers, Erin’s donations to Donald Trump’s campaign established her as the villain before the season even began.
Erin addressed her donations to Trump, but her explanations left a lot to be desired. She admitted to voting for him in 2016, under the impression he would support Israel. But what about her multiple donations to the 2020 campaign—including after Trump lost to Joe Biden?
Yes, Erin can vote for and give money to whomever she wants. But RHONY fans are more than justified to be disgusted that she supported an unapologetically racist, sexist, homophobic, and all-around bigoted candidate.
And let’s not forget how Trump is a huge bully who attacks everyone in sight. If Erin really wants people to believe she’s not part of his base anymore, she should probably stop sharing those traits.
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE THAT ERIN LICHY IS RHONY’S BIGGEST VILLAIN? IF NOT, WHO WOULD YOU NAME THE NUMBER ONE VILLAIN INSTEAD?
