Eileen Davidson Says She Feels ‘Awful’ After Blowout Over Erika Girardi’s Son
Eileen Davidson says she feels “awful” for the misinterpreted comment she made about Erika Girardi’s adult son on the most recent episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Girardi, who has been notoriously private when it comes to her grown son, Tommy Zizzo, blew up at Davidson after the soap star used an analogy to try to play peacemaker with her RHOBH castmates during a trip to Hong Kong.
While Eileen was just trying to convince Erika that she should forgive Dorit Kemsley for their ongoing “pantygate” feud, her choice of words instantly set Girardi off.
“I don’t think [Dorit] really understood what she was getting into,” Davidson told her castmate. “I don’t think she’s evil. She’s already saying ‘sorry’ — what do you want then? There’s nothing she can say or do that can make it okay? She didn’t kill your child.”
“I don’t think she’s evil. She’s already saying ‘sorry’ — what do you want then? There’s nothing she can say or do that can make it okay? She didn’t kill your child.”
Girardi took offense to the “kill your child” part of Eileen’s analogy, because her 24-year-old son is an L.A.P.D. police officer, according to People.
“Don’t ever bring up killing my child again because my child could get killed,” Girardi screamed at Davidson.
“Your kid doesn’t put on a uniform every day and night and put his life out on the line for people he doesn’t know. Don’t ever talk about my f***ing kid again…You don’t know what I deal with every night!”
Eileen Davidson immediately apologized for her poor choice of words and explained that she just meant to say that Kemsley didn’t “commit some horrible heinous crime,” but an angry Girardi told her she was being insensitive by using the term “kill your child” to try to get her point across.
“Your kid’s not out there,” the mom of one screamed at Davidson.
“Don’t you ever talk about anyone that puts on a uniform and defends and serves their public. F**k you for that. My son is under fire every night — especially in this climate. And I’m not going to tolerate that s**t from any of you. My kid can very easily be killed and that is the truth that none of you face here.”
While Eileen Davidson tried to diffuse things by suggesting the group take a moment to honor Zizzo, the protective mom shot the idea down, saying her family “is not looking for that.”
Erika Girardi is Talking To Eileen Davidson in THAT Scene https://t.co/Ca7Hcmtf0M pic.twitter.com/SbvCMRwxId
— All Things Real Housewives (@AllThingsRH_) March 15, 2017
On her Bravo blog, Eileen Davidson addressed the epic meltdown, explaining that she while she knew the feud between Erika and Dorit would eventually “come to a head,” she didn’t expect to be in the middle of it.
“It got heated,” Eileen wrote.
“It got ugly. I felt like I needed to step in only when I saw Dorit was genuinely trying to apologize. Erika was not in the place to hear that. I didn’t feel it was right at that point not to try to help to find a resolution. When will I learn?”
Davidson explained that she did not mean her statement, “She didn’t kill your child,” as any type of disrespect towards her RHOBH castmate’s son.
“What I said was a hyperbolic statement intended to mean, ‘It’s not as big of a deal as it could be,'” Eileen wrote.
“This was for some perspective when Erika said nothing Dorit could do would make it right. I never, ever, EVER considered that Erika would take it as me disrespecting her or her son. Nothing could be further from the truth. I felt absolutely awful.”
Davidson admitted she was initially shocked by her castmate’s reaction but now says there may be some other things going on with her. Eileen also admitted that, as a mother, Girardi had every right react the way she did.
“She was absolutely right,” Eileen wrote. “I don’t know how that must feel, but I have tremendous respect for the sacrifices her son makes and the sacrifices of her whole family.”
Congrats go out to former JCPAL explorer Tommy Zizzo, he graduated from L.A.P.D. Academy #seetheman pic.twitter.com/qQErL7rPo0
— Jersey City P.A.L. (@JerseyCityPAL) November 10, 2014
On Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, Erika told host Andy Cohen that after seeing the episode back, she now believes Eileen Davidson’s intent “was innocent” and that she overreacted.
During last year’s Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion, the pop singer explained that her son doesn’t appear on the Bravo reality show “he’s a very private person.” At the time, she also admitted that she constantly worries about her son’s dangerous line of work.
“Imagine what it’s like to have your child come tell you he wants to do such a dangerous job,” she said.
Take a look at the video below to see the blowout between Eileen Davidson and her castmate on RHOBH.
[Featured Image by John Sciulli/Getty Images for NATAS]