After a dramatic first season was it hard to return for a second season?
I looked at season 1 when it ended, you know, I was disappointed in myself, I didn't like how I was portrayed and I didn't like how I looked on camera. So when we got the go for season 2 my thought was, you can't make me look any worse. I've already done the worst. So let's do it again and at least give me a chance at redemption. So in this season I think I was much more aware of the amount of alcohol I drank, the verbiage [I used]. I was just a lot more alert and aware.
Last year we all saw how Tiffany was defending you to the other girls. Was it hard to come back alone without her?
No, because when we began filming Brandi and I were uber close so I think Brandi sort of leaned on me because she was very nervous about how people would feel about the Brandi/Stephanie split. She wanted someone to stand with her and I volunteered. I want whats right for the show. I want this to be a great series, I want RHOD to survive for many years. I care about what we produce, I care about what we put out in the universe. So I wasn't concerned [about Tiffany's exit] because, as much as Tiffany put herself in the middle, putting herself in the middle is probably why she's not back. I don't want, I don't need anyone in the middle.
In season 1 you and Brandi didn't get along, but this season you and Brandi are friends. Do you prefer to be on good terms with Brandi?
The thing with Brandi is, she's very young. She's not age wise very young, she's just emotionally very young. So when I became friends with Brandi my whole thought was: I want to show Brandi what a mature friendship is really like. Tiffany and I have a very mature friendship, that doesn't mean we can't go giggle like little girls coz we do but in a sense that we aren't emotional reactors. If Tiffany says or does something, I don't cut her off, I go 'Really bitch, really?' and she's like oh my god I didn't mean it like that and then we are over it. So I wanted to show Brandi what an authentic, mature friendship looked like. I spent the entire season telling her 'I'm not going to get in your way, but I'm right behind you. So if you fall or need something, just turn around and I'll be here.'
There are two new girls this season, one of them is your friend D'Andra. Tell us about your relationship with her.
I don't know know if you watched the reunion where Cary said 'well I was at the wedding' and I was like 'well no, you werent.' She wasn't and I've seen Stephanie's assistant tweet for her and say 'what does it matter?' and it does matter in the city of Dallas. Very few people were invited to her authentic, actual wedding in the church and I was standing next to her. That matters. You don't end up in one of Dallas' most high society family weddings without being a good friend. So I've known D'Andra for 6, 7 years. I would protect her with my heart. D'Andra and I are almost as close as Tiffany and I are, in very different ways. D'Andra and I are just peas and peas. You know how the there are peas and carrots? D'Andra and I are peas and peas. We're so similar in our emotional capacity and how we take things and our work ethic. This woman grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth and yet she works as hard as I do, who, I'm a survivor. I have to work. So I have a lot of respect for D'Andra. I know this is weird but I do deal with a tremendous amount of insecurities and so does D'Andra. We don't like to show that side which is why I think people think we are tough bitches but when we are together we get to be ourselves. I talk her off the ledge when she's loosing it and she's talks me off the ledge when I'm loosing it. That's what real friends do.
The other new girl is Kameron Westcott. Did you know her before she joined the show?
I did not know Kameron before the season started, I knew who she was but I had never met her. The difference to me, if you take the two blondes on our show, Stephanie did not really know me before we started season 1, Kameron did not really know me before we started season 2. They were both overloaded with incredibly horrible stuff about me. Mostly from Marie, but then Kameron got it also from Cary and Stephanie to the point where Kameron was calling executives saying 'I don't know if I want to do this, this girl is just going to attack me for no reason people are saying' and then Kameron started asking some more of our mutual friends. We have a best friend who lives across the street, I'm really good friends with her and so is Kameron. She heard some other stuff so she signed on. What's so funny, is to this day if you asked, I talk to Kameron more than I talk to, well I never talk to Stephanie, unless theres a manipulative text coming out. Kameron adores me. Even though Cary brought her on the show, she will tell you: I'm friends with D'Andra, I've known Cary, and I love hanging out with LeeAnne. LeeAnne's just fun. She's funny. So for me I think: here's the difference of a mature person who got overloaded with a bunch of stuff but then said I'm old enough and wise enough to be able to make my own assessment."
On the premiere Cary and Stephanie were talking about an old police report of yours. Do you think they brought it on the show to make you look bad?
I think that Cary and Stephanie's whole mission in life, and I will continue to say this in interview after interview, is to try and destroy my reputation because if they do they think I will cower and quit the show. The problem is that I don't have skeletons next to my birkin, I live my life very open and trust me, Stephanie's got those skeletons right next to her luboutions as well, and I'm very familiar with all of their skeletons and you know, the thing is: I don't see them going into the wild and messing with a wild bear so I don't know why their messing with me.
In the trailer we see you throw a glass or plate at Cary. How is your relationship with Cary at the moment?
It was a champagne glass with water in it. I don't trust Cary and I think that during the season, it's going to be made very clear to you why Cary and I will probably never have a chance to be friendly, ever. I think that this season your gonna get to see, why I have problems with Cary. I will say this Sam, I went into this season and I was the one who specifically sat down and said 'I feel like I didn't give Cary an opportunity to get to know me or for me to know her in season 1." I wanted to make amends for that and I was the one who asked her to meet me at the dog park, I was the one who said 'let's try to spend some time away from the group so we can give each other a genuine chance' and the second that I did that, a text came out.
What can fans expect to see this season?
Your gonna see a lot more anger management which I'm very happy about. For me the therapy is really important because when I sat down the first time to film with my therapist I said to her: I want to be able to have a have an epiphany every time I'm with you because then every time I have an epiphany we're helping all the viewers that are going to be watching. To get the tweets from people saying: 'this is so brave of you', 'I'm learning so much', 'your making me want to go and do therapy'. [For] all the crappy torture that the little kids want to give me, fine bring it. Because you know what: I'm helping people. I don't know what your doing with your life. But I'm helping people and that always has been and always will be my mission. [You will see] A lot more of Rich and I together doing stuff and your going to see a CRAZY trip to Mexico where everybody drank tequila but me and Kameron.
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