Eboni K. Williams says it was ‘re-traumatizing’ watching debut ‘RHONY’ season

Eboni K. Williams made her debut on The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY) as the first Black cast member in the history of the show on its most recent 13th season. The show has been part of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise since 2008, but Williams joined in 2020 with the season premiering in 2021.

The successful lawyer and television host has had her fair share of uncomfortable debates, but she revealed that it has been the ones on RHONY that have taken a tremendous toll on her, according to a recent interview with Variety. Williams, 37, said that she is both re-triggered and re-traumatized by watching some of the heated exchanges that occurred between her and some of her castmates, notably the exchanges between her and fellow castmate Luann de Lesseps.

During one altercation, things came to a head when the group of ladies, while dinning, had a discussion about what was appropriate dinner table conversation. While all of the cast members had their opinions, de Lesseps implied that some peoples’ opinions stemmed from their levels of education.

“I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t agree fully, Lu. I won’t use it with you because you’ve said, ‘I don’t like it,’ but I don’t subscribe to the fact that to use those words means you’re unclassy or not a lady,” Williams said to de Lesseps.

De Lesseps then responded, “It has nothing to do with class, it has to do with education.”

When Williams reminded de Lesseps that she was the most educated out of the entire group, her statement was called stupid.

“So you think your degree makes you more educated? That’s probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard anybody say,” de Lesseps responded to Williams

De Lesseps then followed up by accusing Williams of raising her voice, despite the fact that her other castmates had raised theirs as well. She then called Williams “angry.”

“You are an angry woman,” de Lesseps said to Williams in front of their fellow castmates.

During the argument, de Lesseps also accused Williams of jumping in her face, despite cameras capturing the women sitting during the entire exchange.

“I think I wasn’t able to properly anticipate how different this “Housewives” adventure would be from my previous career in television. I’ve been on camera nationally for well over 10 years now from various news organizations and outlets. And the difference was you do a newscast, it’s in the can and that’s it,” Williams said told Variety.

“This is very different, and I didn’t really calibrate elements such as the re-triggering and re-traumatizing that would happen when you watch it back. It’s only by virtue of watching it back that you kind of see some things you missed in the actual moment. And that compounds the impact of the re-watch,” Williams continued.

“There’s also, I would suggest, even a third component, which is the social media response of the episode. And seeing how your castmates may or may not respond as well. You don’t know until you know,” Williams continued.

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