When Erin Lichy started filming RHONY’s latest season, she couldn’t have predicted where she’d be now: expecting her fourth child, running a successful mezcal brand, and navigating the show’s most talked-about friendships. Recently, Lichy sat down on Not Skinny But Not Fat and opened up about everything from cast dynamics to her plans to be “raging this summer” post-baby.
If there’s one thing we learned from Lichy’s chat with Amanda Hirsch, it’s that her relationship with Brynn Whitfield is… complicated. She opened up about the now-infamous Uber story, where Brynn twisted her words to suggest Erin said Jenna Lyons was “poor.” Spoiler alert: she didn’t.
“I was so caught off guard,” Lichy recalled. “It felt so malicious and evil. Like, what? Why would you do that?”
According to her, it all started when a photo of her and Jenna went semi-viral, sparking fan montages and love for their friendship. “I think she [Brynn] got jealous,” she suggested. “She was like, how am I going to come in here and rip apart this friendship?”
Lichy’s vulnerability in sharing this story highlights the difficulties of navigating friendships in the reality TV spotlight. Though Brynn’s antics left her reeling, she admitted she’s chosen to forgive. “What’s the point of holding on to it? Who does that hurt? I don’t care,” she said. Still, she’s learned her lesson: “I would never tell her anything serious again.”
If you’re thinking, “Couldn’t this have been resolved with a quick chat?” think again. In true Housewives fashion, the Uber story spiraled. “Brynn told Jenna I said she had money problems because her car broke down,” Lichy explained. “Jenna was like, ‘I’m so hurt. You’re one of my closest friends, and you’re telling people I’m broke?’”
The fallout could have made for an Emmy-worthy scene. But her takeaway? Drama is par for the course when you’re surrounded by big personalities. Even in the chaos, she doesn’t think Brynn’s actions come from a bad place. “I don’t think she’s a bad person,” Lichy said. “She does things so wacky and shocking that I’m like, what is with you?”
Speaking of layered relationships, Lichy’s bond with Ubah Hassan is another rollercoaster. You might remember Ubah calling Lichy a “leaky pigeon,” a nickname that’s both hilarious and shady AF. Despite this, she insists there’s more to Ubah than the drama. “She has been there for me,” Lichy said. “She’s a really good friend in other ways. It’s just hard.”
Lichy’s honesty about the ups and downs with Ubah is refreshingly real. Even though there’s tension, her loyalty to her friendships shines through. “I’m close with her and with Sai [De Silva],” she said. “Sometimes things bother me, but I try to see the good in people.”
If you thought Lichy was only dealing with emotional drama, think again. Remember the infamous prank wars? Lichy defended her decision to participate in the roach prank, despite some fans (and Amanda Hirsch) calling it dumb. “I thought it was amazing,” Lichy said with a laugh. “People like pranks. It reminded me of the Kardashians when they used to do pranks all the time.”
However, Lichy admitted she probably won’t be pulling any stunts like that again. “That’s for the birds,” she quipped, showing her self-awareness about what works and what doesn’t on reality TV.
Behind the show drama, Lichy has been navigating major life changes. At seven months pregnant with her fourth child, she’s keeping the gender private. Her mezcal brand is thriving, and she’s already planning her post-baby comeback: “I’m going to be my 37-year-old self.”
Lichy didn’t hold back when asked if she’s learned anything from her time on RHONY. “I feel much more comfortable talking about whatever,” she said, reflecting on how her confidence has grown. But she’s also quick to acknowledge the challenges of reality TV, like navigating the emotional toll of her father’s illness while filming.
Her candidness about her castmates’ hesitations is a rare glimpse behind the Bravo curtain. “I think some people are afraid to fully let out what they think and believe,” she said. “We need to show more of the dark side, the messy side.”
Despite the drama, Lichy remains optimistic about her place on the show. “We keep letting the friendships develop,” she said, leaving the door open for future reconciliation (or more drama—it’s Housewives, after all).
When Hirsch asked if Lichy had any thoughts on casting changes, she played it coy. “I’m not going to say that,” Lichy laughed, though she admitted she’d like to see things “spiced up” in future seasons. We’ll take that as a “yes” to more drama and maybe a new castmate or two.
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