RHOC alum Kelly Dodd, who was fired after season 15, is being slammed online after comparing Emily Simpson to the character Fiona from "Shrek" online.
Kelly Dodd is in hot water with fans—again—after comparing The Real Housewives of Orange County star Emily Simpson to Fiona from the Dreamworks film series Shrek. Kelly has become one of the most notorious stars from the Real Housewives franchise since joining RHOC season 11, with Bravo viewers considering the Arizona native a villain alongside stars like The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Danielle Staub and The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Phaedra Parks. Unafraid to speak her mind and engage in conflict, Kelly's time on RHOC was marred by insults, fights, and below-the-belt comments towards former co-stars like Tamra Judge, Shannon Beador, and Vicki Gunvalson.
Although Kelly was fired after RHOC season 15 alongside Braunwyn Windham-Burke and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas, the 46-year-old has continued to stir up controversy on social media. A frequent user of Instagram and YouTube, Kelly has been widely condemned for spreading COVID-19 misinformation online throughout the pandemic. Besides comparing the spread of COVID-19 to natural population control, Kelly has also angered Real Housewives fans with her comments about the Black Lives Matter movement; after wearing a "Drunk Wives Matter" hat in 2020, a petition for Kelly's removal from RHOC began rapidly circulating. Between arguing with Andy Cohen over Bravo ratings to blaming Braunwyn for her dismissal, Kelly, who married Rick Leventhal in 2020, is no stranger to attracting criticism from the public.
While Kelly has crossed many lines over the years, her latest Instagram post comparing Emily Simpson to the Shrek character Fiona has been condemned by Bravo fans across the Internet. Uploading a side-by-side of Emily and Fiona as an ogre after part one of the RHOC season 16 reunion, Kelly asked users, "Who rocked it better?" The insulting image was quickly deleted after fans began reacting poorly, but not before Page Six captured the fallout. Screenshots show comments calling the comparison "petty," and "distasteful," with r/RealHousewives Reddit users in agreeance. Many are calling out's Kelly defense of the post--Emily being a bully--as hypocritical, while others are questioning why Kelly continues to be "obsessed," with RHOC as a former cast member. Several users on Reddit also refer to Kelly as "horrible," "hateful," and "pathetic."
This is not the first time that Kelly and Emily have been at odds, as Bravo fans may remember an intense argument featuring the two and Emily's husband, Shane, during RHOC season 13. Kelly also has a reputation for insulting Real Housewives stars for their physical appearances, such as calling Vicki a "pig," during an RHOC season 14 fight, and drunkenly referring to Shannon as an "ugly Mrs. Roper," while attending Shannon's '70s-themed party. After years of putting down the other ladies for their looks, it seems that Kelly's followers—and fans of Bravo—have finally had enough.
Kelly may not be popular with fans, but the former star has made it clear that she would return to Bravo if asked. Since RHOC season 16 began airing last December, Kelly and Tamra—who was fired herself after season 14—have called out the first Real Housewives installment for its falling ratings; the two have also criticized cast members like Gina Kirschenheiter and returning housewife Heather Dubrow. While Tamra is set to return to Bravo for The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip season 2 later this year, it's safe to say that Kelly doesn't have much of a chance at returning to television.
The Real Housewives of Orange County airs every Wednesday at 9 pm EST on Bravo.
Sources: Page Six, r/RealHousewives/Reddit
