Feeling like herself again. Erika Jayne opened up about the “heavy” period she went through in 2022 — and explained how she got back to a point of happiness and confidence.
“There was a point that I didn’t wanna wake up,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 51, exclusively told Us Weekly on Thursday, April 20, while promoting her upcoming Las Vegas residency. “I mean, there was a point that I just didn’t wanna ever really be on the planet.”
The Bravo personality said that she started to feel better after reaching out for medical help and getting support from her loved ones. “My therapist, my psychiatrist, my friends and my family really helped me through,” she explained. “It’s important to have those people around you that really look out for you. Because it was very ugly, very dark for a while.”
The Georgia native has been through a lot since filing for divorce from husband Tom Girardi in November 2020. One month after she announced their split, the Pretty Mess author was named in a lawsuit alleging that she and her estranged spouse, 83, embezzled funds earmarked for families of plane crash victims. Erika was dismissed from that lawsuit in January 2022, but she and the former lawyer have since been the target of other legal proceedings.
In February, Tom was indicted for allegedly embezzling more than $15 million from his clients. Erika, for her part, has not been charged with any crimes.
“It feels like a lifetime ago because now it’s such a much lighter tone and it feels good,” the “Painkillr” songstress told Us on Thursday of the past couple of years. “That was so heavy and so dark and I don’t ever wanna go back there, but I think in life it is what you make it, so definitely I’ve shifted and I’ve become stronger because of that.”
Asked what she learned about herself amid all the drama, she replied: “I’m one tough bitch.”
The reality star is now gearing up for her Las Vegas residency, Bet It All on Blonde, which kicks off in August at the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay resort. “It’s like a dream come true, especially when you consider everything that’s happened in the last couple years,” Erika told Us. “I wake up every day excited about life, and this is where I’m the happiest. So, it feels really good.”
The “XXPEN$IVE” artist added that the show “is a new era” for her, but the production will still be in line with her “grassroots” background. “I’m recording new material, so actually that’s what I’m most excited about,” she added, noting that the theme of “resilience” has been inspiring for her. “We all get knocked down, but you have to get back up and keep going, and I think that’s what’s most important.”
As for the show’s title, Erika has a simple explanation. “I think in life you have to roll the dice and bet on yourself,” she told Us with a laugh. “And I definitely roll the dice and I bet it all. I think it’s just a great way to live.”
Bet It All on Blonde kicks off in Las Vegas on Friday, August 25, and will run through early December. The ticket presale is happening now via Ticketmaster. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, April 24.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
