Lisa Vanderpump's Risky Move: How a Contract Clause for Dog Giggy Nearly Cost Her a Spot on RHOBH - lulu

It's hard to imagine Lisa Vanderpump never being a Housewife, but that was almost the case thanks to a contract clause involving her beloved pup Giggy.

The Vanderpump Rules star sat with producer Alex Baskin for the Season 3 finale of Bravo’s Hot Mic Podcast and gave some surprising details about her time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The dog lover and restaurateur revealed she nearly didn’t join her diamond-toting castmates for two significant reasons: one, because producers refused to formally call Lisa by her nickname, Pinky, and two, because she wanted the show to pay up for her Pomeranian pooch, Giggy, to appear on the series.

“Because I knew Giggy was going to be a star,” Lisa insisted to Alex.

Who is Giggy?

Fans will remember Giggy from VPR and RHOBH. He also joined his British dog-mom when she was an HLN commentator for the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales. Later, the mom-and-pup duo appeared on E!’s Overserved with Lisa Vanderpump, marking Giggy’s final onscreen appearance before his 2021 passing.

Lisa Vanderpump and dog Giggy pose for portrait at The Vanderpump Dog Center Preview on March 1, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

“Giggy was this unique little person, and even now, gosh, I miss him so very much,” Lisa told Hot Mic. “Still got seven dogs, but he was the inspiration behind The Vanderpump Dog Foundation, so his memory lives on.”

Thanks to the non-profit organization, “thousands and thousands of dogs” have been saved.

“So yeah, his memory is definitely living up,” Lisa said.

Although Lisa failed to score Giggy a fee for his many appearances on Bravo, she joked that Alex agreed to “a contract with four bloody bones” before Lisa accepted her role as a Housewife in Season 1.

“I did what I could,” Alex said.

Lisa Vanderpump attends the 6th Annual Vanderpump Dog Foundation Gala at The Maybourne Beverly Hills on November 15, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images) Photo: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

Why did Lisa join The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?

Lisa said he hadn’t considered joining RHOBH until her friend, Jennifer, convinced her to watch The Real Housewives of New York City.

“I watched it, I said, ‘That’s not me; how am I going to be involved in something like that?’” Lisa confessed. “’They’re shouting and screaming at each other.’”

But Lisa was tapped multiple times because of her businesses and her “big f--k-off house” in the 90210 zip code, making her “the quintessential Housewife” producers wanted, she said. It helped that she was “up for fun” and “lived quite a big life.”

When Alex asked about her time on RHOBH, in retrospect, Lisa noted thad it seemed to waver from good to bad with every new season, though the audience helped her power through. Following her brother's tragic passing, when Lisa said she would cry at opening the refrigerator to find no milk, it became too much handle.

“I only wanna do the good bits,” Lisa recalled thinking. “But life isn’t like that.”

Lisa had her “that’s it” moment after nine seasons with the show, the breaking point being when she had her infamous fallout with  Kyle Richards.

When asked if Lisa “categorically” refused the idea of returning to RHOBH, she had a snarky response.

“I mean, listen, I can always be bored,” she said. “But I’m really f-----g expensive.”

Alex — and many — continue to hold out hope.

Listen to Lisa Vanderpump on Bravo’s Hot Mic Podcast, available anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts. You can also watch the full video version of the podcast episode here.