'RHOBH' star PK Kemsley slams estranged wife Dorit’s tone-deaf remark about his alcoholism: "She hasn't..."
PK Kemsley called out his estranged wife Dorit Kemsley over her recent remark about his addiction on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Dorit, in a tone-deaf comment, had labeled him a 'full-blown alcoholic.' Businessman PK—who is nearly a year sober—expressed his disappointment with how their separation story is unfolding on national television. PK recently got candid on Bravo's Hot Mic podcast with executive producer, Alex Baskin, and shared that he was 'shocked, disappointed, and upset' by Dorit's choice of words on the show.
"I'm really proud and public about my sobriety...I'm 12 months [sober] in two weeks," PK claimed, emphasizing his recovery. The 57-year-old reality TV husband took particular issue with Dorit's terminology, explaining that her description showed a fundamental misunderstanding that exists about addictions. "There is no fully-blown alcoholic; you're either an alcoholic or you're not," PK stressed, arguing that she wouldn't understand such nuances since she's never been to any recovery programs. "Dorit's lack of understanding about sobriety is not her fault. She hasn't invested in it, she hasn't worked a program, and hasn't done what I've done," he added, as per People magazine.
While acknowledging that his struggles with alcohol contributed to their marital problems, PK insisted it wasn't the sole reason for their separation. "Obviously, my alcoholism had an element of responsibility to the breakdown of our marriage, but that was just a component...Alcoholism is a symptom; it's not a cause. So, it's not fair to say, 'He was a fully-blown alcoholic; that's why we separated.'"
Things took an emotional turn when PK confronted Dorit about her claims of standing by him through a slew of challenges, namely bankruptcies, gambling debts, and DUIs. He pointed out that many of those problems happened before the two were together. "The bankruptcy and all the gambling debts were well before I met her," he explained. "I've recovered from everything. I haven't gambled since 2008."
Woah. PK is “shocked, disappointed, and upset” by Dorit’s comments about their separation and his alcoholism.
— Bye Wig Hello Drama (@nosmokenomore) December 25, 2024
PK: “It was emotionally difficult for me to watch [the show]. Dorit spoke of bankruptcies, gambling debts, DUIs, and that she stood by me. I mean, it's not exactly… pic.twitter.com/1EcYOrqDAY
For PK, the most hurtful is having his and Dorit's personal struggles be subject to a discussion on TV. "When someone you love, Dorit, is on TV talking about the darkest times in my life and suggesting that she held my hand through them, it's difficult to watch sometimes," he admitted. Despite his frustration, he emphasized that he's 'not angry' with Dorit but rather 'sad' about the public airing of their private matters. The ex-couple, parents to two children, Jagger Kemsley, 10, and Phoenix Kemsley, 8, announced their separation in May after nine years of marriage. Their statement at the time emphasized that it was a mutual decision to "take some time apart and reevaluate [their] relationship."
PK has found strength in his journey to sobriety and looks at this time as one where he can be of service to other people with similar struggles. "I think sobriety enables me to breathe," he reflected. "My public sharing of my sobriety was about recovery. It was to inspire other people...it doesn't matter how dark it gets, you can recover." As PK looks to the future, he is still set on recovery while working through the public breakdown of his marriage. "I'm in full-blown recovery. That's the term 'full-blown' that should be used," he said firmly, adding that he never thought he'd see "this woman [he] loved, the mother of [his] kids talking negatively about [him] on a TV show."
As the season unfolds, viewers can expect to see more of their relationship dynamics play out on screen. Meanwhile, Dorit has hinted that their amicable separation turns out to be not so mutual. She told Us Weekly, "Things don't stay amicable between PK and I, and it was a big shock to me." Neither party has filed for divorce yet, which would suggest there might be more to this story as it continues to develop on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
