Twist! Real Housewives Star Erika Jayne Is Getting a Divorce

As the story goes, Erika Jayne met powerhouse lawyer Tom Girardi, whose casework inspired Erin Brokovich, in 1999 when she was a cocktail waitress at Chasen’s, the glitzy Hollywood restaurant frequented by the rich, powerful, and incredibly famous. Despite being 30 years her senior, they hit it off, and have been married for 21 years. Not anymore though! These two are getting a divorce.

Erika Jayne announced her divorce in a statement to E! News this morning. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star told the outlet:

“After much consideration, I have decided to end my marriage to Tom Girardi. This is not a step taken lightly or easily. I have great love and respect for Tom and for our years and the lives we built together. It is my absolute wish to proceed through this process with respect and with the privacy that both Tom and I deserved. I request others give us that privacy as well.”

The divorce will most likely come as a shock to most Real Housewives viewers, as Jayne spent seasons defending her marriage. Eagle-eyed fans, however, took note that Tom has been noticeably absent in recent years, appearing on camera once, maybe twice a season.

Early in the pandemic, Girardi also confessed that she felt “a little lost” while at home with Tom. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she revealed that “Tom and I spend a lot more time together. He’s obviously on the phone running the firm and doing things,” adding that the pandemic was obviously “a complete 180 of life.”

In her 2018 memoir, Pretty Mess, she also revealed that she and Tom don’t have a prenup. Good for her, considering the amount of private jets she’s boarded on screen. I’m guessing that California’s community property laws will come in handy for maintaining the Beverly Hills lifestyle that made her infamous in the first place. How else will she afford to fly her glam team around the globe with her? Her Real Housewives checks can’t possibly be that hefty.