Erika Girardi Has Strong Words Regarding Divorce, Sees Vegas Residency as a ‘Rebirth’ (Exclusive)
The 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star's Vegas show, Bet It All on Blonde, runs select weekends at the House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay through Dec. 16
After years of headlines about her personal life, Erika Girardi sees her Las Vegas residency as a chance to introduce a newer version of herself.
"It was a rebirth in a lot of ways,” the singer, who performs under the moniker Erika Jayne, tells PEOPLE after premiering her Bet It All on Blonde show. “It was a lot of emotion and anxiety, but we really prepared as much as possible, and I think it went off beautifully and I feel relieved and I feel happy. It's a combination of emotions.”
Being that many newer fans only know her from reality TV, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 52, adds, “I had a lot to prove.”
Throughout the highly provocative show, Jayne's actions are sexually charged; her outfits, risqué; her song lyrics, very suggestive.
“That’s Erika Jayne’s persona,” she says . “I think that women my age were so often told that you can no longer be sexy. And I just think that's old. Like f--- those old rules. I mean, there's a boundary, but I like to walk right up to the line and stick my toe right over.”
Related: 'RHOBH' Star Erika Jayne Kicks Off Provocative Las Vegas Residency: 'It's a New Life'
At one point in Friday's show, though, Jayne got emotional while indirectly referencing her legal woes and impending divorce from husband Tom Girardi, who has been indicted on fraud charges for allegedly stealing from the victims' families of a 2018 plane crash.
“Tonight is about keeping our heads up and moving on. I just really want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for showing up for me. You know I love you,” she told the crowd on Friday night. “In lieu of keeping our heads up and moving on, it’s a new life, it’s a new day and not only am I keeping the door open, but you should too.”
Asked about that moment, Jayne says, “Well, you have to acknowledge what is happening. It is happening. It has been a process and we've seen that play out on reality TV. It was playing out in the courts this week as I was preparing for this show. So you can escape for a while, but it is about moving on and keeping your head up.”
Related: 'RHOBH' 's Erika Girardi on Dating While Famous: 'I Can't Get on an App – What if Dahmer Shows Up?'
On Wednesday, Tom Girardi, a disgraced former attorney, attended a hearing to determine if he is competent to stand trial for the aforementioned fraud charges. Erika has been dismissed from the lawsuit, but she has other legal woes ahead.
“I mean, I know what happened. I do know what happened,” the Bravo star tells PEOPLE, regarding her estranged husband’s court hearing. “I have to acknowledge that in its own space and then I have to be here on stage.”
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For now, Jayne has a one-track mind: the Bet It All on Blonde show at Mandalay Bay. Her divorce, she says, can take a back seat to everything else.
“I'm separated. It's hard to divorce. It's the lowest thing on my radar right now because I have other legal battles to fight out that I'm getting dragged into,” she says. “So, f--- the divorce. I'm separated. We have separate lives. I've not seen Tom since the day I left, and it is what it is.”
Bet It All on Blonde runs select weekends through Dec. 16.
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