All About Erika Girardi's Son Tommy Zizzo

Erika Girardi became a mom in 1992 when she welcomed her son Tommy Zizzo

Erika Girardi (also known by her musical alter-ego, Erika Jayne) is very protective of her son, Thomas "Tommy" Zizzo.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star welcomed Zizzo with her then-husband in 1992. Shortly after Zizzo's birth, Girardi divorced her first husband and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a performer. In 1999, she married her second husband, ex-lawyer Tom Girardi, though they split in 2020.

During a 2016 interview with The Daily Dish, the Pretty Mess Hair founder spoke about being a young, working single mom before marrying her second husband.

"Single moms have it tough," she said. "It's hard. It's exhaustive, but at the same time, it's very rewarding."

However, Girardi added that watching her son grow into a successful man has been rewarding: "You know, especially now that he's older and he's doing so well. I think that really makes the struggle worth it."

Out of respect for her son's privacy, Girardi refrains from posting about Zizzo, who works in law enforcement, on social media and showing him on RHOBH.

"He didn't choose this life — I chose this life — and we try and protect him. I don't care if he's an adult and he carries a gun and a badge. At the end of the day, he's still my boy," she said during Andy Cohen's SiriusXM show in 2020. "He's a very fine young man, and I'm super proud."

Here's everything to know about Erika Girardi's son, Tommy Zizzo.

He was born in 1992

In 1992, Girardi and her first husband welcomed their son. Soon after his birth, Zizzo's parents divorced, and Girardi, then 20, left New York City for Hollywood to chase her dreams of being a performer.

"It was the biggest risk I've ever taken," Girardi told PEOPLE of her big move, resulting in Zizzo staying with his father in N.Y.C. in the interim. The temporary distance "weighed heavy on my heart," she said.

"I was panicked, but I was committed to succeeding. And I knew he'd end up here with me eventually," Girardi said.

He's a police officer

Girardi's son is a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. Despite the dangers that come with Zizzo's line of work, Girardi said she believes he's exactly where he's meant to be.

"I've known my son was going to be in law enforcement from the time he could walk and talk," she told The Daily Dish in 2016. "That's all he's ever wanted, and that's kind of your role as a parent is to honor who your children really are."

In a 2017 interview with The Daily Dish, Girardi explained: "Let me be very honest, I worry about my boy as I'm sure everyone whose family member is in law enforcement or in the military [does], okay? It's nice to hear him come home. It's nice to hear him come off duty, and I can see his car in the driveway , or I hear him walk up the steps. To me, I sleep a little better at night just knowing that I know where he is."

The best part of having a son who's a police officer? "He's free security," the mom added with a laugh. "Free security and he never lets me forget it."

Fans say he and his mom "look alike"

Girardi has only ever twice shared a photo of her son on Instagram, and the first time she did, she couldn't help but mention how much they resemble each other.

"People say we look alike," the Bravolebrity captioned the snap of Zizzo donning his police uniform. "No, you can't comment," she quipped with a laughing emoji, noting she had disabled the post's comments section.

Not only was the 2020 Instagram post Zizzo's first appearance on his mom's grid, but it also became Girdardi's "best-performing post." Even Cohen was surprised by Girardi's decision to post publicly.

"I am a proud mom of my essential worker son," she told Cohen in 2020, adding that she felt a bit "quarantine crazy" when she posted it.

"He's out there working like every other man and woman," Girardi continued. "It's just a crazy time. We're all concerned for all of our families."

He doesn't appear on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

While Girardi's RHOBH castmates are accustomed to having their family members film alongside them, Girardi has kept her son's life private.

When Cohen asked if Zizzo might make a cameo on the show in the future, Girardi responded, "Probably not." And that's a decision both she and Zizzo maintain, she noted.

"I don't think so, no," Girardi said on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in 2019. "You know he has a private life; he's a police officer."

Tom Girardi's indictment brought the mother-son pair closer together

In 2020, Girardi and her second husband — whose name is also Tom — were sued for allegedly embezzling settlement funds intended for families of victims on Lion Air Flight 610. A judge ultimately found no evidence of wrongdoing by the reality TV star (although she is involved in other lawsuits). Meanwhile, Tom was indicted on fraud charges in 2023.

While filming a segment for Bravo Insider in 2022, Girardi opened up about how her legal woes strengthened her relationship with Zizzo.

"My son's been amazing," she said. "I will say this: The silver lining to all of this s--- is that our relationship is stronger. My son and I, we've really come together."

Girardi then reflected on what it's like having a child who's also an adult with their own life experiences and wisdom.

"He'll be 30, and so asking him what he thinks about things, you know, you get this adult perspective," she explained. "And it's really nice."

He gets a say in who his mom dates

Should Girardi begin seriously dating someone new, they'll have to go through Zizzo first. Speaking with Bravo Insider in 2022, the RHOBH star said she wouldn't be able to marry someone who didn't have her son's approval. Girardi explained Zizzo already checks in with her if the paparazzi snap a photo of her with someone he doesn't know.

"Oh my god, I'll never forget … one time he called me up, he's like, 'Hey, are you dating this guy?' I was like, 'No, what the f--- are you doing? I'm not dating him.' He was like, 'All right, well, you know, I saw it somewhere,' " Girardi recalled.

Girardi said the interaction with her son made her realize how much she values his opinion of her dating life.

"Of course, I don't think I would marry someone that did not like my son, or my son did not like them," she said.

He was reportedly in a serious car crash in 2021

During a 2021 RHOBH episode, fans learned that Girardi's son had "rolled his car five times" after responding to a call from his ex-stepfather about a home burglary.

"Tom's house was broken into," Girardi told her castmates. "He confronted the burglar and then had to go have eye surgery. And then my son had to go over and help. And then my son, he rolled his car five times on the way home."

"Yeah. I'm under a lot of stress," she said in response to her friends' shocked faces. The former Broadway star explained that it was snowing in Pasadena, California when Zizzo's accident occurred.

At the time, Girardi didn't have any further details to share and, out of respect for her son's privacy, didn't reveal the status of his condition.

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