Kelly Dodd Reflects on Being 'Blindsided' by RHOC Exit: 'Ultimately I Got Fired Because of Myself'

Kelly Dodd has a few ideas as to why she wasn't invited back for another season of Real Housewives of Orange County.

While appearing on SiriusXM's Jeff Lewis Live this week alongside husband Rick Leventhal, Dodd claimed she was "blindsided" by her exit from the Bravo reality show. PEOPLE previously reported that the controversial cast member, along with Braunwyn Windham-Burke and Elizabeth Lyn Vargas, will not return for the forthcoming season 16. Dodd said she got the call from producers the day the news broke.

"I said, 'Well, why? Was it political?' and he said, 'No. Bravo wanted to take a different direction than you,'" she said.

Leventhal, whom Dodd married in October, added, "There's no one more popular than her. Even if people hate her, they love to hate her. They love to watch her. She was the brightest spark on that show. I have to say, when that phone call came I was very surprised because even though she's so controversial, she's still great television."

Dodd then said she has "die-hard fans" who adore her, as well as "this little group of people that are the cancel culture who hate me." Calling this segment the "woke broke," she said her detractors are the "loud ones" who "love to hate me."

RELATED: Kelly Dodd Says It's Braunwyn Windham-Burke's 'Fault' They're Not Returning to RHOC

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Lewis, 51, also asked Dodd if the decision could have been "personal" and whether she had "insult[ed] any executives" — to which Dodd said she did.

"I did," she said, adding, "Listen, ultimately I got fired because of myself. I'm the one who got myself fired. I was like Howard Stern with WNBC. I had the executives calling me, and Emily's like, 'Who are they?' and I'm like, well, they know me! I know them! But I was causing them a lot of grief. I was causing them a lot of trouble."

"And, you know, I'm sorry about that. I feel bad," said Dodd.

In December, Dodd apologized on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen for saying that the COVID-19 public health crisis was "God's way of thinning the herd." She admitted that she regretted the social media comment.

"It was a stupid thing for me to say. It was insensitive and I apologize if I hurt or offended anybody, 'cause that wasn't really my intention. I got freaked out about it and in hindsight, it was the stupidest thing I've ever said," she said at the time.

Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Kelly Dodd

Reacting to news of her RHOC exit earlier this month, Dodd, who joined the show in season 11, spoke out on Twitter, thanking her fans for their support. "The last five years have been an amazing experience. The next five years will be even better," she wrote. "I am so grateful for all the love and support and so excited about the future #RHOC."

She continued a tirade on Instagram, however, blaming costar Windham-Burke for getting them both taken off the show.

"This was your fault," Dodd texted to Windham-Burke in screenshots she shared on Instagram. "We'd still be on the show if you didn't make things so dark and ugly and brought all that political 'woke' BS. Your lies about me, calling me a racist and a homophobe were horribly destructive and your phony storylines didn't help either."

Windham-Burke, who has been open about both her sobriety journey and her sexuality, replied, "Well, I'm still sober and still gay, like I said if you ever want to talk I'm here."