“I have a theory that people were so upset about the show last season because it wasn’t fun and light and whatever escapism that they wanted, and they pinned it on me,” Leah said.

As to why, Leah added, “I have no idea, because I wanted to have fun but I couldn’t because we were talking about very serious things that were not my ideas to talk about, but if we’re talking about them, I’m going to act accordingly.”

More often than not, these “serious” conversations revolved around race, with Eboni—RHONY‘s first-ever Black Housewife—leading the charge.

“If we’re talking about racism, I’m not going to get up and get naked and throw tiki torches,” Leah added, referring to her now-famous scene in season 12. “I’m just not doing it.”

Leah was often one of Eboni’s few supportive castmates on the show, and at one point called out fans who were quick to criticize the first-time Housewife for daring to try and educate her co-stars. “ps. I see all you bravo fan accounts that were bashing bravo for not having a diverse NYC cast but now mad that race is being discussed,” Leah wrote on Instagram last July. “Hard conversations are being had and none of us are doing it perfectly. That includes ALL of us. But we are doing it.”