Image via Complex Original
What good reality TV shows lack in, well, reality, they make up for in compelling drama. The quickest, most effective (and not to mention the
most entertaining) way to create some, and to make stars of people, is by having two or more female cast
members get into a physical altercation. The more hair-pulling, nail-scratching, and face-slapping, the
better.
For your viewing pleasure (and
ours, because it took hours to compile just the right clips!) we've
determined who really are the best of the best badass bitches. From subtle death stares to full-on
fist fights, call it the créme de la créme of trash television.
Excited? You should be. Without further ado, here are The 15 Best Female Reality Show Fighters...
Ayanna Mackins
15. Ayanna Mackins
Show: Road Rules: Semester At Sea (1999)
Poor Ayanna. First, she's accused of voodoo by a fellow cast member, and then she finds out that a paper she wrote may have been plagiarized by a girl she hates. Tough break. But, luckily, Ayanna isn't one to just take that shit, and, almost like a true veteran of reality television, opts for confrontation to solve all of her problems.
In this instance, after reading Veronica's paper and noting the striking similarities between it and her own paper on the same subject, she goes to Veronica and asks her what's what. Really, really loudly.
Though it's never actually proven if Veronica plagiarized or not, she reacts like a guilty party and refuses to read the paper out loud because she "doesn't have to read it at all," and "knows it's her paper." Per Ayanna's heated requesthe even, swears that it's her paper as God is her witness! This still isn't enough for our girl A, though, as she then proceeds to run down the hallway to slip the paper under the dean's door, with Veronica chasing and screaming after her. Classic.
Nene Leakes
14. Nene Leakes
Show: The Real Housewives of Atlanta (2010)
Though it’s really just a screaming match, NeNe’s fight with Dwight Eubanks is still entertaining as hell, even without context. Nene’s methods of intimidation and arguing certainly more than enough make up for knowing why the hell she's so upset. But, since we’re nice, we’ll give you some context anyway: NeNe has just heard that her husband, Gregg, borrowed about $10,000 from Dwight, but Dwight is claiming it was only about $500—the sums are so different that someone is clearly lying.
And because this is reality TV, instead of settling this with calm discussion, Nene chooses to settle this in the loudest, most physical way possible. And we really wouldn’t have it any other way. Get it, girl!
Tanisha Thomas
13. Tanisha Thomas
Show: Bad Girl’s Club (2007)
Tanisha Thomas perfectly illustrates what Bad Girl's Club is all about. She had fights with essentially everyone on the show, mostly about ridiculous shit, she talked big ("I'll send you home in a body bag!" is an actual quote), and she overreacted at practically the drop of a pin.
While we can't say much to defend half the shit she gets herself in to, it's still all pretty fucking hilarious, which is what truly matters in the end. Plus, we have to give her points because she's pretty crafty with what she'll use to defend herself: plastic hangers. Who would've thought!
Omarosa
12. Omarosa
Show: Celebrity Apprentice (2004)
Omarosa is best known for her time spent on Donald Trump’s The Celebrity Apprentice during its glory days, but it’s this 2008 fight with talk show host Wendy Williams that really stands out from all of her boardroom death glares. It starts out innocently enough, with Omarosa appearing on Williams’ show to promote her book about women and success in the workplace. Williams comments that, occasionally, Omarosa can come off as an “angry black woman,” to which Omarosa responds that she’d rather be an “ABW” than a "buffoon.”
It’s then that Omarosa practically takes over the conversation, making a few good points—this is important, you always have to look like the smarter one in a fight—laced with subtle insults directed at Williams before they manage to fall into a pleasant mode of conversation again. That is, until Omarosa asks, with a look of genuine interest, “Did you have a nose job? It looks like you had a nose job!” Just goes to show how hard you can really hit a person without actually, you know, hitting them. Bravo.
Pumkin
11. Pumkin
Show: Flavor of Love (2006)
Pumkin earned her place on this list by doing exactly what we're sure many people sort of wish they could do to Tiffany “New York” Pollard” (see above clip). It’s a ballsy move, but since she’d just been eliminated moments before we’re pretty sure she didn’t give a shit about the consequences. Nothing to lose, nothing to gain! And hey, if anything, the girl knew how to make an exit—we’re sure she wasn’t forgotten any time soon, despite her absence. Gotta make them remember you somehow.
Kyle Richards
10. Kyle Richards
Show: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (2011)
We actually feel kind of sorry for Kyle Richards when we think about the circumstances of this fight, so there’s not much to applaud other than the fact that you have to admit she knows how to hit 'em where it hurts. While in a limo with her sister, Kim Richards, Kyle gets into a bit of a tiff with her and ends up exclaiming that Kim is an alcoholic, while Kim stares on like a lost puppy who's just been kicked or something. “You are an alcoholic! That’s right, I said it. Now everybody knows!" As a side note, apparently, Kyle’s fight may have done some good—Kim checked into a short stint at rehab not too long after this.
Tami Roman
9. Tami Roman
Show: Basketball Wives (2011)
When Evelyn Lozada told Tami Roman that she slept with her ex-husband, Tami was understandably pretty pissed. While violence is never the answer in real life, it's always the answer on reality TV, so of course Tami attacked Evelyn. It was a pretty short fight, really, broken up before it could actually go anywhere, but Tami gets major points for what she says about the fight later: "I have never, in my 40 years of being on this earth, allowed anyone to disrespect me." Those fueled by pride can be even stronger than those fueled by revenge—they have more to defend and lose.
Sharon Osbourne
8. Sharon Osbourne
Show: Rock of Love’s Charm School with Sharon Osbourne (2008)
It isn’t often that the actual host of a show gets into a fight with one of the cast members, but Sharon Osbourne apparently didn’t get that memo. To Sharon’s credit, this Megan chick really should have known better than to insult Ozzy to Sharon’s face. So, once Megan does that, like the fierce bitch Sharon is, she proceeds to show her exactly whose show it really is—with strategy and all! Pretending to have a drink of water before spinning around and tossing it at the opponent before they can even blink? It's genius.
“They can fuck with me, I don’t give a shit…” Sharon declares after Megan is dragged off stage by security, “but not my family.” Trust. The clip makes it look like Sharon practically Carrie’s her (you know, pigs blood, that whole shtick), but it’s really just a glass of water. Hilarious all the same.
Ashley Holmes
7. Ashley Holmes
Show: The Real Housewives of New Jersey (2010)
When Ashley Holmes hears that now-former NJ cast member Danielle Staub may have disrespected her mother, Jacqueline Laurita, she storms out to where Danielle is and yanks at her hair—effectively puling out a handful of Danielle's brunette extensions. Cringe. Then, upon returning to a party (while Danielle rushes off to call the police in the back of a car), Ashley laughs it off as if she casually bumped into Danielle or something. For someone so young, we have to say, she's got the whole "acting-unfazed-after-a-major-fight" thing on lock. Never show your weakness!
Vanessa Romanelli
6. Vanessa Romanelli
Show: A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila (2007)
The logic here is a bit flawed: Obviously, Vanessa is heartbroken over the fact that Tila Tequila chooses Brandi over her, but attempting to bash Brandi’s face in isn’t going to make Tila want Vanessa again. Psycho is not sexy...but it does make great reality TV, where logic doesn't apply. This scene made for a pretty shocking end to what was otherwise a rather boring dating series, and that's all we care about. Love does make you do the crazy!
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
5. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi
Show: Jersey Shore (2010)
Don’t let her size fool you—Snooki is a force to be reckoned with. Though she hasn’t been involved in many fights while on Jersey Shore, those that she has been involved in are rather epic—the most memorable being the one with consistently hated cast member, Angelina. How were we sure that Snooki would be able to hold her in in a battle like this? The mark of a seasoned fighter: “OK. Hold my earrings, please,” Snooki declares, just before pouncing on Angelina. Yeah, all bets were off after that.
Teresa Giudice
4. Teresa Giudice
Show: The Real Housewives of New Jersey (2009)
Teresa Giudice kind of scares us sometimes, so you know that means she always makes for great entertainment on the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Back when the show was just starting out, this unforgettable “table-flipping” scene reeled in just the right amount of publicity to attract droves to watch week after week, which is ultimately the goal in televising scenes like this. So, in that sense, job well done.
It's become one of the most recognizable clips of not only the series, but the whole Real Housewives franchise itself, immortalizing her as, well, that chick who flipped a table over. She’s managed to sufficiently impress and intimidate us at the same time! Normally she seems like a pretty nice gal, though, just so long as you remember…her house isn’t in foreclosure.
Jenni "JWoww" Farley
3. Jenni “JWoww” Farley
Show: Jersey Shore (2010)
JWoww is one of those people who literally takes shit from no one. She's only had two fights televised while on Jersey Shore—both with so-called Sammi “Sweetheart”—but neither has disappointed. As you can see, she gets the upper hand in a fight and then it doesn’t end until she says it does, which is admirable and makes for some awfully great scenes. For instance, let’s not forget that time in the first season where she punched The Situation in the face twice before calmly walking away and saying, “Goodnight.” Can it get any more BAMF?
Drita D'Avanzo
2. Drita D’Avanzo
Show: Mob Wives (2011)
She may be trying to move away from the fighting in her life, but there’s no denying that Mob Wives star Drita D’Avanzo can easily hold her own in a confrontation. This is displayed quite often on the show, as by now she’s pretty much gotten into some sort of fight with every other cast member.
Her most memorable (and intense) struggle is the one above from the season one finale, where she takes on Karen Gravano after they exchange a few choice words about Drita’s current husband, who happens to be Karen’s ex-boyfriend. While some only talk big, Drita actually follows up on what she’s threatening—a thought both scary and admirable, really.
Florina "Flo" Kaja
1. Florina "Flo" Kaja
Show: The Bad Girl's Club (2009)
We gotta admit, it was a tough choice to pick a number one for this list, but the second we saw Flo literally hop to smack down Amber after being pushed in the pool and hurting her ankle, we were sold. And then when Flo grabbed Amber by the hair and, also literally, tossed her across the patio, we were a little scared. But also riveted, because revenge is apparently a dish best served with her fist.
Most of the cast members in this show ended up fighting each other at some point, yes, but no one showed as much dedication to it as Flo did here did when she figured it would be logical to ignore her broken or sprained ankle and instead risk more injuries by hopping and waddling over to the girl who pushed her in the pool and caused her ankle injury in the first place. It's the stuff Jack Bauer's dreams are made of.