When Carlton Gebbia decided to join the cast of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” she sat down with her two daughters to watch a few episodes of the shameless reality show. Having never watched reality TV prior to this intimate screening, Gebbia’s toes began to curl with every outrageous comment and fake smile that flashed on the screen. The London-bred, former actress may have a net worth somewhere around $50 million but, if you ask her, the Rob Zombie-listening, Wicca-practicing mother of three is not your typical Beverly Hills housewife.
Did you ever have any reservations about putting your family on TV?
Oh definitely! I did toy with the idea of not doing it. I sat down with my husband and kiddies and hashed things out. I told them, ‘You know there will probably moments that you will see on TV, or hear about, where I behave badly or make mistakes, but I will not have any regrets about it because it’s my reality and I will be OK with that.’ I wanted them to be assured that it wouldn’t be that detrimental, but it’s going to be my life.
Can you reflect on any particular moments, where now you think, ‘Hmm maybe I shouldn’t have said that?’ or ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have acted that way?’
A couple moments were shot where I had gone out the night before with my husband and friends and drank too much. So I’m not looking too pretty the next day. I can’t get away with bloody drinking, it just doesn’t go well with me.There’s also this one moment where I say something, and this is one moment, but I say something to Joyce, which probably shouldn’t have been said. I did feel like she was trying to engage me, and I just didn’t appreciate it.
There’s a moment in the season four trailer where Kyle Richards obviously rattles you with a comment she makes about you being a witch…
That clip was the culmination of a whole series of insults, disrespectful behavior and bigotry that she hides behind her incessant laugh. It wasn’t just that moment that everything exploded; it was a gradual process of signals that I kept getting from her.
So tell me about your faith, are you a witch?
I am a sole practitioner pagan witch. My grandmother was a Pagan, I’ve been brought up in that lifestyle. I practice witchcraft. My faith has taken traditions from Wicca that I have individualized for myself. I don’t live a Wiccan lifestyle, but you will see a lot of similarities. And let me tell you, it’s one of the most harmonious religions out there. It’s all connected and revolves around Mother Earth and having respect for the universe.
Did you ever feel berated by the other women for your beliefs?
I felt like I had to defend it, which I didn’t appreciate. It gets me emotional just because I know what a beautiful faith it is, and it’s not a dark faith at all. However, with every religion you’re going to have the two fights. There is a light and there is a dark. I think that every single religion could coexist. But people like Kyle [Richards], they are the ones that start these bloody religious wars. Because they are closed-minded.This is the funny thing, she makes a very dumb error about my religion compared to hers, and you’ll see it on the show. It just shows me, that even with her own faith, there’s a lack of respect for that. She wouldn’t have gotten confused, like she does in this situation. She’s just very hollow to me, I don’t find anything authentic about her, and if you don’t like me, I’m OK with that, don’t smile at me and say s— behind my back.
Is Kim Richards as crazy and out of it as she has appeared in prior seasons of the show?
(Laughs) I had a really great time with her in Palm Springs. We take the tram up the mountain and we’re both in our element, feeding these wild squirrels. They were running all over us. Then she does a gesture while were waiting for the tram ride to go down, where she basically is in a very spiritual moment with herself and just wants to say thank you. So she just gets down on her knees and gives thanks. It was a very odd place to get down your knees, but I guess that’s Kim. I like her.
You’re pretty involved on Twitter, are there any famous people you particularly love following?
I absolutely love music, so I can appreciate all genres, but I love Rob Zombie, I love Slash. I do follow Slash, I’m happy to call him a friend. His wife Taylor is the godmother of my son. Oh yes, and Sean from Slipknot.
The fourth season of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” premieres Monday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. on Bravo.
