10 Housewives We Love To Hate

Okay, let's be honest: most of us aren't exactly proud to love the Real Housewives of Bravo in all of their messy glory, but lord knows we do. Oh, we really, really do. While franchise staples like Lisa Vanderpump and Bethenny Frankel keep us entertained with their pithy one liners, quiet manipulation, and mini ponies, it's really the less likable villains of the housewives underbelly who keep us tuning in week after week. The pot needs to be stirred, tables need to be flipped, and people need to be called out when they're being, all, “uncool”, and it's these brave women who aren't afraid to put their dignity aside to make it all happen for us. From the unintelligible ramblings of Teresa Giudice attempting to make a point, to the jaw-dropping pretension that is Luann De Lesseps, these ladies possess that certain je ne sais quoi that has us simultaneously cringing in disgust and itching for more.

(Unnecessary note: No cast members from Potomac were considered for this list because it's best we all pretend it never happened.)

10 Kelly Bensimon

If you're on your morning commute in Manhattan and you catch a scantily clad woman running down the middle of a busy street, there's no need to call for help, it's just Kelly Bensimon going for her usual mid-traffic jog. She's vehemently against eating processed food, but gummy bears are her favorite; she'll invite you to her party, just don't expect her to be there. This gorgeous former model really just wants everything to be rainbows and unicorns, and would appreciate it if you stop trying to get her to “make sense” or “be rational” because she has much more important things to worry about-like staying as far away from Scary Island as possible.

9 Teresa Giudice

In the beginning she warmed our hearts with her sweet demeanor and unassuming ignorance. We all smiled when she'd make up word after word while trying to string together basic sentences-it was endearing. But in time Teresa let us know that if you toy with her, you best be prepared to have your table flipped in a public restaurant and be bad-mouthed by her ghostwriter. We watched her rise to the top in a brand new house because she thinks used houses are “gross”, and fall hard into prison because she signs things she doesn't understand, but when Teresa made her triumphant return in a one-on-one with Andy Cohen while inadvertently (and amazingly!) donning an orange jumpsuit, she let us know just how much she's been missed. Welcome back to the free world, Teresa. We sure have missed you.

8 Luann De Lesseps

Oh, Luann… It's okay if I call you Luann, isn't it? I'm not your chauffeur, so I figured you'd be fine with it. Oh yes, The Countess was pretty insufferable when we met her during season one of Real Housewives of New York with her constant judgment, incessant etiquette speak, and self-proclaimed authority on all things class. But since The Count served her up a big piece of humble pie garnished with divorce papers, we've gotten to see a whole new, cooler side of Luann. In fact, she's the new authority on chill, imploring everyone to just relax and “be cool. Don't be all, uncool.” Will do, Luann. Will do.

7 Camille Grammer

Humility by way of divorce has been a running theme of the housewives franchise, but no housewife has made a greater transformation on the post-divorce likability scale than Camille Grammer. After Kelsey flew the coop for a younger chick, we watched Camille transform from an astoundingly arrogant, braggadocios, and self-entitled snob, to *gasp* something quite tolerable. I have no idea how she did it, but I do know that every public relations firm in the country would be well served to take a page from this psychic-lovin' beauty's book. But even if Camille didn't win over our hearts, she'd still be laughing all the way to the bank, cashing Trump checks from her 8-figure divorce settlement.

6 Danielle Staub

A gift to reality television fans around the world, Danielle Staub brings it every time. A true villain in every sense of the word, this unstable star let us know that crazy never goes quietly. Whether she's berating her online lover, GucciModel, via voicemail for standing her up, or defending her honor over her shady Colombian drug dealing past to a group of adults and children, Danielle never ceases to bring us all of the crazy we never knew we needed. A peculiar blend of arrogant strength and hopeless victim, you never know what you're going to get with her, and I for one would like to see more. (I'm lookin' at you, Andy Cohen.)

5 Jill Zarin

Her voice is grating, her style is tacky, and her opinions are skewed, but a true Bravo fan knows that it's the original gangsta, Jill Zarin, that first put the Real Housewives of New York on the map. Sure, she talks trash about anyone she's jealous of (which is everyone) in stunningly transparent attempts to stay relevant. And yeah, her home decor looks like a gay club threw up all over everything. But when I watch old reruns of her and her “underdog” former bestie, Bethenny, curled up together in Jill's bed gossiping and bantering in their nasally New York accents, I can't help but miss this beautiful desperate spirit.

4 Ramona Singer

Walking catwalks with a better impression of a deer in headlights than a deer in headlights, Ramona's wide-eyed stare has brought her to reality TV fame and plenty of entertainment to our hearts. Promising everyone that she's renewed herself at the start of every season, we can never be too sure about which Ramona we're going to see. Will it be the attack dog that bites male intruders like Simon van Kampen for crashing an all girls dinner, or will it be the fun-loving Turtle Time-having “Cameron Diaz lookalike” who just wants everyone to get along and have a good time? There's no way of knowing, and that's exactly what makes our beloved Ramona so special.

3 Gretchen Rossi

Gretchen bounced onto our television sets with a big goofy laugh and the bubbly personality that surely drew her elderly fiancé, Jeff (RIP), to adorn her with diamonds and a sparkly pink motorcycle. We rooted for Gretchen when Tamra and Vicki went full mean girl on her, and even started to believe that she wasn't using Jeff for money. But after her fiancé passed away and soon after she began dating “comedian” and seasoned housewife sexer, Slade Smiley, we saw a much thirstier side of Gretchen. Whether she's peddling her Beau-TAY cosmetics or promoting her line of handbags, it's clear Gretchen is looking to go the Bethenny Frankel mogul route, and while of course that isn't going to happen, it's certainly fun to watch her try.

2 Kim Zolciak

She wears wigs because she 99% had cancer but actually didn't have cancer, or she wears wigs because she loves the look even though the hair underneath is full and luxurious; we have no way of knowing, and we don't care! Thanks to Kim Zolciak, the world has hits like 'Don't Be Tardy For The Party' and' The Ring Don't Mean A Thing', during which, if you really strain your ears, you might be able to hear her raspy voice cultivated by cigarettes and wine crooning through the auto-tune. Tell her she's pretty, and she'll be your best friend for life-but take it from Sheree: you most definitely don't want to “shift” her wig.

1 Vicki Gunvalson

Woohoo!! Her unmistakable squeal can be heard for miles when she's having fun, rivaled only by the feral shrieks that spill from her mouth when she's upset--don't you DARE send her “a little family van to pick up six people!” A polarizing character to be sure, Vicki is one part hard worker and all parts crazy. She might have knowingly dated and defended a man who faked cancer and drained all of her friends and resources, but if it weren't for this OG of the OC, the love tanks of Bravo watchers everywhere would surely be depleted.