Kelly Dodd is once again at the center of a social media firestorm.
But this time, a plastic surgeon is not backing down.
Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa responded strongly to the former Real Housewives of Orange County star. This came after Kelly reportedly threatened to sue her for defamation. The feud intensified when Kelly defended Jill Zarin’s Super Bowl comments. Now the situation has spiraled into accusations of racism, narcissism, and legal threats.
And Dr. Dhivya says she is not intimidated.
RHOC: “That’s Not Defamation”
In a pointed Instagram video, Dr. Dhivya broke down what she says Kelly does not understand.
“The reason I harp so much on words is because words carry meaning,” she began.
She then introduced her “Word of the Day.”
“Defamation,” she said. “It’ll be so fun to talk about what defamation actually is. I’ll tell you what it’s not. If you’re sad that you’re losing business for things that you did and are true, that’s not called defamation. It’s called accountability.”
She stressed one key point.
“For it to be defamation, first of all, it would have to be untrue.”
Dr. Dhivya played clips of Kelly. In them, Kelly accused her of defamation. She claimed Dr. Dhivya falsely said she takes benzodiazepines.
In other clips, Kelly talked about taking Xanax. She also showed a bottle of Lorazepam, which is in the same category.
“You can sue anybody,” Dr. Dhivya continued. “Although good lawyers would tell you that you don’t have a case, you can find someone to take your money.”
RHOC: Calling Out the Name Calling
The back and forth escalated when Kelly labeled Dr. Dhivya a “fake” plastic surgeon and told her to “get a job.”
Dr. Dhivya responded by outlining her credentials.
She described herself as a “double board-certified fellowship-trained microvascular reconstructive surgeon for women with breast cancer.”
She also addressed Kelly’s claim that doctors should stay silent under the Hippocratic Oath.
“There is actually no clause within the Hippocratic Oath that we cannot call out racist bigots online,” she said.
At one point, she turned the accusation around.
“If someone says something about you that’s true and it challenges your inflated sense of self, your deep need for admiration, your complete void of empathy for others, the word is not defamation. The word is narcissist.”
She added that a therapist, not a lawyer, might be more helpful.
Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa calls Kelly Dodd out for her racist rants against her. She responds directly, and it is a must watch. Kelly Dodd looks like a fool, and it is satisfying to watch her get called out. pic.twitter.com/90WMwBCSaH
— Bye Wig Hello Drama (@HousewivesHub) February 15, 2026
RHOC: How It Started
The drama started when Kelly backed Jill Zarin. This came after Jill faced backlash for her comments about the Super Bowl halftime show.
Dr. Dhivya strongly disagreed with Kelly’s defense and criticized both women.
Kelly reacted strongly online. She told the surgeon to “get a job” and questioned her professional status. She also reportedly threatened legal action after losing brand deals.
Dr. Dhivya dismissed the threat.
“You’re going to sue me, Kelly? For what?” she asked. “Those are your words. Your videos.”
RHOC: Old Controversies Resurface
The feud also reignited past controversies surrounding Kelly.
She has faced criticism over the years for comments about race. This includes a video from 2016 and her “Drunk Wives Matter” hat from 2020. She has defended herself by mentioning her mixed heritage. She says racism accusations trigger her.
But critics argue that defending problematic statements only adds fuel to the fire.
Even Tamra Judge weighed in online, appearing entertained by the doctor’s responses.
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