OnlyOnAOL: Why Lisa Vanderpump loves her provocative side

BY DONNA FREYDKIN

If you're looking for one word to describe Lisa Vanderpump, reserved doesn't come to mind.

The British entrepreneur, who stars on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and her hot-and-heavy spinoff "Vanderpump Rules," loves rose, diamonds, her eight dogs, her two kids, her sex object of a husband Ken Todd, and to bust out with memorable quips on the series, airing Tuesdays on Bravo.

Let's recall how she dubbed former costar Adrienne Maloof's shoe line the Maloof Hoof -- something that didn't go down as smoothly as Vanderpump's LVP Sangria.

"You can't ever forget we are doing a show. Of course I'm going to say something snarky. Of course I'm going to say something provocative," says Vanderpump. "I do have a sense of humor. I poke fun at our marriage."

Vanderpump is a busy lady: she owns numerous restaurants in Los Angeles, is active in LGBTQ causes, and is vociferously campaigning against the Lychee and Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China.

"For me this is barbaric and I'm doing everything in my power to stop this barbaric custom," says Vanderpump, who first became aware of what goes on in Yulin via Twitter. She doesn't mince words when talking about her passions.

"That's what makes reality fascinating, when you're open and honest. I'm not going to sign on for a television show and be guarded," she says.

She's filmed nearly 200 episodes. "Am I going to get it wrong sometimes? Of course I am," says Vanderpump. "You have to be transparent. Don't come into reality television if you've got something to hide. Otherwise you're going to be hurt. I went into it saying, 'Guess what? My husband and I have sex twice a year.' Of course I was joking. I went there having a laugh."

And then, there are the lewd and crude waiters and bartenders on "Vanderpump Rules," which airs Mondays. In a recent episode, the ladies tried on bikinis, and heart-shaped pasties were featured.

"They are a little risque at times. A lot of the show is tongue-in-cheek. It's right in the heart of pop culture. Of course I'm not proud of their actions but I'm proud of the show. It's very difficult to make a successful reality show nowadays," says Vanderpump.

She appreciates the fame she's earned being on both shows. "I don't want 'Housewives' to ever define me because honestly, there have been some negative connotations with that franchise. It has documented a lot of my life," she says. "It's seen me open up new businesses. It's drawn attention to things that are important to me. It's given me a huge opportunity, a platform to speak about things that I'm passionate about."