“Real Housewives of Dubai” star Sara Al Madani believes co-star Chanel Ayan is using her past “traumas” to excuse her “bad” behavior.
On Wednesday’s episode of the Bravo series, Ayan – who is of Somali and Ethiopian descent – revealed that she was forced to undergo genital mutilation at the age of 5.
She later called Al Madani — who has an honorary doctorate in business leadership and women’s empowerment — “full of herself” after the latter told the former, “It’s never too late to be like me.”
The comment “shocked” the United Arab Emirates resident, who told Us Weekly on Thursday that her statement was prefaced with Ayan’s off-camera compliment to the tune of, “I like the way you speak and wish I could be on a day could be like you, but it’s too late.”
Al Madani, 36, told the outlet: “For her to take that story and victimize herself? I mean, we’ve all been through trauma in life, but that doesn’t excuse us for hurting people in a bad way.” treat or behave in a certain way.”
“Because maturity is figuring out what your problems are and solving them and helping yourself,” she continued. “It’s not mistreating people and saying, ‘Hey, I’m traumatized.'”
The single mother of one added that she feels she has “crossed a river” for the model, 44, who she believes would “not even cross a puddle” in return.
“I was a shoulder for Ayan to cry on, I was the person she turned to for advice… I’ve done so much for Ayan,” she said. “I was always by her side and I got her back. So I felt like we were building a friendship.
“And when I watched the show, I thought, ‘Wait a minute, that’s insane! I’m not preachy. You call me [for advice]. You have a question, and I deliver. Why don’t I recommend Nina? [Ali] or Lesa [Milan] on the show? It’s because they never came to me for advice. You did. [Caroline] Brooks does.’”