This is getting so much attention that I had to highlight it in a post of its own. And remember, she's not crazy (no disrespect to Al Sharpton, of course):
On last night's Real Housewives of NYC, Kelly and Sonja took a stroll on the beach to talk about Ramona, when Kelly decided the time to talk about Ramona was over and the time to make "sand angels" while your dog licks your face was just beginning.
Kelly actually does that every time she wants to avoid a conversation. So don't bring up a contentious topic with her when you're driving on the freeway unless you want to see how a "cement angel" can create a 17-car pile up and about a dozen real angels.
This week’s episode of The Real Housewives of New York City was dubbed “Ramona’d” by Bravo, but it would have been more appropriately titled “Blondes Who Need Muzzles.” Sonja Morgan and Ramona Singer were like two little out-of-control yapping dogs biting at people all night.
The first part of the show was a blur because Sonja would not shut up, and I couldn't hear a lot of what was being said about invites and missed invites and the problem with Quogue. Especially when speaking with Cindy Barshop, she wouldn’t let her string more than two words together without interrupting her, usually with an insult. The woman has no filter and big lungs because she doesn’t pause for a breath as she rambles/mumbles.
One thing I was able to make out was that she’s “really well known” for breaking the ice between people. If you remember a few weeks ago, she also proclaimed herself to be “such a great gay icon.” Apparently her talents are known far and wide ... at least to her. Anyway, this week she was determined to do some ice breaking between Kelly Bensimon and Ramona via a surprise attack while Kelly’s kids were present. Brilliant ... not!
Cindy at least had the sense to warn Kelly and tell her not to bring her kids, which was a cool move on her part, but it’s totally going to come back and bite her in the ass because Kelly then confronted Sonja about it and told her in no uncertain terms that it wouldn’t be happening. Stay tuned for Sonja to freak out on Cindy for daring to step on her toes.
Just when it seemed Sonja was going to monopolize the episode with her bad behavior, in waltzed Ramona demanding Pinot Grigio here, insulting people there, and wearing one of the ugliest maroon-colored tracksuits I’ve ever seen.
At Cindy’s birthday party that wasn’t a birthday party in the very unfashionable town of Quogue (which Sonja wouldn’t stoop to enter), Ramona was out of control. LuAnn de Lesseps coined an awesome term for her behavior: “Pinot Polar.” She said when Ramona drinks, you never know what you’re going to get. Cindy and her party guests got Ramona the psycho drunk.
Slowly but surely the Real Housewives of New Jersey are returning to the spotlight, and tomorrow night Teresa Giudice and her family are coming out for a good cause.
Three of Giudice's daughters will be modeling in a children's fashion show for Stage Left, in Franklin Lakes. The show benefits the March of Dimes and guests are requested to make a donation at the door. There will also be cocktails and light hors d'oeuvre from Hoboken's own Anthony David's. To RSVP please contact info@stageleftusa.com
On May 10th, Montclair State University will host their fifth annual College of the Arts fashion show on campus at Kasser Theater. Featuring the graduate collections of the school's senior fashion studies majors, the show is entirely produced, styled, designed, modeled and directed by the students. To celebrate the students' work, there will be a special performance from The Fugees' Wyclef Jean.
To purchase $10 advance tickets contact Grace Napoleon at glnapoleon@gmail.com, there will be no ticket sales at the door.
Terrific article on the Real Housewives of New York City from NYmag.com:
LuAnn de Lesseps
Why She Thinks She's Classy: -Has branded herself that way through many forms of media, including her book and her dance single, “Money Can’t Buy You Class.” -Appears to believe in an osmosis-type superiority that results from partnering with Europeans, as evidenced by her aristocratic ex-husband, a Count who gave LuAnn the title she will never relinquish, even in death, and current boyfriend Jacques, a French David Schwimmer look-alike in the wine distribution business. -Is against discussing pubic hairstyles, even in a friend’s private spa [see: Cindy Barshop].
Why She Might Not Actually Be Classy: -Wrote a book stating class is the art of being yourself, then later admitted that she wasn’t “being herself” because she didn’t actually write it. -Clings to pretentious Countess title, although it has not officially been recognized by anyone in the royal family. -Is completely unaware when she’s being condescending toward others, as shown in the episode when she made a classroom of inner city girls sit through a reading of “her” book, and in every episode when she moans out at least a couple of “Dahhhhling”s. -Seems to wear excessively large turquoise jewelry pieces for the express purpose of reminding everyone that she’s half Native American. -Tone-deaf dance single and accompanying video.
Jill Zarin
Why She Thinks She's Classy: -Co-runs the oft-mentioned Zarin Fabric Warehouse, which only carries the best of the best, and also “runs in a fabulous circle of people” — her tagline during the opening credits of seasons 1-3. -Has now changed her tagline to “Good or bad, I know who I am, and I own it,” which speaks again to the Countess-endorsed art of being yourself. -Enjoys taking the less fortunate under her wing, meaning friends who are going through a sad sack period or who are currently without husbands. -Is a loyal wife to mensch Bobby, a gem who reflects well on her. -Spearheaded an expensive redecoration of her Upper East Side apartment that landed it the cover of Traditional Home magazine.
Why She Might Not Actually Be Classy: -Says she knows who she is and owns it, but continually has no idea when she’s being awful and then denies culpability. -Appears to begrudge the successes (both financial and emotional) of friends once they emerge from their sad sack periods. -One of the biggest shit talkers on the show, also has a habit of aggressively probing into details of the others lives, most recently when she met housewife Cindy Barshop for the first time and immediately began pressing Cindy about why she has infant twins when she’s clearly old and single. -Made sending her daughter to fat camp part of her own story arc. -Related: Launched a line of body shapes for young girls called “Skweez.”
Ramona Singer
Why She Thinks She's Classy:
-Prides herself on being an independent businesswoman and received the “Celebrity Entrepreneur of the Year” award in recognition of her clothing resale company; also has a line of skincare products, HSN jewelry, and Ramona brand Pinot Grigio.
-Designs and sells faith-based jewelry with husband Mario.
-Is happily married, but extremely vocal about the fact that she will never rely on a man for his money.
-Tends to be instinctively true to herself (especially when breaking into dance) and makes a sincere effort to be true with others, going so far as to tell housewife Alex’s husband Simon that she found him creepy, then openly retracting that statement after he grew on her like a fungus. -Named her daughter Avery.
Why She Might Not Actually Be Classy:
-Pushes a faith-based jewelry line that she insists is about faith, when it’s really about making money.
-Unlike Jill Zarin, does very little talking behind her girlfriends’ backs, but does a fair amount of shit talking to their faces.
-Along the same lines, conducts extremely inappropriate employee interviews, telling one young woman — fresh out of college — that she needed to do something about her acne and then handed her a Ramona skincare product.
-Recognized by the other women as something of a spaz, especially when she gets a little Pinot in her.
Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino is no stranger to living a lavish lifestyle, so it should come as no surprise that she’s excited for the Royal Wedding!
Celebuzz chatted with the 34-year-old reality star turned fashion designer about everything from how she deals with negativity in the press, growing a “thick skin” during her second season of the Bravo show and the current relationship standings with all the other housewives:
The Royal Wedding is coming up – are you preparing anything or doing anything fun? I’m not preparing anything, but I’m really excited about it. I’m going to drag my husband to watch it. [laughs]
What are you most excited about for the wedding? I love everything about it. It’s so formal and elegant, and I love seeing the parade. I love the different presentations for it. I can’t wait to see her dress. It’s just all so exciting!
Do you remember anything from when Princess Diana’s wedding was going on? I was pretty young during that time so I don’t really remember it.
On the show, you have the Alexis Couture fashion line. How is that going? It’s going great! The episode you guys get to see it on has the photo shoot for it, so you’ll get to see the different styles. I also wear stuff on the show. I followed something that I was passion about and got someone on board with me, so I made it happen.
Is a lot of your personal style reflected in the collection? A lot of it is. I got out of my box a little bit for some of it because I do have a partner that I’m working with. We incorporated a few pieces that aren’t my fashion but that I still love. The goal was to make it so that we have at least two pieces that every woman can wear.
What three words would you use to describe your own personal style? Trendy, edgy, and girly. Very Sex & the City.
You’ve been on the show now for a couple of years. It what ways has your life changed since starting the show? It’s changed a lot in the fact that when I first came on the show I was kind of naïve and thought I was going to be friends with everybody. After a season of seeing everyone’s true colors and seeing how reality television works, it put a bit of a twist for the second year. You second guess yourself more because you think about how other people will perceive it. I’ve also just decided that I need to take more risks. I was very timid and scared to be confrontational during the first year. I was worried about what America would think, but I realized people are going to have different opinions.
I have to admit I haven't been following NeNe's turn on "Celebrity Apprentice" so this is old news, but there's another update below. Of course, no one should be surprised at the news of NeNe fighting with somebody, but then too no one can say she's not an equal opportunity bully, white or black, at some point you will feel NeNe's wrath
The season of feuds continued on the most recent episode of “Celebrity Apprentice,” as NeNe Leakes lashed out at La Toya Jackson.
Leakes, who had plenty of reasons to be dissatisfied with Jackson’s flighty performance as project manager, let the barbs fly during the latest boardroom showdown but saved the best of her worst putdowns for later.
It was only after the women of Team ASAP learned they’d pulled off a lucky win that Leakes launched her full attack on Jackson.
“Don’t you try to act like you’re the reason that we won, because you are not,” the “Real Housewife” shouted. "I worked my ass off while you sat there looking like Casper the Ghost! OK? OK? Let's be clear. Let’s be clear, Casper. You've fooled a lot of people with this, but you have not fooled me. Be gone! Disappear, ghost!"
While Jackson refused to engage with the “bully” because they were “torn from different cloths,” the one-way silent treatment only gave Leakes more time to tell the singer just what she thought of her.
"The only reason you've gotten this far is because of your last name,” Leakes shouted, "and you've faked it for 50 years. You are very old, and you should act your age and not 12. You are an old lady."
Ouch! And Mark McGrath thought he had it tough when he was fired Sunday night.
'Real Housewives of Atlanta' star Kim Zolciak is preparing for the arrival of her baby boy but decided to throw an amazing baby shower before the big day arrives.
"I put so much time into making it perfect," Zolciak told Life & Style, giving them an inside look at the big bash. "I'm really happy."
Over 110 friends and family of the reality star, 32, and NFL boyfriend Kroy Biermann, 25, celebrated together at the over-the-top event, including fellow Atlanta 'Housewives' Phaedra Parks and Sheree Whitfield.
Zolciak said she wanted the party, which featured mini crab cakes and "baby boy" Oreo cookies, to be extra special for Biermann, her boyfriend of about a year.
"I really wanted the baby shower to be special for Kroy, this being his first baby -- and a boy," Zolciak, who is seven months pregnant, said.
Though the Bravo star has two daughters from a previous marriage, she admitted she's nervous about having her first son.
"I just don't know what to do with a boy -- I'm all girls!" she told Life & Style, on newsstands now. "But I hear the bond of a mother and son is like no other."
No way am I near being convinced that Crazy Kelly doesn't belong in a psycho ward, but give her credit when it's due (of course, that kid doesn't look too happy being held on to by a raving lunatic, but hey):
Cause Celeb highlights a celebrity’s work on behalf of a specific cause. This week, we speak with Kelly Bensimon, former model and star of Bravo TV’s "The Real Housewives of New York City," about her involvement with Generosity Water, an organization that works to provide clean water to people in developing countries. Bensimon recently returned from a trip with Generosity Water to Haiti.
Generosity Water’s goal is to set up wells in villages that are protected from contaminants and organize water committees to distribute and protect this water. So far the organization has installed 131 wells worldwide.
Bensimon, a Rockford, Ill., native, has two daughters with her ex-husband, fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon.
Interviewed By: Brittany Fuerstenberg
Q: Can you explain to us the goal of Generosity Water?
Bensimon: The goal of Generosity Water is simply to bring water to countries in need.
Q: You just returned from Haiti with Generosity Water. Did you have any memorable experiences while you were there that you’d like to share with us?
Bensimon: It was really unbelievable. One of the most important things that we have to remember when we visit a place like Haiti is that [in their] hierarchy of need, water is at the top. Close to 1 billion people don’t have access to clean water worldwide, and 3.5 million people die from water related illnesses every year. So basically, [if] you want to be a humanitarian and a build a hospital, you can’t [just] build a hospital if you’re not stopping the reason people are being [sent] there, like for water-related illnesses.
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But, one thing that really struck me was that in Haiti the government donated this plot of land, Canara, and they said, "listen, you know your homes have been devastated so we’re going to offer this land to you," but there was one problem: there was no water.
The wells in Haiti are more expensive than they are in other places because you have to dig deeper. The actual wells that are built in Haiti are $6,000 versus the normal $3,000. The most important thing to remember is people can survive weeks without food; they can only survive three days without water. When I saw young girls, 10-year-olds, walking around with 40 pounds of water on their heads that I couldn’t even carry, and they weren’t in school, I thought to myself: “No. You go to school. I’ll take care of your water.”
Listen up, pretty commoners. Countess LuAnn de Lesseps of The Real Housewives Of New York City has a few tips on how to land yourself a royal man. The auto-tone sensation behind “Money Can’t Buy You Class” shared with Popeater some helpful hints for those singletons looking to lock down a prince/king/earl/duke whathaveyou. If Catherine Middleton can do it, so can you!
It should be noted here that de Lessep’s title wasn’t officially given to our fair countess by France; it’s more of a nickname.
Are you ready for your lessons, plebes? Grab your pad and pencil and check out what de Lesseps has to say after the jump.
PHOTOS: 7 Fun Facts About The Royal Wedding
1. Travel. Instead of putting down money to go on a cruise (eww), take yourself on a trip somewhere different. Never been to Europe? Now’s the time.
2. “Step outside your comfort zone,” advises the countess. This will open you up to new people and new opportunities (and jewelry?).
3. The countess suggests knowing your history, as foreign men like their women “knowledgeable and quick.”
4. Apparently we American women “have less baggage” than our European sisters, so says the countess. By showcasing our carefree spirit, we’ll nab a royal in no time.
5. “You must be comfortable with who you are. Kate Middleton is a great example of a commoner who just has such good energy and is so positive,” the countess remarked. “That is really attractive to a royal.”
6. Act and carry oneself like a royal at all times. Even in my fatty sweatpants?
7. (This last one is questionable, but if I’m promised a mountain of diamonds at the end of my royal wait, then I’ll do the time) “Hang in there. We all know how long Kate waited for her prince to finally propose. These royal men take their sweet time.”
Season six of The Real Housewives of Orange County welcomes another blonde mama, Peggy Tanous. The 41-year old former model and now stay-at-home mom is a mix between a holistic, new age woman and a wealthy Orange County party girl. Along with bonding with her new OC gal-pals, Peggy will shine a light about her struggles with postpartum depression. The mom-of-two opened up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about her daughters - London, 3 1/2, and Capri, 21 months - whom she would "love to do some modeling," how she beat PPD, and what to expect from her role on Housewives.
CBS: Tell us about your role on The Real Housewives of Orange County. What can we expect from you on the show?
PT: "I'm a wife and stay-at-home mother of two, so I guess you can say I'm an actual housewife [laughs]! Before my babies, I was a full time TV host, spokesperson and model. You can expect to see me this season with my family a lot and getting back into my work. You will also see Tamra and I becoming great friends."
CBS: You are a former model and now stay-at-home mother of two. What is more challenging - being a mom or a model?
PT: "Being a stay-at-home mom is way more challenging than being a model. I think being a mom is a tougher job than any 9-5 job!"
CBS: You struggle with postpartum depression. Please tell us your experiences with PPD. How do you get through each day? What seems to help? Please tell us why you have chosen to publicly discuss your battle with PPD.
PT: "I had PPD really bad after I had my first daughter London, but didn't realize I had it and was in denial. Then my husband and his mother did an intervention. I started taking a natural supplement called SAMe that really helped. I knew I wanted two kids, but was afraid to have another one. We decided to try and figured it might take awhile. I got pregnant right away, but luckily was able to take the natural remedies throughout the pregnancy. I still had bad days, but when Capri was born it was a totally different feeling. I wasn't scared or fearful, rather happy and nurturing.
Talking about it helps and exercise also really helps. I try to take a lot of walks. I wanted to be open about my PPD on the show, as this show is centered mostly around drama and if I'm able to help people with what I dealt with I feel it makes it all worth it."
CBS: We hear you love holistic living, but you also love plastic surgery. Do you struggle with this dichotomy? Please tell us what work you have had done.
PT: "I don't love plastic surgery. A better way to say it is that I'm not opposed to plastic surgery if it makes you feel good about yourself. Holistic in my eyes is spelled with a 'W' meaning whole! Inside and outside my body. I put in holistic remedies and organic food, but I also do upkeep on the outside.
As far as actual plastic surgery, I've only had my boobs done. Plastic surgery is when they physically cut you. Now as far as other beauty regiments, I do Botox and have had my top lip injected with filler - That is it! I've had people ask about my chin and cheeks, but I'm very blessed to have my grandmas Danish bone structure."
“Real Housewives of New York City” star — and Simmons College alum — Jill Zarin was back in Boston yesterday to debate the pros and cons of being a reality TV star at the annual Simmons Leadership Conference at the World Trade Center.
Let’s see, Jill hates the “loss of privacy” that being a celebrity has brought her, but she does like to use her fame to do charity work, according to the live-streamed video of her speech on the Internet. Just in case you were wondering....
Over the weekend, Jill got the stare-down from “The Fighter” Mark Wahlberg, who is back in the Hub filming “Ted.”
The Bravo reality star, known for her nasal voice and brutally honest opinions, drove up to Wahlberg’s brother Paul’s Hingham restaurant, Alma Nove, and spotted Marky Mark climbing into his car.
“Pulled up to alma restaurant on water in hingham and mark wahlberg and I do stare down,” tweeted Zarin, who was in town with her hubby, Bobby. “I know u I know I know u! Dying!”
OK, we get that she knows him. But is Mark a big RHONY fan????
I guess with all the love that Tamra's been showing Eddie Judge this season, the revelation that she once had a bathroom tete-tate with Fernanda Rocha not too long ago is probably the reason the Brazilian chick didn't make it as a regular on the RHOOC this season. Consider too that they were both with "significant others" at the time and you're left with Tamra (and Fernanda) being pretty trashy. Tho' it was funny watching how cool Fernanda was telling Lynne that she and Tamra once shared a kiss right in front of that manly ex:
Obviously Fernanda doesn't think a kiss between friends who may or may not be attracted to one another is that big of a deal. Otherwise, there is no way she would have so casually brought up a kiss between her and Tamra with her ex standing right there. But she did on 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' (Sun., 10PM ET on Bravo).
Lynne was supposed to meet both Tamra and Fernanda at the health club, but when Tamra didn't show, the women found themselves talking about her. That's when Fernanda decided to reveal a little secret about their friend. Something she called a "silly moment."
According to Fernanda, Tamra followed her into a bathroom and then "a kiss happened."
Lynne asked if this would constitute cheating on her ex, who was standing right there, but Fernanda denied that. "No," she said. "We had a kiss."
"While I was in a relationship and while Tamra was in a relationship," Fernanda's ex said. "I have a problem with that."
So was it cheating, or just a harmless kiss? Fernanda seems to think there was something more going on there emotionally, though apparently a kiss itself is no big deal. We'll have to wait and see what Tamra thinks of the whole thing, and of Fernanda blabbing about it.
Of course, the irony here is what with Tamra sinking lower and lower into being trailer trash, Simon Barney is starting to look kinda sane.
Somewhere in between carting four young daughters back and forth to school and dance and filming her hit show "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," reality TV star and Morris County resident Teresa Giudice says she manages to cook dinner for her family six days a week.
That is, after all, how she grew up: watching her mom, Antonia Gorga, an "off the boat" Italian immigrant, feeding her family with the fresh ingredients and hearty meals of Italy.
In her latest cookbook, "Fabulicious! Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook," Giudice, 38, of Montville, archives her mother's recipes — and even one of her mother-in-law's — on the page in hopes of inspiring others to old-fashioned Italian cooking.
"My parents are off the boat; I'm first generation here," Giudice said in a phone interview with the Daily Record Friday afternoon, while her daughters could be heard playing and singing in the background. "I wanted to pass that tradition down to my children."
"Fabulicious!" goes on sale May 3 and is Giudice's second book.
Two years after exiting The Real Housewives of Orange County, real estate agent Jeana Kough is back and ready to mingle with the OC ladies. Or, in Tamra Barney's case, just cause lots of tension.
As the above clip from Sunday's all-new episode shows, Keough's mere presence is enough to make Barney's blood boil.
"Ugh, why is she here," Barney moans as Keough walks into the clothing store were Barney and new Housewife Peggy Tanous are browsing. Why the hard feelings? Barney's ex-husband, Simon, still keeps in touch with Keough and the pair "hang out all the time."
"OMG! It was just an awkward situation," Tanous says of Keough and Barney's meeting.
Having slimmed down from a size 12 to a 6, Keough is anxious to try on outfits that show off her new shape. Barney compliments her foe's new figure, but deep down, still sees red.
"Jeana looks great," Barney says. "She just has a nasty soul!"
Listen, I get why Bravo wants to play up Jeana Keough "returning" to RHOOC, but it's not like this is the first time she's returned and frankly speaking Jeana never really excited me that much anyway. Now if Jo De La Rosa or Tammy Knickerbocker came back then they'd onto something, but Jeana? Whatever.
Of course, she does. Is anything ever Droopy's fault? Can't wait till she reveals to the world who exactly kidnapped and forced her to stay on a show that was supposedly causing so much drama to her marriage:
Bravo's hit reality franchise focuses on the lives of "Real Housewives," but is it ending their marriages in the process?
"Orange County" star Vicki Gunvalson filed for divorce from her husband Donn last year, and claims the reality program had something to do with it.
"Six years ago when Donn and I started, we didn't have 90 percent of the problems that we have now and I truly believe it is the show," she tells CNN.
"[W]e had a good foundation. We really felt like we could battle it and the reality was I got too busy for him. My business in itself - I have 400 agents and 12 employees and I'm at the office a lot because I was trying to film TV in there and then he felt deflated… the center of my universe was not my husband," she says. "I didn't have anything left for him and we grew distant. If I didn't have the show I would have had more time for him. That's the reality."
Newspapers in both cities claim camera crews have been spotted shooting wealthy wives across town.
Bravo exec Andy Cohen denies reports the channel's popular Real Housewives franchise is headed to Las Vegas and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Newspapers in both cities claim camera crews have been spotted shooting wealthy wives across town and testing out possible candidates for the shows. Among the women reportedly being filmed: Wayne Newton's publicist, Tricia McCrone (for Vegas) and Phoenix Suns basketball star Steve Nash's ex-wife, Alejandra (for Scottsdale).
But in a Tweet Friday, Cohen said, "Bravo is not shooting or casting for Vegas or Arizona Housewives. It is not true and we have no association to either project."
Because wacky people like to read too, no disrespect, of course, to "Al Sharpton":
Kelly Killoren Bensimon, now in her fourth season on "Real Housewives of New York City," is going to return to her roots in the publishing world with a weekly column in amNew York, the freebie newspaper.
"It will be a little bit of everything," said SoHo resident Bensimon, "fashion, food, accessories, restaurants, sports, the arts."
When she was married to former Hachette Filipacchi Creative Director Gilles Bensimon, she was the editor of now-defunct Elle Accessories. Bensimon said she got her start as a $100-a-week writer for Hamptons Magazine and was one of the people working on Gotham in the early days. "This is my first love," she said of the writing world.
Former "Real Housewives of DC" star Michaele Salahi claims someone's been stalking her and making death threats -- and TMZ has learned her husband placed a frantic 911 call for her protection.
The Salahis tell TMZ the man in question placed a call to the Sheriff's Department in Fauquier County, VA last Sunday -- and falsely reported that Tareq had broken into a winery co-owned by Tareq's family.
Deputies tell us they found no evidence of a break-in -- but they were called back to the winery when Tareq and Michaele found out the original call came from the alleged stalker.
We're told the Salahis filed a police report and the case is now under investigation.
According to the Salahis, the man has been tailing Michaele, shooting photos and video ... and also sending death threats and obscene messages.
The Salahis say they're going to request a protective order.
Can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt the Salahi's.
The self-made Bravo star opens up about her winning business model, her plans to continue to grow her brand and bucking the reality system: “I went on the show single-handedly and exclusively for business.”
"I want a sauvignon blanc. do you want a sauvignon Blanc? I'm having a Sauvignon Blanc." It's March 25, lunchtime, and Bethenny Frankel is every bit as energetic -- some might even say spastic -- as she appears on her Bravo series, Bethenny Ever After. Her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, Frankel, 40, draws a long sip from her wineglass. "It's Friday," she says. "I'm done with work. My weekend can begin." Sitting in a tucked-away corner of the BLVD restaurant at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire, the wound-up reality star and executive producer of her own series visibly begins to relax. Frankel removes the oversized shawl she calls her "moosh" and tugs at her gray sweater underneath. "It's Club Monaco," she notes without prompting. "I love their tops. I don't have a lot of tops, but everything I buy is on sale. I never pay full price." She buzzes on for a few minutes about her controlled spending and how her husband of one year, Jason Hoppy, recently encouraged her to purchase an $800 Chanel handbag she was eyeing. "I couldn't do it," she says. "I didn't need it."
Any other day, her animated tangent about frugality might have seemed unremarkable, but this week Frankel was celebrating the acquisition of her Skinnygirl cocktail line (featuring a 100-calorie margarita) by the world's fourth-largest spirits company, Fortune Brands' Beam Global -- which distributes the likes of Jim Beam bourbon and Sauza tequila -- for a price tag insiders have placed at $120 million. It's a feat never before seen in the spirits marketplace by a single celebrity (typically, the transactions are pure endorsement deals), unless you count Ciroc's nearly $100 million deal to bring on Sean "Diddy" Combs as part-owner of its premium vodka for promotional value.
The CBS 5 News Morning Show told you about a possible pilot for The Real Housewives of Scottsdale, and heard that the first episode will be shot at the VIP opening of Scottsdale Quarter's Drybar this week, according to Arizona Foothills Magazine.
The story was confirmed by several sources to Arizona Foothills Magazine, and details on the cast have emerged.
A tip was sent to Arizona Foothills from a woman who claims she works out in Scottsdale with three cast members she said admitted to having signed show contracts, the magazine said.
Those women are Lori Citron, wife of anesthesiologist Gregg Citron; Tina Majerle, wife of former Phoenix Suns player Dan Majerle; and, Kim Lewin. Arizona Foothills also said that Juliette Irakliev, Raquel Miller, Raya Cavernes and Char Hubble are among the stars of the new show on Bravo!
"Real Housewives of Scottsdale"?!? That doesn't even sound right.
Alleged White House crasher Michaele Salahi has finally taken her NUDE pics for Playboy -- but TMZ has learned she's just been informed by the mag that she WILL NOT be featured on the cover.
Sources involved with the spread tell us ... The "Real Housewives of D.C." star received an email from Playboy honchos informing her, "There is no opportunity this calendar year to offer you a cover opportunity or place for your pictorial."
Playboy informed Michaele the company would instead feature her on the website -- explaining, "We had hoped an issue would be available to present you in the pages of the magazine first. However, that does not seem likely and we do not want to keep them from our readers any longer."
If it's any consolation -- the Playboy rep told Salahi the pics were, "AMAZING!"
Yeah, because Playboy covers should only be reserved for respectable women like Pamela Anderson.
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member Kim Zolciak and her guy Kroy Biermann celebrated the impending arrival of their baby with a shower over the weekend.
“Huge thank you to my love Kim Zolciak for such a special and wonderful baby shower for our son!” Falcons player Kroy Biermann tweeted following the festivities.
Fellow Falcon Coy Wire was among the guests.
“Enjoyed a Lovely evening at the baby shower Kroy Biermann and Kim Zolciak,” he tweeted. “An enchanting couple. Blessings to you!”
Zolciak posted a thank you to “Gail and Hester from Wedding Soiree” for the bash. (Hmm. Wedding Soiree?)
The gossip site Media Take Out posted numerous photos. Click here to see them. Other “Housewives” in attendance included Phaedra Parks and Kandi Burruss but Media Take Out said NeNe Leakes, Zolciak’s frequent sparring partner, did not get invited.
Former Real Housewives of New Jersey star Danielle Staub, whose checkered past and sex tape upstaged the antics of the other wives on the show, is being sued for $350,000 by the owner of the Penthouse Executive strip club for violating a contract.
Staub, who was reported to be a “paid escort” and was busted by the FBI for cocaine sale and possession in the '80s, failed to appear for a live Web chat and bailed out on postproduction voiceover work following a video she shot for Swan Media Group, according to the suit.
Swan is owned by Robert Gans and is operated from the same office as one of his Manhattan strip clubs.
It is unclear what type of video it was, but Staub was paid $25,000 in November 2010 for her services, according to the suit.
Under the terms of the contract, Staub would split the proceeds from the sale of the video 50/50 with the media company. She would also be paid extra for any appearances that she made at Scores, another strip club owned by Gans.
In February, the desperate housewife broke off communication with the video company and refused to accept a legal letter at her North Bergen, N.J., home, Swan Media’s lawyer claims.
Now that Bravo’s super-popular Real Housewives franchise has covered the map, what about bringing it home to the Big Apple with The Real Housewives of Broadway? Broadway.com editor-in-chief Paul Wontorek floated that idea in a recent Show People episode featuring Tony nominee Orfeh, so we decided to go straight to the top and get a reaction from Bravo programming chief Andy Cohen.
“I’m into The Real Housewives of Broadway,” Cohen said. “Yeah, I would be into that! But you’ve gotta find some ladies. Gotta call Ms. Chenoweth and see if she can put something together. I would need her in the cast.”
Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth has already sampled Real Housewives-style bickering: During a November 2010 episode of Cohen’s talk show Watch What Happens Live, she and Promises, Promises co-star Molly Shannon reenacted fights from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, including a wig-pulling brawl that got Cohen into the action.
But what about the fact that Chenoweth is not actually a housewife? No problem! “Bethenny was in season one [of The Real Housewives of New York City], and she was single,” Cohen pointed out. In the three years since then, Ms. Frankel has become a reality show regular, chronicling her marriage, pregnancy and competing on Skating With the Stars. Just think of the fun of seeing Chenoweth's late-night tweeting live!
Wayne resident Kathy Wakile is no stranger to reality television.
Wakile is the first cousin of one the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" Teresa Giudice. Wakile make her debut as one of the newest members of popular show when season three debuts on Bravo May 16.
"She is a 'real housewife': Self-assured, fun, aspirational," said Christian Barcellos, vice president of production for Bravo. "Her husband is a hoot and she has two great kids."
Wakile has been married to her husband, Rich, for 19 years. They have two children, Victoria, 17, and Joseph, 15. Barellos said Wakile "works hard to keep her family's world in order and carefully monitors her children's social lives."
"The stories are born of their lives, their families, and their friendships," Barcellos said. "Kathy has two great kids who are entering their teen years and we'll get a glimpse into the challenges and joys of a proud mother seeing her children becoming adults."
But she also likes to party and have a good time. Whether it's hosting a theme night with her girlfriends or throwing Victoria a Sweet 16 birthday party with belly dancers, Wakile tries to live her life to the fullest.
There's a new feud in town: On Thursday's episode of The Real Housewives of New York City, Alex McCord and Sonja Morgan launched a new dispute – and it all started at a march for a good cause.
"MEN called, which is the Marriage Equality of New York, and asked me to be the grand marshal. And they said, 'Well, we'll have several speakers, but we want you to kick it off because you're so light and funny,' " Sonja said. "You're such a gay icon.' "
As the women gathered at Sonja's townhouse to get ready for the march, trouble started to brew as Alex (member of the event's host committee) and Sonja (grand marshal) compared their respective official duties.
"So is it Sonja's day or is it Alex's day?" Kelly Bensimon asked.
At one point, when Alex tried to discuss logistics, Sonja interrupted and said, "Not all that. We're talking about me now. We're talking about me being nervous and my girlfriends being here to support me."
"It felt to me that she was trying to take ownership of a day that was about a cause, not about a person," Alex said.
As much as I can appreciate Alex finally finding her voice (esp. when she goes up against Jill), she went too far at Sonja house, especially after Sonja told her to leave. Yeah, Sonja probably did make the event about her, but Alex in her new "voice" needs to remember that timing is about everything and she just comes off as ignorant when she does stuff like go off on somebody in their home. Can I say too how funny it is watching Crazy Kelly being the voice of reason.
Taylor Armstrong reveals her alarming weight loss as she relaxes poolside in a string bikini.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star has lost an estimated 20lb (1st 6lbs) in less than two months with sources attributing her shrinking frame to her marital woes.
Taylor, 40, was pictured earlier this month in Santa Barbara, with her rib cage protruding and concave stomach, sparking anorexia fears.
Back in February she was pictured on the red carpet looking slender and more healthy.
But over recent weeks, the Bravo reality star has been shedding the pounds at a worrying rate.
Weight loss expert Dr Aaron Tabor, who does not treat Taylor, told Star magazine that she is showing signs of muscle atrophy on her arms and chest.
'She's not getting enough protein in her body and is borderline anorexic,' he claimed, estimating that she has dropped from a healthy 130lbs to 110lbs.
A friend of the celeb told the magazine Taylor is barely eating and that problems in her marriage with investor husband Russell are taking a toll.
'She is bringing in most of the money for the household. He doesn't seem to be giving her the respect and love she deserves,' the source said.
'They are in therapy, but it doesn't look like it's helping,' the insider added.
The Real Housewives of New York City cast has just embarked on its fourth season for lots more fundraising gala drama, Hamptons poolside chats, and "work/family balance" struggles. We know that Alex McCord has an eccentric hubby, Bethenny Frankel broke off from the franchise to become her own star, and Kelly Bensimon loves to be seen with beautiful people, but who are these women, really? They are most importantly caricatures of themselves, but they must have some semblance of a job, or at least a hobby. Here's a rundown of the key facts about the women we love to hate and hate to love.
Alex McCord
"I've always had opinions, but now people know it."
Profession: Designer Alex takes charge on design projects like the renovation of Manhattan's oldest camera store, Willoughbys. She also is an avid philanthropist in New York City, of course.
Side Projects: Model and Author! Alex recently signed with New York Model Management. McCord and her hubby wrote a child-rearing book, Little Kids, Big City -- which was ironic considering their tykes run around like monkeys injected with Coke Zero all day.
Family: Hubby, Two sons, Two Cats & a Brooklyn Brownstone. Alex is married to red-head standout, Simon van Kempen, who formerly managed hotels and just recently started a social media company. They have two sons, Francois, 8 and Johan, 5. The Brooklyn-based fam has two cats.
LuAnn de Lesseps
"I thought I had it good before, but I'm just getting started."
Profession: Author (Like Every Housewife,) Wannabe Singer, "Manners Commentator" Now that she's no longer so busy being a stately, well-mannered, countess (whatever the heck that means), she has time to be an aspiring author and really bad singer. Ex-Countess Lesseps released an etiquette book in 2009, Class With The Countess, but then she admitted she didn't actually write it. Smart. She also has a column with highly esteemed magazine OK! called "What Would the Countess Do."
She also gave singing a whack -- why not? She began dabbling in music with the dance single "Money Can't Buy You Class." We bet that's what she really thinks. She also appears on TV shows like Joy Behar and Larry King Live as a "manners commentator," but we think the shows just see it as a farce.
Side projects: See 'Profession' above.
Family: Single Mom of Two With New Boyfriend Formerly the wife of Ferdinand de Lesseps of Suez Canal royalty (he allegedly cheated on her), LuAnn has taken to new boyfriend Jacques Azoulay, the CEO of Gabriella Wines Importer and Distributor. She's been busy spending time in the Hamptons with the new beau and her children, Victoria and Noel.
Are Gretchen and Slade engaged? According to rumors, the Real Housewives of Orange County lovebirds got engaged–in front of the Bravo cameras–at the end of season six. A rumor last year, Gretchen Rossi’s makeup line, Gretchen Christine Beaute was, ‘shady’ with the news people who ordered the makeup from Gretchen’s website were instructed to use Slade Smiley’s Paypal address.
One year later Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley are now officially engaged in a lawsuit related to Gretchen’s makeup line, Gretchen Christine Beaute, the lawsuit-we’ve seen the documents–filed by Gretchen’s business partner-Gretchen’s long time and now former makeup artist and extremely angry former friend RonAnn Meyers.
RonAnn appeared in season five of RHOOC in Bravo footage which seems to bolster her claim she was a partner in Gretchen’s makeup line. (One wonders if Bravo is happy about having yet another cast member embroiled in a lawsuit where Bravo footage might be aired in court, a la former Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member Danielle Staub?)
On April 13, 2011, RonAnn filed a lawsuit naming Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley as the defendants in a 37-page lawsuit. Some of RonAnn’s claims: ‘breach of oral contract’, ‘fraud/deceit’ and ‘fraudulent conspiracy’. RonAnn is seeking in excess of $100,000 in damages and a trial before a jury.
In other Gretchen Rossi court related news, Gretchen has until next week to cough up another big chunk of change, over $40,000 to her ex-boyfriend Jay Photoglou.
The latest lawsuit involves both Gretchen and Slade as defendants. Slade’s other court case, Slade’s October 2010 court claim he’s too destitute and indigent to pay back child support for his son Grayson who suffers from a rare form of brain cancer. While Slade’s case has yet to be resolved a judge ordered Slade to ‘get a job’ outside of the entertainment and real estate title company business.
Will Gretchen ever wake up and get away from this guy? Slade Smiley is slime, he's not worth it. But then, come to think maybe they just deserve each other.
Beyond sad, what these two will do for attention. Then too, isn't Playgirl readers mostly gay guys?
Tareq Salahi is backing into a serious deal with Playgirl -- in fact, the "Real Housewives of DC" star already sent in a couple sample shots of his rump... and we're told, the nudie mag is interested.
Nothing's signed yet -- and we're told Tareq is adamant about NOT going full-frontal -- but sources in both camps tell us, it's practically a done deal ... aside from a few undersized details.
FYI, the polo-themed picture on the left is no accident -- we're told the plan is to shoot Tareq riding into the sunset on a HORSE ... completely naked.
Jill Zarin is taking her “fresh” new look (quite renewed, I’d say) to scripted television. Zarin will tape a guest spot for the USA network drama, White Collar April 14th. She told Life & Style that she’ll play a “woman at a cocktail party.” Zarin took acting classes back in elementary school, but never imagined she put them to good use one day.
“It’s a dream come true. Obviously, I won’t be waiting for my name to be announced on Emmy day, but I’m flattered to be working with such an amazing cast. And the fact that they’re all so hot doesn’t hurt. Matt Bomer is yummy,” Zarin told the magazine.
Zarin and her cast mates presented at the TV Land Awards Sunday night, but her appearance on the red carpet raised a few eyebrows. It’s as if Bahbby’s wife pressed the rewind button back ten years. Did you create a time machine and not tell us, Andy Cohen?
Asheley Jewell, the 15-year-old girl who was critically wounded in an apparent road-rage incident, has been discharged from Grady Memorial Hospital.
"She is at home and progressing daily," her cousin, Ebony Phillips, wrote Wednesday in an email to the AJC.
Meanwhile, a $2,000 reward is being offered for information about Jewell's shooting last month. And from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jewell's family and friends will canvass the area around Old National Highway and Jerome Road handing out fliers seeking information. They're calling it "Justice for Asheley Jewell Day."
Anyone interested in participating should contact organizers through the Justice for Asheley Jewell Facebook page.
On Saturday night, March 5, the Stephenson High School sophomore was riding in a vehicle with three friends when another car began chasing theirs in South Fulton County. Shots were fired, and Jewell was struck in the head.
Anyone with information on the incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
Jewell is the daughter of the late A.J. Jewell, a "Real Housewives of Atlanta" personality who was the onetime fiance of cast member Kandi Burruss. A.J. Jewell died in 2009 after a fight in the parking lot of an Atlanta strip club.
Kathy Wakile?!? Gotta give credit to Bravo for keeping that a secret because I certainly had no idea. And since both Melissa and Kathy are related to Teresa (sigh), is that Bravo's way of telling Caroline and Jackie that they better step up their act if they want to stay on TV? Guess we'll have to stay tuned:
'The Real Housewives of New Jersey" has two new cast members.
Melissa Gorga and Kathy Wakile will join the "RHONJ" roster when the show kicks off its third season May 16 (9 p.m.) on Bravo.
Both Melissa and Kathy are related to "Housewives" stalwart Teresa Guidice -- Melissa is her sister-in-law while Kathy is her first cousin.
According to an interview with Melissa posted on dbkp.com -- which has since been taken down -- Melissa says she was born on the Jersey shore. "I'm a shore girl, Toms River," she says and calls herself a "Benny" (which apparently indicates someone who's from Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark or New York).
Melissa has three kids: Antonia, 5, Gino, 3, and Joey, six months.
Kathy, meanwhile, told dbkp.com that she has a 16-year-old daughter, Victoria and a son, Joey, who's 14.
Hosting a party at the Azure Luxury Pool in Las Vegas April 10, Kim and Kyle Richards seemed to embody the spirit of sisterhood. So it's almost hard to believe that just a few short months ago on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills finale the ladies almost came to blows in the backseat of a limo following Taylor Armstrong's birthday bash.
"I still don't know what Kyle was going to do to me in the back of the car -- kill me, strangle me," Kim, 46, tells UsMagazine.com of the blow-up, where her sister accused Kim of being an alcoholic and Kim mysteriously screamed that Kyle stole her house.
"I just wanted you (Kim) to shut up," Kyle, 42 explains of the incident.
"You wanted me to shut up, but you were doing all the talking," Kim started to argue with her baby sis, before thinking better of it. "Won't go there. If you hold on to the negative, it brings you down. It definitely took it's toll on us."
Despite the the apparent rawness of the fight, Kyle insists that the experience on the Bravo hit made them stronger.
"Kim and I went through a hard time last season, but I really do feel that even though we had that argument we're in such a good place now," she tells Us. "Maybe some good came out of it. We both grew and learned from it."
Calling their relationship a "work in progress," Kim remained more reserved, saying they're still putting the pieces back in place.
All this time and Kyle still can't acknowledge how much of a bully she is.
Bethenny Frankel opens up in the new Life & Style about getting breast implants in 2005 - and why she got them removed a few years later. See a post-boob job revision photo of Bethenny in a bikini here.
Bethenny is not the only Real Housewife who has spoken out about boob job woes. Kim Zolciak has talked about having her nipples moved, then torn off on a water slide, and Danielle Staub had so many problems with her implants she went under the knife four times.
Life & Style's press release follows:
Like many women, there was a time when Bethenny Frankel was insecure about her body. Although she was blessed with a pair of 34C’s, they were too saggy and made the then 35-year-old self-conscious. So in 2005, she consulted a Florida plastic surgeon to get a breast lift. Bethenny, author of A Place of Yes, on stands now, tells Life & Style, “He told me there would be big lollipop scars if I got a lift. Being single at the time, I wasn’t comfortable with that idea. He told me he could instead put in a small implant that would give me a lift - not as much as a real lift would but at least a little bit of a lift. So I did it.”
But with the implants, Bethenny explains, “They were still saggy - only now they were bigger! They were saggy and gigantic. I was so uncomfortable. I don’t think your breasts should be the first thing people notice when you enter a room.” Bethenny wanted another surgery to remove the implants - but as a struggling chef, she didn’t have the funds. That all changed in 2008, when she appeared on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City. “The minute I had the money, I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’”
A doctor took out the implants and gave Bethenny the lift she had wanted from the start - and the scars didn’t end up being such a big deal. “I guess I heal very easily,” Bethenny says. “And the truth is that I just don’t care very much. I’m married now, and it’s not like I’m going to be pulling my top down in St. Tropez at 40 years old!”
Joking aside, it turns out a little nip/tuck was the right choice for Bethenny. “Now I feel comfortable,” she says. “If there’s something you’re not comfortable with and you can correct it, great.”
God, I wish Bravo would change their mind and give these women a shot at another season:
After Bravo officially announced that The Real Housewives of D.C. wouldn't be returning to the small screen, former castmates Lynda Erkiletian and Catherine Ommanney talked to RadarOnline.com exclusively about their disappointment.
Catherine also had some harsh words for Michaele Salahi, addressing her recent comments that there can't be a Real Housewives of D.C. without her.
"Get over yourself, Michaele! There are a lot of things that can be done without you, actually a majority of things which aren't psychologically disturbing," Catherine told RadarOnline.com exclusively.
"I think there was disappointment and relief," Lynda told RadarOnline.com of the network pulling the plug.
But Catherine said she wasn't shocked by the news. "I was slightly disappointed, but not really surprised. It was the right decision.
"Bravo knew that we weren't prepared to work with Michaele again. I don't think any money or fortune or success was worth the mental strain with her, full stop. I couldn't do that again," said Catherine, who's working on a follow-up to her book, Inbox Full.
The Gatecrashing incident heard around the world -- when Michaele and her husband Tareq allegedly crashed the White House State Dinner in 2009 -- literally took over the premiere season, Catherine added.
"Their gatecrashing the dinner was during filming and it resulted in a lot of other story lines being cut out. Everything had to be about the gatecrashing. It was such a dangerous thing for them to do."
Catherine was quick to point out Michaele wasn't the reason for the cancellation. Lynda agrees, adding that she would have come back -- without Michaele.
"I wouldn't have done it if Michaele was a part of it, mainly because I found her husband to be unpredictable and scary at times."
She says the first season's Salahi storyline wasn't a fair portrayal in her city.
I don't buy for a second that Cat and Lynda wouldn't have come back if Michaele was there. Not that either one needs the money, but I don't think their ego would've allowed for Michaele to be the reason they didn't return.
When Jill Zarin hit the red carpet at the TV Land Awards this weekend, the "Real Housewife" was looking a lot less like the sharp-tongued socialite we've come to know.
The feisty redhead has been a standout personality on "The Real Housewives of New York" from the beginning, with fans gravitating toward her quick wit and hot temper, but now it seems she may be an attraction to audiences for a different reason.
Zarin's face looked dramatically different, and it wasn't just the lack of her signature bangs. The 47-year-old mother's skin appeared tanned, taut, and -- dare we say it -- a bit tucked?
Dr. Jennifer Walden, a Manhattan plastic surgeon who has not treated the reality star, believes that Zarin's rejuvenated appearances is the result of multiple plastic surgery procedures.
So what's the real deal with Jill's new look?
"It appears Jill Zarin has had injectables like Botox to her crow's feet and forehead, as well as possible fillers to the nasolabial folds, or laugh lines," says Dr. Walden. "Also, it looks like she has had a rhinoplasty (or nose job), which served to straighten and narrow her nose."
Despite the changes to her appearance, Zarin tells PopEater's Rob Shuter that she hasn't had any work done.
"If I did, I would be the first to admit it," says the reality star. "When I had by breast reduction I was very open about it."
Does Jill really think people are that stupid? I'm far from an expert on plastic surgery or Botox, but one look at these before/after pics says to me that she's been spending plenty of time under the knife of late and it wasn't because of her health.
Somewhere Tamra has a huge smirk on her face at this news. My guess too is that as broke as Slade is these days he won't be able to help:
"Real Housewives of O.C." star Gretchen Rossi's ongoing defamation suit against her ex-BF just BACKFIRED royally,TMZ has learned, after a judge ruled SHE has to pay HIS lawyer fees.
According to documents filed in Orange County Superior Court -- the judge ordered Rossi to fork over $40,799.38 in attorney's fees for ex boyfriend Jay Photoglou ... after several of the claims she made in her lawsuit were dismissed.
As we previously reported -- Rossi and Photoglou have been embroiled in a protracted court battle ... after she sued him for defamation, claiming he trashed her in the media.
Jay's attorney, Bryan Freedman, tells us Gretchen has until next week to pay up ... or else.
Andy Cohen's got the 411. But come April 16th, he'll also have the 305 when he acts as the Grand Marshal of the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade and Festival.
And in case you've already written Cohen off as nothing more than an overly happy, cross-eyed referee for dueling Housewife reunions, let us just say he's so much more. Think of him as the Wizard of Oz of Bravo, taking over the network's development and production slate and bringing on a bevy of reality gems.
In the following Q&A, he explains why Real Housewives of Miami was only six weeks, why they had to do the reunion live, and what Elsa Patton has in common with a hairless pomeranian named Jiggy.
New Times: Did you ever imagine you'd become an on-air personality?
Andy Cohen: I did not. When I went to college, I wanted to be a reporter or an anchor man but I kind of gave that up when I graduated because I moved straight to New York and got a job right out of college at CBS New York and I was like 'Wow, I'm not going to beat this'. I wasn't going to go to Dubuque [Iowa] and try to work my way up from small market to small market. So for this to happen now, 21 years into my career, it's wild. And exciting. And fun.
What's your favorite part about your job?
Too many to count! Just talking to people and getting to know people and having fun with them, being on Watch What Happens Live!, I don't even call that a job. My mom came to the show with me last night and we were getting home at 12:30 and I was like 'Can you believe that's even considered work, what I just did?' It's just fun.
Least favorite part about your job?
I hate negotiating contracts. It just gets really personal and nasty, not nasty, but very personal and sensitive.
Is there going to be a reality show in the future about Andy Cohen? What would it be called?
It would be called "Enough of Andy". I mean, I already over-share, I'm very active on Twitter, I have a blog, I have a live show that's on twice a week where I throw my opinions around, so I don't think there's a market for it. I don't think there's a need for it. Yeah.
Are there any shows you took a chance with and were surprised they became successful?
The Real Houswives. It was something that we all thought could be interesting but you just never know what's going to resonate. And Top Chef! And that the title of 'Top Chef' actually means something to a lot of people and a lot of chefs is something we're all very proud of here.
It seems like Bravo shows shot in Miami [Miami Social and the Real Housewives of Miami] have some ratings challenges. Any insight on this?
I don't know, I feel pretty good about the Miami Housewives. We threw it on with not a lot of promotion and I think those woman are great characters. The truth of the matter was, we put it on because everyone in America was going through such a horrible winter and we just kind of realized we had Miami on the shelf, ready to go, and we needed a little more time to finish New York [Housewives] to make it perfect. Let's throw it on as a six-week kind of antidote to all the winter madness.
And then by the time we decided to do a reunion show, we were three weeks in and didn't have time to post it properly, so we decided to do one live. And I think the fact that we [did] a live reunion show speaks to our wanting to do something to celebrate the end of the show.
Tuesday night was the live reunion of the "The Real Housewives of Miami" ... and we watched it so that you don't have to subject yourself to it. You're welcome.
In short, the experiment failed. The live reunion, which actually occurred on Andy Cohen's "Watch What Happens Live" was uncomfortable and... well, crazy. The reunions for the other "Real Housewives" franchises tend to be lavish, carefully edited affairs that last for several hours so that we only have to watch the good stuff.
After a brief, six-episode season, it's not much of a surprise that Bravo decided to skimp on the Miami reunion. So here are the basic details:
Lea showed up looking freshly nipped and tucked. Larsa stressed that she's a very happy person who just wants everyone to be happy. Adriana's temper raged as she accused Christy of keeping her husband's last name for the connections associated with it. Unfortunately, without built in breaks to ease the tension, the general viewing experience was incredibly awkward.
I finally caught up and saw a repeat of the RHMIA reunion show the other day and totally agree that the idea of doing a live reunion show was just ass-backwards. First, longtime 'Housewife' viewers know full well how long these reunion take in real time (8 to 12 hours if I recall correctly, any wonder the need for 2-parters), so the idea that you can fit in a proper reunion show within an hour was just ridiculous. Second, why did RHMIA only get 6 shows in the first place? Again, dumb. Six shows hardly gave us a chance to get to know these women, much less let them have more to talk about than Christy not paying for Lea's party or the quips that come Marysol's mom Elsa. Third, with only an hour to do a reunion show, we clearly missed out on a lot including the women arguing during commercial breaks, interrupting and talking over each other, etc. It was a huge mess to watch something and feel like you're only getting a third of what really went down. Lastly, as I've mentioned before, Andy Cohen's ego seems to be getting bigger and bigger with the success of the 'Housewives' franchise and for him to have the RHOM reunion on his "Watch What Happens Live" show just lends credence to the idea that Cohen wants to be as big (or if not bigger) than the 'Housewives' women. Somehow I get the feeling too that with almost all the women throwing darts at Cohen for this, that and the other plus the fact that with only 6 episodes viewers didn't get a chance to know them fully (and they're right, we didn't), there probably won't be a second season of RHMIA and that'd be a shame (by the way, judging from this, this, and this, I'm not the only complaining about what an utter fail this reunion show was).
A "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star was targeted in a case of mistaken identity recently, TMZ has learned -- when federal agents pulled him over and cuffed him, before realizing they had the wrong guy.
A rep for the US Marshals tells TMZ, Apollo Nida -- husband of "Housewife" Phaedra Parks -- was stopped and detained outside Atlanta Thursday afternoon.
According to sources, the Georgia task force responsible for the mistake pulled Apollo over thinking he was a key player in a current investigation -- but quickly released him when they realized he wasn't the person they thought he was.
The US Marshals wouldn't comment on the open investigation -- but we're told Apollo bears a "striking resemblance" to whoever they're trying to track down.
Attempts to reach Apollo were unsuccessful.
"Mistaken identity" or "Driving While Black"? Don't think a sharp lawyer like Phaedra's gonna take this lying down.
