Fall TV Blog

The Real Housewives of New York City is getting a new face in the neighborhood.

Kelly Bensimon, a designer, model, author and fashion editor, will join the cast of the popular reality show, Bravo announced. Of course, all of season 1 favorites – Alex McCord, Bethenny Frankel, Jill Zarin, LuAnn de Lesseps and Ramona Singer – will be returning for the second season.

“I am flattered by the opportunity to be on The Real Housewives of New York City,” Bensimon said in a statement. “I feel it’s a great way to showcase my personal and professional life.”

Bensimon has two daughters, and is a columnist for Hamptons magazine. She is also editor at large for Gotham and L.A. Confidential magazines and has published three books about fashion. She also sells a jewelry line that is sold in Manhattan boutiques.

According to Bravo, production has already begun on season 2, though an air date has not yet been announced. –Brian Orloff

Jay Sullivan/Bravo; Inset:WORKUM/BauerGriffin

It was a real-life case of East Coast versus West Coast backstage during the Wednesday taping of the Bravo A-List Awards when the casts of The Real Housewives of Orange County and New York City nearly came to blows over the script the ladies were supposed to read during the awards ceremony.

According to New York “Housewife” Bethenny Frankel (who isn’t married), the argument started when O.C. Housewife Jeana Tomasina (formerly Keogh) didn’t like the script that was given to the Housewives to say on stage.

“They [The O.C. Housewives] said in our material that my apartment is a two-by-four, and it’s actually a one-by-two, and so I can take it, I don’t care,” Frankel told PEOPLE. “But they’re offended that I’m saying something about them living 65 miles from the beach. Jeana said, ‘I don’t think that’s funny.’”
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The Russian Tea Room seemed a little too genteel for The Real Housewives of New York City.

Last night, Jill Zarin, the self-described yenta of the Housewives, hosted a viewing party to watch the reunion episode at a downtown Manhattan bar, the Village Pourhouse. Oh, the irony!

There, perched on couches and leather ottomans, the cast split into mini viewing factions.

“I love you, but move,” hollered the Countess DeLesseps (LuAnn), arm in arm with Ramona, as she waved her hands at stunned onlookers who moved aside to give her a view of the televisions overheard.

Meanwhile, attached-at-the-g-strings couple Simon and Alex sat in stunned silence; no one approached them as they were being ripped apart by the other Housewives onscreen.
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Wow wow wow! Bethenny shed tears over wanting a baby. Ramona stormed off the set, angry over questions about Alex’s nude photos. Alex (and Simon!) defended themselves ferociously against ALL of the Housewives’ vicious attacks. LuAnn scrambled to play down the “Call me Mrs. DeLesseps” incident, and dished out caviar for the ladies. Jill took the gloves off and finally called Ramona on her crap.

The Real Housewives of New York City extended its season with a reunion special last night, and despite the staid atmosphere of New York’s Russian Tea Room (how much better would this have been with a live audience?), and the dullness of the host, in many ways the show exhibited more tension, drama and honest emotion than any episode the entire season.

Viewer’s wrote to Bravo and asked some interesting questions, from wanting to know the ingredients in Bethenny’s “skinny girl’s margarita” (Patron Silver tequila, four limes, and a “tiny splash of Cointreau…or Triple Sec”) to the one thing everyone wanted answered: Is Ramona’s frenetic pace the result of her being “hopped up on anything?” (She responded that she was just “high on life.”)

In the end, the only question on our minds was, “How soon will this show be back?”

How about you? What questions went unanswered? Who redeemed themselves? Who looked worse than ever? Do you want to see all of these Housewives in Season 2, or is there anyone you’d be happy to see dropped from the cast? –Mark Dagostino

Jay Sullivan/Bravo

The season may be over, but The Real Housewives of New York City are still dishing about each other. Catch all the backbiting cattiness on Tuesday’s reunion show (Bravo, 9 p.m. ET), but first, watch a juicy preview of Jill and Ramona going round two over Jill’s Fashion Week walkout.

Just when you thought The Real Housewives of New York City reality stars Alex McCord and Simon van Kempen crossed the boundaries of good taste, memorably frolicking in his-and-hers thongs on the beach in St. Barts in an episode of the show, nude photos of Alex mysteriously hit the Internet.

“I did the photos after the birth of our second son,” Alex told PEOPLE.com Thursday at the Conde Nast Traveler Hot List party at Mansion. “I was shocked at how quickly my body came back. I just sort of thought, ‘Wow!’ At that time I had the opportunity to meet a lot of photographers. And there were a couple of people who asked me to work on…projects.”

As for how she appears in some less-than-artful post-maternity poses, Alex says, “I’m not sure exactly how that happened. It’s a non-issue. I’m one of a billion people out there who has nude photos of themselves. So what.”

It’s that non-apologetic attitude — and the couple’s social airs (on the show, the couple insist their son Francois order his lemonade in French at a French restaurant…in Brooklyn, New York)—that seems to rankle viewers about the pair.

But Simon says, “There is no point running and hiding.” “In the day of the Internet, if it’s on one web site, it’s on 100, so own it. Embrace it.” —Jeffrey Slonim

So do you believe Alex and Simon’s explanation?

Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Can you believe it’s over? Did you shed a tear? Can you even wait for Season 2? (Yes, Bravo announced yesterday that it’s bringing both the N.Y.C. and O.C. Housewives back for more next season. And we’ll be treated to the Real Housewives of New Jersey in between. No joke!) But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Discuss:

Alex & Simon
From talking about vibrators in front of Luann and Bethenny to talking about cancer to Francois while explaining why he had to go to Australia for his stepfather’s funeral, is it possible that the show’s controversial dynamic duo became more human and likable in the very last show? Oh! But wait. There’s the reunion special happening next April 21 at 9 p.m. (And we hear Simon showed up—which rankled the other Housewives!)

Bethenny
Seeing her in her element at the horse track, opening a gift of lingerie in front of a bunch of guys, made her all the more lovable. Jason admitted that Bethenny is his “one.” And how great was it to watch her growing friendship with Jill? Until—wham!—Bethenny cut her off over dinner at Phillipe because she kept talking about her “material” birthday gifts from Jason. She threatened to poke a skewer through Jill’s eyeball! “I snapped,” she admitted. Um, ya think? At least she knew she did something wrong. Unlike…

Ramona
She kept ranking on Alex for being so attached to Simon. Her freakout over Francois’ screaming at dinner was worse than the little boy’s screaming. And she took the cameras—and a pal—along to her plastic surgeon’s office, where she said she hoped to look 18 forever. (A statement that seemed to shock even her plastic surgeon!) Yikes. (more…)

Before you air kiss The Real Housewives of New York City goodbye — tonight is the finale (Bravo, 10 p.m. ET) — Bethenny Frankel answered your questions about the show and her fellow housewives. Get the dish from the natural food chef, who e-mailed her answers below, then get ready to see much more of these Big Apple socialites: Bravo officially announced these ladies who lunch will be returning for season 2 next year!

How were you discovered to be a participant on the show? –Leslie
I was at a polo match in the hamptons. Jill, who I had met before, approached me and said “skinny b—-!!! I’m doing this show and I want you to meet the producers.” I met the producer, and they offered me the role later that week. I declined for 2 mos. Bc I didn’t want to be on another reality show [Bethenny was on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart]. (That’s why I wasn’t in the first 2 episodes that much.). I ultimately decided to do it because bravo is such a great network and it would be an incredible opportunity to promote www.bethennybakes.com and my book How to Be Naturally Thin on shelves may 2009.

I was just wondering if all of you girls are ACTUALLY friends, or if it is all just for the show? –Christine Stirrat
I’m friendly with jill. I knew her briefly before the show. I have dinner or drinks with luanne occasionally. I’ve been out with ramona once or twice and never seen alex off camera or away from a press appearance.
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Hundreds of you weighed in to talk about Bravo’s newest “guilty pleasure,” The Real Housewives of New York City. With the season finale next Tuesday, here’s your chance to ask one of the Housewives, Bethenny Frankel, anything and everything about the show and the other housewives. Check back Tuesday to see Bethenny’s answers!

Jay Sullivan/Bravo

Some of us love to hate ’em, some of us hate to love ’em, but all of us seem to be talking about The Real Housewives of New York City!

Now that we’re over the fact that most of them are not actual “housewives”—Jill Zarin runs a successful fabric company, Ramona Singer is a fashion buyer, Alex McCord works for Victoria’s Secret Beauty (and proudly posed for some nude photos that recently leaked!), and Bethenny Frankel is a chef who isn’t even married—we’ve all been gawking at the sheer strangeness of the way these ladies live their lives. Take the dinner party scene at Zarin’s condo on last night’s episode:

1. Have you or anyone you know ever stressed out as much as Jill over a seating arrangement—at a dinner for just six people? (more…)