Oh Bethenny Frankel, your hour long product promotion otherwise known as Bethenny Ever After is soon to return to us and I would say I’ve missed you but you’ve hardly been out of the spotlight for a moment this year!
The most notorious Housewife to ever grace the screens of Bravo; known as much for her wit, meltdowns and domesticity as she is for her cocktails and everything else Skinnygirl — including her endlessly dwindling waistline — spoke during the Bravo press tour panel (covered by E!) about appearing on reality TV, Russell Armstrong‘s suicide and how the drama on Housewives came to a fever pitch.
When asked if the network that made her famous had crossed the line in choosing to air Russell’s storyline after his tragic passing, Bethenny did not speak about the allegations of abuse surrounding him but admits that things have definitely changed since she initially signed onto Real Housewives of New York. She believes the shows are now attracting “more dramatic women” all angling to “be more dramatic than the next.” I totally agree with Bethenny on that one and it was a thoughtful way to dodge the question on whether or not she sees Taylor Armstrong‘s storyline as credible.
“When I came on the show, it was called Manhattan Moms. Real Housewives wasn’t even a franchise. There was one city,” Bethenny says of the early days. “We were all very new to it and we didn’t even know what it was. It was very fresh.”
“Now, people who sign on to do reality shows, they have a preconceived notion. They’ve seen it already and some people probably show a more dramatic side of their lives and are more dramatic because they want to up the ante. Certainly on Bravo the shows are real. It’s really happening.”
Luckily, the drama on-screen has prepared her for the drama in her personal life as she faced a plethora of scandals and allegations in 2011, along with some incredible successes and much happiness. “I’d say I’m definitely a survivor because of [my background],” Bethenny shares.
While she concedes that the negative media attention has been “challenging,” she doesn’t feel the need to explain herself! “There was a period when I felt that I really had to react and explain and that period has passed. A lot of that gets addressed on the show.”
In season three of her semi-popular reality show, viewers will continue to see Bethenny confronting many challenging aspects of her life. “This season is about working through it, whether it’s in your relationship or in your business,” she reveals.
“The minute that I sold part of my business, it was like someone was waiting at my door to hit me with a baseball bat in the back of the head. I do tend to thrive when I need to survive, when I’m up against adversity.”
