I haven’t been the greatest recapper of this show as sometimes I don’t get to watch it on the night, however it is one of my favourite reality TV shows.

Tonight was part one of the reunion episode and here are a few thoughts about it:

• I love the way Andy Cohen from Bravo TV asks all the hard questions;
• The Count told the the Countess that he had another woman by email, and she is clearly bitter about it, but then so would I;
• I loved the way she cast doubt on whether the Count’s girlfriend was a princess, was she implying that people would only think it was ok he was shagging a black woman was if she was royalty. I found this surprising considering Lu Ann is part native american;
• Both Bethenny and Jill have had boob job;
• Alex was a victim of the GFC;
• Kelly Killorin Bensimmon explained that she did not belt her boyfriend, she said he made it up, she even managed to cry – somehow I still did not care.  Also she got the tissue but did not use it as there were no tears or tear snot.
• Kelly Killorin Bensimmon denies plagarising the owl design on the jewellery. I find her so insincere, and a tad manipulative. I loved the “My father’s a lawyer line and I never make any verbal agreements” line. I am not sure she is really telling the truth on this;
• I wonder if Ramona was feeling uncomfortable when they showed her montage, I don’t find her very likeable she is always yelling and will use anything to win the fight;
• Ramona fucking dumps on Lu Ann, and telling everyone that Lu Ann had asked a guy for his number three months before, which Lu Ann says in her book is a no no. But Ramona really showed a lack of sensitivity to Lu Ann’s marital problems and probable emotional fragility;
• I agree with the viewers there was too much spruiking of their own products;
• I kind of agree with Alex about her kids the night they were filmed it was past their bedtime;
• Ramona’s I don’t want to eat in Brooklyn and the fact she may not be eating at 8.00pm as the reason she did not attend Simon and Alex’s housewarming was total crap;
• Alex was right to call Bethenny out about her behind the back comments, still I think Bethenny has a high likeability factor; and
• Loved, loved, loved that Lu Ann started the fight about Kelly not being a girl’s girl and then everyone else starts attacking her and Lu Ann just sits back.

In tonight’s episode Ramona has to win the most loathesome award, as she was just insulting and rude and never takes any responsibility for her behaviour.

Next week in part two of the reunion the fighting continues. I wonder if they speak to each other when they are not filming?

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Newly Engaged Bethenny with Jason Hoppy

Again the Real Housewives of NYC  was an entertaining episode, and there was limited self promotion this episode only Bethenny’s Skinny Girl Margarita, and Jill Zarin’s fabrics. Has Jill had written into her contract  that they must shoot a scene each week in her store? I have to confess I am amazed at the range of fabrics.

What I found interesting is how do the producers got Bethenny’s guy to turn up on a blind date in front of the cameras. I mean blind dates a bad enough without a camera crew and producer there. The same goes for Kelly’s boyfriend. Kelly’s ego is out of control. I think it is healthy to be self confident but she borders on narcissistic.

A few comments on the episode:

• Alex and Simon’s renovation looks fantastic – Bethenny gets props for her comment on “who is doing the morning shift” alluding to it looking like a bordello;
• I love that the kitchen appliances were sponsored by Monogram as seen on other Bravo TV shows;
• Why do Simon and Alex set themselves up to get their head kicked in by Ramona, they invited her to the party and she never showed up;
• Same for Bethenny and Kelly, I don’t know why Bethenny bothers, as Kelly clearly thinks of her as just an annoying as a buzzing gnat;
• And how great did Bethenny look in the Herve Leger dress, a walking advertisment for the skinny girl margarita, speaking of alcohol did she looked a bit sozzled walking out of Simon and Alex’s party?
• I am starting to think Brad needs a bigger role in the show, as does Bobby.

Also CG sent me this link People.com saying Bethenny is now engaged to Jason Hoppy, so the blind date did not work out. Bethenny will also be getting her own series on Bravo TV, so hopefully Arena will show it here.

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A Sydney Version Of This Show Would Be A Hit

There are a few genres of reality TV like talent based, observational, and the semi scripted variety. Fremantle Media Australia has dabbled in most of them, but I think from memory (and I could be wrong) that this is the first time they had dabbled in semi-scripted or otherwise known as docu-soaps reality TV shows.

Ros Reines in her gossip column in the Sunday Telegraph states that Fremantle Media is currently casting for a show called The East - a reality series loosely based on the very popular show The Hills. The East was in the final stages of pre-production and was being sold at the Cannes television festival.

Paola Cracknell a production assistant to Kyle and Jackie O is on the short list for a role on the show. Jackie has given her seal of approval to Paola.

“Paola is gorgeous, in her early 20s and super sweet, but she has a feisty side to her,” said Jackie O.

Other names in the mix are student Ruby Jacenko, famous for socking her PR-queen sister, Roxy, at an event last year.

Also Reines writes another reality series based on Sydney’s eastern suburbs called Summer City is in advanced planning. It is based on eight friends in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. April Rose Pengilly, Corbin Harris and Nadia Fairfax are being considered.

What Sydney really needs is their own Real Housewives series like the very popular Real Housewives of NYC, based on the lives of six New York ’socialites’. The Sydney cast could include Skye Leckie wife of David Leckie as Australia’s version of Ramona. Gail Elliott, could take on the Kelly Bensimon role, Charlotte Dawson would be perfect in the Bethenny role, and Kirsten Carrioll would be the equivalent of the countess as she is married to a French man, as well as using it as platform to promote her lanolips range. For the Jill Zarin role I would suggest Ben Tilley’s wife Tiffany which would also create some tension with Skye Leckie just like the Real Housewives of NYC show.

Now for ’social climbers’ Alex and Simon’s role who live in Brooklyn, I am sure there would hundred’s of D listers volunteering for the role, but one that springs to mind is Bessie Bardot and her husband Geoff Barker.

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Well the producers of The Real Housewives of New York City, have unleashed Kelly Bensimon on the viewer and does anyone like what they see?

As a member of a pretty superficial cast, she definitely wins the prize for the fakest and most delusional. On the latest episode Kelly asked Bethenny to meet her to discuss Bethenny’s rude comment about her at the charity committee meeting. You know the meeting when Kelly refused to have her name on the invite for some spurious reason. Possibly because she is so well known. Not! Last time a looked people only went on reality TV shows to raise their profile.

So Bethenny turns up at the designated time and Kelly is half an hour late (what would Luann think of that?) and clearly did not give a rats about it and did not apologise.

She then rambled on at Bethenny about how rude she was, and how Kelly was running on a higher plane then Bethenny. I must say I thought it showed all of Bethenny’s restraint not to glass her. Also did anyone else think Kelly at times did not make sense? Prescription drugs/diet pills anyone?

Anyway she then left to meet her date – and oh my god if I had been him I would have run. She looked like some crazy woman, I am sure he could not wait to get out of there.

Anyway just so we know how classy Kelly is she has decided to pose for Playboy which as we know is classier then Ralph. Just. Full story on Dlisted.

Anyway back to this episode and just when you think Kelly wins the prize of ego of the week, along comes Ramona. Ramona who had been bonding with Kelly was peeved when she read an article where Kelly said something about teaching the Housewives about fashion. Apparently Ramona worked in fashion for years. Anyway when she called Kelly on it, Kelly immediately retracted and said “Oh no not you,” which placated Ramona’s ego.

A few other points about the episode:

• Mario having a go at Jill about taking so long to get a tennis partner for match with Ramona and Mario (who apparently was a former pro). I like Jill and good on her for trying to make sure she is not put at a disadvantage;
• Mario cracked it with Jill who took it quite well really, he was being a prick. Bobby just stood there, but then why should he step in Jill should be able to handle herself.
• The other big fight of the episode was Simon and Alex with you guessed it Ramona. Ramona was peeved that she had invited them to a party and they had not told her that there were topless photos coming out of Alex in the ensuing days. The way she was going on you would have thought they had concealed that they were both up on child sex slave charges. Ironic considering if Ramona was offered a Playboy spread she would do it.

If you want to know the background to the episodes go to Simon Van Kempen’s blog here.

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Now The Real Housewives of NYC is one of my favourite reality TV shows, but I don’t give it enough love on this blog probably due to the fact I watch it very late at night and am too tired to blog on it.

But this week’s episode was another cracker when they finally gave New York Housewives newcomer Kelly Bensimon some significant onscreen time. And what a scrag she came across to be. 

She seems to have a over inflated sense of her own importance, and is completely self involved. She is clearly a social climber and is extremely superficial. Also is she that attractive? Yes she is tall and thin in that model way, but the hardness of her face to me does not make her beautiful. Nor the bad acid peel she has had which has left her with a red face. For more on her go to her wiki page here.

If there is going to be a fight between Bethenny and her I am on Team Bethenny.

Kelly’s misdemeanours last night included:

• Flirting a few years ago with Bethenny’s boyfriend at the time right in front of her;
• Saying she had only met Bethenny twice, whereas Bethenny thought it was like 95 times;
• Also her whole self-importance with her “writing” I must try to check out what she writes about;
• The whole charity meeting was just plain rude, both the time she arrived and then left, and also how she talked about a 16 year old girl saying she was cute and adorable.

In other NYC  Housewives happenings, Simon tried to take on Ramona and lost. I mean seriously he is in his mid forties why would you care if Ramona like you or not. Get over it – just avoid her. I thought Alex looked pretty peeved at him.

I thought it hilarious in last week’s episode that Simon and Alex hooked up online when they were both looking for casual sex.

I do think it is a bit rude how the rest of the cast look down their noses at Simon and Alex, but also the editors play up to that eg the small house in the Hamptons compared to the huge mansions the others own.

Anyway it is a great season two so hopefully it is rating well enough for a third season to be filmed.

UPDATE: They are currently filming the third season now.

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The second season of The Real Housewives of NYC premiered Monday night on Arena, and it is still as good as I remember it. There were the season one cast of Ramona, Jill, Bethenny, LuAnn, and Alex and Simon, plus newcomer Kelly Bensimmon.

Here are just a few thoughts on the episode:

• The only person who appeared to have had no work done to them over the season break was Simon Van Kempen. Ramona’s face looked tight, as did Luann’s. And Bethany’s boobs just speak for themselves;
• The picking on Alex and Simon continued from last season, with all sorts of put down from all the cast mates, even Ramona’s husband called Simon gay. Not that Simon does anything to help those rumours by wearing lime green jackets, and pleading with his wife to go shopping.
• The Van Kempens don’t help themselves by being so obviously upwardly mobile, including how they raise their children by teaching them to speak french. I would have thought spanish would be a more practical language if living in the USA.  Those kids seem very serious, however I do agree with Alex’s no TV in the bedrooms rule.
• Here is the article in the NY Mag that created the drama between Jill and Simon. I thought it ironic Jill called Simon out on his drinking when all the housewives appear to drink like fishes.
• I am continually surprised by the level of vacuousness from all the Housewives, including the new one Kelly Bensimmon.
• Speaking of Kelly what is the tandoori leather looking face skin like? Was it an acid peel gone wrong?
• Alex and Simon after panning the Hamptons in a previous season were out there this year. I guess the producers of the show set this up. They rented a two bed room place which just highlighted the difference between the rest of the cast and the Brooklyn couple.
• Bethenny who is not wealthy either seems to escape the social climbing tag from the other housewives, in fact she appears to be the most popular of them all;
• Bethenny who has maintained her wit, I love the term she used in describing the people Kelly hung out with – the fabulosity crowd.
• I note the Countess Lu Ann husband was with her in the Hamptons, so they must not have seperated at that point of filming. For those who don’t know he has run off with an Ethiopian princess – yes a much younger one.
• My fave housewives last night Bethenny and Jill, at least Jill can admit she is neurotic, something Ramona has no insight of.

The Australian housewife Simon Van Kempen now blogs for Bravo on the series and gives a bit of insight into the episode here.

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Alex and Simon (the Australian connection)

After reading on Twitter that there was a caption of Jill’s Gay Husband under her real husband I was really looking forward to watching the show. Which was not so secretly one of my favourite reality TV shows of last year.

However my Fox IQ had an epic fail in recording it. So now I have to wait until tomorrow to record and watch it and blog on it NOT happy.

Also not happy about that Foxtel does not seem to have the signal for the new GO channel as yet, and Survivor Gabon starts on it tomorrow night, and I have only been waiting all year to watch the series.  I think I will have to ring Foxtel tomorrow to see if the problem is my end or their end.

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You have got to love a TV show that mixes New York and Bravo TV. If you have never watched  any of the”Real Housewives” series the New York one is a pretty good one to dip your toe into the water with. It is a reality TV show which follows six New York “socialites” around the city, recording their bitchiness and interactions, oh and supposedly their day to day lives.

The cast is:

• Alex who lives with her Australian husband in Brooklyn, they are voracious social climber for themselves and their toddler kids;
• Bethany who has a healthy food business has snappy one liners and his hilarious when she is a) drinking and b) moaning about her love life, which she does a lot;
• Ramona is 45 going on 25, and dresses that way, she is opinionated, loud and slightly crazy, and an embarrassment to her tween daughter;
• Jill whose husband is in textiles is probably the most normal one, and the one who links most of the group, she does have a weird obsession with her dog, and sent her teenage daughter to a fat farm in season 1;
• The Countess LuAnn, is currently going through a divorce in real life. He must be loaded as he always manages to get much younger models. She thinks she is an etiquette tutor; and
• New girl this season is Kelly, apparently she is nutty and has lots of fights with Bethany because they once shared a boyfriend.

Alex and Simon were one of the more intriguing characters of season one and they talked to TV Week about what the viewer can expect in Season 2.

Many viewers doubt the sincerity of your relationship. do you put on any artifice for the cameras?

Simon: No. In season two we were more relaxed. One day they asked us to do Pilates on the beach in the Hamptons, and we said no because that’s not real for us. We’ll go for a jog, then a swim, and Alex will do her Bo Derek impression while I do my Dudley Moore flailing in the sea.

Alex: The last thing we wanted to try to do was be on our best behaviour, because that’s not good TV, but we did want to do things that were authentic.

How much do the Housewives talk to each other when you’re not shooting?

Alex: For the most part, we save it for the cameras. We’re in constant phone and email contact with each other because we’re all members of this show and we have a shared experience. But at the same time, yes, we’ll go and spend a day at Jill and Bobby’s house if we’re all out in the Hamptons, but that’s really it. We don’t meet any of the rest of them for dinner.

Out of the girls, who are you closest to?

Simon: Probably Jill…. although we do have a bust-up in episode one!

Simon, you and Jill pair up this season to make Ramona mad…

Alex: That was the best!

Simon: She pretended that it didn’t upset her. It did – steam was coming out of her ears. It was comical.

Is Ramona really that crazy and intense?

Simon:  Yes. There’s no other answer to that question:yes!

What’s your take on Bethenny?

Alex:  In some respects, Bethenny and I are more similar than either one of us would care to admit, but in others…..Look, she’s had a lot of pain in her life, and you her sometimes in a moment where she’s unguarded. But the moment she feels as if she’s getting vulnerable, her defences go straight back up and she hides behind all this nonsensical banter. Her one-liners are funny and very cutting but, at hte same time, they’re a suit of armour she wears to protect herself.

Simon: Bethenny does make fun of Alex and me but, deep down, would she like to be happily married like we are and have two young kids like we have? Absolutely.

What was your gut feeling when you first met new Housewife Kelly?

Alex: My instinct was to tell her to watch out!

Simon: And when she puts her mouth in gear, to put her brain in gear at the same time. She’ll have a thought and sometimes between transmitting from her brain to her mouth, it gets completely confused.

Kelly was arrested for beating up her boyfriend. Did that come as a surprise?

Alex:  That was a crazy week, because her arrest happened in teh same week the new broke of me getting laid off from my job. It was suddenly a  Housewives  bonanza in the New York papers. Because we’re on the show and it’s such a big hit, out life is up for grabs. We’ve all got used to having things that wouldn’t  normally be reportable being reported. Whether it’s Kelly’s arrest, or Bethenny breaking up with her boyfriend, or me losing my job. All three are things that may not happen to every person, but they happen to a lot of people. I think it makes us relatable.

It’s also been revealed that LuAnn – the countess – is getting a divorce. Did you have any idea that was going on?

Simon:  We were surprised it hadn’t happened earlier, honestly. Her husband Alex, was never really around very much. She was living in New York all the time – he would come back and forth to the States. So the relationship wasn’t one of “Mum and Dad at home with the kid’s anyway.

Alex:  When it happened, we all thought, “Why is it happening  now as opposed to a year ago?”I’m surprised it took as long as it did for Lu Ann’s situation to become public.”

The Real Housewives of NYC commences on Monday at 7.30pm

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Political parties love star recruits be it former rock stars, football players or actors. Will reality TV stars be the next ones political parties will try and tempt into public life?

Tim Brunero who was on Big Brother could be a potential reality TV candidate for the Labor Party.

However the Liberal Party may also have a potential candidate in Simon van Kempen, the husband of The Real Housewives of New York City Alex McCord. Simon an Australian was a member of the Young Liberals, and still keeps an eye on Australian politics as can be seen in this post on an opinion forum here.

The Real Housewives of New York City is a show on Arena which shows New York so called ’socialites’ going about their daily lives – with some set up situations of course.

Alex and Simon are the co-dependent couple who do everything together and could be described as social climbers.

Personally I find them a little bit creepy.

There are somethings I just don’t get about them this includes:

• Why would you wear a his and hers matching g string swimmers when you are over thirty?
• Why you would spend so much money on clothes when you house needs a lot of renovations, also new furniture would not hurt one of the sofas looked like it was from Fantastic Furniture?
• When she said I couldn’t live in the suburbs and pulled a face didn’t she think it was ironic she lived in Brooklyn (I know it is not suburban but it is not Manhatten)?
• Why would you invite your husband along on a girl’s night out, and why would you want to go if you are her husband?
• Why the big deal about speaking French, I would have thought Spanish to be the more practical language to learn in the US?

Regarding the thong swimmers apparently we were lucky they were wearing any at all. Gawker reported Alex and Simon had been spotted on St Barts in all their naked glory. Obviously he has not got the Australian paranoia of the sun and does not slip, slop, slap.

NY Mag has a article on their assessment on how far up the social scale these New York housewives really are.

I must confess I am loving the show, and I am disappointed the final episode of Season 1 will be shown this Monday at 9.30pm on Arena. Though apparently there is now a series called The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

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