Getty Jessel Taank and Brynn Whitfield
“The Real Housewives of New York City” star Jessel Taank is coming to her co-star Brynn Whitfield’s defense. Whitfield was seen acting “flirtatious” with castmate Erin Lichy’s husband Abe at the couple’s 10-year anniversary party in the Sunday, August 20 episode of the show, and while she received many positive comments on her social media pages, she did receive a fair share of backlash online.
One Twitter user wrote, “Brynn flirting with Erin’s husband joke or not is inappropriate and makes me look at her sideways #RHONY”, with another responding to add,” Yeah it’s one thing to flirt and talk about them getting divorced but at their engagement party too?!! Brynn seem like the girl that would take an opportunity if it presented itself”.
Amidst this backlash, Taank spoke with Us Weekly in an August 25 interview and shared her take on Whitfield’s flirting and why she doesn’t think it was a big deal.
Jessel Taank Speaks Up for Brynn Whitfield
“I was standing right next to her at that moment, and Abe was laughing,” Taank said of the moment in the August 20 episode where Whitfield told Abe, “Once you’re ready to get a divorce, I’m single. [… And when you share your vows] whatever you do, don’t mess up and say ‘I take you, Brynn.'”
Taank added that during that moment, “If Abe was uncomfortable, I think I would’ve maybe stepped in. But knowing Brynn, I know 100 percent that she was not serious. I know women that will steal your man, and that was not it. It was not it at all. She was literally joking. And I know that she feels awful for what happened. It definitely wasn’t serious at that moment.”
Taank also said that Whitfield’s flirting is not exclusive to Abe. “Brynn has more sex appeal in her pinky nail,” Taank told Us Weekly, “Brynn just exudes this, like flirtatious fun. And she’s having fun with it. Nothing Brynn does or says is ever serious.”
Despite Taank’s assurance that Whitfield’s motivations were innocent in her conversation with Abe, his wife felt differently. Lichy spoke with Us Weekly in July after the RHONY season 14 teaser trailer, which included Whitfield’s flirtatious moment, dropped.
“There are things about [Brynn’s] personality that I really love and gravitate towards. … But when she gets to a place that I feel becomes … too serious or like, icky, that’s when I’m just like, ‘OK.’ I kind of put my hands up,” Lichy said, later adding about the anniversary party moment, “Thinking back on it and the behavior, it’s just not something I would ever do. I don’t think that … it was the time or place or the behavior that I find to be quite frankly, normal behavior.”
Brynn Whitfield Addresses Her Behavior at Erin Lichy’s Anniversary Party
Whitfield reflected on her time at Lichy’s party directly over social media. After the fan account “Bravo Breaking News” on Instagram shared screenshots of Whitfield’s conversation with Taank and Abe, she took to the comment section to address it.
“It was TOTALLY the wrong time & place 🙇🏽♀️ what ppl don’t know is I’m very close with Erin & Abe- we’re all the same age and they feel like my goof ball friends from college. I tease them a lot about being perfect bc they are honestly the perfect couple. So that’s why I do little comedic bits,” Whitfield wrote, “Even though it is a silly SHOW, where we have the pressure of 10 cameras waiting for you to not be a snooze fest, I felt bad after. Texted Erin the very next morning after. Anniversary party was the wrong venue and I was wrong. I love them both and I’m super protective of their family ❤️”.
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Jessel Taank Defends Brynn Whitfield Flirting With Erin Lichy’s Husband