Heavy/NBCUniversal Andy Cohen
Bethenny Frankel appeared to cast some shade toward Bravo head Andy Cohen during a tell-all interview with her former “Real Housewives of New York City” co-star Jill Zarin.
The two RHONY alums and one-time frenemies sat down for a conversation for Frankel’s podcast “ReWives” on July 17. While discussing the influence that producers had on the show’s storylines, the Skinnygirl founder claimed that Cohen was convincing her to marry Jason Hoppy, her now ex-husband and the father of her daughter Bryn.
The topic came up when Zarin and Frankel spoke about their feud during season 3 and Zarin said she thought that if Frankel had returned for season 4, the two women “would’ve made up.” Frankel agreed, “We would’ve, but it would’ve gotten dirty, and it would’ve been for the show.” Zarin then denied those claims and said, “Andy says, I told you to make up with Bethenny, that’s not true.”
Frankel chimed in, “Andy told me to marry Jason so… there we go. F****** worst idea in history.” Hoppy and Frankel had a long and bitter divorce and custody battle that lasted several years from their split in 2012 to 2021.
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Bethenny Frankel Said Their Friendship Was Affected by the Show & What Producers Were Telling Them
During the podcast episode, Frankel and Zarin said it was sometimes difficult to differentiate between things that happened on the show and off-camera and if everything was authentic and genuine. Zarin said she tried to make up with Frankel but had trouble being there for her as Frankel wouldn’t let her in after her mistakes.
“But also, let’s be honest too,” Frankel said. “Bravo was telling you, Bravo knew this was a bad idea and Bravo was saying you need to make up with her, this isn’t gonna be good.” Zarin said she “tried” to make up with Frankel but “it was too late.”
Bethenny Frankel’s Friendship With Jill Zarin Fell Apart in Season 3 of RHONY, the Same Season Frankel Got Pregnant With Her Daughter Bryn
Zarin and Frankel were very close in the first two seasons of the show and Frankel often got advice from Zarin, but by the time the third season came around, viewers saw cracks in the friendship.
As the season started, it came out that the two RHONY stars hadn’t talked in months and Frankel accused Zarin of speaking to the press about the friendship while Zarin claimed Frankel wasn’t there for her after Bobby Zarin’s cancer diagnosis.
During season 3, Frankel also became pregnant with her daughter Bryn. She and Bryn’s father, Jason Hoppy, married in 2010 but separated in December 2012 after a two-and-a-half-year marriage. At the season 7 reunion following her return to the show, Frankel revealed that her divorce was “excruciating” and wasn’t yet finalized.
“There’s no way for people to realize what’s really going on,” she said at the time, according to Us Weekly. “I really never expected it to be like this. I’ve had a pretty colorful past that hasn’t been the easiest, and this is, by far, the most excruciating thing I’ve ever even come close to being in.” The divorce was finalized in 2021.
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