EXCLUSIVE: Dorinda Medley Talks New Memoir & Life Post-RHONY

Getty NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 04: Dorinda Medley attends Woman's Day Celebrates 17th Annual Red Dress Awards on February 04, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Women's Day)

Dorinda Medley is still going strong! Medley first joined “The Real Housewives of New York City” for season 7 in 2015, and she announced she would not be returning to the show in September 2020. Many fans will miss seeing Medley host the ladies at Blue Stone Manor, celebrate with a dirty martini (or three), and of course, making it nice. But just because the star won’t be returning to RHONY doesn’t mean she’s gone for good. Most recently, Medley finished writing her first book, titled none other than Make It Nice.

Make It Nice chronicles Medley’s lifelong ups-and-downs and gives readers life lessons and advice for dealing with various challenges. The memoir comes out August 17.

Medley recently chatted with Heavy about Make It Nice, saying it’ll showcase, “A lot of lessons and experiences and successes and failures…I think there’s a lot of things that people don’t know about.”

The new author still remains busy, even after finishing her book. She’s encouraging people to sweat for a good cause for her classic Dorobics. The professional aerobics instructor is teaching an ’80s-themed aerobics class – yes like the one in RHONY – on Moxie Friday, April 23. The proceeds will benefit the Ronald McDonald House New York on 73rd street, a charity close to Medley’s heart. She told Heavy, “No more Black Tie, no more long dresses, just show up in an ’80s outfit, switch on your camera, and off to the races we go!”

She won’t be gracing screens on the newest season, but she may not be gone for good. When asked if she would consider returning to RHONY, Medley told Heavy, “Oh I think that’s a question for Bravo. That’s not for me to decide, that’s them I think, right? I have to say we are all trying to figure out what that pause means.”

She added, “I mean, we’ll see. Listen, I think it’s like anything, it’s a job; I mean it’s a it’s a network. I’m sure if they do super well and they’re moved and they’re happy with that direction, they’ll just keep going forward. If they don’t, then maybe they’ll probably present something. You just don’t know, you know the season’s gotta play out. They got to see what the dynamic is. And you just don’t know what direction all these different franchises are going in. But I’m lucky, because I think I left on a very good note and thank God I don’t have any hard feelings, I think, with anybody.”

Medley Explained What It Was Like Living Life Without the Cameras

Last fall marked the first time in awhile that Medley didn’t have cameras following her around. “Well, you got to remember, we only film for like three-and-a-half months,” Medley shared with Heavy. “I know people think we’re filming all year, but we only film from like September till like mid-December.”

As for if she’ll be living her life any differently, Medley says it’s a more natural transition than viewers may think. “I just go back to my life then,” she told Heavy. “And you know it’s pretty much the same as it’s always been, you know before I was on, after I was on, I have a great group of friends I see a lot of the old girls from the show. It’s really not that different to tell you the truth, but the sort of intensity is gone.”

Both Medley & Andy Cohen Have Discussed Her Time on RHONY

Never say never for the new author! “I said to someone the other day I’ve never been fired from a job in my life. Can you imagine?” Medley laughed to Heavy. “Technically I haven’t been fired from this one, I’ve been on pause, but in some ways I’m not sure what that means.”

She jokingly added, “It’s like the boyfriend that breaks up with you and still shows up at midnight every night and you’re like, wait a second, you like me again?”

Executive producer and face of Bravo Andy Cohen has also talked about a possible Medley return. “I am really hopeful that this is indeed a pause and that she will rejoin the show at some point,” he said on an episode of SiriusXM’s “Radio Andy” in September. “And I have said that to her a couple times, and by the way, I do not say that too often…I just think a pause is a good thing and she will come back renewed and refreshed.”

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