REALHOUSEWIVES NEWS

The Real Housewives Of Atlanta Returns Oct. 4th
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Premieres Oct. 14th
The Real Housewives Of Orange County Returns Jan.'11

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Teresa At The Beach

Pic./Tweet from Teresa.

Bethenny/Ramona And Mario Fishing

Pics./Tweets from Ramona.

Getting fresh caught tuna to take home with @Bethenny and he's fileting it for me how great?!?!

With @Bethenny and Mario with a fresh caught stripe bass I luv fish don't you?!?

Tareq Salahi Throws Wine At Lynda Erkiletia

From Crushable.com.

Photo:Wenn
Call it a Salahi smackdown! Tareq Salahi, one-half of the infamous White House party-crashing couple, threw a glass of wine at a Real Housewife during a drunken encounter in Los Angeles last night.

It all went down around midnight at Trader Vic’s at the Beverly Hilton. Tareq and wife Michaele was sitting with their castmates from Bravo’s upcoming DC edition of Real Housewives when the conversation escalated. In a fit of rage, he threw a glass of wine at DC housewife Lynda Erkiletia, who then threw water back at his face.

The Salahis stormed off in a huff, and the remaining castmates consoled Lynda, whose aqua-blue dress was ruined. No cameras were rolling; the whole cast had been promoting the show at the Television Critics Association press tour earlier in the day. Fortunately, Crushable was at Trader Vic’s to witness!

“The Housewives did not start the fight,” says a source, who pointed the blame at Tareq.

Given the backstage drama, this is gonna be a stellar season.

Teresa Guidice or Ali Fedotowsky?

Do you want to see Teresa or Ali on Dancing With The Stars? Click HERE to make your pick on People.com.

Alex And Simon Talk To Hamptons.com

Click HERE to see a 15 minute video of Alex and Simon being interviewed by Nicole B. Brewer for Hamptons.com, Main Street Series.

Teresa Outsells All The Other Housewives

Article from Chicago Now.

By Jenn Sale
I was hoping to go a whole week without a Teresa story, but no, we have one. Actually this is.a good story about Teresa after a few weeks of horrible things going on. She is now the Housewife with the biggest selling book in the history of Housewives actually writing books.


This can only mean the end of days are upon us. Because only in a crazy mixed up world about to end does a person that says things like, 're-enovate' 'cleavelage' and 'prostitution whore' become a literary giant. Especially with a cookbook after going on national TV and telling the world she uses frozen pizza dough, when the entire contents of Chapter 8 in Skinny Italian is devoted to...yes...homemade pizza.

Kind of a slap in the face to actual chef and cookbook writer "Skinny Girl" Bethenny Frankel, yes? Because as of now, Teresa has outsold her. Bethenny who's whole life is working her fingers to the bone and living a 24/7 infomercial got spanked in book sales by somebody like Teresa. Ouch. That has to smart.

But Skinny Italian had a brilliant ghost writer, Heather MacLean, who has sold a ton of books on her own. Not to mention the backing of a great publishing house.

Teresa has also stuck to mostly east coast signings of the book too, not nationwide tours like Alex McCord, NeNe Leakes, and Jill Zarin.

And of course, Teresa had to be all classy about it and take to her Twitter page to basically say to Bethenny, "nana-nana boo-boo, who's the skinny girl now?", paraphrased of course, but much to that effect. Because obviously the whole lesson in Karma she's having right now wasn't enough of a lesson about the whole trash talking thing.

Is this the best housewives book in terms of quality? Hardly. It's a well written cook book, but it does have some signature crass Teresa gems de classe. Like 'Danielle's Puttenesca Sauce'. Ha! Get it? So funny I forgot to laugh.

No I think as far as quality goes, Bethenny Frankel, Alex McCord (Simon too, I guess) and Vicki Gunvalson win as far as an actual good book. The rest is pretty much ghost written fluff.

Yes, quit laughing and judging me for actually reading all of these books. I have to for research purposes, of course!I'm a hard hitting journalist and stuff. Oh now you're really laughing, aren't you.

So yays and cheers to Teresa. I'm sure we'll hear all about it on The View this Monday when she's on. And it won't be long until we get 'Skinny Italian 2: How to open a jar of Ragu...

Teresa-RHONJ On The View Monday

Check out Teresa appearing on The View Monday at 10am/Pacific on ABC.

Teresa's Auction Generates Global Buzz

Post from the WSJ.

By Dawn Wotapka
Photo: A.J. Willner Auctions
We recently wrote about the upcoming auction involving “Real Housewives of New Jersey” personalities Teresa and Joe Giudice: The contents of their lavish 10,000-square-foot New Jersey mansion are scheduled for auction on Aug. 22.


It was originally a local affair. Auction house A.J. Willner says it received so many inquiries from around the world, it decided to add an online component.

Potential bidders can register at Proxibid, a website that does as many as 800 auctions a month and reports bidders from 175 countries. (Zimbabwe hasn’t been active lately.) Items involving celebrities - or, in this case, reality-TV personalities - can command a premium, says Bruce Hoberman, Proxibid’s president. A $750 silk Mets jacket once owned by convicted Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff commanded $14,500 in November.

Photo: A.J. Willner Auctions
The suit of armor is expected to be one of the more popular items.In this case, it is unclear exactly what will be up for grabs. The Giudices, who filed for bankruptcy protection, formally objected to the auction, says Mike Sklar, a partner with A.J. Willner. A hearing is planned Aug. 16. The couple-who could not be reached because their phone is disconnected–says some of the items scheduled for auction were purchased after the bankruptcy petition, while others belong to relatives, Mr. Sklar says. Such objections are typical, he adds.

If a judge allows the auction to proceed, Mr. Sklar says he’ll rush to inventory the Towaco, N.J., mansion and what’s left of its fancy contents. Items possibly up for grabs include a grand piano–expected to be popular –a suit of armor, snow plow and foosball table.

Mr. Sklar says he hadn’t seen the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” show until recently. “I have no idea who these people are but obviously other people do,” he says. “I’m not really a reality TV person. It’s not my cup of tea.

Teresa Loves Sizzle Tans

Video of Teresa in a commercial for Sizzle Tans in NJ.


JJ Reviews Bethenny Getting Married?

Article from the JJ.

Bethenny Frankel Blows Her Shot At Redemption
Posted by Ilana Angel

I write a very honest look at this show. I do not get sucked in to all the silliness of thinking that this woman is somehow my friend, just because I’ve seen her pee. I watch her on television because in the beginning, she was a breathe of fresh air, and very entertaining.

Each week, as we watch Bethenny’s dreams come true, I am hopeful she will return to being the person she was. The girl who made us fall in love with her by simply being herself. She was bold, honest, funny, and vulnerable. We were routing for her to succeed in business and love.

You’ve got to give it her for trying. She had a difficult childhood, and although the reality of her upbringing is questioned by many, and may not be as bad as she would like us to believe, it was difficult for her. Her memories are her own, and for her it was horrible, so let’s give her that.

I have a reputation of not liking Bethenny, and that is simply not the case. My opinion of her has nothing to do with whether I like her or not. I don’t know her. What I know, is that with each episode, my opinion is not gauged by how much I like her, but by how much I believe her.

This week was all about bringing her baby home. Within the first five minutes it became clear that while I may like her, I don’t trust her. That feeling of distrust translates into her being a hot mess of insincerity. She managed to make an episode I was looking forward to, rather unappealing.

She’s in the hospital, just having had the baby, and her in-laws, who drove immediately to be with her and see their first grandchild, arrive. They walk in the room, and before they even turn the corner, she is telling them to be careful because she has stitches. Seriously bitchy I think.

Before she makes her big announcement about having a girl and calling her Bryn, after the son they lost, she is telling them to close the door. Really? You have a camera crew in your hospital room, but you need to shut the door for privacy? Bethenny seems to think she is Lady Diana.

She announces the baby like it’s all for television, and not for these people who have dreamed of this day for longer than she did. Then that’s it. We never see Jason’s parents again. She won. She chose the baby nurse over the grandparents, and that speaks volumes about Bethenny.

She talks about how traumatized she is by her childhood, and lack of love from her mother, yet, when given the opportunity to have Jason’s mom there, loving her and the baby, she opts to have a baby nurse. Bethenny is a diva, and the whoring of Bryn Hoppy has begun.

This could have been Bethenny’s moment of redemption. All her lies, mean spirited comments, exaggerations, and missteps, would have been forgiven is she had embraced Jason’s parents, and had them for a week, and then the baby nurse. She was so close, and in the end, she blew it.

They walk out of the hospital and you see a flash of disappointment as Bethenny realizes there are no paparazzi. It’s a sad moment, and I found myself feeling sad for her. I wish she had thought it out better and had Carol with her for a couple of weeks. It would have healed her.

On the ride home, Jason realizes of how hard it was for his parents to lose a child. When you have your own children, you see your parents differently, and it was touching. It would have been the perfect time for Bethenny to say his parents could stay and help with the baby.

Bethenny is obsessed with the baby nurse. She talks about how the woman is family, and she should treat the home like it’s her own, yet she has never called her by her name, only “Baby Nurse”. Her name is Gina. It’s moments like this that make Bethenny gross, which is a shame.

The stamping of footprints is charming. They are cute and when we see them as new parents, it’s a flashback to Bethenny from the beginning of RHONYC. Bethenny is neurotic, and it’s as if she forgot about the cameras, and was real. She was fabulous during this scene.

As quickly as I found myself loving her, it was gone. Shawn came over to work on the baby shower and Bethenny, the fame monger, was back in full swing. She is abrasive, and controlling, and it’s not cute. In the end you can’t trust her. Is she being real, or working it for the camera?

We then waste 5 minutes watching Max get a number from a woman who clearly has no interest in going out with him. Whatever. We are then in therapy, and Bethenny makes sure to let us know parenthood is scarier for her than for Jason. Dear Lord. Is she kidding right now?

We then get to watch her go through a night of breastfeeding, then watch her complain about how busy she is. Bethenny seems to think that she is the first woman to ever have a baby. We are also reminded, that the thing Bethenny cares about most, is Bethenny.

She complains to Julie that Jason has friends coming to see the abby. God forbid a new father, whose parents were banished, would want to share his baby with his friends. I just don’t get it. Does she not see how the things she says could be perceived as ugly and selfish?

We are out shopping now with Max, Bethenny and Robert Verdi, the stylist. Robert is an ass, Max is useless, and that Bethenny is unable to go buy a dress without a stylist, shows us exactly what we are dealing with. Bethenny has become all the things she says she hated about Jill.

At the end of the day, Bethenny Frankel started out as my favorite housewife, and her husband started out as Prince Charming. Try as I may to get on board the Bethenny love train, it’s hard. I’ve tried, really hard, but it’s not happening. With only one episode left, I’m not sure it will.

Bethenny got married to a wonderful guy and had a baby, which is what she wanted. She got her own show, and the career success she dreamed of. If she can relax and work on going back to being real, she will have it all. I’m not convinced she can do it, but I’m keeping the faith.

Salahi's Snubbed

From the Sioux City Journal.

Press Tour: Meet Tareq and Michaele Salahi
By: Bruce Miller

At a party Friday night for the stars of new NBC shows, the Salahis showed up.
You remember them — they’re the Washington couple accused of crashing the Obamas’ first state dinner.
Michaele and Tareq are featured in Bravo’s new reality series, “The Real Housewives of D.C.” and, true to form, they’re not exactly loved by their fellow Washingtonians. Just feet away from the couple — who worked the room better than more tested stars like Jimmy Smits and Sharon Gless — Michaele’s co-stars admitted it was “very unfortunate” that the Salahis’ situation had to cast a pall on their new series.
“I’ve known them for years,” said Lynda Erkiletian, the co-star who calls their polo club a “goat rodeo.” “They aren’t necessarily close to everyone on the show.”
Indeed, said Mary Schmidt Amons, a granddaughter of Arthur Godfrey, “I’m the only one who is friends with everyone on the show.”
That means the claws can come out at any time and, apparently, do.
When I got to speak to the couple, Michaele instantly gave me a big hug, Tareq patted me on the back and both admitted a book about the “incident” would be coming out and it would explain everything in terms favorable to the Salahis.
“I’ve always believed you have to rise above the people who try to tear you down,” Michaele said. “And that’s what I’m going to do.”
Meanwhile, the others gave her and her husband a pretty cold shoulder.
The “incident”? “We had no idea it had happened until after it was in the news,” Amons said. “It was really unfortunate because it really put our show in a different light.”
The dinner, in fact, came near the end of filming season one.
To get a glimpse of the hoopla, tune into the “Real Housewives of D.C.” It premieres Thursday on Bravo and, yup, it’s in keeping with the other installments in the franchise.

THE RHODC In Beverly Hills, CA

Picture of the RHODC at an event for television critics.

Kim G. Is Pissed At Danielle

Video clip from the RHONJ that will be televised Monday.


Bethenny To Appear On Fresh Food Fast

Article from OK magazine.

Bethenny’s Baby Will Eat Butternut Squash
Author: Valerie Nome

When Bethenny Frankel stops by to guest on Emeril Lagasse’s Cooking Channel show Fresh Food Fast, she’s already had a busy morning that includes breastfeeding two-month-old daughter Bryn and filling in on The View.

“I’m lucky, I’m happy, it feels like it’s my moment right now,” the Bethenny Getting Married? star, 39, tells me. “It feels like a good moment. I’m grateful, I’m lucky. I’m excited. I’m particularly excited about this Emeril show because I am a chef, and not as good of a chef as Emeril by any stretch of the imagination – not as experienced by every stretch of the imagination, but it will be fun to cook with someone like him. I appreciate his love of food and his love of local food, and real food, and that he’s passionate about it.”

Hmm, has Bethenny served up a special dish for her daughter yet?

“No, she’s not on solid food yet, but the first thing she eats will be my cooking,” she tells me. “It will be pureed butternut squash because I love to make it, I love to eat it, and it’s like baby food.”

Now that Bethenny is a mom, she’s noticed her food cravings have changed.

“I’ve been eating a lot more protein because of breastfeeding. There are times that I’ve gone through when I’ve been vegetarian, and lately I’ve been wanting chicken more. It could be a turkey burger, it could be chicken on a salad. I think my body’s craving protein. I actually need it.”

Still, hubby Jason Hoppy isn’t suffering now that Bethenny has another person to please.

“I created a low-fat enchilada a couple weeks ago that I put in my newsletter, and my husband loves it. Typically Mexican’s really fattening, and this is a low-fat, low calorie enchilada, and it’s as good as any Mexican restaurant. We’re both surprised by it. It’s good.”

Perhaps Emeril will share his tips for making an eclectic eater out of daughter Bryn.

“I try to tell families that it starts from the top, so if dad’s moaning and whining that he doesn’t like broccoli and he doesn’t like brussel sprouts, then that filters down immediately to the kids,” she tells me. “At an early age, you can turn them off without trying or knowing what it is. I try to encourage my kids and their friends, if they have friends over, to experiment. We don’t talk about ‘do you like this?’ or ‘do you like this?’ This is what we’re having for dinner. We’re having Brazillian fish stew, and that’s what we’re having for dinner tonight. There are not a lot of options.”

Pick up the OK! on newsstands now for a behind-the-scenes look at Bethenny and Emeril from his Cooking Channel show Fresh Food Fast. The cover line is “Kourtney Vs. Kim: It’s War Over Scott.” And, watch for Bethenny’s episode of Fresh Food Fast, which will air later this year. For now, catch Bethenny Getting Married?, which airs Thursdays at 10/9C on Bravo.

Lynn's New Post About BGM

Click HERE to read Lynn's latest blog post about Bethenny Getting Married.

Gretchen And Slade At Twin Cities Live

Pics./Tweets of Gretchen and Slade with Melissa from Twin Cities Live and Kelly Jordan. Below is a link to see Gretchen's interview.

Two of the nicest people in Hollywood (@gretchenrossi and @sladesmiley)! Thanks for coming to @twincities_live!

@SladeSmiley @kelly_jordan and @GretchenRossi The @twincities_live audience LOVED her & her new handbags

                                                        Click HERE to see Gretchen on Twin Cities Live.

Reality TV Now Taking Over Gossip Magazines

Article from the Washington Post.

Reality TV is affecting reality, creating a weird world for gossip writers
Drawing lines between reality and reality TV shows
By Amy Argetsinger

What's happened to my beloved gossip rags?

I used to enjoy peering into the private lives of the rich and famous: who was dating whom, who was having babies, who was feuding, who had a stunning new home.

But the famous (if not necessarily rich) these days are reality TV stars, and their private lives are paradoxically public fodder for their shows. That's left the gossip press completely co-opted, pushing stories that are little more than recaps and promos -- advertising, really -- for television programs.

As a reporter who covers the world of celebrity, I probably mourn the declining quality of tabloid trash -- and fear the arrival of "The Real Housewives of D.C." -- more than most of you. Lately, you see, I'm getting constantly getting tripped up by reality-tainted faux gossip.

Tori Spelling's marriage in trouble? Sounds promising when I spot that headline in my People-Us Weekly-TMZ browsing. Should we keep an eye out for a divorce announcement from the '90s kitsch icon? Ah, whaddaya know: Turns out "Tori Spelling's marriage in trouble" is also the story arc of her new reality series. I think she and Dean might make it after all.

The sons of a beloved TV personality open up about their father's recent death -- poignant, no? But what if the TV personality is a reality star, and the interview runs not soon after his death but months later, just as his death episode is set to air? (To record-setting viewership, natch.) I'm sorry for your loss, sons of Captain Phil Harris of Discovery's "Deadliest Catch," but this ain't news anymore.

That's why, much as I hate to write about them, I'll grudgingly give props to the Kardashians, who actually do real-life things (marrying NBA stars, having babies) that might legitimately qualify as "news" even if, theoretically speaking, the sisters were famous for something other than starring in the reality shows on which said blessed events are about to be showcased.

In the age of Balloon Boy and Michaele Salahi, we've all wondered how much reality TV is affecting reality -- how the desire to create good television may steer a wannabe-celeb's behavior. (Poor Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston. An unromantic public immediately assumed that their surprise engagement was a bid for a TV deal.) But it's also created a crazy hall-of-mirrors effect for the media attempting to cover this world.

In some ways this new breed of celebrity -- more raw, less guarded than the Hollywood elite -- has been good for the tabs. The gossip sheets struck gold last year when they turned up evidence that one Mr. Jon Gosselin, at the time best known as the beleaguered Pennsylvania dad of eight kids on TLC's "Jon & Kate Plus 8," was cruising Wyomissing area nightspots minus Kate. The media frenzy over their breakup spurred epic ratings, and even after viewership subsided, the Gosselin saga remained popular with gossip consumers. The stories about Jon and Kate may now be bigger than their show ever was.

But I'm convinced reality TV comes out way ahead in this unholy partnership. Take "The Bachelor." The looking-for-love show had been lagging in the ratings for years, until 2007, when Brad Womack scandalized viewers by rejecting all the women competing for his heart. The celebrity rags dove in to investigate what's wrong with that guy? And they haven't left the "Bachelor" beat since, expending the same kind of probing energy on the Jason-Molly-Melissa love triangle or the Ed and Jillian infidelity reports that they once devoted to the watershed breakup of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt.

Bravo's "Housewives" franchise is particularly shrewd about crafting plotlines that spin out parallel faux news stories. Last year, some of the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" hinted on-air that one of their own had a scandalous past. Tri-state newspapers quickly exhumed a 1980s kidnapping-extortion case involving cast member Danielle Staub, and New Jersey ended up being the highest-rated "Housewives" season to date. Who knows if producers schemed behind the scenes to make sure the other wives uncovered Staub's obscure secrets -- but did the media get played here, as well? Was this really a valid celebrity news story -- or just an unpaid ad?

So from the time we learned that Bravo was considering Tareq and Michaele Salahi for the D.C. installment, I steeled myself. I knew there were plenty of seamy allegations surrounding these small-time Northern Virginia socialites; we'd reported some of them over the years. But I resolved we'd get ahead of Bravo's PR blitz and reveal the Salahis' travails on our own schedule, spoilers be damned.

But then, for once, the news got ahead of reality TV -- way ahead. The Washington Post broke the story when the Salahis crashed a White House state dinner in November, months before they'd even been confirmed as cast members, and then their controversial business dealings came to light.

For a while, I vainly imagined that The Post had killed "Real Housewives" by exposing its allegedly glamorous stars as bankrupt graspers.

Instead, judging from the previews, producers embraced the saga of the Salahis' disgrace. In the old days, the showbiz establishment promoted its stars as flawless, godlike creatures -- and then the gossip columns and tabloids could revel in dishing the dirt on them. But in the new show business, reality producers are doing both jobs: building up their stars, but also exposing and embarrassing them.

So what's left for us, the gossip writers? These people are celebrities in their own way, and celebrities are my beat. Many readers are interested in these characters (that, of course, is why the celeb mags have gotten trapped in this cycle), so we'll continue to cover them. When I learned that one of the D.C. "Housewives" was the same woman who, under a different name, sold her story of canoodling with Prince Harry to a British tabloid, I reported it out -- same as I would have if it had been any other rising local socialite. (And then I wondered if that was exactly what Bravo wanted me to do.)

And then there are the Salahis. Launched to notoriety by the White House incident, they certainly gave us plenty of other legitimate news to write about -- massive debts, ugly court battles, a bitter family feud over their winery, a state probe of their charity polo match. They declined to talk to The Post during our investigation last winter but sent an e-mail via a rep blaming several other people by name for their financial problems.

One unlikely name jumped out. It was the college-age daughter of one of the other D.C. "Housewives"; the rep claimed she stole from the Salahis. That was intriguing, I thought -- a sign of an ugly rift between these families brought together by Bravo. Couldn't wait to write about that.

And then I saw an extended preview of the new show. The hot tip evaporated: There, on the screen, Tareq Salahi was making the same accusation to the mother's face, in front of the camera, for the nation to hear. The Salahis weren't giving me a story. Just a preview of coming attractions.

BGM 7-29-10 Recap

Article from The Stir.

'Bethenny Getting Married' Recap: Bryn Hoppy Will Spark Population Explosion
by Julie Ryan Evans

It would be a hard-hearted woman who didn't shed a tear or feel the tiniest little tinge to have a baby after watching Bethenny Getting Married this week. Bryn Hoppy is so adorable that I'm convinced birth rates will rise because of her.


Tears were jerked right off the bat in the emotional episode in which they brought baby Bryn home. Jason's parents' reaction when Bethenny Frankel told them Bryn's name, in honor of their son who was killed at age 19, was incredible; no wonder Jason is such a good guy.

Then there was Bethenny's revelation to Jason about why she wanted a girl so much.

"I wanted to give a girl what I didn't have -- a relationship with her mother that I didn't have."
Jason's breakdown when he realized the magnitude of his parents losing a child when he loved Bryn so much after just a few days was one of the most touching moments I've seen in reality TV.

I cried when they introduced Bryn to the dog, and I even got misty when Bethenny had her first margarita (Skinny Girl, of course).

The most emotional moments, however, came when Bryn got camera time. She is the cutest, sweetest, tiniest little package of perfection. All I could think of was when I brought my own tiny little preemie home.

Thank God there were comedic moments, because I was in need of a sob break. Jason and Bethenny trying -- unsuccessfully -- to get the car seat out of the car definitely lightened things up.

"I went to get-your-baby-out-of-the-car school, and now the baby has to live in the car," Bethenny said before the nurse came and rescued Bryn.

There were also some memorable Max (her assistant) moments, like him making the most awkward date request ever, and a really rude stylist who kept calling him Fraggle Rock (what was that all about?!).

The rest of the episode showed Bethenny experiencing some of the realities of motherhood, like sleep deprivation and fearing for her baby's safety.

All in all, it was a great episode that took me back to my children's newborn days. And while we're done, really done, when it comes to having more children, nothing -- or rather no one -- has made me rethink that stance like little Bryn Hoppy.

How much did you cry while watching Bethenny Getting Married tonight?

Danielle Lover Is A Jacqueline Hater

Tweets from Jacqueline. One to her and One to Danielle by the same dude.


Friday, July 30, 2010

Andy With The RHODC And "Flipping Out" Favorites

Pics./Tweets from Andy, he is in CA for The RHODC.

With my "flipping out" honeys, Jeff and Jenni! #iloveflippingout #nbcparty

Getting ready to unleash Real Housewives of DC on the TV Critics of America at NBC party in Bev Hills

Kelly-RHONY Looks Amazing

Picture and Tweet from Kelly.

With @micahjesse. he's amaze

Bravo Not Involved With Salahi RHODC Premiere Party

From The Washington Post.

By: Roxanne Roberts & Amy Argetsinger
It wouldn't be a season of "Real Housewives" without a social disgrace or two, a little cocktail party condemnation of some kind, would it? It's happening in real life, with Bravo denouncing an event, thrown by a pal of Tareq and Michaele Salahi, that claimed to be the "official" premiere party for the new D.C.-based season.

Jamie Windon
Several of the 'Wives were upset to see their images used in the fliers for the party at EFN Lounge, which they say they're not attending. And on Friday, Bravo released a statement Friday declaring that the EFN party -- with ticket prices from $25 to $500 -- is not an official event at all.

"NBC Universal and Bravo have not sanctioned and are not involved," in the nightclub promotion, the statement said. "Any assertions otherwise are false."

Howard Cromwell, promoter of the EFN party and proprietor of something called "D.C.'s Most Fabulous Magazine" (don't worry, we hadn't heard of it either), told us that he had amended his marketing materials in compliance with Bravo's demands. His Web site still promises that his party will be "hosted by Michaele Salahi"; the two have worked together on other events, including the Salahis' controversial America's Polo Cup. Will she be there? Who knows, but Bravo says all five Housewives will be at the real official premiere party, Thursday night at the Madison hotel. Don't try to buy tickets though -- it's invitation-only.

Jacqueline-RHONJ Loves Mr. Clean

Video of Jacqueline promoting Mr.Clean.

The RHOA On Ghost Hunters

Press release from The Futon Critic.


Released by Syfy
SYFY'S GHOST HUNTERS GET REAL IN ATLANTA

BRAVO'S THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA JOIN THE GHOST HUNTERS FOR ONE EVENING ONLY AS SPECIAL GUEST INVESTIGATORS

Los Angeles, California - July 30, 2010 - Ghost Hunters, Syfy's hugely successful reality series, has announced a trio of special guest investigators. Bravo's The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Sheree Whitfield, NeNe Leakes and Kim Zolciak are on the case at the historic Rhodes Hall in Atlanta, GA as they join Jason, Grant and the rest of the team for an unforgettable investigation. The episode is slated to air on Syfy this fall.

Since the series debuted in 2004, viewers have flocked to Syfy on Wednesday nights at 9pm to catch the latest hair-raising cases from the files of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), led by Rhode Island plumbers Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. The first half of season six (airing spring 2010), averaged a 1.9 Household rating, 2.6 million total viewers, 1.6 million Adults 18-49 and 1.6 million Adults 25-54. Its spin-off series, Ghost Hunters International and Ghost Hunters Academy, have continued to cement the Ghost Hunters brand as the top paranormal franchise in cable.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta is an up-close and personal look at fabulous women from Atlanta's social elite as they juggle their burgeoning careers and busy home lives with the whirl of the south's hottest city. These driven and ambitious women prove that they're not just "housewives," but entrepreneurs, doting mothers and feisty southern women.

Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International and Ghost Hunters Academy are produced in association with Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Films and Television (Dirty Jobs, The Ultimate Fighter, My Fair Wedding). Piligian and Thomas Thayer, along with Rob Katz and Alan David, serve as executive producers.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as Sci Fi Channel, and currently in 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Caroline-RHONJ Deposed In Maher Lawsuit

Article from NJ.com

Vicki Hyman/The Star-Ledger
“Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Caroline Manzo has been deposed in a $5 million defamation lawsuit filed against Danielle Staub by Staub's ex-husband Kevin Maher.

“Caroline Manzo saw Danielle Staub for who she truly is right off the bat and never gave Danielle the opportunity to hurt her like the rest of the housewives did,” Maher says via email, “therefore we felt that Caroline’s testimony would be impartial and the most valued in these proceedings.”

Maher sued Staub last year after his ex-wife told media outlets that Maher raped her and continually beat her, which Maher has denied. Her relationship to Maher and her criminal past came out during the show’s first season, when Manzo dug up a copy of “Cop Without a Badge,” about Maher’s journey from ex-con to confidential informant; his relationship with Staub, whom he describes as a "coke whore," is a small but very entertaining part of the book.

Also aiding Maher in his lawsuit: Steve Zalewski, whom Staub sued last year over his purported attempt to leak a sex tape (Zalewski returned fire on Staub last month, alleging defamation and harassment), and Daniel Aguilar, a onetime drug drealer with whom Staub was arrested in a kidnapping and drugs scheme. Aguilar spent 15 years in prison after Staub cooperated with authorities in the case, and recently phoned up the reality show star to ask for the $100,000 he paid to bail her out of jail all those years ago, RadarOnline reports. Staub then called police to claim Aguilar is stalking her, says Aguilar, who soon got a call from a detective about the incident.

Maher plans to file another defamation suit against Staub within the next week about her memoir, “The Naked Truth,” in which she further details their allegedly abusive relationship.

Staub's lawyer Bob Cherry had no comment, not even to say whether he was representing Staub in this matter or not.

Teresa-RHONJ In Bronxville To Sign "Skinny Italian"

Article from Bronxville-Eastchester Patch.

Hundreds Turn Out to Meet Real Housewives of NJ Star in
Teresa Giudice signed copies of her cookbook Skinny Italian at Enchanté on Tuesday night

By Nicole Scarmeas

About 300 fans stood in line outside Enchanté in Bronxville on Tuesday night to meet Teresa Giudice, one of the stars of Bravo's Real Housewives of New Jersey, who was on hand to sign her cookbook, Skinny Italian.

Of those, some 150 had made reservations—which required a minimum purchase of $75—ahead of time, while the rest did so before going into the shop. Allowing about 30 people in at a time, some fans were outside until 9:30 p.m.

Giudice, a mother of four, is probably best known for the table-flipping incident last season, which earned the show some of its highest ratings. Recently, reports have centered around the Jersey native and her husband, Joe's, bankruptcy filing.

But on Tuesday, fans didn't seem to care about the reality star's money troubles.

"She's just so cool," said Julius Michael, a hairstylist in White Plains. As he got his book personalized by Giudice, she said, "I like your name."

And Angela Pellegrino of Yonkers said she loves Giudice because, "She's so gorgeous!"

Teresa Giudice with Jessica Ganz, manager of Enchante. Credit Nicole Scarmeas Photos
The cookbook, which hit shelves in May, features about 60 recipes for making Italian dishes and offers various stay-thin tips. Since it's release, Giudice has been on a book signing tour, visiting clothing stores, jewelry shops, restaurants, spas, and bookstores throughout the tri-state area.

And even though filming of the show resumes at the end of August, Giudice is already booked for signings in Las Vegas this September and Kentucky in September/October.

With cooking for her family as inspiration, Guidice began penning the cookbook in November 2009. "I loved everything about writing it. I always wanted to write a cookbook. I loved going through my mother's recipes, the juicy bites from Joe, and I think my personality comes out in it. I just loved every part," she said. "I get emails from fans telling me that their kids used to be picky eaters, and now they're not. I find that inspiring."

Jessica Ganz, the manager of Enchanté, who organized the event, met Giudice last month during a signing at Limoncello restaurant in Mamaroneck.

"We love her. I'm overwhelmed, proud, excited. The goal was to bring in customers and make sure everyone has a good time, and that's what's happening," she said. Ganz also got companies like Bliss and Smashbox to provide gifts with a purchase of $75.

With their reservation, guests were could purchase the cookbook at $10, and for those who made a $100 purchase, the book was free.

Jessica R., of Manhattan attended the event with her mother, Holly. "It's sort of a train wreck, but I can't help but watch. These are real people, and they're more interesting than you'd think," she said of the show.

"She's our favorite," gushed Alex and Victoria of Rockland County and New Rochelle, after getting their books signed by Giudice. "She was way nicer than what we expected."

Alex and Victoria said they love watching the show for the drama, while Renee Rosen, a research analyst in Manhattan, watches the show as a cultural critic.

"It's beyond a reality genre," Rosen said, "The show exemplifies real life in terms of social demographics. It's survival of the fittest. In the California show, they have the blond hair and silicone in their bodies. In New York, the women are more matriarchal and aggressive. In New Jersey, there's an alpha male, the kind of man women wanted in the 80s and 90s, but now isn't needed. It's a culture that's dying."

An undeniable presence, Giudice was laid-back and lively at the event.

"She'll sign anything you want," a woman who'd just had her book signed told a group of people waiting in line outside.

Slade/Jill/Bobby With Patti


judith regan, patti stanger, slade,jill,bobby
Maybe Gretchen Rossi is too smart to be photographed with this bunch. Patti Stanger posted this to twitter last night from a dinner with fellow Bethenny Frankel hater Jill Zarin. Can you imagine the conversation at this dinner…would have loved to be a fly on the wall. Bethenny this, Bethenny that, as Slade absorbs it all…to take back to Gretchen.

Gretchen Rossi seems to be trying the “balls to the wall” agenda that propelled Bethenny to such success. Of course, you would have to be able to do more than put your initials on a variety of products, but that’s just details to Gretchen, I’m sure. Slade and Gretchen are currently flying to Minnesota to tape ShopNBC for her segment.

In other news, Gretchen Rossi’s internet stalker and consummate liar Tweetmaxine is saying Jill Zarin will be on “Bethenny Getting Married? tonight. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Kandi-RHOA Writes "Closet Freak"

Post from Rolling Out.

By: Yvette Caslin
Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kandi Burruss has done it again. The Grammy Award-winning songwriter has penned a surefire hit single with her new song, “Closet Freak,” which blends pop and techno. Lawrence Washington, Atlanta’s own version of Lady Gaga, premiered it during a captivating three-minute performance at Aurum Lounge in Midtown Atlanta on Thursday, July 29.


The Atlanta housewives made one of their first public appearances together this summer to support the hair stylist and salon owner whose stage name is Miss Washington. In the “RHOA” series, Washington made cameo appearances as veteran housewife Sherée Whitfield’s personal hair stylist.

Noticeably absent was the rumored-to-be-ousted housewife Lisa Wu Hartwell, who, ironically, has a clothing line with the same name as Washington’s single. Housewives’ NeNe Leakes, newcomer Phaedra Parks, Kim Zolciak and a fashionably late Whitfield were full of life as they sat front row when Washington, preceded by long-limbed backup dancers, sashayed onto the platform in couture noir attire.

Aurum Lounge was definitely no place to be shocked by men wearing sky-high heels and heavy makeup. The lyrics in “Closet Freak” resonated with many of the partygoers because its message conveys freedom of expression and embracing one’s eccentricities.

“I am so thankful to Kandi, who wrote this song, it means so much [to me]. As you know the title of the song is ‘Closet Freak’ but you also know that I am not in the closet by any means, I believe in being true to who you are and living out your purpose,” Washington said passionately. He went on to thank his parents, who were present, and his sponsors Belvedere Vodka, Jane Carter Solution, a natural hair care product, and others.

It’s hard to say whether Miss Washington has any plans to give up his curling irons and straightening combs to go on a world tour, but he definitely has the chops and sexual energy to be an entertainment phenomenon.

The Real Housewives And Fashion

Article From The Washington Post.

Fashion takes a leading role in 'The Real Housewives' franchise
By Robin Givhan

The "Real Housewives" franchise, that juggernaut of gossip, gluttony and Botox, incorporates fashion as a kind of gallivanting character -- a constantly striving, ostentatious, insecure troublemaker who believes there's no such thing as too much cleavage.

During each show's opening montage, the smiling Housewives pose and preen in front of a voyeuristic camera. Wardrobe favorites include jewel-tone dresses in shiny, shiny satin or, for the more demure ladies, georgette frocks with low-cut decolletage. More often than not, said dresses appear to be at least one size too small.
The RHOBH

The point of this introductory shot is not to establish the women as fashion savants. No, no. The manner in which they position their hands on their hips, shimmy and toss their hair makes them look more tarty than tasteful. In some openings, the women will have their heads tilted back in a rather haughty manner while they perch with formal posture on an armchair. The resulting statement is: Here sits imperiousness that's ready to pop.

With the likelihood of inappropriate behavior thus established, let the hair-pulling -- or weave-wrenching -- ensue. Fashion is a weapon, a distraction, a power play from Atlanta to New York.

In more than one version of "The Real Housewives," fashion provides an outlet for the women's entrepreneurial interests. Fashion is the perfect occupation for the Housewives, whose job it is to look good, stir up trouble and engage in the kind of consumer gluttony that transforms a shopping trip into a day-long affair that requires breaks for sustenance.

Few other industries have so captured the public's imagination as a fertile ground for money, glamour and, sadly, catty behavior. The fashion industry fascinates because it is charged with attaching a dollar value to physical attractiveness. How crass! It also allows for an open and loving display of material goods. A housewife can inventory her collection of shoes and have it cast as research for a possible fashion line.

The RHODC
The Housewives of Atlanta and New Jersey, in particular, are expert consumers. The cameras don't highlight their discerning eye but rather their voracious appetites. They are hungry to define themselves, yearning to be noticed and starving for status for themselves and their families. Their fashion consumption delivers that message succinctly, so that the one-hour dramas do not have to waste time with characters offering long self-analysis.

Get a load of that disastrous "She by Shereé" line! Why does Kim wear such flamboyant platinum Dolly Parton wigs? Why is Teresa obsessed with dressing her children up like designer Barbie dolls? Clothes and hair sum up the misleading, uncomfortable and insecure way in which the women navigate their world more eloquently than any on-camera confessional ever could.

In New York, the fashion connections are more direct and more substantial. The city is, after all, the center of the American fashion industry. Having access to fashion is not especially rarefied. Practically everyone in Manhattan knows someone who knows someone who can alert them to a "friends and family" sample sale or get them into a fashion show in some dank warehouse. In New York, fashion is part of the city's language. Television boils that language down to the basest cliches, but it doesn't lessen fashion's ability to communicate.

Housewife Kelly Killoren Bensimon is an erstwhile model, a former wife of a fashion editor and the author of several style-related picture books. She also displays the tart tongue and the explosive personality that are part of the fashion-insider stereotype. You hate her from the moment she says hello.

Jill Zarin once hosted a luncheon and trunk show featuring the New York designer Zang Toi -- a man who has been known to wear hot pants to business appointments. The event was an opportunity for Jill -- the Housewives are all about first-name intimacy -- to discuss the socioeconomic dynamics of the buy-it-at-full-price trunk show. Only the moneyed matter in a social sphere where everyone has some kind of access to designer attire. It's not just about what you're wearing, but how you got it.

And, of course, there is Alex McCord and her husband, Simon van Kampen, for whom a shopping excursion is like a trip to the Museum of Modern Art with two of the world's most pretentious and emotive art history majors.

Even now, as the franchise turns its sights on D.C., a city defined by politics, policy and the intelligentsia, fashion maintains its leading role. Housewife Lynda Erkiletian owns T.H.E. Artist Agency, and Bravo has provided the gloriously evocative tidbit that Mary Amons uses a biometric fingerprint scanner on her closet door to protect its contents from her children. That detail alone is fodder for a season's worth of pop-psychology analysis.

And do we even need to mention Michaele Salahi and her red sari-like extravaganza seen around the world? That single get-up has become shorthand for narcissism, scandal and a mind-boggling ability to float through life in a private bubble of make-believe.

The RHONJ
The Housewives couldn't exist without fashion. From a purely aesthetic point of view, fashion provides eye candy: a steady stream of bright colors, shiny fabrics, big furs, big hair, big cleavage, high heels and long extensions. After all, these aren't just any Housewives -- these are fabulously glamorous ones. (Note: No one is pitching "The Real Housewives of Gary.")

Fashion is also the Housewives' worst frenemy, serving to belittle them at every opportunity. They try so hard to frame fashion as business, as just reward for all their hard work, as charitable tool, as art. But ultimately their efforts are unconvincing and viewers are left with the impression that the women are wholly defined by self-indulgence, materialism and showmanship.

The RHONY
It will be interesting to see if Washington, a city that is often characterized as being all work and no fun, a place where people take themselves too seriously to cut loose and flip over tables, will be able to stand up to the effects of fashion in its most tawdry form. The smart money says no because in reality TV, the most superficial elements thrive -- not the most thoughtful or complex ones.

Fashion can be serious business with a far-reaching cultural impact. But in the glare of the Housewives spotlight, in the midst of a hair-pulling match, the only thing anyone notices is who's wearing the best -- or worst -- dress.

Vicki-RHOOC Will Be At The Desert Cities Woman's Show

Post From Palm Springs Life.

Oct 30 & 31, 2010 at Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa
Desert Cities Woman's Show
Grab your sister, your mother, your girlfriend and plan a girl's day out!


The Desert Cities Woman's Show offers 100 displays with interior design secrets, health and wellness tips, fashions, exciting make-overs, anti-aging solutions and many other interests and concerns important to women today.

Enjoy a full Exhibit Hall of interesting displays on remodeling your home, jewelry trade and appraisal, personal fitness, cosmetic surgery, golf tips, fashions, handbags... plus food and wine tasting on the Emerald Patio.

Join KPSP Local 2 on Center Stage with (CBS2) THE DOCTORS - Dr. Drew Ordon and his cast of Doctors, celebrity guests Vicki Gunvalson from The Real Housewives of Orange County and Actor Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) and more!

Experience A Taste of the Valley featuring 16 local restaurants paired with fine wines and spirits. Enjoy delicious sampling from Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe, Jennifer's Kitchen, Castelli's Ristorante, Backstreet Bistro, CAVA, Souplantation and more!

Hosted by KPSP Local 2, center stage will feature WOMEN OF INFLUENCE with actor Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Vicki Gunvalson (The Real Housewives of Orange County)

MEET THE EXPERTS with Dr. Drew Ordon (The DOCTORS), renowned interior designer Barclay Butera and daily FASHION CONNECTIONS with Palm Springs Life Fashion Editor, Susan Stein.

The Eagle 106.9 invites you to join them at A TASTE OF THE VALLEY with delectable dishes and savory wines from 16 local restaurants by purchasing a tasting ticket at the event.

Oct 30 & 31, 2010 at Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa
Contact us at 760.285.3903

Danielle's B-Day Party With Her Girls

Post from Hollywood Life.com.

EXCLUSIVE! We’ve Got Pics Of Danielle Staub’s Very Private 48th Surprise Birthday Bash! She Even Got A Louboutin Cake!

BFFs, today is Real Housewives of New Jersey star Danielle Staub’s birthday! The mom of two gave HollywoodLife.com an inside look into her very private surprise birthday party!
Gift from Danielle's Daughters

Everybody wish Danielle Staub a very happy birthday! The mom of two turned 48 years old today, July 29, and we must say she looks great! Instead of a massive soirée with tons of guests, the reality star opted to spend her birthday with her family and girlfriend, Lori Michaels. They surprised her with an intimate family party at the very swanky Eric Alt Salon in Upper Saddle River, NJ, once the store was closed.

“It was a private affair,” says Danielle. “Last night, my girls surprised me with a Louboutin birthday cake [above] and I couldn’t believe it!”

This is the second year in a row that Danielle had a designer b-day cake from master cake artist Buddy Valastro, star of TLC’s Cake Boss!

“My youngest daughter Jillian is the one who called the Cake Boss, who made it for me,” says Danielle. “She just took my cell phone and called him, it was so sweet.”

Her two daughters, Christine, 16, and Jillian, 12, didn’t stop there — they splurged and got their mom a beautiful pair of Chanel sunglasses!

“I love the glasses!” exclaimed Danielle. “Even thought my happiness is based on love and not material items I’m so blessed to have two amazing daughters who are extremely thoughtful and generous!”
Cake Made By TLC's Cake Boss

Danielle is spending her big day relaxing at home, but did tell HollywoodLife.com that Lori is going to take her out for a romantic dinner.

But in case you’re disappointed that Danielle didn’t have a massive birthday bash, get ready, because she’s planning a HUGE post-birthday party!

“It’ll be very public,” says Danielle. “Noelle Ashman [NYC nightclub owner] is helping me throw it and it’ll be big. Lori and I will be performing a club version of our song “Real Close.” It’ll be in the next couple of weeks … very soon.”

— Chloe Melas

Teresa-RHONJ Wants To Be On Dancing With The Stars

Post from Examiner.com.


'Dancing with the Stars' -- is hit dancing competition getting New Jersey housewife Teresa Giudice?
BY:TV Examiner Katrina K Wheeler

Getty Images
The star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Teresa Giudice is considering starring on the next season of the hit dancing competition, Dancing with the Stars. She would not be the first reality star to try her luck on the show, and according to a recent update via her official Twitter account, she is seriously considering a possible future for herself on the show.

Giudice writes to her 80,000 fans: "I am thinking about doing 'Dancing with the Stars' though. What do you guys think? xx"

Giudice has gained a lot of fans through her role on the hit TV reality show, Real Housewives of New Jersey, and there is no doubt that they would be interested to see her try her luck on the dancing show. There has been no word on whether Giudice has any dancing experience, but as the past has indicated, experience need not be a requirement to excel and make it into the finals on the show.

What do you think -- would you like to see the housewife make an appearance on the competition?