Memory Lane: Seasons 1-5

[hoodooznoodooz]

Someone criticized Frankel for chewing while recording herself on Instagram. She no likey. 
She cannot take ANY criticism whatsoever.

[Jextella]

I'm rewatching a few early seasons. I just finished the Scary Island episode - S3 EP12 according to Xfinity.

There are a few scenes of Jill ice skating. I seem to recall that around this time, Betheny went on a show called something like "Skating with the Stars".  I also seem to recall thinking that Jill's skating was a way to compete with Betheny and/or to get asked on the skating show as well.

Does anyone remember this?  Am I remembering it accurately?

Meanwhile, I ADORE seasons 1-3 Ramona!

Edited November 5, 2020 by Jextella

[Normades]

6 hours ago, Jextella said:

I'm rewatching a few early seasons. I just finished the Scary Island episode - S3 EP12 according to Xfinity.

There are a few scenes of Jill ice skating. I seem to recall that around this time, Betheny when on a show called something like "Skating with the Stars".  I also seem to recall thinking that Jill's skating as a way to compete with Betheny or to get asked on the skating show as well.

Does anyone remember this?  Am I remembering it accurately?

Meanwhile, I ADORE seasons 1-3 Ramona!

You're right.  Jill did some kind of "performance" on ice at an event.  She made herself look foolish, wearing a tiny skating costume and falling on her a$$.  I never put that together with the Skating with the Stars, but I think it makes sense that she was trying to get asked to appear on that show.  Jill is so competitive.  I'm up to the season with Jules.  Carole and Bethenny were so awful to her.  It's hard to watch. 

[RedDelicious]

I think Skating with the Stars was a full year after Jill beefed it at the skating rink, because I remember Bethenny's skating being featured on Bethenny Ever After which was 2011ish.  She took it sooooooooo seriously too which I thought was hilarious.  I remember her warming up and doing crossovers and her arms were sticking ramrod straight out of her body 😄 She had no grace whatsoever, which seemed strange to me because she is good at snowboarding, so you'd think she'd have a really strong center of gravity.  But either way, I think it was an anything you can do, I can do better thing with Jill for sure.

[Jextella]

9 hours ago, Normades said:

You're right.  Jill did some kind of "performance" on ice at an event.  She made herself look foolish, wearing a tiny skating costume and falling on her a$$.  I never put that together with the Skating with the Stars, but I think it makes sense that she was trying to get asked to appear on that show.  Jill is so competitive.  I'm up to the season with Jules.  Carole and Bethenny were so awful to her.  It's hard to watch. 

 

2 hours ago, RedDelicious said:

I think Skating with the Stars was a full year after Jill beefed it at the skating rink, because I remember Bethenny's skating being featured on Bethenny Ever After which was 2011ish.  She took it sooooooooo seriously too which I thought was hilarious.  I remember her warming up and doing crossovers and her arms were sticking ramrod straight out of her body 😄 She had no grace whatsoever, which seemed strange to me because she is good at snowboarding, so you'd think she'd have a really strong center of gravity.  But either way, I think it was an anything you can do, I can do better thing with Jill for sure.

Thanks to both!  Jill and Betheny are two peas in a pod.

[JAYJAY1979]

Rewatched season 5 of NY..my fav season ever.

When watching the St Barts trip...it seemed like Aviva and Sonja/Ramona were in the wrong.  Was it ever revealed why Aviva was so dependent on Reid?

[emmawoodhouse]

Wasn't it due to her severe anxiety? 

[MaggieG]

On 12/26/2020 at 6:46 PM, emmawoodhouse said:

Wasn't it due to her severe anxiety? 

Her fear of flying was the reason Reid came on that trip. She had many fears/anxieties/maladies

[RedDelicious]

I always thought that was weird bc if she was that afraid of the plane crashing and Reid was with her, then their kids would be without both parents 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

[JAYJAY1979]

Aviva started out being semi logical and calm at the start of season 5.  She even had a few moments of logic and advice like when she advised Heather to not overly spoil her son because he was disabled or he might turn out like her.  

It wasn't till St Bart's where she lost it.  Partly because of the anxiety of flying, partly because Sonja/Ramona were acting batty, etc.

[DudeLeaveMeAlone]

I signed up for Peacock so I could watch this from the beginning. I only knew of Bethany prior to watching and didn't like her. I liked her after watching the first few seasons. I get why people liked her. After reading this thread, I guess that's going to change.

I CANNOT STAND Ramona. Something is wrong with that woman and how she managed to stay on this series baffles me (other than she probably brings the drama/entertainment). 

Sounds like seasons 6-8 are a real treat too, so looking forward to seeing the discussions in the episode threads!

[Stats Queen]

Well, I’m trying to work and for the second day in a row my bat shit crazy, generally nocturnal cat decided to keep bugging me all day and being very disruptive. I finally yelled at him “Go to sleep” 🤣

I had no gummy bears available to distract him though. I did try to distract him with potato chips and sunflower seeds (he really is crazy) but it only made him worse.

I think Bethenny could scare him away and get him to “go asleep” (i,e.m go hide in the closet).

[Jextella]

On 1/5/2021 at 9:13 AM, DudeLeaveMeAlone said:

I signed up for Peacock so I could watch this from the beginning. I only knew of Bethany prior to watching and didn't like her. I liked her after watching the first few seasons. I get why people liked her. After reading this thread, I guess that's going to change.

I CANNOT STAND Ramona. Something is wrong with that woman and how she managed to stay on this series baffles me (other than she probably brings the drama/entertainment). 

Sounds like seasons 6-8 are a real treat too, so looking forward to seeing the discussions in the episode threads!

I rewatched S1-S3 recently. I'm midway through S4 but got a little bored.  I liked Betheny until the end of Season 3. It all went to her head after that.

I adore Ramona - especially S1-S3 Ramona.  She is wonderfully entertaining for my tastes, and there is a lot about her I actually respect - which I won't drone on about here. 

Ramona is the primary reason I watch the show.  I don't think I'd watch it without her. I also still find the Sonja, Luann, and Ramona trio to be very entertaining.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Jextella

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 1/12/2021 at 11:31 AM, Jextella said:

 I'm midway through S4 but got a little bored. 

I never got through S4!  It's so boring!  I would like to one day...

[AuntieDiane6]

DVR ALERT: Tuesday (April 20) is an all-day binge-fest of Season 3:  SCARY ISLAND!!  All my favorite quotes:  "Johan Face!"  "Al Sharpton!" "Turtle Time!" "
 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Kelly is addressing "SCARY ISLAND" TODAY, ON YOUTUBE:

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Oh my god, I'm 5 minutes in and she's said a million things and yet she's said nothing so far.  I'd rather just read a transcript.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Ok I'm 10 minutes in and all she's said so far is that "Someone" refused to film scenes with her.

Oh my god, this woman.  I'm ready to scream at her to go to sleep myself.  

[Ms Blue Jay]

15 minutes in, recap:

1). Kelly won't ever name names so I don't know what she's talking about
2). Only Kelly and Bethenny were sober, because Bethenny was preggers
3). Kelly really cares about her own kids
4). Bethenny kept going to the press to say bad things about her?
5). Kelly said one of the woman's hair was falling OUT or OFF (????) and Kelly picked it up for them?????????  

[Ms Blue Jay]

All 4 women were attacking her because according to Kelly they thought it would make them popular on the show.

[Ms Blue Jay]

She makes two pretty good points in 24 minutes.  I think I've almost lost them, because she took me around and around and around and around in circles to get there.  Oh dear, oh dear oh my.

[hoodooznoodooz]

Who is the cast member with a health issue? I thought it was Frankel because there were complications with her pregnancy?

But that can’t be right because another cast member refused to film with Kelly?

She says “you know” and “like” sooooo many times. 

[RedDelicious]

Bethenny was the one with the health issue (pregnancy) and I think it was also Bethenny who wouldn’t film with Kelly and kept going to the press all the time. I also think Ramona self-identified as the “big celebrity” and Sonja was probably the one with her hair pieces falling off her head. 

I thought this was pretty interesting. I always liked KKB and thought she was pretty harmless. 

[Hiyo]

Kelly was all kinds of crazy which made her fun to watch.

[AuntieDiane6]

OMG!  This Season 3 marathon!!  Classic situations EVERYWHERE.  Those editors must be crying when they see what they have to edit today compared to then:

*  That Brooklyn FASHION SHOW!  I laughed out loud at Ramona's walk!

*  Kelly's awkward interview with that reporter from Playboy.  REPORTER TO KELLY: "I'm reading a really good book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."  KELLY:  "Oh, I don't have any tattoos."

*  Kelly talking about how she supports PETA, but wears fur.

*  Ramona asking Kelly about her boob surgery. Ramona prophesizing about Bethenny "blowing it" with Jason

AND ALL THIS BEFORE SCARY ISLAND!

[funnygirl]

I'm on the episode where Jill ends her friendship with Bethenny and I remember being gutted by the end of that friendship... Now, I think it's the smartest thing Jill's ever done. lol

I know she later tries to backtrack to jump on the Bethenny hype train, but in hindsight all of these years later, it was smart to cut that brand of narcissism off. (which is saying something, because they're all narcissistic in some regard)

Edited April 20, 2021 by funnygirl

[FlyingEgret]

I dont know how many times I have seen this Season 3 but I enjoy it each and every time

[bosawks]

I will always love Turtle Time Ramona!

[emmawoodhouse]

AL SHARPTON!!!!

[Bossa Nova]

11 years later (from the original spring 2010 airing of Season Three)....

I am still convinced that Kelly Bensimon is on the spectrum. Possible Aspies. And undiagnosed.

Too many signs.

Just now, Bossa Nova said:

 

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by Bossa Nova

[OldButHappy]

7 hours ago, Bossa Nova said:

I am still convinced that Kelly Bensimon is on the spectrum. Possible Aspies. And undiagnosed.

Too many signs.

I have Aspergers. Kelly shows zero aspie behaviors. 

How about you keep your insults to yourself? Your ignorance is not an excuse. 

Edited April 21, 2021 by OldButHappy

[Jextella]

On 4/20/2021 at 5:24 PM, bosawks said:

I will always love Turtle Time Ramona!

Yeah!  What happened to Turtle Time Ramona anyway!  I watched S1-S3 a few months ago and there were lots of references to how much Ramona drank.  Something changed. 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Jextella

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

I am still convinced that Kelly Bensimon is on the spectrum. Possible Aspies. And undiagnosed.

Too many signs.

I think it's drugs.

Or, as Bethenny said, "Did she go to Columbia... the country?  Still don't believe she went to college."

[Bossa Nova]

14 hours ago, OldButHappy said:

I have Aspergers. Kelly shows zero aspie behaviors. 

How about you keep your insults to yourself? Your ignorance is not an excuse. 

I am respectful of your opinion and your personal experience. 

I was not making an insult. Just an observation and posting my own opinion of KB.

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Bossa Nova

[Hiyo]

Ah, Ramona, the gift that kept on giving...

 

 

[emmawoodhouse]

8 hours ago, Hiyo said:

Ah, Ramona, the gift that kept on giving...

 

 

S3 was the best!

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Folks,

A quick reminder. It is okay to disagree and to share personal experiences or knowledge that dispute another poster's opinion.  However, all discussion should be civil.  I am leaving posts given that you worked it out.  Let's err on the side of civility. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

11 hours ago, Bossa Nova said:

I am respectful of your opinion and your personal experience. 

I was not making an insult. Just an observation and posting my own opinion of KB.

 

Probably the term "aspies" that is better left unused.  For me, it trivializes a life altering illness.  Not speaking for anyone but myself, but for me, it's up there with the r word.

[RedDelicious]

Long live Ramona’s dance moves.

[Abmis]

The Season 3 scary island trip was the only time I liked Alex.  She was actually pretty normal when Simon wasn't around.  She seemed thrilled to be friends with Bethenny which was kind of pathetic. She was that way in season 1 too, which makes me wonder if she had any girl friends.  I think I  would have seen her in a whole different light if  Simon hadn't always been around sucking the air out of every room. 

[RedDelicious]

7 minutes ago, Abmis said:

The Season 3 scary island trip was the only time I liked Alex.  She was actually pretty normal when Simon wasn't around.  She seemed thrilled to be friends with Bethenny which was kind of pathetic. She was that way in season 1 too, which makes me wonder if she had any girl friends.  I think I  would have seen her in a whole different light if  Simon hadn't always been around sucking the air out of every room. 

Alex had that weird thing going with Simon kind of like Aviva and Reid; Alex always wanted him there for girl stuff. I knew someone like that - she always wanted her boyfriend/fiance/husband to come along, even to 1:1 grabbing dinner, I guess because she thought no one would call her out (in her case) for being a jerk (because she kind of always was) if he was present. I don't remember, did this happen on any other franchise? Those NY women were more in your face than the other shows I think.

[Hiyo]

Quote

which makes me wonder if she had any girl friends.

I think she had girl friends, I just saw it as her being happy to have a girl friend on this show. Especially given that most, if not all,  of the women already knew someone else on the show outside of the show, plus them all looking down on her. And she did seem to become more friendly with Ramona as well.

Edited April 24, 2021 by Hiyo

[bosawks]

I had a soft spot for Alex and Simon and always thought they'd be happier off the show.

They seemed totally in over their head and while I found that entertaining to a point I was kind of relieved when they were gone.

 

[Persnickety1]

I binge watched season 3 this weekend and remembered why this was probably my favorite season of this show.  

Interestingly, Bravo also aired one of the "how they got here" episodes that was several years old.  And there sat Kelly, still white-knuckling her story that she was systematically bullied by the other women and that was the only problem.  I think she honestly believes that, too, even though the footage proves otherwise.  

It reminded me of the season 3 reunion when Kelly kept insisting Bravo forced her to go on that trip and Andy repeatedly told her that no one had forced her to go.  

(Although I can definitely see Andy/Bravo telling Kelly something like, "Well, of course you don't have to go and we can't force you to go, but refusal will impact your salary for the season," so this remains sort of a gray area for me).  

Now I hope they show all of season 4, the season of Cindy Barshop and Sonja giving her etiquette lessons about pecking order and the Moroccan trip in all of its glory  😂

Edited April 26, 2021 by Persnickety1

[Hiyo]

A tribute to RHONY’s very own Kellamity.

 

[RedDelicious]

On 4/22/2021 at 11:37 PM, RedDelicious said:

Long live Ramona’s dance moves.

Quoting myself for context. Can we talk about Alex in the background?

I can't decide if that's Vogue or a potential child beauty pageant past coming out 😆

Eden Wood called. She wants her moves back.

Edited April 29, 2021 by RedDelicious

[RedDelicious]

Some notes from halfway through my S2 Rewatch:

Ramona was doing a lot of #dancingwithmyself at parties, bless her heart. She's been running the 'you look old for your age and I look young for my age' line since 2008. The Countess was not impressed.

Bethenny was so clearly intimidated by Kelly's looks and connections. She was such a massive bitch to Kelly in every encounter before the meetup at the bar (which I think had to be producer driven). Bethenny was solidly square jawed in S2 and how ironic that she eventually became the epitome of everything she disliked Kelly for i.e., being a "fashionista", famewhoring and celebrity chasing. Kelly was flaky/flighty but overall harmless and likable. And you could see she was a good mom. I think she got dealt a bad hand. She shouldn't have shown up late to Jill's charity meeting but I got where she was coming from about her desire to help out but not be an official committee member. 

I forgot how entertaining Alex and Simon were. I had visions of Waiting for Guffman when Simon was all "where do you want us" at any given photographer. Their townhouse in Brooklyn was like a bad college apartment.

Lu's drinking habits were showing, as were the cracks in her marriage to the Count, which was sad. I'm shocked that the Luann's own children didn't close their mouths when chewing, which is seriously so gross.

Jill was always just nightmare Jill. I have no words except Mario seemed like he was pretty loaded when he went after her at that rooftop party.

[Hiyo]

“Bethenny was so clearly intimidated by Kelly's looks and connections.”

I didn’t see it that way at all.

[RedDelicious]

That's okay, everyone sees things differently based on what/who they like and dislike. Here's what I saw:

A good example is Bethenny's behavior at the show she and Kelly were at together. She was an insecure megabitch saying that she wasn't into fashion and wasn't impressed by it, etc. Her body language and facial expressions were pretty horrible and altogether it was basically an affront to Kelly's background in fashion and journalism. Kelly legitimately tried to make a friendship connection with Bethenny by inviting her to a party and Bethenny wouldn't even give her a chance.

Bethenny was like an ugly little sister standing next to Kelly and she knew it. Kelly had her kids and a nice apartment and could easily get a date and at that point Bethenny was post-breakup with Jason 1.0 with no kids and couch surfed her way through summer in the Hamptons, so there was that. Bethenny wasn't in equestrian and social circles like Kelly was, even though her father was a horse trainer (different circle, same animal).

Bethenny quickly figured out that she could take down Kelly with words and power plays and that is exactly what she did for the remainder of Kelly's time on the show. Bethenny also twisted her side of the story for the bar meetup scene for to own benefit.

Kelly wasn't without her faults but she's definitely not a mean and nasty person. When she said I'm here and you're here, she was saying I'm not stooping to your level of nasty comments and making fun of people, which Bethenny did a lot, and still does to this day. So yeah, in those early episodes, I think the root of the feud between Bethenny and Kelly was Bethenny's extreme insecurity.

By the time we got to Scary Island in Season 3, Kelly tried to beat Bethenny at her own game and lost miserably, but I still agree with her that Bethenny was a cook and not a chef.

[Hiyo]

I guess we do see things differently lol