Bethenny Frankel: Skinny Girl

[film noire]

48 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

Bethenny is under contract to them. 

She is.  And she already refused to film with Jill last season, and Bravo abided by her wishes, so we know how much power she has controlling who she films with.

Edited January 28, 2018 by film noire

[Rap541]

Which in no way mitigates the point that Jill isn't under contract with Bravo and was the deciding factor in whether Bobby Zarin's funeral was filmed by Bravo. 

It doesn't matter whether Bethenny did or didn't want to film, the decision always rested with Jill. 

[Celia Rubenstein]

36 minutes ago, WireWrap said:

Bravo used photos in Luann's special and I am sure they will use photos in 1 for Bobby as well. 

I think they used still photographs in Luann's special because that was all that was available to document certain events. They had live footage of her hosting the game show, for example, but not of her in a beauty pageant or dressed up in her nurses uniform so they had to settle for just still photographs of stuff like that. It's not like it was their first choice. I would think they went with as much taped footage as they could get their hands on. It makes for a much more interesting show and is almost always preferable.

Especially when that footage is easily obtained and of a very recent event, shot in anticipation of being used for particular project .... and you have the full support and agreement of the person in charge of said event, namely Jill Zarin, to record footage.

There's just no reason to go around snapping Polaroids under those circumstances, LOL.

[WireWrap]

5 minutes ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

I think they used still photographs in Luann's special because that was all that was available to document certain events. They had live footage of her hosting the game show, for example, but not of her in a beauty pageant or dressed up in her nurses uniform so they had to settle for just still photographs of stuff like that. It's not like it was their first choice. I would think they went with as much taped footage as they could get their hands on. It makes for a much more interesting show and is almost always preferable.

Especially when that footage is easily obtained and of a very recent event, shot in anticipation of being used for particular project .... and you have the full support and agreement of the person in charge of said event, namely Jill Zarin, to record footage.

There's just no reason to go around snapping Polaroids under those circumstances, LOL.

They used still photos that were taken after she joined the show, including using stills from video footage shot for the show! LOL So, they could have used still photos of people attending Bobby's memorial as well. 

Oh, and just because Bethenny spoke to, hugged Jill doesn't mean they "made up". I really doubt that Bethenny thinks they made up or even that they are in a better place with each other. 

[Celia Rubenstein]

3 minutes ago, WireWrap said:

... they could have used still photos of people attending Bobby's memorial as well. 

I guess I'm just at a loss as to what the big damn difference is to be honest. Who cares if they were snapping pictures or had a camera rolling?  Is one way of documenting the event in especially worse taste than the other?

It seems to me the (arguably) tasteless thing is that they were out there collecting images of any kind for use on a TV show when people have just lost someone they love and they are in mourning, about to lay that loved one to rest. Does it really matter all that much whether it's a still photograph being taken or video footage? 

[film noire]

47 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

Which in no way mitigates the point that Jill isn't under contract with Bravo 

Jill not being under contract doesn't matter, imo, because it's established that Bethenny being under contract does not = Frankel Must Film X.

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 Jill has the power to refuse filming in a way that Bethenny does not. 

I think Frankel refusing to film with Zarin last year makes that untrue.

Frankel suffered no consequences for it -- if anything, she got a whole new design show in the wake of throwing her power around (and good for her for doing so, Zarin was a snake to her & Bravo had no right to expect she'd film with Jill).

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and was the deciding factor in whether Bobby Zarin's funeral was filmed by Bravo. 

The deciding factor (for not just Bravo, but any network or producter/company/etc) is asses in the seats. 

They don't give a fuck about Bobby Zarin's decency or him deserving a tribute, they care about ratings/$$$ -- and Bravo thought Betheny and Jill talking/hugging = asses in the seats.  That's why they filmed - money is always the deciding factor -- and if Jill had offered them filming outside the funeral and Frankel refused to be filmed, there'd be no ratings bingo in that.  It's ugly, but that's the business (especially Andy Cohen style -- look no further than Vicki the Cancer Scammer still being employed).

Edited January 28, 2018 by film noire
punctuation. typos. made a cocktail in between. more typos.

[Rap541]

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I think Frankel refusing to film with Zarin last year makes that untrue.

I don't know how to explain this more clearly.

Whether or not Bravo pampers and indulges Bethenny with allowing her to pick how and when she films, Bethenny is still under contract to film. Technically, Bravo could force the point because Bethenny is under contract. They probably would never force the point but they could (and in the case of Kelly Bensimon, she was claiming for some time that she was forced to film with Bethenny on Scary Island so its possible Bravo could force the point)

Jill doesn't work for Bravo and isn't under any obligation at all to allow Bravo to film. When it comes to any filming at Bobby Zarin's funeral, Jill was the decision maker and if she had said no, Bravo could not have filmed even if *Bethenny* really wanted to. 

[WireWrap]

1 hour ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

I guess I'm just at a loss as to what the big damn difference is to be honest. Who cares if they were snapping pictures or had a camera rolling?  Is one way of documenting the event in especially worse taste than the other?

It seems to me the (arguably) tasteless thing is that they were out there collecting images of any kind for use on a TV show when people have just lost someone they love and they are in mourning, about to lay that loved one to rest. Does it really matter all that much whether it's a still photograph being taken or video footage? 

Filming, for me at least, is more, far more, intrusive. Not only are you watching something very sad but you are also hearing the sobs/conversation/the heartbreak that is happening between 2 people. At least Jill didn't allow the cameras inside the memorial, although I believe Andy would have jumped at the chance to capture it all if he could have. 

[film noire]

1 hour ago, Rap541 said:

I don't know how to explain this more clearly.

You're being clear. I just disagree with you ; )

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Technically, Bravo could force the point because Bethenny is under contract.

Only if she signed a very punitive contract with them upon her return to the show, which I doubt she did. 

She's repped by C.A.A. (or at least she was when she re-signed with Bravo) so I'm sure her contract contains all kinds of goodies (the right to reject storylines, approval of who she films with,  how often she has to do publicity for RHoNY, how often Bravo can use her image to promote the show, a developement deal giving her executive producer credit over new shows developed around her, etc, etc.) 

So even "technically", Bravo cannot force her to do anything, not unless she was stupid enough to sign a contract no better than the first one she signed with Bravo ten years ago. And (as much as I can't stand her) I'm certain she is more than smart enough to not give away the farm. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by film noire

[SCS]

4 hours ago, Rap541 said:

Bethenny is under contract to them. They make work with her if something awkward comes up, because she's one of their bigger talents for better or for worse, but they do have the power to insist. She's not all powerful (although because it's a funeral, I doubt they would have pressed except for, you know, the Jill factor)

Jill is not currently under contract with Bravo, therefore Jill has the power to refuse filming in a way that Bethenny does not. In this particular instance, the only way Bravo was able to film Jill on the sidewalk was with Jill's express permission that she could have refused with no penalty. And if Bravo persisted, she would have the right to decry their behavior as harassing, especially in a time of grief.  There's no way Bravo filmed any aspect of Bobby Zarin's funeral without Jill's permission and Bethenny saying yay or nay was never the deciding factor If Jill had said no, then there's no discussion or deba.te over Bethenny's participation because Jill was the decision maker and Bravo had utterly no legal standing to force Jill to film. 

Put more simply, if Bethenny had said no, and Jill said yes - Bravo could at least argue in the ensuing lawsuit that Bethenny was under contract and should have let them film. If Bethenny said yes, and Jill said no, Bravo has no legal ax to grind because Jill doesn't work for them and has every right to tell them to fuck off. 

Jill was the decision maker and the deciding factor. Nothing would have been filmed if Jill said no. 

 

[gundysgirl]

It seems clear that Jill allowed Bravo to film part of Bobby's funeral, or the entrances of many to the funeral. How do we know that they didn't film others arriving and talking to Jill, outside of Bethenny? Maybe there is footage of Dorinda, Ramona, and Sonja arriving? How do we know the cameras would not have done the same with the others if Bethenny would have said "fuck you" and stayed in Aspen? We have zero idea. As others have said, Bethenny's absence would have been as big a deal as her attendance in some ways. 

I think that many are minimizing the part that Bobby and Jill have played in this franchise. They are always in the background, even if Jill is no longer on the show. Her strained relationship with Bethenny, and the fact that she stayed close to others, will always be a part of the fabric of this show. Her thirst to be back on the show is something you can taste. Bobby died. He was beloved by many. Not many spouses have died during the run of this show. Who is to say they wouldn't have filmed the others going to the funeral, even if Bethenny hadn't? Not one person knows and to say otherwise is just speculation. 

I also don't get the part about Bethenny "refusing" to film with Jill last season. How do we know that? The only thing we know is that Jill, who has been gone for many years, got back on the show. She was featured with Lu and her asshole husband. Why would Bethenny have even been invited to that gathering? She would not have been. Yet still there Jill was. Minus Bethenny. She still got a place in that one episode. She was there even though there was no Bethenny, which makes a case for the fact that she could be back allowing a Bravo film crew to document the death of her husband even with no Bethenny. If they will let her have a meal with someone with no Bethenny, I find it hard to understand how they would let not let her mourn her husband with no Bethenny. 

[biakbiak]

18 minutes ago, gundysgirl said:

Maybe there is footage of Dorinda, Ramona, and Sonja arriving?

Because there are wide shots of all of them arriving with no camera crews.

[Martinigirl]

Oh Puhleaze! Jill is def behind the filming.  See was peeing her pants having a small cameo last season....

"The secret is out! I do pop in this season for a cameo on Real Housewives of New York! It was a thrill to film again and reminded me of how much fun we had back in the day. Thank you for all your love and support. Bobby and I had a great time even if only for a moment."

Se  also posted an earlier cast photo with this. 

[gundysgirl]

27 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Because there are wide shots of all of them arriving with no camera crews.

I don't even really know what that means. I watch the show every week. There are wide shots of them doing all kinds of things and I have yet to see a camera crew catching any of the drama. Isn't that the point of the show? They are doing things and there are cameras around but we don't see them. There could have easily been a camera crew documenting the others coming and or/going. Talking among themselves or with Jill. The fact that someone got a shot of Bethenny with a camera crew means nothing, except that it was more interesting to get a shot of Bethenny with the camera crew than of the others. 

[biakbiak]

4 minutes ago, gundysgirl said:

don't even really know what that means. I watch the show every week. There are wide shots of them doing all kinds of things and I have yet to see a camera crew catching any of the drama. I

Wide shots from the paparazzi of people arriving to the funeral, the only thing being filmed by a crew is Bethenny and Jill's reunion which is why people are making the assumption that she is the only one who was filmed. Given all the photos taken and out there it seems unlikely that the others were also filmed. Hell most people probably dont even realize that Dorinda and Jill are friends so there would be no need to film it since it won't be a story.

Edited January 29, 2018 by biakbiak

[BBHN]

Quote

Absolutely -- Bethenny Frankel is not at the mercy of anyone in production, imo -  if she'd said "No, I don't want to be filmed at Bobby's funeral" then she would not have been filmed at his funeral. 

I doubt that.

Quote

The difference would be Bethenny is currently contractually obligated to Bravo because she's a member of the cast, and they can justify forcing the point because the show is filming .

Yup.

Bethenny choosing not to film with Jill last season is not the same as telling the Bravo cameras to get the fuck out of here. As others pointed out, last year she chose not to film with Jill because there wasn't an event she was invited to that necessitated her being together with Jill in the same room. The dinner between Jill and Luann? Why would Bethenny even be invited to that anyway? That isn't the same thing as having power over what the cameras do and don't film.

The only way Bethenny could have avoided being filmed at the funeral was by not showing up. But then, people would have criticized her for that too.

Damned if she does, damned if she doesn't.

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the only thing being filmed by a crew is Bethenny and Jill's reunion

I'm going to assume that since 3 other current HWs and 2 former HWs attended, and also assuming that they are filming for next season, it is possible the others were filmed as well.

Edited January 29, 2018 by BBHN

[Happy Camper]

Bethenny and Jill are equally thirsty. 

[film noire]

8 minutes ago, Happy Camper said:

Bethenny and Jill are equally thirsty. 

Yes, they are.  (Good thing they both have plenty of Skinnygirl to drink :)

[biakbiak]

3 minutes ago, film noire said:

Yes, they are.  (Good thing they both have plenty of Skinnygirl to drink :)

Jill only drinks diet coke!

[BBHN]

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Bethenny and Jill are equally thirsty. 

Like any other reality TV show star.

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Jill only drinks diet coke!

This must have been a limited edition flavor/version of it:

Edited January 29, 2018 by BBHN

[WireWrap]

2 minutes ago, BBHN said:

Like any other reality TV show star.

This must have been a limited edition flavor/version of it:

Just because they are using champagne glasses doesn't mean they are drinking it. I know a number of people that don't drink any alcohol but use wine/champagne/liquor glasses when they are at a party because they don't want questioned why they aren't "drinking". LOL 

[film noire]

18 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Jill only drinks diet coke!

...and why is that, again?:)

Edited January 29, 2018 by film noire

[BBHN]

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Just because they are using champagne glasses doesn't mean they are drinking it. I know a number of people that don't drink any alcohol but use wine/champagne/liquor glasses when they are at a party because they don't want questioned why they aren't "drinking". LOL 

Were any of those people Jill or Bobby Zarin? LOL

I think most people would be ok with other people not drinking at an event.

Edited January 29, 2018 by BBHN

[WireWrap]

5 minutes ago, BBHN said:

Were any of those people Jill or Bobby Zarin? LOL

I think most people would be ok with other people not drinking at an event.

No, I have never met them nor did I say it was them. LOL

I think it possible that Jill wouldn't want anyone to think/know that she ever had a problem with alcohol, so Yes, I do think Jill would do this.

[BBHN]

Nah, she seems to enjoy her occasional alcoholic drink.

[Happy Camper]

17 minutes ago, WireWrap said:

Just because they are using champagne glasses doesn't mean they are drinking it. I know a number of people that don't drink any alcohol but use wine/champagne/liquor glasses when they are at a party because they don't want questioned why they aren't "drinking". LOL 

There have been many times when I have poured water into a wine glass so that when it comes time to "toast:' I have a glass to clink. Am I the only one who has ever done this?

Edited January 29, 2018 by Happy Camper

[BBHN]

Yeah but in that case, that doesn't look like water...

[Happy Camper]

3 minutes ago, BBHN said:

Yeah but in that case, that doesn't look like water...

True. I have also asked for ginger ale.

[BBHN]

Jill? Drinking ginger ale? What is she now, hoi polloi?

[Happy Camper]

6 minutes ago, BBHN said:

Jill? Drinking ginger ale? What is she now, hoi polloi?

Not saying she drinks it. Just may be for pic purpose. Just like any other housewife fake photo. 

[BBHN]

Or here is the radical thought...Jill occasionally drinks alcohol! LOL

[Happy Camper]

5 minutes ago, BBHN said:

Or here is the radical thought...Jill occasionally drinks alcohol! LOL

Or maybe not.  Anything that any housewife reportedly does or does not may be true or not. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by Happy Camper

[BBHN]

Which would render any future discussions of any future actions by any HWs pointless, then.

[Happy Camper]

1 minute ago, BBHN said:

Which would render any future discussions of any future actions by any HWs pointless, then.

Yep.

[BBHN]

Glad we cleared that up then lol

For some reason I find Jill's mother resembling Luann much more than she does Jill.

Edited January 29, 2018 by BBHN

[Happy Camper]

11 minutes ago, BBHN said:

Glad we cleared that up then lol

For some reason I find Jill's mother resembling Luann much more than she does Jill.

The bottom left hand photo. Bethenny looks so much like Jill's mother.

[Martinigirl]

8 hours ago, Happy Camper said:

Bethenny and Jill are equally thirsty. 

IMO a different kind of thirsty....

When Beth was offered a spot on one of the morning news shows for just one day and Jill called that show and harassed the producers because she felt she should have been included.

Jill tried to take Bethenny down by playing a personal phone message for everyone. To lie and say Beth practically stole money from her (not true). Tried to make it look as though Beth knew Bobby had cancer, when Jill KNEW Beth did not know. She put that rumor on RHONY knowing there were millions watching, out of sheer  jealousy and wanting to be the top dog on RHONY. Beth had been working on her career even before Housewives. She worked her a$$ off for it.  Jill had money because her Bobby had money. It wasn't as if she was out there making a career for herself like Bethenny has has for 20 plus years. 

IMO Jill was thirsty for the spotlight and Beth was thirsty for a career. Big difference (imo)

To grow up without the love of your own Mother and see what Bethenny has been able to do and be....I say BRAVO for her being so damn thirsty. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by Martinigirl

[gundysgirl]

10 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Wide shots from the paparazzi of people arriving to the funeral, the only thing being filmed by a crew is Bethenny and Jill's reunion which is why people are making the assumption that she is the only one who was filmed. Given all the photos taken and out there it seems unlikely that the others were also filmed. Hell most people probably dont even realize that Dorinda and Jill are friends so there would be no need to film it since it won't be a story.

Oh, I didn't realize it wouldn't be a story. I assumed we would have the other gals talking about Bobby, maybe show them coming to the funeral, etc. And I do think that most remember that Dorinda and Jill are friends. Much has been discussed about how Dorinda was in an early episode at some function of Jill's in one of the early seasons. And then there was the fact that Dorinda was invited to the lunch/dinner that Lu had last season when Bobby and Jill were there. Dorinda mentioned that she had been friends with Jill for years. I guess the good news is that we won't have to wait that long to know exactly how it will be played. The season usually starts in April I think. 

[Celia Rubenstein]

13 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Wide shots from the paparazzi of people arriving to the funeral, the only thing being filmed by a crew is Bethenny and Jill's reunion which is why people are making the assumption that she is the only one who was filmed. Given all the photos taken and out there it seems unlikely that the others were also filmed. 

Just because of one picture showing Bethenny with Jill, people are assuming that the other house wives and celebrities weren't filmed? If true, that's reading a lot into one picture, I think.

This is Bravo we're talking about, let's remember. And Bravo never misses an opportunity to feature "famous" people who are present when they are taping something. Even if it's just their own D list people making an appearance somewhere, they always make a point of featuring them. It's hard to believe they just couldn't be bothered to tape the other housewives and celebrities who attended at Bobby's service. 

The picture of Jill with Beth is getting all kinds of attention because it's "big news" to fans of the show. But it in no way suggests to me that the other housewives present were ignored.  I find it really hard to believe they kept the camera trained on Bethenny the whole time and ignored Ramona and Sonia Dorinda and Carol and whoever else was there, just so they could trail in Bethenny's wake, filming her and only her. That's just not how Bravo does things in my opinion.

 

13 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Hell most people probably dont even realize that Dorinda and Jill are friends so there would be no need to film it since it won't be a story.

I guess maybe I am in the minority, but I think it's a story. I think Jill's relationships with all the other housewives are stories, too. I realize that the reconciliation storyline between Bethenny and Jill is a big deal but it doesn't render every other single human being associated with the show irrelevant. 

 I think Bethenny Frankel is being assigned way more power over the show and importance to it than she actually has. YMMV.

[biakbiak]

1 minute ago, Celia Rubenstein said:

Just because of one picture showing Bethenny with Jill, people are assuming that the other house wives and celebrities weren't filmed? If true, that's reading a lot into one picture, I think.

I guess maybe I am in the minority, but I think it's a story. I think Jill's relationships with all the other housewives are stories, too. I realize that the reconciliation storyline between Bethenny and Jill is a big deal but it doesn't render every other single human being associated with the show irrelevant. 

 I think Bethenny Frankel is being assigned way more power over the show and importance to it than she actually has. YMMV.

It was more than one picture there are tons out there from tons of different angles and several accounts from people who were there.

My point was specific to Dorinda because they were never on the show together other than a brief flash of Dorinda, uncredited, at one of Jill's events so many people aren't aware that they have been friends for years. Since Jill is no longer a cast member I can't magine her friendship with the other women will be touched on or that much time will be spent at all on Bobby's passing.

[BBHN]

There are also tons of pics out there of the other HWs attending. And even of Marla and her non-black coat.

Didn't Jill and/or Dorinda mention they had been friends for years when Jill guested on the show last season?

[biakbiak]

8 minutes ago, BBHN said:

There are also tons of pics out there of the other HWs attending. And even of Marla and her non-black coat.

Didn't Jill and/or Dorinda mention they had been friends for years when Jill guested on the show last season?

I was referring to the fact that there was more than one picture of Bethenny, Jill and the film crew. Of course they are tons of pictures of the other housewives attending, I dont believe anyone was claiming differently. 

Edited January 29, 2018 by biakbiak

[film noire]

3 hours ago, Martinigirl said:

IMO Jill was thirsty for the spotlight and Beth was thirsty for a career. 

I think they were both thirsty for fame (Bethenny initially moved to L.A. to pursue acting) -  the difference to me is how they handled the spotlight. Jill used it (and Bobby) to try and destroy Frankel, and Frankel did not return the favor (I'm assuming because of Frankel's affection for Bobby and Ally, not any lingering affection for Zarin herself). 

Edited January 29, 2018 by film noire

[BBHN]

Quote

I was referring to the pictures of Bethenny, Jill and the film crew. Of course they are tons of pictures of the other housewives attending.

So how can you make the assumption that they too weren't being filmed by Bravo cameras?

[biakbiak]

2 minutes ago, BBHN said:

So how can you make the assumption that they too weren't being filmed by Bravo cameras?

Because of the wide shots showing no film crew and people who were there talking about what the crew was filming.

Edited January 29, 2018 by biakbiak

[BBHN]

That doesn't mean it didn't happen, just because the paparazzi didn't document it.

I'd imagine they'd want to focus on the jill/Bethenny reunion, more than anything else.

Edited January 29, 2018 by BBHN

[film noire]

4 minutes ago, BBHN said:

So how can you make the assumption that they too weren't being filmed by Bravo cameras?

Because (as Biak said upthread) of the wide angle shots of the funeral.

eta; @biakbiak - jinx! I owe you a coke.

Edited January 29, 2018 by film noire

[BBHN]

Quote

Because (as Biak said upthread) of the wide angle shots of the duneral.

Again, that doesn't mean it didn't happen, just because the paparazzi didn't document it.

Again, I'd imagine they'd want to focus on the jill/Bethenny reunion, more than anything else.

[Celia Rubenstein]

3 hours ago, film noire said:

Because (as Biak said upthread) of the wide angle shots of the funeral.

@biakbiak

 

 I think it should be noted that the meeting of Jill and Bethenny was surely pre-arranged to take place on the street because Bobby's children Jill wouldn't allow cameras inside the service.  And that there is a limit on how long Jill could stand on the sidewalk filming a TV show when her husband's funeral was about to begin.

I think that's why we're not seeing pictures and footage of random housewives being taped. It's not that Bravo only cares about Bethenny or doesn't care about the other housewives ...It was simply a practical consideration (and a modicum of good taste/restraint on Jill's part ... or whoever it was that told her no way was she gonna stand out there and greet all the housewives individually in some kind of famewhore receiving line so Bravo could tape it).

Edited January 29, 2018 by Celia Rubenstein

[jaync]

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The bottom left hand photo.

That JAW - no fucking way she didn't have plastic surgery on that thing. She'd have to inject a gallon's worth of Botox on a monthly basis to get and maintain the drastic difference between her old and current face.