Carole Radziwill: She's a Real Princess!

[Lisin]

She's always seemed a bit too sane to be on this show for me.

[Curtsy]

She certainly doesn't seem as sane after the latest episode, does she? She really stooped to Aviva's level, and I was disappointed in her. I still like Carol, but she needed to rise above that nonsense. She lost some dignity.

[Cheetosandchoc]

I always felt she was condescending. How sane can a person who agrees to be on a 'Real Houswives' show be?

[aradia22]

I feel like I was a little neutral on her last season but this season I'm really starting to dislike her. Not that I'm siding with Aviva. I'm Team No One because they're both awful and wrong. But I don't think enough people on the show are picking apart how terrible Carole's arguments are. She is really condescending. I can't take her seriously as a writer when she claims she purposefully sacrifices grammar to create more beautiful sounding, lyric prose. She keeps perpetuating this idea that we should feel bad for her because without her career she has "nothing" because she doesn't have a significant other or a child which is ridiculous and insulting to women. Somehow she's trained Heather to be her attack dog which makes me dislike Heather more. Her refusal to acknowledge her own privilege because it doesn't gel with her image of herself as this cool, downtown chick is irritating. And she just doesn't seem like a very nice person. She and Heather are a little too willing to jump to making jokes about Aviva's leg now that they're not friendly anymore.

[ScoobieDoobs]

That she could call anyone -- even a vile character like Veevs -- "nothing" speak volumes about Carole & who she is.  I always thought she was pretty haughty.  Now I'm sure of it.

[Curtsy]

Yeah, "nothing" was a pretty vile thing to say. In the midst of all that drama, I did like Carol's little black dress she wore to Aviva's party. She has good taste.

[SFoster21]

She's clever and stylish, but not really kind.

And she's a desperate older woman, constantly seeking attention from young, good-looking men.

Common sense seems to have deserted her.

[Mozelle]

 

I can't take her seriously as a writer when she claims she purposefully sacrifices grammar to create more beautiful sounding, lyric prose.

I actually think that this is quite common among writers, particularly writers of fiction*. Rules of grammar can be tossed out if you're writing dialogue or prose in the voice of a particular character. It happens more often than not. James McBride's The Good Lord Bird did this for the entire 400+ novel. It was told from the point of view of a young slave boy who traveled (against his will most of the time) around Midwestern territories and along the Mid-Atlantic states as well as the Northeast with John Brown in the mid-1800s. 

It's the old "You have to know the rules of grammar before you can break them" writing adage.

*Granted, this is Carole's first work of fiction, but I think the point still stands.

Edited April 2, 2014 by Mozelle

[BogoGog24]

I'm honestly not sure what to think about Carol. This is the first season of the show I have watched. All I have gathered about her is that she is a writer and was married to a prince who died. 

I can see where she's coming from with defending her career. If she's been a writer for 20 years, a newbie doesn't have any right to act like they're even on the same level. She shouldn't have called Aviva "nothing" or grabbed her face though. And watching her flirting with some guy young enough to be her own son was nauseating. 

Edited April 2, 2014 by BogoGog24

[car54]

While I think Carole is pretty smart and funny, I don't think I would like her very much in real life after seeing her on the show--my reaction is a little like LuAnn's---a bit too many put-downs in her talking heads.  

In terms of her writing, it is clear she takes it very seriously and Aviva has struck a nerve with her assertions.    She struck a nerve herself by calling Aviva nothing---so I think it's kind of a wash in terms of fault,and they both need to back off, realize what they each did to trigger all this and apologize to each other.

[FozzyBear]

Yeah, I don't think Carol is crazy like Kelly or Ramona, or even Aviva. And I don't think she's manipulative like Jill. But I don't like her. I just think she may not be a hellish shrew, but I don't think she's a nice person either. She just seems pretty snotty and mean and condescending. I agree with the assessment that she never really has anything nice to say about anyone. At best her THs are some backhanded insults desguised as complements or commentary. There is at least one moment per episode when I about roll my eyes out if my head at her. And it's generally not huge stuff, but little irritating stuff that makes me think she's not a very...relaxing person to be around. Holla in the Hamptons was when she was in the kitchen talking to her trainer friend about how she was bored and they should go jump in the ocean. Because she gets bored easily. Because she's just extra special ALL THE TIME. She can't ever just BE anywhere without pointing out how she's not really into it. I bet you always have to remember to bring your best detached-ironic hipsterness with you whenever you hang with that one.

[copacabana]

Carole's latest blog is up and, while entertaining, it manages to be exceptionally nasty and mean-spirited.  I can't stand Aviva but don't much care for The Princess either.  She would be wise to put a cork in it at this point.  It's clear these two detest each other -- got it, ladies!  Keep it moving.  

The bored comment at the party annoyed me also -- She's oh-so-above-it-all while being firmly stuck in the messy mix.  I miss Alex and LuAnn -- or will miss LuAnn once we get through this little get-together. 

Back to the blog, seems someone rightly called her out on making comments about taking or not taking meds.  Glad someone out there checked her on this front. Not funny and definitely not cool. 

[FozzyBear]

Yeah, for someone who feels all if this is so silly she really has managed to engage in a season long fight twice now. First with Luanne and now with Aviva. And come to think if it, in both instances Carol spent a lot of time being offended that her sparing partner had the nerve to try and exist in her world. With Aviva it's a little more complicated than Carol's total bitch fest of "how dare you talk to my designer friends!", but there's still a big dose of being angry at not being recognized as better than.

Besides, 2nd season is when I loose all patience with the editing-producer manipulation-lots that wasn't filmed-I'm just doing this for fun arguments. Yeah, so you did it and you saw how it worked and you came back for more. You are now a cast member of a trashy reality show. You are Vicky Gundelson. You are Teressa Guidice. You are The Richards sisters. You are.

[car54]

I just remembered something---last fall Susan Sarandon was on WWHL --and evidently she and Carole are friends--and she told a story about Carole wanting to "borrow" her dog--for the show filming--to make it look like she had a pet---but she gave the dog back --it was too much trouble.

[copacabana]

Wow!  Thanks for this bit of info, car54.  I'm surprised that Sarandon would throw her so-called friend under the bus like that.  LOL!  Pretty damaging little anecdote.

[Trooper York]

I have to say that the Princess is one of the most unpleasant Housewives across all of the franchises. When you go on a reality show you should realize that the camera doesn't lie. Your personality will leak through regardless of how they edit you. They only get you give them.

What we get is that the Princess is a smug, condescending elitist who not in the least bit interesting. Her only claim to fame is a tenuous relationship to the Kennedy's. So which one did she hook up with? The rapist or the one who killed someone with a golf club?

[Queenie76]

Wow!  Thanks for this bit of info, car54.  I'm surprised that Sarandon would throw her so-called friend under the bus like that.  LOL!  Pretty damaging little anecdote.

I'm surprised that Sarandon would throw her puppy under the bus!

[Mozelle]

I have to say that the Princess is one of the most unpleasant Housewives across all of the franchises. When you go on a reality show you should realize that the camera doesn't lie. Your personality will leak through regardless of how they edit you. They only get you give them.

What we get is that the Princess is a smug, condescending elitist who not in the least bit interesting. Her only claim to fame is a tenuous relationship to the Kennedy's. So which one did she hook up with? The rapist or the one who killed someone with a golf club?

Neither. 

[Nancybeth]

Carole didn't hook up with any Kennedys.  She was married to Anthony Radziwill, who's mother Lee Radziwill was Jackie Kennedy's Onassis' sister.  Anthony and JFK Jr. were very, very close, and Carole became good friends with Carolyn Besette Kennedy, JFK Jr's wife. 

So yes, her connection to the rest of the Kennedys IS tenuous -- and I don't think she's ever claimed to be super-close with them.  She mentioned in her Bravo blog that she saw some of them not too long ago at a wedding.  She does seem to be fairly close with her former mother-in-law.  She is a Radziwill (through marriage) not a Kennedy.   

[Trooper York]

That was a rhetorical questions guys.

I think it is clear that Carole is well on her way to mirroring the life and times of another relative by marriage.

Edie Beale.

[Mozelle]

Oh, I think that Sonja has that distinction in the bag. 

[Trooper York]

I know but Sonja is more the Anna Nicole Smith type. Aviva had that right. Every once in a while a one legged squirrel can find an acorn.

[Cheetosandchoc]

Carole "I don't like to be the center of attention, but am on a trashy reality show"Radizwell.

I know I'm alone in this but I like Aviva better than her.

[tulip555]

Carole "I don't like to be the center of attention, but am on a trashy reality show"Radizwell.

I know I'm alone in this but I like Aviva better than her.

You are not alone....can't stand Carol....so much so that Aviva actually looks sympathetic

[tulip555]

That she could call anyone -- even a vile character like Veevs -- "nothing" speak volumes about Carole & who she is.  I always thought she was pretty haughty.  Now I'm sure of it.

Yes....she does seem to think she is a cut above the others.....but by going on a Housewife show, she proves she is willing to get into the gutter with the rest of them....and IMO, making herself look like a fool in the process.

[TessHarding2]

I don't like her being called Radzi.  It doesn't feel right.

[tulip555]

who is calling her Radzi?

[FozzyBear]

Heather calls her Radzi.

[tulip555]

thank you FozzyBear

[tinaw]

In my opinion Aviva started the war by going to carole and stating that she lied about writing her book alone. Thems fighting words to anyone. Not the smart thing to do to the person you want help from.

Aviva comparing her writing to Carole was strange to me. It would be same as ie Aviva being a professional painter and Carole painting one" paint by numbers "piece, and calling herself a professional artist.

I dont blame Carole being upset. Maybe she didnt word herself the best way, but I dont fault her for being upset.

At least thats how I see it

[Nancybeth]

I don't blame her either, tinaw!  Although it's starting to drag on a bit.  The last couple WWHL polls have shown most viewers to be on Carole's "side." 

 

Heather seems to be one of those annoying people who give EVERYONE nicknames...she calls Aviva "Veevs," and had some name for Sonja that I can't remember.

[poppygibson]

Heather seems to be one of those annoying people who give EVERYONE nicknames.

I'm kind of hoping that "Jax" is just her son's nickname, and that his real name is "Jackson".  Because...Jax.  Is that a thing, now?

Radzi?  I thought she was saying "Rattsie". That fits, too.

 

[Trooper York]

Carole wouldn't be so upset if there wasn't a tiny little itty bitty titty something to it. If it was so obviously malarkey she would laugh it off especially when it is coming from a psycho like Aviva.

Repeat after me in a heavy Dutch accent "Vere der is smoke der is fire."

[shoegal]

Carole wouldn't be so upset if there wasn't a tiny little itty bitty titty something to it. If it was so obviously malarkey she would laugh it off especially when it is coming from a psycho like Aviva.

Repeat after me in a heavy Dutch accent "Vere der is smoke der is fire."

I don't think this is necessarily true, there is nothing that upsets me more than someone lying about me.  It's crazy making for me!  If you say something that is kinda sorta a little true, I am much more likely to let it slide (especially if I am not all that keen on anyone finding out that it's kinda, sorta, maybe true) but you tell a lie about me and it will make me go insane with trying to prove that you are lying.  I don't laugh off lies about me, even from psychos. 

[Trooper York]

I don't know. You could be right. But if you have to rent a dog to pretend that you have one then maybe you would rent a writer and pretend that you are one.

 

It seems plausible.

[jnymph]

Margaret was kind of a cute name for her dog. Or was that Susan Sarandons that was given back?

Now I'm confused.

[Cheetosandchoc]

That house in LA was gorgeous! She didn't seem to interact with Margaret to well, and there was lots of food in the house so I question that it was really hers lol!
 

[Trooper York]

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there. Especially to those of you who have never worked outside the home. We appreciate and value what you do everyday. We couldn't survive as a society without it.

[Mozelle]

Meh. I still have such a hard time getting worked up over what she said to Aviva given that 1) Aviva tried to belittle Carole's own work as a writer and journalist and 2) it was said during the heat of an argument.

 

I don't think this is necessarily true, there is nothing that upsets me more than someone lying about me.  It's crazy making for me!  If you say something that is kinda sorta a little true, I am much more likely to let it slide (especially if I am not all that keen on anyone finding out that it's kinda, sorta, maybe true) but you tell a lie about me and it will make me go insane with trying to prove that you are lying.  I don't laugh off lies about me, even from psychos. 

 

 

I feel similarly, shoegal. I can totally see why Carole would be spitting mad over Aviva's claims of Carole's memoir being ghostwritten. That's not just something one should brush off lest they be accused of overreacting due to the whole "smoke...fire" notion. It's a serious accusation.

[Trooper York]

The fact of the matter is that Radzi is associated with a family that took full credit and a Pulitzer prize for a book that was ghostwritten. "Profiles in Courage" was written by Theodore Sorensen but John F. Kennedy took credit for it and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.  So think of it as a family tradition.

[shoegal]

 

The fact of the matter is that Radzi is associated with a family that took full credit and a Pulitzer prize for a book that was ghostwritten. "Profiles in Courage" was written by Theodore Sorensen but John F. Kennedy took credit for it and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.  So think of it as a family tradition.

 

That is a little too much six degrees of Kevin Bacon for me to buy, there is nothing that implicates Carole in this scenario. 

[Mozelle]

The fact of the matter is that Radzi is associated with a family that took full credit and a Pulitzer prize for a book that was ghostwritten. "Profiles in Courage" was written by Theodore Sorensen but John F. Kennedy took credit for it and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.  So think of it as a family tradition.

 

So, Carole's husband's uncle (by marriage)? And that somehow means that she likely had her memoir ghost written?

Edited May 19, 2014 by Mozelle

[shoegal]

So, Carole's husband's uncle (by marriage)? And that somehow means that she likely had her memoir ghost written?

 

Carole's husband's uncle by marriage, who was assassinated when Carole was three months old. 

[Trooper York]

I just think it is an interesting factoid and an example of how the most highly praised books and award winning books are often ghost written. I have no idea if her book was ghost written but her reaction is out of proportion when you consider the source of the accusation.

 

If I could sum up Carole Radziwell in one word it would be: phony.

 

So while I certainly don't think Aviva is anything short of a lunatic I still think it is quite possible that people in publishing told her that the book was ghostwritten. I mean how can you sit at a kitchen table and write your book when you don't even have a kitchen?

[shoegal]

I have no idea if her book was ghost written but her reaction is out of proportion when you consider the source of the accusation

 

 

I don't agree, Aviva may be a crazy bitch, but she's a coworker and she made the accusation on camera, I think Carole's reaction was in perfect proportion. 

 

 

I mean how can you sit at a kitchen table and write your book when you don't even have a kitchen?

 

Carole didn't write the book while living in her NYC apartment, after the deaths of Anthony, JFK Jr. and Carolyn, Carole left New York.  She wrote the book while staying with her brother and sister in law in Portland or Seattle or somewhere in the Northwest region.  She has spoken before about her writing process and her motivation for writing the book, and if you haven't read it, I highly recommend-to anyone- reading What Remains.  It's a beautiful book about an incredibly tragic marriage and loss.  I have to say that I have respect for Carole after reading what she went through, that woman has a spine of steel IMO. 

[Trooper York]

It was pretty cool to watch Carole's method on this last episode. So lets see. She had an article due so she called up Luann to help her write it. You know give her stuff to say instead of doing original research or dare I say have an original thought.

 

I bet Emile Zola or Victor Hugo pretty much worked the same way.

 

Although I heard that Victor did once have his bell rung by a hunchback at a Carnival in Paris in 1826 so there is that.

[technorebel]

Carole calling Luann for help writing her article was a little peculiar considering how she ragged on Lu all of last season. Even more so since the princess is mighty particular about her writing credentials.

[Mozelle]

Yes, Carole had an article due...and she did some research by calling LuAnn, a woman she's eventually become friendly with since filming two years ago. How scandalous. Carole even went so far as attributing LuAnn for one of her gift-giving ideas in the Town & Country piece.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Mozelle

[Trooper York]

Not scandalous. Just amusing based on her pearl clutching.

 

Most journalist are big hacks anyway copying and stealing and plagiarizing left and right.

 

I think we can all agree that she is a real "journalist."

[Stinger97]

I'm not intimately familiar with the Aviva/Carole ghostwriting situation, but I didn't have an issue with Carole calling LuAnn for help with the article. If you're writing an article and someone you know has experience in that subject area, there isn't any harm in utilizing the connection. Had she put a pencil in LuAnn's hand and asked her to write the article, that would be an issue, but that's not what we saw.